Abstract: A vacuum-assisted wound healing device is provided comprising an airtight hollow conical member surrounding a skin-breaching bone stabilization device, and a port for attaching a suction tube. The conical member has an opening at one end conforming to the circumference of the shaft of a bone stabilization device, and a opening at the other end to enclose a wound in a patient's skin surrounding the bone stabilization device. The device may be used to provide controlled reduced pressure to the wound site, reducing healing time and risk of infection.

Abstract: Force-controlled autodistraction for lengthening a bone is disclosed. A distractor is coupled to a first fixator and to a second fixator distal to the first fixator. The distractor has a known distractor stiffness. The first fixator is configured to be coupled to a first portion of the bone, and the second fixator is configured to be coupled to a second portion of the bone. The first and second portions are on opposite sides of an osteotomy of the bone. A motor is controllable to produce a motion of the first fixator relative to the second fixator such that the first portion of the bone is distracted from the second portion of the bone. A force sensor is configured to measure a resistant force to the motion, and a distractor displacement sensor is configured to measure a distractor displacement. A controller is operably coupled to the force sensor, the distractor displacement sensor, and the motor.

Abstract: A method and device is disclosed for inhibiting bone growth, including inducing epiphysiodesis or hemiepiphysiodesis, using electrical current. The device includes a power source and one or a series of electrodes for applying a current sufficient to reduce or stop the growth of a bone to selected regions of the bone. The method and device may be used to correct growth discrepancies in extremities such as the arms or legs, as well as correct the curvature of the spine in scoliosis patients.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for diagnosing risk of low BMD and risk of osteoporosis based on the detection of SNP identity for human chromosome 1p36 polymorphisms designated in the NCBI SNP database (dbSNP) as rs2794328, rs446529, rs397559 and rs1802353.

Abstract: A brace compliance monitor is disclosed that includes a compliance sensor, a signal processor, and a display. Compliance data is displayed on the display to provide the patient or subject with immediate compliance information on whether they have been wearing the brace for the specified period and in the specified manner. The brace compliance monitor may also include a secondary sensor such as a tilt sensor, a pressure sensor, a force sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a velocity sensor. The secondary sensors may provide additional compliance data to the patient and health car provider.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for treating an individual suffering from decompression sickness, a gas mixture that can be used to treat the individual, and an apparatus that can be used to administer the gas mixture. The method includes administering a gas mixture of oxygen and a therapeutically effective amount of nitric oxide gas to the individual. The gas mixture can include a mixture of oxygen, helium and, nitric oxide gases. The gas mixture can be administered using an apparatus that can be worn by the individual. The apparatus includes dispensers for gases, a gas blender to mix the gases, an inspiratory passage, a face mask substantially conformable with the individual's face, and an expiratory passage. When the individual wearing the face mask inhales, the gas mixture travels from the gas blender, through the inspiratory passage to the face mask. The gas mixture is then inhaled by the individual.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and composition for treating a patient having a condition characterized as inflammatory bowel disease with an effective dose of HGF. Inflammatory bowel disease as defined by the present invention, includes Chronic Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease, necrotizing enterocolitis, severe acute gastroenteritis, chronic gastroenteritis, cholera, chronic infections of the bowel, immunologic disorders affecting the intestine, immunodeficiency syndromes affecting the intestine, and HIV. Mucosal damage and histologic lesions are reduced by administering an effective dose of HGF to patients suffering from the same. Specifically, the effective dose of HGF is in a range of about 30 ?g/kg body weight/day to about 300 ?g/kg body weight/day. HGF may be administered to the patient lumenally or systemically.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for treating infants, children or adults suffering from pulmonary distress caused by low or insufficient production of surfactant. It is particularly suitable for treating premature infants suffering from Respiratory Distress Syndrome. The method comprises administering a leptin compound to an individual with impaired surfactant production for a time and in an amount sufficient to enhance surfactant production. The method may be used for treatment of any mammal with impaired lung surfactant production.

Abstract: An orthosis device generally includes two limb sections pivotably attached to each other in at least one degree of freedom and adapted for insertion of or attachment to adjacent portions of a limb of a user. Each limb section further includes a four-bar linkage and a spring member adapted to provide an equilibrium-inducing force corresponding to a combined weight of the limb section and the limb inserted therein or attached thereto. The equilibrium-inducing force allows every point in three-dimensional space to be a balanced position, such that a user with muscular abnormalities can move his or her limbs and hold them in place. A pivotable shoulder bracket for attaching the orthosis device to a wheelchair may also be provided. Furthermore, the orthosis device can be adapted to accommodate individuals of varying weight or with varying levels of disability by adjusting the spring member or providing powered actuators and force sensors.

Abstract: A method for treating a patient that has inadequate intestinal function is described. Administering leptin to a subject increases the intestinal function beyond that for a normal intestine and beyond that of a normal adaptive response. Further, administering leptin to a subject results in an increase in amino acid absorption, sugar absorption, mucosal mass, transport mechanisms for amino acids, or transport mechanisms for sugars. The method may be used for treating subjects have conditions such as short bowel syndrome, inflammation of the bowel, necrotizing enterocolitis, intestinal atresia, midgut volvulus, severe acute gastroenteritis, chronic gastroenteritis, cholera, chronic infections of the bowel, immunologic disorders affecting the small intestine, and inflammatory bowel disease such as, chronic ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease.

