The present invention relates to a sulphated heteropolymer polysaccharide obtainable from the order of Prasinococcales polysaccharide wherein the average molecular weight of the polysaccharide is between 1,000 and 40,000 kDa, or a fragment of for use in the treatment of skin irritation, wound repair, fibrotic conditions, keloid trait scarring or keloid scars, viral infection, as a biological carrier or scaffold or bio-lubricant; methods of preparing the same and uses thereof, such as in antiviral compositions.

A staple cartridge comprising a cartridge deck, a longitudinal slot defined within the staple cartridge, staple cavities defined in the deck, and a tissue thickness compensator is disclosed. The tissue thickness compensator comprises lumens. Each of the lumens comprise a cross-section and are formed by a tubular element. The lumens are laterally-oriented and spaced on the cartridge deck along the longitudinal axis of the staple cartridge. Each lumen extends across the width of the staple cartridge such that each lumen overlaps a plurality of the staple cavities and the longitudinal slot. The lumens are configured to collapse when pressure is applied to the lumens during a firing motion.

A staple cartridge assembly comprising a tissue thickness compensator is disclosed. The tissue thickness compensator comprises a first fibrous, woven material and a second fibrous, woven material. The first fibrous, woven material comprises a density which is different than the density of the second fibrous, woven material. The tissue thickness compensator is configured to expand upon contact with a fluid in order to apply a compressive force to tissue captured within staples.

A method is disclosed for treating a fistula in a subject, such as, but not limited to, an anal fistula. In some embodiments, the method includes administering locally to the fistula in the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising a mammalian acoustic extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogel, and optionally trehalose. Compositions of use in these methods are also disclosed.

A hair dryer includes a housing having a handle portion and a nozzle portion, a motor within the housing, a fan drivingly connected to the motor within the housing, a heating element within the housing, and at least one ultraviolet light emitting element within the nozzle portion, the at least one ultraviolet light emitting element being configured to irradiate a flow passage of the nozzle portion with ultraviolet light. At least a portion of the housing adjacent to the at least one ultraviolet light emitting element is transparent or translucent allowing the ultraviolet light to be viewed from exterior to the housing.

Disclosed is a medicine loaded nano-capsule additive Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cement and its production method.

In various embodiments, a tissue thickness compensator can comprise one or more capsules and/or pockets comprising at least one medicament therein. In at least one embodiment, staples can be fired through the tissue thickness compensator to rupture the capsules. In certain embodiments, a firing member, or knife, can be advanced through the tissue thickness compensator to rupture the capsules.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a low endotoxin alkali chitosan, and also to a process for producing low endotoxin neutral chitosan, chitosan salt and chitosan derivatives, and to the products of such processes. The process comprises contacting chitosan with an alkali solution to form a mixture and leaving the mixture for at least about 12 hours. The low endotoxin alkali chitosan may be used the manufacture of other useful chitosan based products.

Provided herein are composite scaffold biomaterials including two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits, each including a decellularized plant or fungal tissue from which cellular materials and nucleic acids of the tissue are removed, the decellularized plant or fungal tissue having a 3-dimensional porous structure, the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits being assembled into the composite scaffold biomaterial and held together via gel casting using a hydrogel glue; via complementary interlocking geometry of the two or more scaffold biomaterial subunits; via guided assembly based biolithography (GAB); via chemical cross-linking; or any combinations thereof. Methods for producing such scaffold biomaterials, as well as methods and uses thereof, are also provided.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods to provide continuous and controlled release of therapeutic agent(s) during a procedure such as an interventional vascular procedure, e.g., to reduce acute and chronic complications and improve outcomes.