A medical data acquisition device comprising a processing circuitry, the processing circuitry configured to: operate a camera to acquire at least one image during a process for collecting a sample by a tip of a swab making contact with a required contact area on, or within, a body of a patient; analyze the image to determine one or more parameters, the parameters including at least one of (a) a position of the swab with respect to the required contact area, or (b) an orientation of the swab with respect to the required contact area; and perform at least one action based on comparison of the one or more parameters with a positioning criterion.

Provided herein are compositions comprising populations of cells obtained from a pregnant subject comprising at least one of a Hofbauer cell, a cytotrophoblast, a syncytiotrophoblast, an extravillous trophoblast, a villous core stroma, or a fetal vascular cell; a stabilization buffer, wherein the stabilization buffer comprises a preservative; and a cellulosic collection device, wherein at least a subset of the population of cells are intact and inviable and methods of making and using such compositions.

Improved nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 or other molecular diagnostic testing are discussed herein. Swab designs for adult use are not suitable for pediatric use. Swabs for pediatric use need to be smaller and more flexible to navigate delicate pediatric nasopharyngeal cavities. A novel use of maxillofacial CT scans to aid in the design of pediatric nasopharyngeal swabs satisfying such criteria is discussed. Further, the novel swabs are also suitable for 3D printing.

A tissue collection system for collection a sample from the body. The system includes an outer tubular member having a proximal end region to a distal end region and defining a lumen extending from the proximal end region to the distal end region, an inner tubular member slidably disposed within the lumen of the outer tubular member, the inner tubular member defining a lumen extending from a proximal end region to a distal end region of the inner tubular member, and a tissue collection device disposed adjacent to the distal end region of the inner tubular member.

A brush for non-invasive biopsy may include a distal tip forming a cavity, where an opening of the cavity faces proximally. A shaft may be included, where the shaft is movable relative to the distal tip, where a distal end of the shaft is located within the cavity when the brush is in a first state, and where at least a portion of the distal end of the shaft is located outside the cavity when the brush is in a second state. A set of bristles may be located at the distal end of the shaft, where the bristles at least partially move from within the cavity of the distal tip to outside the cavity of the distal tip when the brush moves from the first state to the second state.

A swab is described that includes a handle, a connecting rod including a ring groove, and a head having a shape of at least one of flagella or pilus. The head includes one or more channels configured to collect sample (e.g., specimen) from an anatomical part of a patient. The one or more channels can store the sample while additional sample is being collected. The head has an end that is convex. The handle includes a circular disc to hold the swab. The connecting rod is configured to be broken at the ring groove when pressure is applied to bend the swab. The handle, the connecting rod, and the head form/are a single integrated structure and are inseparable without breaking the single integrated structure. The anatomical part can be a nose or a throat. Related apparatuses, systems, techniques, methods and articles are also within the scope of this disclosure.

The technology described herein is directed to an anterior nares swab that is automation compatible. In one aspect, the swab comprises a cap, a threaded portion, a neck, and a sample collection head. The cap can be integrally and/or monolithically formed with any one or more of the threaded portion, the neck, and the sample collection head; or can be removably coupled to any one or more of the threaded portion, the neck, and the sample collection head. In additional aspects, described herein are kits comprising said swabs and methods of using said swabs.

A mesenchymal stem cell harvesting system and method for increasing the efficiency of collecting and processing physiological fluids containing mesenchymal stem cells from a cavity within a patient's skeletal system. Microenvironments risk in MSC production and concentration within a cavity, for example the patient's ilium, are penetrated with a pointed instrument used to create an aperture in the hard cortical bone forming the cavity followed by the insertion of an aspiration device which extracts one or more samples of cancellous bone, bone marrow, bone marrow blood and other aspirated material. The aspirate is rinsed and may be filtered to remove unwanted material and to increase the concentration and purity of the mesenchymal stem cells in the aspirant far beyond levels formerly obtainable for use in autologous treatment of the patient.

Embodiments herein relate to medical devices and methods for monitoring and/or treatment including the use of synthetic polymers exhibiting specific binding for compounds such as disease state markers or toxic substances. In an embodiment, a method of testing a patient for a disease state is included, the method can include withdrawing a fluid sample from the patient and contacting the fluid sample with an extracorporeal monitoring device. The extracorporeal monitoring device can include a microporous membrane. The microporous membrane can include a synthetic polymer, wherein the synthetic polymer exhibits binding specificity with a disease state marker. The method can further include evaluating the extracorporeal monitoring device for the presence of the disease state marker. Other embodiments are included herein.

A sexual assault evidence collection kit that may be used by the victim or other non-professionals. The kit may be simplified compared to kits for professional use, and may be usable with no specialized training. Victims may therefore be able to collect evidence themselves after an assault, instead of searching for a facility with personnel trained in forensic evidence collection, and enduring a long, intrusive examination. Embodiments may include a package (for example a clear bag) and the following components inside the package: gloves, swabs, swab containers, water, evidence collection bags, evidence bag sealing tape, evidence collection tape, a permanent marker, and instructions on how to identify, collect, seal, document, and store evidence.