All The Claims

1. A method of making sticky powder comprising
mixing one or more resin or (co)polymer powders in one or more mixing devices without agglomerating the said powders and while measuring the power or torque drawn by the said mixing devices, said mixing continuing until the measure of the said power or torque drawn indicates that the said powders have become sticky.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mixing further comprises adding to the said powders one or more dry materials and mixing to form a sticky powder mixture so that the said dry materials adhere to the said sticky powders.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising
slowing or stopping the said mixing or cooling while mixing the said sticky powders once the said sticky powders have been formed,
adding one or more dry materials to form a sticky powder mixture, and,
further mixing to bond the said sticky powders and the said dry materials together.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said one or more dry materials comprise one or more (co)polymers or resins.
5. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said one or more dry materials comprise one or more of each of flake materials, layered pigments, layered clays, catalysts, antimicrobials, cyroprocessed materials, freeze-dried materials, and any material encapsulated or dispersed in brittle materials.
6. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said one or more dry materials comprise one or more of each of flake materials, layered pigments, layered clays, catalysts, antimicrobials, cyroprocessed materials, freeze-dried materials, and any material encapsulated or dispersed in brittle materials.
7. A method as claimed in any one of claims 5 or 6, wherein the said one or more dry materials comprise one or more leafing metallic flake materials, one or more non-leafing metallic flake materials or mixtures thereof.
8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the said one or more metallic flake materials comprise non-leafing aluminum flake, leafing aluminum flake materials, or mixtures thereof.
9. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the method is fully automated for batch or for continuous processing.
10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the method is fully automated for controlling the said method in-process.

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.-114. (canceled)
115. An isolated nutritive protein comprising a first polypeptide comprising a first polypeptide sequence, wherein the first polypeptide sequence comprises: a. a ratio of branch chain amino acid residues to total amino acid residues of at least 24%; b. a ratio of Leu residues to total amino acid residues of at least 11%; and c. a ratio of essential amino acid residues to total amino acid residues of at least 49%, and wherein the first polypeptide sequence comprises at least one of: a. at least 95% homology to at least 50 amino acids of naturally occurring nutritive protein, b. less than 50 to 90% global homology to a known allergen, or c. at least 20, 50, or 100 amino acids in length.
116. The isolated nutritive protein of claim 115, wherein the first polypeptide sequence comprises a calculated solvation score of \u221220 or less and a calculated aggregation score of 0.75 or less.
117. The isolated nutritive protein of claim 115, wherein the first polypeptide sequence comprises an amino acid sequence selected from: i. an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 760; ii. a modified derivative of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: I to SEQ ID NO: 760; and iii. a mutein of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 760.
118. The isolated nutritive protein of claim 115, wherein the first polypeptide sequence consists of an amino acid sequence selected from: i. an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 760, ii. a modified derivative of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 760, and iii. a mutein of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 760.
119. The isolated nutritive protein of claim 115, wherein the first polypeptide sequence is at least 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or 99.5% homologous to at least one amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 760.
120. A nutritive composition comprising at least one isolated nutritive protein of claim 115, wherein at least one isolated nutritive protein has a simulated gastric digestion half-life shorter than 60 minutes, andor wherein at least one isolated nutritive protein has an aqueous solubility at pH 7 of at least 12.5 gL, andor wherein at least one isolated nutritive protein is present in the nutritive composition in an amount of about 0.1 g, 0.1-1 g, 1 g, 2 g, 3 g, 4 g, 5 g, 6 g, 7 g, 8 g, 9 g, 10 g, 15 g, 20 g, 25 g, 30 g, 35 g, 40 g, 45 g, 50 g, 55 g, 60 g, 65 g, 70 g, 75 g, 80 g, 85 g, 90 g, 95 g, and 100 g.
121. A recombinant microorganism comprising a vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a nutritive protein according to claim 115, and further comprising an expression control sequence operatively linked to the nucleic acid sequence that encodes the nutritive protein.
122. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the nutritive composition of claim 120 formulated for oral administration to a mammalian subject for maintaining andor improving muscle function andor muscle gain, in subjects suffering from muscular deterioration, wherein at least one isolated nutritive protein is present in the nutritive composition in an amount of at least about 0.1 g, wherein the pharmaceutical composition further optionally comprises at least one component selected from a protein, a polypeptide, a peptide, a free amino acid, a carbohydrate, a lipid, a mineral or mineral source, a vitamin, a supplement, an organism, a pharmaceutical, and an excipient.
123. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the nutritive composition of claim 120 formulated for oral administration to a mammalian subject for reducing lean tissue loss, wherein at least one isolated nutritive protein is present in the nutritive composition in an amount of at least about 0.1 g, wherein the pharmaceutical composition optionally further comprises at least one component selected from a protein, a polypeptide, a peptide, a free amino acid, a carbohydrate, a lipid, a mineral or mineral source, a vitamin, a supplement, an organism, a pharmaceutical, and an excipient.
124. A method of making a nutritive protein of claim 115, comprising isolating the nutritive protein from a recombinant microorganism.
125. A method of maintaining or increasing at least one of muscle mass, muscle strength, or functional performance in a subject, or reducing lean tissue loss in a subject, or achieving a desirable body mass index in a subject, the method comprising providing to the subject a sufficient amount of a nutritive protein of claim 115, wherein the subject is optionally at least one of elderly, critically-medically ill, frail, obese, or suffering from protein-energy malnutrition, cachexia, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic heart failure, HIV, or other disease states.
126. The method of claim 125, wherein the nutritive protein, nutritive composition or pharmaceutical composition is consumed at a rate of from 0.1 g to 1 g a day, 1 g to 5 g a day, from 2 g to 10 g a day, from 5 g to 15 g a day, from 10 g to 20 g a day, from 15 g to 30 g a day, from 20 g to 40 g a day, from 25 g to 50 g a day, from 40 g to 80 g a day, from 50 g to 100 g a day, or more.
127. The method of claim 125, wherein the nutritive protein, nutritive composition or pharmaceutical composition comprises at least about 5% of the total protein intake by the subject over a dietary period, andor nutritive protein or nutritive composition accounts for at least about 5% of the total calorie intake by the subject over a dietary period.
128. The method of claim 125, wherein the nutritive protein or nutritive composition is provided in a sufficient amount to induce in an obese subject a satiation response andor a satiety response in the subject.

1. A method for closing an opening in tissue using a suturing device, the method comprising:
inserting at least a portion of a suture through a tissue tract and through a tissue wall;
advancing a first end and a second end of the suture through a bight of the suture, the bight being pre-formed about a periphery of the suturing device; and
tensioning the first end of the suture and the second end of the suture adjacent the bight to form a knot affixing a loop of suture across the opening.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising advancing a needle distally to penetrate the tissue and position the suture through the tissue.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising attaching the suture to the
4. The method of claim 3, wherein advancing the needle distally to penetrate the tissue and position the suture through the tissue includes advancing the suture and the needle percutaneously through subcutaneous tissue to a blood vessel access site. needle.
5. The method of claim 3, further comprising withdrawing the needle proximally and drawing the suture across a suture cutting blade to separate the needle from the suture.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the blade is positioned near the distal end of a housing.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the blade is positioned in an opening near a distal end of a housing.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the blade is positioned near the proximal end of a housing.
9. The method of claim 5, wherein the blade is mounted on the outside of a housing.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning a device including a housing having a distal end and a proximal end, the housing carrying the suture, the device further including a needle movable with respect to the housing, the device further including a suture cutting blade positioned on the housing wherein the housing is a hollow body having a proximal opening and an inner surface, and the blade is mounted on the inner surface of the housing.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the housing includes a finger grip and the blade is mounted on the finger grip.
