A system is disclosed comprising multiple sets of client computers each client computer having installed thereon an application program The application program comprising client computer specific log-in information, a database system coupled to the set of client computers via a network. The database system having a log-in component for logging-in the client computers, and being partitioned into multiple relational databases each one of which is assigned to one set of the sets of client computers. Each database further storing encrypted data items, each data item being encrypted with one of the user or user-group specific cryptographic keys, the key identifier of the cryptographic key with which one of the data items is encrypted being stored in the database as an attribute of the one of the encrypted data items. The log-in component comprising assignment information indicative of the assignment of the databases to the set of client computers.

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for monitoring and/or providing feedback for drugs or other pharmaceuticals taken by a subject. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to devices and methods for determining a species within the skin of a subject; and producing feedback to a subject based on the determination of the species. The feedback may be, for example, visual, audible, tactile, a change in temperature, etc. In some cases, information regarding the determination of the species may be transmitted to another entity, e.g., a health care provider, a computer, a relative, etc., which may then provide feedback to the subject in some fashion. In some cases, the feedback may be directly indicative of the species, e.g., whether the species is present, the concentration of the species, whether a by-product of a reaction involving the species is present, whether a compound affected by the species is present, etc. However, the feedback may also be indirect in some embodiments. For example, the subject may be presented with an external reward, e.g., based on the determination of the species within the skin. For instance, a reward such as cash, coupons, songs, discounts, personal items, etc., may be offered based on the level of compliance of the subject. Still other aspects of the invention are generally directed to kits involving such devices (with or without the drug to be monitored), methods of promoting such systems, or the like.

A system for preventing drowsiness in a driver by employing a thermal grill. The system includes a detection module and an intervention module. The detection module monitors a driver's parameters to determine whether the driver is drowsy. If the driver is determined to be drowsy, the intervention module activates a thermal grill with interlaced hot and cold regions. This activation causes the hot regions to approach one temperature and the cold regions to approach another. Additionally, this activation leads to an uncomfortable sensation for the driver, alerts the driver, and prevents the driver from getting drowsy.

Systems and methods are disclosed for evaluating cardiovascular treatment options for a patient. One method includes creating a three-dimensional model representing a portion of the patient's heart based on patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart or vasculature; and for a plurality of treatment options for the patient's heart or vasculature, modifying at least one of the three-dimensional model and a reduced order model based on the three-dimensional model. The method also includes determining, for each of the plurality of treatment options, a value of a blood flow characteristic, by solving at least one of the modified three-dimensional model and the modified reduced order model; and identifying one of the plurality of treatment options that solves a function of at least one of: the determined blood flow characteristics of the patient's heart or vasculature, and one or more costs of each of the plurality of treatment options.

The disclosed embodiments relate to pulse oximetry. An exemplary pulse oximeter comprises a probe that is adapted to be attached to a body part of a patient to create a signal indicative of an oxygen saturation of blood of the patient, and a processor that is adapted to receive the signal produced by the probe, to calculate an SPO2 value based on the signal, to detect a plurality of pattern types of SPO2 indicative of pathophysiologic events, and to produce an output indicative of a detected one of the plurality of pattern types.

An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor has, for example, a substrate, a recessed channel formed in the substrate, and conductive material disposed in the recessed channel to form a working electrode. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted for placement on skin and is adapted to receive a portion of an electrochemical sensor. The sensor control unit also includes two or more conductive contacts disposed on the housing and configured for coupling to two or more contact pads on the sensor. A transmitter is disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of conductive contacts for transmitting data obtained using the sensor. The display unit has a receiver for receiving data transmitted by the transmitter of the sensor control unit and a display coupled to the receiver for displaying an indication of a level of an analyte. The analyte monitor may also be part of a drug delivery system to alter the level of the analyte based on the data obtained using the sensor.

A device for electroimpedance tomography with an electrode belt (2), which has electrodes (E1 . . . E16), wherein at least two groups (5, 6) of electrodes located next to each other are formed and the electrodes of one group are contacted with at least one, multiwire feed cable (7, 8). For a reduced noise level during data acquisition, provisions are made for at least one electrode (E9) of two mutually adjacently located electrodes (E8, E9) of two different groups (5, 6) to have an additional electrode feed line (15), which is led over the feed cable (7) of the adjacent group (5).

