Abstract: A breath testing apparatus is provided with a mouthpiece, a collection chamber, and a discharge chute. A breath sample is captured within the collection chamber and transferred to an evacuated container through the discharge chute by a sample transfer assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mobile device (15) for analyzing breath samples, comprising:—at least one mouthpiece (16) provided with at least one inlet opening (17) and at least one outlet opening (21) for allowing a person to respectively inhale and exhale via the mouthpiece,—at least one air filter (20) connected to the mouthpiece for filtering ambient air to be inhaled by the person,—at least one analysis compartment (19) connecting to the outlet opening of the mouthpiece and provided with at least one chemical trace detector (1), wherein the chemical trace detector comprises: at least one semi-conducting sensor (2); at least one heating element (4) for heating the semi-conducting sensor; at least one processor (6) for controlling the heating element; and a detection circuit (7) for detecting the change in resistance of the semi-conducting sensor which is at least partially determined by the presence of at least one chemical trace which reacts in the presence of the semi-conducting sensor.

Abstract: A carrier assembly includes a sub-assembly including a pump, at least one solenoid valve, and a check valve. The pump, the at least one solenoid valve, and the check valve are in fluid communication with each other and with at least one pressure transducer via a manifold. Also, the carrier assembly is configured to be mounted to a medical device's main assembly board.

Abstract: A gatekeeper electronic signal can be generated by a patient sensor and/or in an intermediate device, such as an electrical cable, that is separate from a patient's physiological information electronic signal. The gatekeeper signal can be generated to indicate to a computer monitor that the sensor and/or cable is of the type that is compatible with, and/or usable with, such computer monitor, and/or that the sensor and/or cable is properly attached to the computer monitor. The gatekeeper signal can be created by an ambient temperature sensor on, or in electrical communication with, the patient monitor, and/or the gatekeeper signal can be created by a gatekeeper electronic signal generator to simulate an ambient temperature value. The gatekeeper signal can be separate from an electronic signal or plurality of signals that include patient physiological information, and the gatekeeper signal may not include any patient physiological information.

Abstract: A profile of optical reflectance relative to a depth within a depth range from an epidermis to an upper layer of a dermis is created based on a coherence signal obtained by optical coherence tomography, an evaluation index is determined by calculating a difference between reflectance at a local minimum point and reflectance at a second local maximum point from the created profile, and skin conditions are evaluated based on the evaluation index.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed herein for a system configured to determine a position of a brain monitoring user device, and a brain state of a user. Based on the determined position and the determined brain state, the system provides access to a set of media guidance application operations corresponding to the determined brain state and to brain regions corresponding to the determined position of the brain monitoring user device.

Abstract: A system for monitoring blood pressure includes a blood pressure cuff, a blood pressure measurement device removably connected to the blood pressure cuff, and a cuff verification module. The cuff verification module is executable on a processor to receive medical record information from a patient, determine an expected cuff size for the patient based on the medical record information, receive a detected cuff size for the blood pressure cuff, and verify that the detected cuff size is consistent with the expected cuff size.

Abstract: In an arrangement for detecting acne, particularly in its earliest stages before any humanly visible or palpable manifestations thereof have emerged, a green fluorescence image of skin illuminated with blue light is captured and processed to detect the presence of microcomedones. After correcting the green fluorescence image for the non-uniform distribution of excitation light on the skin, fluorescent spots are detected therein. The subset of fluorescent spots having an intensity lower than an intensity threshold and an area smaller than an area threshold are selected as representing candidate microcomedones. The subset can be further refined by eliminating fluorescent spots having irregular shapes, are associated with inflammation, or exhibit comedone features. Additional filtering can be applied by selecting those spots whose locations correspond to pore locations.

Abstract: A device for extracting physiological information indicative of at least one vital sign of a subject from detected electromagnetic radiation transmitted through or reflected from a subject comprises an input interface for receiving a data stream of detection data derived from detected electromagnetic radiation transmitted through or reflected from a skin region of a subject. The detection data comprises wavelength-dependent reflection or transmission information in at least two signal channels representative of respective wavelength portions. A signal mixer dynamically mixes the at least two signal channels into at least one mixed signal. A processor derives physiological information indicative of at least one vital sign from the at least one mixed signal, and a controller controls the signal mixer to limit the relative contributions of the at least two signal channels mixed into at least one mixed signal and/or the rate-of-change at which said relative contributions are allowed to dynamically change.

Abstract: A stand-on physiological sensor (e.g. floormat) measures vital signs and various hemodynamic parameters, including blood pressure and ECG waveforms. The sensor is similar in configuration to a common bathroom scale and includes electrodes that take electrical measurements from a patient's feet to generate bioimpedance waveforms, which are analyzed digitally to extract various other parameters, as well as a cuff-type blood pressure system that takes physical blood pressure measurements at one of the patient's feet. Blood pressure can also be calculated/derived from the bioimpedance waveforms. Measured parameters are transmitted wirelessly to facilitate remote monitoring of the patient for heart failure, chronic heart failure, end-stage renal disease, cardiac arrhythmias, and other degenerative diseases.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring subjects after discharge from a hospital use a dynamic baseline to determine whether a caregiver needs to be notified regarding exacerbation of a medical state of a subject. The subjects are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The dynamic baseline is determined by aggregating (for example averaging) multiple values of a sequence of values for a metric that quantifies one or both of a patient symptom (e.g. the number of overnight apnea occurrences) and/or lung function of a subject (e.g. forced expiratory volume in 1 second). Multiple metrics may be combined to generate the value that is monitored for a subject.

