1. An integrated process for the treatment and valorization of organic waste, said process comprising the steps of:
a) treating said organic waste with a microorganism treatment for producing gas;
b) separating the organic waste resulting from step a) into a liquid fraction and a solid fraction; and
c) using the liquid fraction resulting from step b) as a fertilizer wherein the process is carried out at atmospheric pressure.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein said microorganism is a bacterium.
3. The process of claim 1, wherein said microorganism treatment is an anaerobic bacterial treatment.
4. The process of claim 1, wherein said organic waste is animal manure.
5. The process of claim 1, wherein said animal manure is swine manure.
6. The process of claim 1, further comprising a step of drying the solid fraction resulting from step b) between step b) and step c) or after step c).
7. The process of claim 1, further comprising a step of burning the solid fraction resulting from step b) between step b) and step c) or after step c).
8. The process of claim 1, further comprising a step of using said gas resulting from step a) as an energy source.
9. The process of claim 9, wherein said energy source is for at least one of electricity generation and heat generation.
10. The process of claim 8, further comprising a step of purifying said gas resulting from step a) before the step of using said gas as an energy source.
11. The process of claim 10, wherein said step of purifying consist in the reduction of hydrogen sulfide content from said gas.
12. The process of claim 11, wherein said reduction varies between 60% and 85% for a full digestion cycle.
13. The process of claim 11, wherein said reduction is of about 85% for a full digestion cycle.
14. The process of claim 1, wherein said solid fraction resulting from step b) is used as an energy source.
15. The process of claim 14, wherein said energy source is for at least one of electricity generation and heat generation.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for repairing intervertebral disc tissue, comprising:
inserting a first anchor member having a first elongate element attached thereto into disc tissue in proximity of a defect to be repaired;
inserting a second anchor member having a second elongate element attached thereto into the disc tissue in proximity of the defect to be repaired and in a different location opposite the defect from the first anchor;
providing an adjustable coupling between the second elongate element of the second anchor member to the first elongate element of the first anchor member; and
applying tension to at least one of the first and second elongate elements such that the tension is applied to the tissue around the defect to be repaired to reapproximate the defect.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tissue to be repaired is annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second elongate elements are slidably coupled to each other.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second elongate elements are slidably coupled to each other by a third elongate element extending there between.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
a one slip knot formed on at least one of the first, second, and third elongate elements, the slip knot maintaining the first and second elongate elements in a fixed position with respect to each other.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first, second, and third elongate elements are each formed in a loop, the loop of the first elongate element being attached to the first anchor member, and the loop of the second elongate element being attached to the second anchor member, and
wherein the loop of the third elongate element is connected to the loops of the first and second elongate elements.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the loops includes a slip knot, and
wherein the step of tensioning includes pulling a terminal end of at least one of the loops which includes the slip knot to adjust a size of the at least one loop.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first elongate element is formed in a loop and is coupled to the first anchor member, and the second elongate element is formed in a loop and is coupled to the second anchor member, and
wherein the loop of the first elongate element is coupled to the loop of the second elongate element.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second elongate elements are fixedly attached to the first and second anchor members, respectively.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second elongate elements are coupled to each other by a third elongate element.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the third elongate element is formed in a loop.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the loop of the third elongate element includes a slip knot.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the loop of the third elongate element is selectively adjustable.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first elongate element of the first anchor member is formed in a loop.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second elongate element of the second anchor member is formed in a loop.