MRI compatible localization and/or guidance systems for facilitating placement of an interventional therapy and/or device in vivo include: (a) a mount adapted for fixation to a patient; (b) a targeting cannula with a lumen configured to attach to the mount so as to be able to controllably translate in at least three dimensions; and (c) an elongate probe configured to snugly slidably advance and retract in the targeting cannula lumen, the elongate probe comprising at least one of a stimulation or recording electrode. In operation, the targeting cannula can be aligned with a first trajectory and positionally adjusted to provide a desired internal access path to a target location with a corresponding trajectory for the elongate probe. Automated systems for determining an MR scan plane associated with a trajectory and for determining mount adjustments are also described.

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes an acoustic control unit and an image data acquisition unit. The acoustic control unit applies a gradient magnetic field for controlling a sound in synchronization with a signal representing a respiratory body motion. The image data acquisition unit acquires imaging data by subsequently imaging to control the sound and generate image data based on the imaging data.

Systems and methods for imaging within depth layers of a tissue include illuminating light rays at different changing wavelengths (frequencies), collimating illuminated light rays using a collimator, and splitting light rays using a beam splitter, such that some of the light rays are directed towards a reference mirror and some of the rays are directed towards the tissue. The systems and methods further include reflecting light rays from the reference mirror towards the imager, filtering out non-collimated light rays reflected off the tissue by using a telecentric optical system, and reflecting collimated light rays reflected off the tissue towards the imager, thus creating an image of an interference pattern based on collimated light rays reflected off the tissue and off the reference mirror. The method may further include creating full 2D images from the interference pattern for each depth layer of the tissue using Fast Fourier transform.

Embodiments include a fiducial deployment system and method for use thereof. A fiducial may include one or more protuberances configured to engage one or more slots in a needle of the system. The needle may be configured to deliver a plurality of fiducials to a target location in serial fashion, one at a time. In certain embodiments, echogenic placement of fiducials may present certain advantages.

A device for fluorescence-based imaging and monitoring of a target comprising: a light source emitting light for illuminating the target, the emitted light including at least one wavelength or wavelength band causing at least one biomarker associated with the target to fluoresce; and a light detector for detecting the fluorescence.

The present invention has an object to measure lymphatic pressure with more safety and ease at lower cost. To achieve this, a lymphatic pressure-measuring system 1 includes: a manchette 11 fitted on a vital observation portion; a measurement unit 13 that measures and outputs pressure of the manchette 11; an infrared camera 21 that detects fluorescence emitted from fluorescent dye previously injected into a lymph vessel in the vital observation portion; and an image processing device 22 that generates and displays an image showing a position of the fluorescent dye in the lymph vessel based on a detection result of the infrared camera 21. The infrared camera 21 repeats the detection while the pressure of the manchette 11 decreases from first pressure to block a lymph flow in the vital observation portion to second pressure at restart of the lymph flow. The measurement unit 13 repeats the measurement during the period.

A device for detecting a cardiac event is disclosed. Detection of an event is based on a test applied to a parameter whose value varies according to heart rate. Both the parameter value and heart rate (RR interval) are filtered with an exponential average filter. From these filtered values, the average change in the parameter and the RR interval are also computed with an exponential average filter. Before computing the average change in the parameter, large changes in the parameter over short times, which may be caused by body position shifts, are attenuated are removed, so that the average change represents an average of small/smooth changes in the parameter's value that are characteristic of acute ischemia, one of the cardiac events that may be detected. The test to detect the cardiac event depends on the heart rate, the difference between the parameter's value and its upper and lower normal values, and its average change over time, adjusted for heart rate changes. The upper and lower normal parameter values as a function of heart rate are determined from long term stored data of the filtered RR values and parameter values. Hysteeresis related data and transitory deviations from normal (e.g. vasospasm related data) are excluded from the computation of normal upper and lower parameter bounds.

A system for facilitating remote medical diagnosis and consultation of heart disease for a patient, the system comprising: a diagnostic device for performing Electrocardiography on the patient, a network device in communication with the diagnostic device via wired or wireless communication links, a software program pre-installed in the network device, a server located remotely, wherein during operation, the patient activates the diagnostic device which will perform Electrocardiography on the patient, the diagnostic device receives diagnostic data and transmits the diagnostic data to the network device, the software program transmit the diagnostic data to over a network to a server which a physician have access to, and based on the diagnostic data gathered by the server and some additional medical data, the physician can review the patient's health condition and offer an appropriate feedback and diagnosis for the patient.

An apparatus and method for determining a signal quality of an input signal representing a repetitious phenomena derived from at least one sensor connected to a patient is provided. A detector receives the input signal and determines data representing the repetitious phenomena from the input signal for use in determining at least one patient parameter. A measurement processor is electrically coupled to the detector that determines a first signal quality value by identifying at least one feature of the repetitious phenomena data and compares the at least one feature of a first set of the determined repetitious phenomena data with a second set of the determined repetitious phenomena data to determine a feature variability value and using the feature variability value to determine a stability value representative of the quality of the input signal.

