Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system and method for drawing blood from a user by skin puncture instead of venous puncture and storing it for analysis. The system includes a receptacle configured to engage an area of skin of the user at a blood draw location and store blood drawn from the user; a lancet device disposed within the receptacle configured to puncture the skin of the user at the blood draw location; a vacuum device configured to reduce a pressure within the receptacle such that the skin at the blood draw location is drawn into the receptacle before the lancet device punctures the skin, and to enhance blood flow while blood is drawn from the user; and a housing configured to house the receptacle, the lancet device, and the vacuum device. The receptacle, the lancet device, and the vacuum device may be modular and removably coupled with the housing.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to enable prediction of a menstrual date while preventing a decrease in the accuracy of the prediction, even if there is a large variation among menstrual cycles. An information processing device determines a threshold value used to predict a menstrual cycle, based on the result of a comparison between a base cycle and a representative value of a plurality of reference cycles modified based on each of a plurality of candidate threshold values for an outlier. Alternatively, the information processing device removes a first outlier identified based on a first threshold value from among a plurality of past menstrual cycles, changes a second outlier based on a second threshold value to a length corresponding to a second threshold value, and then predicts the length of a menstrual cycle.

Abstract: A monitoring system and method for early detection of fall risk. A rise-state of a subject occupying a bed is detected. In response to the detection of the rise-state, blood pressure measurement of the subject is triggered. An alarm when the measured blood pressure is not within a selected range of blood pressures.

Abstract: A monitoring arrangement 100 is configured to predict a rapid symptomatic drop in a subject's blood pressure, e.g. during a medical treatment or when operating aircraft. To this aim, a pulse shape parameter (pps) with respect to a peripheral body part (105) of the subject (P) is repeatedly registered by means of a pulse oximetry instrument (110) adapted to detect light response variations in blood vessels. A respective pulse magnitude measure is calculated based on each of a number of received pulse shape parameters (pps), and a statistical dispersion measure is calculated based on the thus-calculated pulse magnitude measure. It is investigated whether or not the statistical dispersion measure fulfils a decision criterion relative to a reference measure. An output signal (?) is generated if the decision criterion is found to be fulfilled.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for diagnosing and treating disorders of the lung are provided, which may include any number of features. In one embodiment, a method comprises obtaining diagnostic information relating to a patient's lungs, compiling a list of potential treatment plans for lung volume reduction in the first and second lungs, excluding treatment plans from the list of potential treatment plans that propose treatment of a lung segment that falls within a segment exclusion rule, and identifying at least one preferred treatment plan from the list of potential treatment plans that targets sufficiently diseased lung segments while also targeting a preferred combined volume of the first and second lungs.

Abstract: A pressure sensing medical device may include a guidewire including a tubular member having a lumen, the tubular member being translatable between a generally straightened position and a deflected position, and a pressure sensor attached at a distal end of a fiber optic extending within the lumen, the pressure sensor being disposed within a distal portion of the tubular member. The pressure sensor may include a pressure-sensitive membrane disposed on a distal end thereof. The pressure sensor may include one or more contact members capable of providing a contact point between the contact member and an inner surface of the tubular member when in the deflected position, the contact point being axially spaced apart from the membrane along a longitudinal axis of the pressure sensor.

Abstract: A blood coagulation system analysis device capable of analyzing a blood coagulation system with high accuracy, and a method and a program for analysis of a blood coagulation system are proposed. The blood coagulation system is observed as a temporal change in permittivity before the viscoelasticity manifestation timing (timing at which blood starts to clot from the viewpoint of viscoelasticity (in greater detail, timing at which active polymerization of fibrin monomers starts)). A permittivity of blood which is positioned between a pair of electrodes is measured at predetermined time intervals after the anticoagulant effect acting on the blood is ended, and from the measurement result, a degree of the action of the blood coagulation system is analyzed.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein use near field communications to locate a radiating transponder, such as a pill swallowed by a patient. The system can be triggered to turn on and transmit a waveform to a set of antennas attached to, coupled with, or near the patient. The magnetic field emitted by the transponder can be measured by the receiving antennas, for example, using principles of mutual inductance. The differential phase and/or time shifts between the antennas can contain sufficient information to find the location of the transponder and optionally its orientation relative to body coordinates. The system can display the location and/or orientation of the transponder. Further, the pill can include a reservoir to deliver a payload at a particular site of the patient's body based at least in part on the determined location.

Abstract: A sensor can be manufactured by printing a working electrode onto a substrate using aerosol jet printing. Sensing chemistry (e.g., enzyme-based ink that including detection chemistry) also can be printed onto the working electrode using aerosol jet printing. A reference electrode also can be printed on the substrate at a position spaced along the substrate from the working electrode. In certain examples, the substrate can be positioned within a lumen of a skin piercing member of a sensor module.

Abstract: Systems and methods regarding ventilation of a patient, such as a victim at the scene of an emergency are described herein.

