Abstract: Methods for evaluating tissue motion of a tissue location, e.g., a cardiac location, via external continuous field tomography are provided. Aspects of the methods include generating at least one substantially linear continuous field gradient across the tissue location of interest, and using a resultant signal from a sensing element stably associated with the tissue location to evaluate motion of the tissue location. Also provided are systems, devices and related compositions for practicing the subject methods. The subject methods and devices find use in a variety of different applications, including cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Abstract: Implantable hermetically sealed structures and methods for making the same. Devices, systems and kits including the hermetically sealed structures, as well as methods of using such devices and systems are included.

Abstract: Various aspects of the present invention enable robust, reliable control functionality for effectors present on intraluminal, e.g., vascular leads, as well as other types of implantable devices. Aspects of the invention include implantable integrated circuits that have self-referencing and self-clocking signal encoding, and are capable of bidirectional communication. Also provided by the invention are effector assemblies that include the integrated circuits, as well as implantable medical devices, e.g., pulse generators that include the same, as well as systems and kits thereof and methods of using the same, e.g., in pacing applications, including cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) applications.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide blood flow sensors that can be used for measurement of various physiological parameters under a wide array of conditions. In some embodiments, the blood flow sensor can be implanted into a blood vessel and left in place indefinitely and will unobtrusively measure and record data as the patient engages in regular daily activities. The data can later be read out by a clinician using a suitable interface. In other embodiments, the data is collected and analyzed within a data collection device implanted in or attached to the patient's body, and the collection device can report to the patient on an ongoing basis or in the form of alerts issued when conditions requiring medical intervention are detected.

Abstract: Techniques for controlling one or more modular circuits (“satellites”) that are intended for placement in a subject's body. The one or more satellites are controlled by sending signals over a bus that includes first and second conduction paths. Also coupled to the bus in system embodiments is a device such as a pacemaker that provides power and includes control circuitry. Each satellite includes satellite circuitry and one or more effectors that interact with the tissue. The satellite circuitry is coupled to the bus, and thus interfaces the controller to the one or more effectors, which may function as actuators, sensors, or both. The effectors may be electrodes that are used to introduce analog electrical signals (e.g., one or more pacing pulses) into the tissue in the local areas where the electrodes are positioned (e.g., heart muscles) or to sense analog signals (e.g., a propagating depolarization signal) within the tissue.

Abstract: Methods for evaluating motion of a cardiac tissue location, e.g., heart wall, are provided. In the subject methods, timing of a signal obtain from a strain gauge stably associated with the tissue location of interest is employed to evaluate movement of the cardiac tissue location. Also provided are systems, devices and related compositions for practicing the subject methods. The subject methods and devices find use in a variety of different applications, including cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Abstract: RFID antennas for ingestible devices, such as ingestible event markers, are provided. Aspects of the ingestible devices of the invention include RFID signal transmission antennas with a battery that is activated upon being exposed to fluid in the body. Embodiments of the RFID antennas are configured to emit a detectable signal upon contact with a target physiological site. Also provided are methods of making and using the devices of the invention.

Abstract: Receivers, which may be external or implantable, are provided. Aspects of receivers of the invention include the presence of one or more of: a high power-low power module; an intermediary module; a power supply module configured to activate and deactivate one or more power supplies to a high power processing block; a serial peripheral interface bus connecting master and slave blocks; and a multi-purpose connector. Receivers of the invention may be configured to receive a conductively transmitted signal. Also provided are systems that include the receivers, as well as methods of using the same. Additionally systems and methods are disclosed for using a receiver for coordinating with dosage delivery systems.

Abstract: Medical carriers that include a low-impedance conductor are provided. The low-impedance conductors are configured to provide electrical conductivity along a length of the medical carrier. An aspect of the low-impedance conductors is the presence of a longitudinally extended region configured as a non-coiled repetitive pattern that imparts fatigue resistance to the longitudinally extended region. Also provided are systems and methods of making the medical carriers, as well as methods of using the medical carriers.

Abstract: Portable electroviscerography systems are provided. Aspects of the systems include a body-associated receiver and an ingestible identifier unit, both of which are configured to detect visceral electrical signals. The system communicates with an extra-corporeal data processor configured to receive data from the body-associated receiver and generate and electroviscerogram from the received data. Also provided are methods of producing electroviscerograms using systems of the present invention.