A method and system for treating brain disorders comprises detecting activity of a first target area of the brain via a first implanted sensor and determining the presence of target brain activity by analyzing the detected brain activity in combination with treating the user based upon the determined presence of target brain activity by supplying a first therapeutic agent to the first target area via a first implanted fluid delivery member including at least one distal opening adjacent to the first target area. In addition, the system may be used as well for testing the effectiveness of drugs.

A device and method for accurately characterizing tissue impedance employs multiple electrodes at a plurality of separation distances to cancel the effects of front end loading leakage currents and electrode polarization to improve the accuracy of sensitive impedance measurements used to identify cancerous tissues. These measurements may be automated over a range of frequencies.

A method and system are provided for determining a condition of a selected region of epithelial and stromal tissue in the human breast. A plurality of measuring electrodes are used to measure the tissue and transepithelial electropotential of breast tissue. Surface electropotential and impedance are also measured at one or more locations. An agent may be introduced into the region of tissue to enhance electrophysiological characteristics. The condition of the tissue is determined based on the electropotential and impedance profile at different depths of the epithelium, stroma, tissue, or organ, together with an estimate of the functional changes in the epithelium due to altered ion transport and electrophysiological properties of the tissue. Devices for practicing the disclosed methods are also provided.

Provided are a three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound system and a method for operating the 3D ultrasound system, which are capable of intuitively displaying the abnormality of an object by determining a grade by comparing measurement data obtained by measuring ultrasound data relating to the object and displaying the measurement data in a different way based on the determined grade.

In aspects of the present disclosure, an auto turn on blood glucose monitoring unit including a calibration unit integrated with one or more components of an analyte monitoring system is provided. Also disclosed are methods, systems, devices and kits for providing the same.

The described invention provides a disposable handheld biopsy device for taking biopsies, the biopsy device comprising a tissue cutting assembly which has features to control the tissue length that will be severed by the cutting assembly; and a vacuum assembly which has features to control the vacuum level. The disposable handheld biopsy device of the described invention is simple, lightweight, portable, and cost effective to manufacture and dispose of.

The present invention discloses devices and methods for performing intravascular procedures without cardiac bypass. The devices include various embodiments of temporary filter devices, temporary valves, and prosthetic valves. The temporary filter devices have one or more cannulae which provide access for surgical tools for effecting repair of the cardiac valves. A cannula may have filters of various configurations encircling the distal region of the cannula, which prevent embolitic material from entering the coronary arteries and aorta.The temporary valve devices may also have one or more cannulae which guide the insertion of the valve into the aorta. The valve devices expand in the aorta to occupy the entire flow path of the vessel. In one embodiment, the temporary valve is a disc of flexible, porous, material that acts to filter blood passing therethrough. A set of valve leaflets extend peripherally from the disc. These leaflets can alternately collapse to prevent blood flow through the valve and extend to permit flow.The prosthetic valves include valve fixation devices which secure the prosthetic valve to the wall of the vessel. In one embodiment, the prosthetic valves have at least one substantially rigid strut, at least two expandable fixation rings located about the circumference of the base of the apex of the valve, and one or more commissures and leaflets. The prosthetic valves are introduced into the vascular system a compressed state, advanced to the site of implantation, expanded and secured to the vessel wall.

Apparatus and methods are described including acquiring a first set of extraluminal images of a lumen, using an extraluminal imaging device. At least one of the first set of images is designated as a roadmap image. While an endoluminal device is being moved through the lumen, a second set of extraluminal images is acquired. A plurality of features that are visible within images belonging to the second set of extraluminal images are identified. In response to the identified features in the images belonging to the second set of extraluminal images, a plurality of local calibration factors associated with respective portions of the roadmap image are determined. Other applications are also described.

A computer implemented method for determining the 3-dimensional shape of an implant to be implanted into a subject includes obtaining a computer readable image including a defective portion and a non-defective portion of tissue in the subject, superimposing on the image a shape to span the defective portion, and determining the 3-dimensional shape of the implant based on the shape that spans the defective portion.

A method for continuously preparing a carboxylic acid ester is disclosed. In the method of the present invention, a vertical reactor is filled with a solid catalyst, a carboxylic acid and an alcohol are introduced into a lower part of the vertical reactor, esterification is performed to form an esterized mixture, the esterized mixture is output from an upper part of the vertical reactor, and distillation is performed to isolate the carboxylic acid ester. The method of the present invention is simple, easily controlled and environmental friendly, and has significantly high conversion rate and selectivity.