Abstract: Improved apparatus and methods for non-invasively assessing one or more hemodynamic parameters associated with the circulatory system of a living organism. In one aspect, the invention comprises an apparatus adapted to automatically and accurately place and maintain a sensor (e.g., tonometric pressure sensor) with respect to the anatomy of the subject. The apparatus comprised of a sensor device removably coupled to an actuator which is used to position the sensor during measurements. Methods for positioning the alignment apparatus and sensor, and operating the apparatus, are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein can use near field communications to locate a radiating transmitter, such as a pill transmitter swallowed by a patient. In some embodiments, the pill transmitter can include multiple transmitting elements configured to transmit signals in an axis orthogonal with respect to each other. Further, in some embodiment, the pill transmitter can also include multiple transmitting elements in each of the three axes where the three axes may be perpendicular with respect to each other. The magnetic field emitted from the pill transmitter can be measured by the receiving antennas, for example, using principles of mutual inductance.

Abstract: A device for measuring blood pressure and for indicating the presence of atrial fibrillation, includes an inflatable cuff, a pump, at least one pressure sensor for measuring the pressure inside the cuff, a pressure relief valve for deflating the cuff, and a control unit for controlling the pump and the valve. A calculating unit determines the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation on the basis of pressure variation sensed by the sensor. The calculating unit is adapted to independently determine the presence of atrial fibrillation on the basis of at least one, preferably two sequences, of pulse beats. The control unit is configured to maintain the pressure in a predefined range or to restore the pressure to a predefined range for an additional sequence, and to determine the presence of atrial fibrillation only if the calculating unit determines the presence of atrial fibrillation during a first and/or preceding sequence.

Abstract: A receiving device for receiving saliva from an animal, having a core and a casing, as well as a kit with a receiving device and a collecting device, wherein the core can be removed from or pulled out of the receiving device to allow examination of the saliva. In addition, a method of using the core of a rope for obtaining a saliva sample from an animal, particularly a pig, wherein saliva is filtered during the sampling by means of the casing of the rope or a receiving device and/or after the sampling the core of the rope or a core of the receiving device is removed from or pulled out of the casing to allow examination of the saliva.

Abstract: Automated devices provide methodologies for determining sleep conditions, which may be in conjunction with treatment of sleep disordered breathing by a pressure treatment apparatus such as a continuous positive airway pressure device. Based on a measure of respiratory airflow, respiratory characteristics are extracted to detect arousal conditions, sleep stability, sleep states and/or perform sleep quality assessments. The methodologies may be implemented for data analysis by a specific purpose computer, a monitoring device that measures a respiratory airflow and/or a respiratory treatment apparatus that provides a respiratory treatment regime based on the detected conditions.

Abstract: Presented here are techniques for controlling glucose levels of a patient based on predicted time to a target glucose level. One methodology predicts a trajectory of the blood glucose level based on past observations of the blood glucose level, determines a cost expression based on the trajectory, and affects a future command to an infusion pump to affect a cost value according to the cost expression. Another methodology defines a target blood glucose concentration level for the patient, observes a current blood glucose concentration for the patient based on signals received from a blood-glucose sensor, and predicts a duration of time for the patient's blood glucose concentration to reach the target blood glucose concentration level based on the observed current blood glucose concentration.

Abstract: A sensor set is provided for sensing of a body characteristic, such as glucose. The sensor set includes a mounting base for the sensor and a connector to connect to the mounting base and has an improved structure for connecting the mounting base to the connector. The connector may contain sensor electronics for wired or wireless communication to an external monitor or display. The mounting base includes latch arms and the connector adapted to fit and lock into latch recesses on the connector and includes anti-rotation arms adapted to fit into anti-rotation arm recesses on the connector.

Abstract: A sensor set is provided for sensing of a body characteristic, such as glucose. The sensor set includes a mounting base for the sensor including a shim adapted to prevent pull up of the sensor and a connector to connect to the mounting base and has an improved structure for connecting the mounting base to the connector. The connector may contain sensor electronics for wired or wireless communication to an external monitor or display. The mounting base includes latch arms and the connector adapted to fit and lock into latch recesses on the connector and includes anti-rotation arms adapted to fit into anti-rotation arm recesses on the connector.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to determine the presence of and track functional chronotropic incompetence (hereinafter “CI”) in an in-home setting under conditions of daily living. The functional CI of the patient may be determined with one or more of a profile of measured patient heart rates, a measured maximum patient heart rate, or a peak of the heart rate profile. The functional CI of the patient may be determined with the measured heart rate profile, in which the measured heart rate profile may correspond to heart rates substantially less than the maximum heart rate of the patient, such that the heart rate can be safely measured when the patient is remote from a health care provider. The functional CI of the patient may be determined based a peak of the remotely measured heart rate profile, for example a peak corresponding to the mode of the heart rate distribution profile.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a neurofeedback system that comprises an electrode (2, 2?, 2?) for contacting skin (6) of a user (7) for measuring a biofeedback signal (9) of the user (7), a first signal processing unit (3) for determining a signal characteristic (11) of the measured biofeedback signal (9), wherein the signal characteristic (11) represents a neurofeedback, a second signal processing unit (4) for determining a biofeedback signal quality (12) of the measured biofeedback signal (9) by extracting a signal feature of the measured biofeedback signal (9) and calculating a probability of a measurement error for said signal feature, which probability represents the biofeedback signal quality (12), and a feedback unit (5) for providing feedback to the user, wherein the feedback comprises the neurofeedback and a feedback about the biofeedback signal quality (12).