A device for emitting photons into a fluid is disclosed. The device includes a fluid channel configured to transfer the fluid from an inlet to an outlet thereof and the fluid channel having a helical pathway wound about a longitudinal axis. The device also includes at least one inner light source adjacent the fluid channel, the at least one inner light source positioned between the fluid channel and the longitudinal axis and at least one outer light source adjacent the fluid channel, the fluid channel positioned between the outer light source and the longitudinal axis.

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for the inactivation of pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses, etc.) in ex vivo stored blood products, such as plasma and/or platelets, by means of directing visible light radiation from an illuminating device into blood product storage containers in order to achieve effective pathogen inactivation without the presence of an added photosensitising agent in the blood product. An exemplary apparatus includes a control unit that operates a light source that emits light in the wavelength region of about 380-500 nm which is directed onto blood product storage bags at sufficient intensity to penetrate the bag material and the opaque blood product therein in order to inactivate pathogens in the blood product but at dose levels that cause no significant detrimental effects on the blood product.

Products, compositions, systems, and methods for modifying a target structure which mediates or is associated with a biological activity, including treatment of conditions, disorders, or diseases mediated by or associated with a target structure, such as a virus, cell, subcellular structure or extracellular structure. The methods may be performed in situ in a non-invasive manner by placing a nanoparticle having a metallic shell on at least a fraction of a surface in a vicinity of a target structure in a subject and applying an initiation energy to a subject thus producing an effect on or change to the target structure directly or via a modulation agent. The nanoparticle is configured, upon exposure to a first wavelength λ.sub.1, to generate a second wavelength λ.sub.2 of radiation having a higher energy than the first wavelength λ.sub.1. The methods may further be performed by application of an initiation energy to a subject in situ to activate a pharmaceutical agent directly or via an energy modulation agent, optionally in the presence of one or more plasmonics active agents, thus producing an effect on or change to the target structure. Kits containing products or compositions formulated or configured and systems for use in practicing these methods.

The invention provides a method, apparatus and system for separating blood and other types of cellular components, and can be combined with holographic optical trapping manipulation or other forms of optical tweezing. One of the exemplary methods includes providing a first flow having a plurality of blood components; providing a second flow; contacting the first flow with the second flow to provide a first separation region; and differentially sedimenting a first blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components into the second flow while concurrently maintaining a second blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components in the first flow. The second flow having the first blood cellular component is then differentially removed from the first flow having the second blood cellular component. Holographic optical traps may also be utilized in conjunction with the various flows to move selected components from one flow to another, as part of or in addition to a separation stage.

A blood storage system comprising: a collection vessel for red blood cells; an oxygen or oxygen and carbon dioxide depletion device; a storage vessel for red blood cells; tubing connecting the collection vessel to the oxygen or oxygen and carbon dioxide depletion device and the oxygen or oxygen and carbon dioxide depletion device to the storage vessel; and a gamma or X-ray irradiating device is used to irradiate red blood cells stored in the vessel, storing red blood cells under anaerobic conditions.

The invention provides a method, apparatus and system for separating blood and other types of cellular components, and can be combined with holographic optical trapping manipulation or other forms of optical tweezing. One of the exemplary methods includes providing a first flow having a plurality of blood components; providing a second flow; contacting the first flow with the second flow to provide a first separation region; and differentially sedimenting a first blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components into the second flow while concurrently maintaining a second blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components in the first flow. The second flow having the first blood cellular component is then differentially removed from the first flow having the second blood cellular component. Holographic optical traps may also be utilized in conjunction with the various flows to move selected components from one flow to another, as part of or in addition to a separation stage.

This invention relates to a method, process and apparatus for disinfecting and sterilizing all types of surfaces contaminated with microorganisms and toxic substances to render both inactive. Furthermore, this invention relates to both a method and apparatus for disinfecting and/or sterilizing breathable air and then using this air to protect a confined space from external contamination. The apparatus consists of a new ultra-violet (NUV) source that is more effective than mercury based 254 nm light for destroying DNA of virus, bacteria, spores and cists. It is most effective in breaking chemical bonds in toxic gases and Biotoxins that are useful to terrorists. It is combined with other apparatus that remove particulates and byproducts sometimes produced by the NUV source and maintains positive pressure of the confined space so as to prevent the influx of air from outside the protected zone.

A method and a system for producing a change in a medium disposed in an artificial container. The method places in a vicinity of the medium at least one of a plasmonics agent and an energy modulation agent. The method applies an initiation energy through the artificial container to the medium. The initiation energy interacts with the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent to directly or indirectly produce the change in the medium. The system includes an initiation energy source configured to apply an initiation energy to the medium to activate the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent.

A blood processing apparatus including a blood supply unit, a centrifuge, a light irradiation unit, a filtering device, and a blood collection unit, which is characterized in that blood is introduced into the centrifuge and centrifuged, the centrifuged blood is passed through a transparent tube provided in the light irradiation unit while being irradiated with light applied, from the outside of the transparent tube, by a light irradiation device configured to include an infrared lamp with a wavelength of 830±5 nm, a red light-emitting diode (LED) lamp with a wavelength of 635±6 nm, a blue LED lamp with a wavelength of 420±5 nm, a green LED lamp with a wavelength of 530±5 nm, a yellow LED lamp with a wavelength of 585±5 nm, and ultraviolet (UV) lamps, and the blood irradiated with the light is filtered using the filtering device and collected in the blood collection unit.

A blood storage system comprising: a collection vessel for red blood cells; an oxygen or oxygen and carbon dioxide depletion device; a storage vessel for red blood cells; tubing connecting the collection vessel to the oxygen or oxygen and carbon dioxide depletion device and the oxygen or oxygen and carbon dioxide depletion device to the storage vessel; and a gamma or X-ray irradiating device is used to irradiate red blood cells stored in the vessel, storing red blood cells under anaerobic conditions.