A combination therapy pad that includes a first layer and a second layer operatively coupled to the first layer. A fiber-optic array is disposed between the first layer and the second layer. A third layer is operatively coupled to the first layer. The third layer includes a vacuum tube in fluid communication with a vacuum source and a therapeutic fluid tube in fluid communication with a therapeutic fluid source. The third layer provides at least one of vacuum therapy and therapeutic fluid treatment to a wound area.

A system and method for the practice of apheresis employs modules in the system which can be selected for a particular patient to treat particular situations or combinations of difficulties. In one example, Gal-3 mediates a large number of body reactions, and is an effective protector of tumor microenvironments and the like, as well inflammation driver. Removal of Gal-3 may make antic-cancer treatments, like photopheresis and TNF administration more effective. Separate modules, such as one for photopheresis and one for TNF receptor removal, may be combined with a module for the reduction of Gal-3, to render the combination of treatments each more effective than if administered alone.

A photopheresis system (200) is disclosed, and that may be configured to execute one or more protocols. These protocols include: 1) protocols (400; 430; 460) for purging air out of a centrifuge bowl (210) used by the photopheresis system (200); 2) protocols (500; 510 550) for assessing the installation/operation of one or more pressure domes (330) used by the photopheresis system (200); and 3) protocols (580; 600; 660; 700; 740) for collecting buffy coat from blood processed by the photopheresis system (200).

A system and method for sleep environment management is provided. The sleep environment comprises a bed within a sleep space, sleep metric sensors, activity metric sensors, and a sleep environment controller. A server comprises a hardware processor, has access to a database, and comprises a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium for storing program code, comprising program code to receive at least one sleep metric and at least one activity metric from the sleep environment; record the metrics in the database; analyze the metrics over a period of time to generate a user report and one or more product recommendations; and provide the user report and product recommendations to the sleep environment controller as feedback. Such sleep environment management system and method can improve a user's sleep experience, and allows medical and product presentations to be made to the user.

A photopheresis system (200) is disclosed, and that may be configured to execute one or more protocols. These protocols include: 1) protocols (400; 430; 460) for purging air out of a centrifuge bowl (210) used by the photopheresis system (200); 2) protocols (500; 510 550) for assessing the installation/operation of one or more pressure domes (330) used by the photopheresis system (200); and 3) protocols (580; 600; 660; 700; 740) for collecting buffy coat from blood processed by the photopheresis system (200).

A method of and composition for treating a patient having Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), and in one embodiment Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), causing one or more diseases, an embodiment of the method including administering to the patient an effective amount of one or more antibiotics and administering to the patient an effective amount of ultraviolet blood irradiation (UVBI) treatments, and an embodiment of the composition including an effective amount of one or more antibiotics and an effective amount of UVBI treated blood of the patient.

According to one implementation an apparatus for bacterially disinfecting a surface is provided. The apparatus includes a flexible body that contains therein at least one radially emitting optical fibers that is configured to emit bacterial disinfecting light. The radially emitting fibers having an axial and/or radial freedom of movement within a channel in which it is housed inside the flexible body such that when the flexible body changes shape the axial and/or radial freedom of movement reduces the amount of tensile stress applied along the length of the radially as compared to an amount of tensile stress that would otherwise be applied to the radially emitting fiber in an absence of the axial and/or radial freedom of movement of the radially emitting fiber inside the channel.

A bandage is formed of a film layer, an adhesive applied to the film layer, and an absorbent layer connected to the film layer. The absorbent layer comprises a compressed fabric soaked in a fluid. A permeable membrane is disposed over the absorbent layer and creates an electrical charge when fluid from the absorbent layer passes through the membrane. The electricity generated by the osmosis flows to a plurality of light emitting diodes that are connected to the membrane through a battery. The LEDs emit UV light to disinfect a wound when a bandage is applied to the wound.

An ultraviolet irradiation system includes a medical device having a central lumen, an optical fiber having a longitudinal length, and an ultraviolet wave generator, wherein ultraviolet waves generated by the wave generator are dispersed along the longitudinal length of the optical fiber to disinfect the central lumen of the medical device.

A combination therapy pad that includes a first layer and a second layer operatively coupled to the first layer. A fiber-optic array is disposed between the first layer and the second layer. A third layer is operatively coupled to the first layer. The third layer includes a vacuum tube in fluid communication with a vacuum source and a therapeutic fluid tube in fluid communication with a therapeutic fluid source. The third layer provides at least one of vacuum therapy and therapeutic fluid treatment to a wound area.