Abstract: A wearable breathing sensor, such as a piezoelectric chest belt system, generates a breathing signal that is analyzed by a classifier to identify apnea patterns indicating that the subject has swallowed during breathing. These breathing signals are computer-analyzed to extract inferences regarding the subject's eating and drinking patterns and thereby provide useful data for monitoring food or beverage intake for remote health monitoring.

Abstract: A flexible, body-mountable analyte sensing device includes a flexible substrate configured for mounting to skin of a living body. The sensing device additionally includes optical fiber attached to the flexible substrate and configured to penetrate the skin such that an analyte-sensitive substance disposed on the end of the optical fiber can detect an analyte in interstitial fluid. A color, fluorescence intensity, or other optical property of the analyte-sensitive substance is related to the concentration or other property of the analyte. Light reflected, scattered, fluorescently emitted, or otherwise emitted from the analyte-sensitive substance is transmitted via the optical fiber and detected by a light sensor on the flexible substrate. Such emitted light can be emitted in response to illumination of the analyte-sensitive substance via the optical fiber. The sensing device is configured to wirelessly indicate detected concentrations or other information about the analyte in the interstitial fluid.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a medical device for measuring blood pressure. The medical device may include an elongated shaft having a proximal region and a distal region. An optical fiber may extend along the proximal region. An optical pressure sensor may be coupled to the optical fiber. The medical device may also include a tubular member having a proximal end disposed adjacent to the optical pressure sensor and a distal portion extending along the distal region of the shaft.

Abstract: A method of determining whether a subject is likely to have a condition includes measuring concentration levels of a plurality of target biomarkers in a sample obtained from the subject; comparing the measured concentration levels to respective reference concentration levels; in the event that the measured concentration level of at least one of the target biomarkers is less than its respective reference concentration level, and the measured concentration level of at least one of the target biomarkers is greater than its respective reference concentration level, providing an indication that the subject is likely to have the condition, and otherwise: providing an indication that the subject is unlikely to have the condition.

Abstract: Systems and methods for classifying breathing disorders of subjects are based on the respiratory response to a change in a pressure level of a pressurized flow of breathable gas. The change presents a breathing challenge to a subject. The challenge may be limited to the inspiratory breathing phase. The inspiratory pressure level may be lower than the expiratory pressure level during challenges.

Abstract: Devices and methods for identifying patient at elevated risk of developing future heart failure (HF) events, such as events indicative of HF decompensation status, are described. The devices and methods can stratify the risk using sensor signals or signal metrics selected in accordance with patient chronic conditions. A medical device can receive a patient status input including at least a first and a second chronic condition indicators, sense one or more physiologic signals from the patient, and generate a plurality of signal metrics from the physiologic signals when the first chronic condition indicator and the second chronic condition indicator meets respective criterion. One or more patient-specific signal metrics can be selected from a group including the signal metrics selected for both the first and the second chronic conditions.

Abstract: A wrist-worn pressure sensing device includes a pressure sensor. The wrist-worn pressure sensing device also includes a first strap that sets the position of the pressure sensor on a wearer's wrist and a second strap that engages with the first strap to adjust the overall length of the strap without moving the set position of the pressure sensor on the wearer's wrist.

Abstract: A CPU detects pulse waves in a pressure signal of a cuff detected during a period of reducing pressure applied by the cuff to a measurement site and acquires blood flow sound signals corresponding to blood flow sounds occurring in the pressure reduction period. Then, data for a pulse wave envelope that associates the amplitude values of the detected pulse waves with the pressurizing pressures at the pulse wave generation times, and data for a blood flow sound envelope that associates the amplitude values of the blood flow sound signals with the pressurizing pressures at the blood flow sound generation times are generated, and the data for the pulse wave envelope and the data for the blood flow sound envelope are used to determine whether or not there is periodic variation in the blood pressure during the pressure reduction period.

Abstract: A system for heart performance characterization and abnormality detection includes an interface for receiving digitized electrical signals representing blood pressure waveforms over one or more heart beat cycles. The digitized electrical signals comprise, a first digital data sequence representing normal blood pressure of a patient, a second digital data sequence representing random blood pressure of a normal patient and a third digital data sequence representing a potentially abnormal blood pressure of a patient. A complexity processor calculates first, second and third complexity indices for the corresponding first, second and third digital data sequences respectively. A correlation processor uses the calculated first, second and third complexity indices to calculate one or more measures indicating deviation of the potentially abnormal blood pressure of the patient from a normal value.