Abstract: A method and composition for administering leptin to a subject. The invention includes suspending isolated native leptin-containing milk fat globules in a suitable medium for administering to a subject. The suspended milk fat globules may be administered orally as well as by intravenous, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, other enteral routes of administration, and other parenteral routes of administration. The invention includes a method for treating growth or maturational-related disorders in newborns as well as subjects having conditions that can be treated by the administration of leptin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a single-use disposable eyelid speculum and scleral depressor. The eyelid speculum comprises an elongated curved arm formed from an elastic single piece element. The elongated curved arm terminates in integrally formed spoons, each spoon being configured to engage an eyelid. The eyelid speculum and scleral depressor may be provided as a kit in either separate or combined packing in a sterilized condition. The kit is intended to be disposable after a single use.

Abstract: The invention provides a diagnostic test for gastrointestinal disorders by providing a safe, convenient, reliable method for measuring gastric emptying. In this test, a tracer amount of 13C-glutamine or 13C-glutamic acid is added to a liquid meal, or 13C-glutamic acid added to a solid meal. After digestion in the stomach, the meal is emptied into the small bowel, where the labeled 13C-tracer is immediately taken up and metabolized by the cells lining the small bowel. The released 13CO2 is detected in the breath. The measurement of rise in the level of 13CO2 as a function of time is correlated to the rate of gastric emptying.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and composition for treating a patient having a condition characterized as inflammatory bowel disease with an effective dose of HGF. Mucosal damage and histologic lesions are reduced by administering HGF to patients suffering from the same. HGF may be administered to the patient lumenally or systemically.

Abstract: A method of developing sensitive and discriminatory diagnostic procedures for detecting active bacterial infection in animals, especially humans, basically involves partially digesting the genomic DNA of the infecting bacterial pathogen into a generally large number of ideally random fragments and finding proteins encoded by those fragments which evoke a discriminating response to specimens from viably infected animals. Cloning techniques are used to cause the genes of the multitude of DNA fragments to produce proteins. Groups of proteins encoded by the genes of each fragment are separately tested for the ability to generate an immune response in certain specimens from animals known to have "viable infection", "convalescent infection" and "naive status" with respect to infection by the infecting bacterial pathogen. The protein groups which evoke positive immune responses to viably infected but no immune response to naive specimens are identified as "selectively responsive proteins".

Abstract: Reversal of reduced intestinal mucosal mass and absorptive function in patients by the administration of low doses of exogenous HGF either systemically or intraluminally.

Abstract: An apparatus for draining cerebrospinal fluid from the ventricle of a brain includes an inner rigid tube and an outer flexible, elastic tube. The proximal end of the flexible tube has perforations to admit fluid into the elastic tube lumen in which the fluid is conducted to the distal end where the fluid exits into the remainder of a drain system, such as a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. The rigid tube contains an elbow bend intermediate the ends. In one form of the apparatus, the rigid tube has a first tubing nipple near one end and a second nipple intermediate the first nipple and the elbow bend. The first nipple extends outside and beyond the distal end of the flexible tube. The second nipple can be used to fasten the flexible tube to the rigid tube. The fastening method can employ a circumferential ligature as with suture thread or with a novel non-elastically deformable sleeve type of compression fitting.

Abstract: A guidewire useful for feeding a medical catheter through a body duct network to a distant target site within the body has a flexible distal portion. The distal portion facilitates threading the guidewire in a tortuous path through acute bends at branch junctions in the duct network. The guidewire end is able to feed into very delicate vessels such as ventricles of the brain and the spinal canal without puncturing the walls or damaging organs.The novel guidewire includes beads displaced longitudinally at the distal end of a core wire. The beads are separated by a gap distance. The core wire can flex at points within the gaps between beads which allows the dial end of the guidewire to bend at branch junctions and to conform to the curvature in the vessel duct. The beads can be fixed to the core wire or they can move freely along the distal portion.

Abstract: A diagnostic method for determining whether an individual is affected with spinal muscular atrophy involves evaluating the relative amounts of exon 5 of Neuronal Apoptosis Inhibitory Protein (NAIP) and exon 7 of centromeric and telomeric Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) genes in a genomic sample from the subject. A PCR analysis employing NAIP5F, NAIP5R, SMNX7DRA and SMNR111 primers is used to amplify the desired genes. The PCR product is digested with an enzyme which recognizes only the centromeric SMN sequence and the digested product can be separated by electrophoresis. The novel method allows multiplex analysis for both NAIP and SMN genes in the same sample work up. The analytical procedure further permits the digestion to be carried out without prior purification of the PCR product. Very importantly, the analytical procedure provides for the ability to diagnose the heterozygous telomeric SMN phenotype and thus allows the non-affected carrier of spinal muscular atrophy to be identified.

Abstract: A sample container and a fluid collection apparatus are disclosed for withdrawing samples for fluid analysis purposes of unpressurized body fluid from an internal body cavity. The container and apparatus are primarily useful for sampling cerebrospinal fluid obtained through a lumbar puncture or shunt tap. The container and apparatus provide a completely enclosed sample environment which protects the sample from external contamination during the sample-taking process. The enclosed environment also protects sample-taking personnel against direct contact with the fluid. The novel sample container includes an inflatable pouch with a balloon that expands on filling without significantly raising back pressure on the fluid draining from the patient. The pouch is affixed within a transparent, rigid sheath by an inlet port. The apparatus includes a needle assembly with an internal rubber septum.