A method is provided that includes intranasally dispensing nasal wash fluid into a nasal cavity of a subject such that the nasal wash fluid washes biological material into an oropharynx of the subject from (a) the nasal cavity, (b) a nasopharynx of the subject, or (c) the nasal cavity and the nasopharynx. The method further includes, thereafter, collecting a specimen sample that passed out of an anterior opening of an oral cavity of the subject and contains at least a portion of the biological material washed into the oropharynx by the nasal wash fluid. Thereafter, information is derived from extracellular vesicles present in the specimen sample. Other embodiments are also described.

The invention disclosed herein concerns screening and early detection of a variety of disease conditions in seemingly healthy subjects, enabling early intervention and treatment.

A device (10,210) for treatment of a canal associated with an orifice includes a flexible stem portion (20, 220) adapted for insertion along the canal and having an expandable member (24, 224) carried by the stem portion (20, 220) at or adjacent the distal end. The expandable member (24, 224) is for occlusion of an inner end region of the canal. A cap (40, 240, 340) mounted on the stem portion (20, 220), configured as a receptacle (42, 242), to close an outer end of the canal and to accommodate the surface(s) about the outer end of the canal. The cap (40, 240) thereby de-fines with the expandable member (24, 224), a treatment zone, wherein the receptacle (42, 242) is adapted to receive and store treatment fluid for contact with the surface(s) about the outer end of the canal.

A reusable respirator including a mask adapted for covering and conforming to the face around the nose and a mouth of a user, a strap configured to secure the mask to a face of the user, and a filter component. All components of the respirator are capable of being cleaned, disinfected and sterilized at temperatures in excess of 50° C. An outer surface of the mask is substantially smooth and wettable for easily disinfecting and is shaped with a pair of outer shield portions for housing particulate air filters. The outer shield portions each include a closeable vent through the outer surface that is adapted to provide a user seal check and direct air flow through the outer surface for filtering by the respective particulate air filter, which is adapted to filter at least 95% of airborne particles.

An embodiment provides a method for treating a body fluid, including: removing the body fluid from a patient; applying a treatment to the body fluid, wherein the treatment comprises an antibody that joins with an antigen in the body fluid to form an antibody-antigen complex; removing the antibody-antigen complex from the body fluid; and returning the body fluid to the patient. Other aspects are described and claimed.

A method for damaging viruses in a human tissue comprised generating a series of ultra-short pulse laser (USPL) pulses by a USPL generator, radiating the USPL pulses by a USPL applicator and exposing the human tissue to a defined number of generated USPL pulses wherein an energy absorbing enhancing substance is disposed between the human tissue and the USPL applicator.

Described are methods for providing a pulsed dose of a gaseous drug over a portion of total inspiratory time, where the dose of the gaseous drug is delivered at a concentration of nL of gaseous drug per mL tidal volume.

Methods are provided for treatment of cancer in a subject's body by intraluminal delivery of oncolytic viruses through a balloon catheter or alternative mechanism inserted in a blood vessel or duct leading to a target site of the cancer tissue, or for somatic cell gene therapy of single defective gene-caused other diseases or disorders by similar intraluminal delivery of non-oncolytic viruses to a target site of affected tissue and cells of the disease or disorder, wherein during delivery of the oncolytic or non-oncolytic virus, the designated vessel or duct is selectively occluded at both ends of the target site by two spaced-apart inflated balloons of the catheter to block perfusion therethrough and allow control of the volume of virus delivered to the target site so as to increase concentration and pressure of the virus thereat sufficient to enable viral penetration of an endothelial barrier of the vessel or duct without compromise thereof and into diseased cells in the vicinity of the target site toward achieving a desired therapy.

Devices, systems, and methods for protecting medical personnel during medical procedures are disclosed herein. The present technology may comprise, for example, a flexible barrier configured to be positioned over all or a portion of the patient's head during the procedure. The barrier may comprise a first side configured to face towards the patient during the procedure and a second side configured to face towards a healthcare worker during the procedure. The barrier can include an access region configured to be positioned at or near a mouth of the patient when the barrier is positioned on the patient during the procedure. The access region can be configured to provide passage of a medical device through the barrier and into an oral cavity of the patient while maintaining a physical barrier around the medical device.

Provided herein are materials and methods of reducing contamination in a biological substance or treating contamination in a subject by one or more toxins comprising contacting the biological substance with an effective amount of a sorbent capable of sorbing the toxin, wherein the sorbent comprises a plurality of pores ranging from 50 Å to 40,000 Å with a pore volume of 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g and a size of 0.05 mm to 2 cm and sorbing the toxin. Also provided are kits to reduce contamination by one or more toxins in a biological substance comprising a sorbent capable of sorbing a toxin, wherein the sorbent comprises a plurality of pores ranging from 50 Å to 40,000 Å with a pore volume of 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g and a size of 0.05 mm to 2 cm and a vessel to store said sorbent when not in use together with packaging for same.