The present invention discloses a microstructured discrimination device for separating hydrophobic-hydrophilic fluidic composites comprising particulate and/or fluids in a fluid flow. The discrimination is the result of surface energy gradients obtained by physically varying a textured surface and/or by varying surface chemical properties, both of which are spatially graded. Such surfaces discriminate and spatially separate particulate and/or fluids without external energy input. The device of the present invention comprises a platform having bifurcating microchannels arranged radially. The lumenal surfaces of the microchannels may have a surface energy gradient created by varying the periodicity of hierarchically arranged microstructures along a dimension. The surface energy gradient is varied in two regions. In one pre-bifurcation region the surface energy gradient generates a fluid flow. In the other post-bifurcation region, there is a difference in surface energy proximal to the bifurcation such that different flow fractions are divided into separate channels in response to different surface energy gradients in each of the post-bifurcation channels. Accordingly, fluids of different hydrophobicity and/or particulate of different hydrophobicity are driven into separate channels by a global minimization of the fluid system energy.

The invention relates to a system, comprising: a) a sample processing unit, comprising an input port and an output port coupled to a rotating container having at least one sample chamber, the sample processing unit configured provide a first processing step to a sample or to rotate the container so as to apply a centrifugal force to a sample deposited in the chamber and separate at least a first component and a second component of the deposited sample; and b) a sample separation unit coupled to the output port of the sample processing unit, the cell separation unit comprising separation column holder (42), a pump (64) and a plurality of valves (1-11) configured to at least partially control fluid flow through a fluid circuitry and a separation column (40) positioned in the holder, the separation column configured to separate labeled and unlabeled components of sample flowed through the column.

The invention relates to a system, comprising: a) a sample processing unit, comprising an input port and an output port coupled to a rotating container having at least one sample chamber, the sample processing unit configured provide a first processing step to a sample or to rotate the container so as to apply a centrifugal force to a sample deposited in the chamber and separate at least a first component and a second component of the deposited sample; and b) a sample separation unit coupled to the output port of the sample processing unit, the cell separation unit comprising separation column holder (42), a pump (64) and a plurality of valves (1-11) configured to at least partially control fluid flow through a fluid circuitry and a separation column (40) positioned in the holder, the separation column configured to separate labeled and unlabeled components of sample flowed through the column.

A fluid filtration system comprising a cross-flow filter is arranged to permit a first pump to recirculate part of the retentate of the filter to the inlet of the cross-flow filter and a second pump to return part of the permeate to the inlet of the cross-flow filter. A third pump is configured supply source fluid to the inlet of the filter. The flow path between the second pump and the cross-flow filter inlet may include an adsorption filter that may selectively remove contaminants, toxins, or pathogens in the permeate. A controller may control the first, second and third pumps to provide predetermined flow ratios among the fluid flow paths of the system in order to achieve a desired filtration level. This system may be applicable to the removal of harmful substances from blood, by first separating the plasma from the blood and then removing harmful substances from the plasma.

A filter container for separating cells includes a tubular filter member-housing part having an opening at each longitudinal end, a liquid inlet port on a first opening end side of the filter member-housing part, a liquid outlet port on a second opening end side of the filter member-housing part, a first filter-pressing part on the first opening end side, and a second filter-pressing part on the second opening end side. The first filter-pressing part includes three or more first protrusions, and the ratio of an area of a polygon formed by individually connecting the tips of the three or more first protrusions to a cross-sectional area of an inner space of the filter member-housing part at the first protrusion position is controlled within a preset range.

The present invention relates to systems and devices to treat and/or prevent inflammatory conditions within a subject and to related methods. More particularly, the invention relates to systems, devices, and related methods that sequester leukocytes and/or platelets and then inhibit their inflammatory action.

A blood separation method using a blood separation filter (10A) includes: an arrangement step of arranging a housing (18) such that a blood inflow chamber (20) is positioned below a filter member (24) and the blood outflow chamber (22) is positioned above a filter medium (38); a blood treatment step of allowing blood to flow in the filter medium (38) upward from vertically below; and a post residual treatment blood collection step of arranging the housing (18) such that an outflow port (28) is positioned vertically below the blood outflow chamber (22) so as to guide the post-separation residual blood in the housing (18) to the outflow port (28).

One disclosed embodiment comprises a method for treating lesions in the carotid artery of a mammalian body. The method comprises transcervical access and blocking of blood flow through the common carotid artery (with or without blocking of blood flow through the external carotid artery), shunting blood from the internal carotid artery and treating the lesion in the carotid artery.

The pressure of fluid being conveyed through a fluid flow path during a biological fluid procedure is detected during the procedure. The fluid is conveyed through the fluid flow path 1) at a first pre-determined rate if pressure is zero to a first pressure threshold; 2) at the first pre-determined rate if pressure is greater than the first pressure threshold but less than or equal to a second pressure threshold and if an immediately preceding rate is equal to the first pre-determined rate; 3) at a second pre-determined rate if pressure is greater than the first pressure threshold but less than or equal to the second pressure threshold and if an immediately preceding rate is equal to the second pre-determined rate; and 4) at the second pre-determined rate if pressure value is greater than the second pressure threshold but less than or equal to a third pressure threshold.

The invention relates to a system, comprising: a) a sample processing unit, comprising an input port and an output port coupled to a rotating container having at least one sample chamber, the sample processing unit configured provide a first processing step to a sample or to rotate the container so as to apply a centrifugal force to a sample deposited in the chamber and separate at least a first component and a second component of the deposited sample; and b) a sample separation unit coupled to the output port of the sample processing unit, the cell separation unit comprising separation column holder (42), a pump (64) and a plurality of valves (1-11) configured to at least partially control fluid flow through a fluid circuitry and a separation column (40) positioned in the holder, the separation column configured to separate labeled and unlabeled components of sample flowed through the column.