Abstract: Low voltage oscillators that provide a stable output frequency with varying supply voltage are provided. The subject oscillators find use in a variety of different types of devices, e.g., medical devices, including both implantable and ex-vivo devices.

Abstract: Various aspects of the present invention enable robust, reliable control functionality for effectors present on intraluminal, e.g., vascular leads, as well as other types of implantable devices. Aspects of the invention include implantable integrated circuits that have self-referencing and self-clocking signal encoding, and are capable of bidirectional communication. Also provided by the invention are effector assemblies that include the integrated circuits, as well as implantable medical devices, e.g., pulse generators that include the same, as well as systems and kits thereof and methods of using the same, e.g., in pacing applications, including cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) applications.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for automatically optimizing CRT procedures using a multi-electrode pacing lead. During operation, the system performs a first set of iterations to select one or more satellites on one or more pacing leads inserted in a patient. A pacing lead includes a plurality of pacing satellites, and a pacing satellite includes a plurality of electrodes that can be individually addressed and used for transmitting or detecting electric signals. The system then performs a second set of iterations to select one or more electrodes on the selected satellites. The system further performs a third set of iterations to select one or more timing configurations for pacing signals transmitted through one or more of the selected electrodes.

Abstract: An ingestible therapy activator system and method are provided. In one aspect, the ingestible therapy activator includes an ingestible device having an effector module to send an effector instruction and a responder module associated with a therapeutic device. The responder module may receive and process the effector instruction, resulting in a response by the therapeutic device. Examples of responses by therapeutic device include activating a therapy, deactivating a therapy, modulating a therapy, and discontinuing a therapy.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for detecting a known function, from nucleic acids present in a sample, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: (a) preparing, from the nucleic acids of the sample, nucleic acid molecules comprising the gene(s) coding for the protein(s) corresponding to said function, and the control elements required for the transcription and the translation of said gene(s); (b) in vitro transcription and translation of the nucleic acid molecule prepared in step (a); (c) detecting and/or measuring the function corresponding to the protein(s) produced in step (b).

Abstract: A method for measuring the conduction velocity of a depolarization wave in a tissue employs a first satellite located within the tissue and a second that satellite is located within the tissue a distance away from the first satellite, e.g., by using the time of depolarization wave as reported from each satellite and the distance to determine velocity of the wave. Also provided are systems and kits that find use in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of determining the mutational load of a gene bank obtained by random mutagenesis of a gene of interest by preparing a chart linking the mutational load of a gene bank obtained by random mutagenesis of a model gene with the fraction of mutated model genes observed in the bank; performing, in parallel, random mutagenesis of the model gene used for preparing the chart and the gene of interest to obtain the corresponding mutated gene banks; determining the mutational load of the gene bank obtained using the model gene on the basis of the chart plotted; and applying a correction factor to the mutational load of the mutated model gene bank to determine the mutational load in the gene bank of the mutated genes of interest.

Abstract: The system of the present invention includes a conductive element, an electronic component, and a partial power source in the form of dissimilar materials. Upon contact with a conducting fluid, a voltage potential is created and the power source is completed, which activates the system. The electronic component controls the conductance between the dissimilar materials to produce a unique current signature. The system can be used in a variety of different applications, including as components of ingestible identifiers, such as may be found in ingestible event markers, e.g., pharma-informatics enabled pharmaceutical compositions.

Abstract: Implantable stimulation devices are provided. Aspects of the devices include a multiplexed multi-electrode component configured for neural stimulation. The multiplexed multi-electrode component includes two or more individually addressable satellite electrode structures electrically coupled to a common conductor. The satellite structures include a hermetically sealed integrated circuit controller operatively coupled to one or more electrodes. Also provided are systems that include the devices of the invention, as well as methods of using the systems and devices in a variety of different applications.

Abstract: Electrical tomography drive frequency selection systems and methods are disclosed. One aspect of the present invention pertains to a system for optimally selecting a drive frequency of an electrical tomography which comprises a sensor electrode stably associated with a tissue site within an internal organ of a subject for generating an induced signal based on a noise signal over a range of frequency bands, wherein an electrical field for the electrical tomography is turned off. In addition, the system comprises a noise processing module for isolating the induced signal for each frequency band over the range of frequency bands. Furthermore, the system comprises a frequency select module for selecting a drive frequency of the electrical field for the electrical tomography by comparing the induced signal for each frequency band over the range of frequency bands.