12. A method for closing an opening in tissue using a suturing device, the method comprising:
inserting at least a portion of a suture through a tissue tract and through a tissue wall;
advancing a first end and a second end of the suture through a bight of the suture, the bight being pre-formed about a periphery of a knot tube of the suturing device; and
tensioning the first end of the suture and the second end of the suture adjacent the bight to form a knot affixing a loop of suture across the opening.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the knot tube includes a hollow center configured to allow passage of an elongate body.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the bight resides within a pocket of the knot tube.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the bight is releasably disposed around the knot tube without unraveling.
16. A method for closing an opening in tissue using a suturing device, the method comprising:
inserting at least a portion of a suture through a tissue tract and through a tissue wall;
advancing a first end of the suture through a bight of the suture, the bight includes a plurality of loops and being positioned wrapped around an exterior surface of the suturing device, the suture comprising monofilament suture;
tensioning the first end of the suture and a second end of the suture adjacent the bight to form a knot affixing a loop of suture across the opening, wherein prior to tensioning the bight is heated to set the bight; and
wherein the second end of the length of suture is wrapped five times around the exterior surface of the suturing device to form five adjacent loops including a proximal loop and a distal loop and is wrapped over the first end to form a sixth loop across and transverse to the first five adjacent loops from the distal loop to the proximal loop to form a sixth loop adjacent the proximal loop of the five adjacent loops.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the bight resides within a pocket of the exterior surface of the suturing device.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the bight is releasably disposed around the exterior surface of the device without unraveling.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the loop forming the bight is heated to set the bight.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the second end of the length of suture is looped behind the exterior surface of the suturing device and wrapped over the exterior surface of the suturing device in the opposite direction from the first five loops.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second end of the length of suture is routed through the sixth loop to form a pre-arranged or pre-tied knot.
22. The method of claim 16, wherein the bight is heat set at a temperature below the melting point of the monofilament suture.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the temperature at which the monofilament suture is heat set is selected to not adversely affect properties of the suture.

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 wash column for processing a suspension of solid particles in a liquid comprising
a bed forming chamber in which a packed bed of solid particles can be formed,
filtrate extraction means for extracting liquid from the suspension as to form the packed bed of solid particles in the bed forming chamber, and
a suspension supply line for supplying the suspension directly to an end of the bed forming chamber, wherein the suspension supply line ends in the bed forming chamber.
2. Wash column according to claim 1, wherein the filtrate extraction means comprise a filtrate collecting chamber for collecting the liquid extracted from the suspension.
3. Wash column according to claim 1, wherein the suspension supply line crosses the filtrate collecting chamber to end in the bed forming chamber.
4. Wash column according to claim 1, wherein the end of the suspension supply line in the bed forming chamber comprises a distribution element for further spreading the suspension flowing out of the suspension supply line.
5. Wash column according to claim 1, wherein the end of the suspension supply line is positioned approximately centrally in the bed forming chamber.
6. Wash column according to claim 1, wherein one suspension supply line is arranged per approximately 0.25 m2 to 1 m2 cross-section of the bed forming chamber.
7. Wash column according to claim 1, wherein the wash column comprises a plurality of filter pipes extending longitudinally over the height of the bed forming chamber arranged approximately parallel to each other.
8. Wash column according to claim 1, further comprising means for disintegrating the packed bed.
9. Wash column according to claim 8, wherein the means for disintegrating the packed bed is a rotating knife.
10. Wash column according to claim 1, further comprising a dummy pipe supported by the suspension supply line to prevent forming of the bed thereat.
11. Wash column according to claim 1, further comprising at least one instrumentation pipe crossing the filtrate collecting chamber ending in the bed forming chamber.
12. A method for processing a suspension of solid particles in liquid in a wash column, comprising supplying the suspension via a suspension supply line that ends directly in a bed forming chamber at an end of the bed forming chamber and extracting liquid from the suspension via filtrate extraction means to form a packed bed of solid particles.