The subject of the present invention are novel esters of (acyloxymethyl)acrylamide, a pharmaceutical composition containing them and their use in the production of drugs for the prophylaxis or treatment of oncogenic diseases and diseases connected with increased cell proliferation.

The present invention provides drug conjugates comprising 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), an aldehyde and a carboxylic acid that may function as a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACI). These conjugates may serve as co-drugs which release a plurality of active species in vivo. The novel drug conjugates may be used, for the treatment or prevention of cancer in PDT-dependent and/or PDT-independent (nonPDT) treatments, as well as for cosmetic uses. In addition the present invention provides novel uses for both the novel and known compounds. According to some embodiments, the present invention provides drug conjugates (co-drugs) comprising (i) ALA, (ii) an aldehyde and (iii) a carboxylic acid that may function as a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACO for the treatment of anemia and/or for the induction of erythropoiesis.

The invention relates to the production of 2-octylacrylate of high purity and in good yield using ethyl titanate in solution in 2-octanol or 2-octyl titanate as a transesterification catalyst.

A resist composition which can form a very fine resist pattern with excellent lithography properties, a new polymeric compound useful for the resist composition, and a compound useful as a monomer for the polymeric compound. The resist composition contains a polymeric compound containing a structural unit (a0) represented by general formula (a0) shown below. In the formula (a0), A is an anion represented by the general formula (1) or (2).

A method of labeling a sulfenic acid (—SOH) group of a cysteine residue in a protein; or peptide, comprises contacting said protein or peptide with a beta-ketoester to covalently couple said beta-ketoester to said cysteine residue and form a beta-ketoester-labeled cysteine residue in said protein or peptide.

A method for inhibiting the crystal growth rate of an amide compound present in a molten polyolefin-based resin and a method for producing a polyolefin-based resin molded article are provided. A phenol compound is incorporated into an amide compound-containing polyolefin-based resin such that a weight ratio, amide compound:phenol compound, is 60:40 to 10:90.

Acetaminophen conjugates are provided, which have an acetaminophen moiety covalently linked to a second moiety. The conjugates provided may have one or more advantageous properties, including increased water solubility as compared to acetaminophen, reduced toxicity profile as compared to acetaminophen and an altered pharmacokinetic profile. Formulations comprising the conjugates are also provided, as are methods of using the conjugates and kits comprising the conjugates.

The present invention provides therapeutically active compounds and compositions as receptor antagonists and methods of use thereof. In one aspect, the compounds are useful in modulating pain, inflammation and acute phase reactions by inhibiting the PGE2 receptors including PGE2 EP1, EP2 and EP4 receptors.

Provided is a method for producing a chlorogenic acids composition having a reduced caffeine content and good taste and favor, capable of efficiently recovering high purity of chlorogenic acids from a chlorogenic acids-containing composition. The method for producing a purified chlorogenic acids composition comprises a step A of bringing a chlorogenic acids-containing composition into contact with a cation exchange resin; a step B of bringing the liquid obtained in the step A into contact with an anion exchange resin; and a step C of bringing an eluent into contact with the anion exchange resin after the step B.

Provided is a gem-dinitro ester compound, represented by Formula 1 below: wherein R is a substituted or unsubstituted straight-chain or side-chain alkyl group of C2˜C12.

Provided is an amide ester that is useful as an intermediate manufacturing product for an aroma compound such as spilanthol or the like. Also provided is a spilanthol manufacturing method using said amide ester. High-purity spilanthol can be manufactured by reacting an amide ester represented by general formula (1) with a basic compound. (In the formula, R1 represents a C1-6 alkyl group or a phenyl group that may be substituted with a C1-4 alkyl group, a C1-4 alkoxy group, or a halogen atom; R2 represents a C1-8 hydrocarbon group; and the wavy lines represent cis configurations, trans configurations, or a mixture of the two configurations.)

The present invention relates to a method for working up distillation, residues from isocyanate production in which monomeric isocyanate present in distillation residues is recovered by means of a spray-dry method and the overall yield of monomeric isocyanate is thus significantly increased.

The present embodiments disclose the preparation of hyperpolarized 13C dialkyl succinate compounds and hyperpolarized 13C dialkyl fumarate compounds and their use in real time, in vivo metabolic imaging of the TCA cycle.

The present invention relates to norbornene-ester-based derivatives, to a method for preparing same, and to the uses thereof. This compound may be used as a plasticizer which can replace a phthalate-based plasticizer.

Chiral amino compounds, methods of preparation and uses thereof. Tamiflu can be obtained from the said compounds. Multi-substituted chiral tetrahydropyrrolyl amine which can be used as intermediate compounds of medicament can also be produced by the said compounds.

A catalyst for synthesis of lactic acid and it derivatives is provided. The catalyst includes SnY2.mH2O and at least one of NH4X or quaternary ammonium salts, wherein X and Y are selected from F—, Cl—, Br—, I—, CH3SO3—, C6H5SO3—, CH3C6H4SO3— or CN—, m represents an integer of 1 to 15. A method for synthesis of lactic acid and it derivatives with the above catalyst is also provided. By using the above catalyst and method, it is capable of converting carbohydrate-containing raw material to lactic acid and its derivatives directly in a more efficient and economical way.

This disclosure relates to a method for preparing alkyl lactate with high yield and high selectivity, comprising the step of reacting glycerol with water or alcohol in the presence of a catalyst. In addition, the present invention provides a method for efficiently preparing lactamide using the alkyl lactate.

Provided is a method for producing n-propyl acetate, which is capable of obtaining high-purity allyl acetate with a low amount of coexisting water and is capable of producing n-propyl acetate with a high yield. The method includes an extraction process of subjecting a raw material liquid containing allyl acetate and water to an extraction operation using water as an extraction solvent and separating the extract into an oily phase and an aqueous phase, a distillation process of distilling the oily phase to obtain a distillate containing allyl acetate as a main component, and a hydrogenation process of subjecting the distillate to a hydrogenation reaction.

The present invention features monocyclic cyanoenone compositions and methods for using the same in the treatment of diseases such as cancer, inflammatory diseases and neurodegenerative diseases.

Disclosed are effective and simple adsorbents and methods of using the adsorbents for removing metal impurities generated during storage, transportation and supply of organometallic compounds. The disclosed adsorbents and methods provide for the easy and effective removal of the metallic impurities or compounds generated from decomposition of the organometallic compound during its transportation, storage, and supply. Namely, the disclosed adsorbents and methods permit the stable supply of a high purity organometallic compound desired in the semiconductor and photovoltaic cell.

The present invention relates to a method for producing inorganic oxide particles, comprising at least the following steps of: coagulating a dispersion obtained by carrying out the hydrolysis reaction and the polycodensation reaction of a metal alkoxide in the presence of a basic catalyst; filtering the dispersion to obtain particles; anddrying the particles, whereinthe step of coagulating the dispersion is carried out by adding a coagulant comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, ammonium carbonate, ammonium hydrogen carbonate and ammonium carbamate to the dispersion. The inorganic oxide particles obtained by the method of the present invention have high purity and are excellent in flowability.

Provided by the present invention is a method for efficient oxidation of alcohols by using, as a catalyst for dehydrogenation oxidation, a ruthenium complex which can be easily produced and easily handled and is obtainable at a relatively low cost. The invention relates to a method of producing a compound having a carbonyl group by dehydrogenation oxidation of alcohols by using as a catalyst the ruthenium carbonyl complex represented by the following general formula (1) RuXY(CO)(L) (1) (in the general formula (1), X and Y may be the same or different from each other and represent an anionic ligand, and L represents a tridentate aminodiphosphine ligand).

The invention provides a process for the synthesis of a polycarbonate, the process comprising the step of reacting carbon dioxide with at least one epoxide in the presence of a catalyst of formula (I) and a chain transfer agent. The invention also provides a polymerization system for the copolymerization of carbon dioxide and at least one epoxide comprising a catalyst of formula (I) and a chain transfer agent, polycarbonates produced by the inventive process, a block copolymer comprising a polycarbonate produced by the inventive process, and a method of producing the block copolymer. The invention also relates to novel catalysts of formula (III).

A method of manufacturing a water repellent film includes, before a formation step of forming an organic film on a substrate using a silane coupling agent by a vapor phase deposition method under film formation conditions, a step of specifying the film formation conditions using a test substrate of a same material as the substrate used in the formation step. The film formation condition specifying step includes: specifying film formation temperature to be not lower than a temperature at which the silane coupling agent evaporates and to be lower than a temperature at which the silane coupling agent bumps; and forming an organic film of the silane coupling agent on the test substrate at the specified film formation temperature, measuring by optical microscopic observation a time at which a bead of surplus water repellent material is formed, and specifying the film formation duration to be shorter than the measured time.