Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatuses related to measurement of analytes, including measurements of analytes in samples withdrawn from a patient.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatuses that can provide measurement of glucose with variable intervals between measurements, allowing more efficient measurement with greater patient safety. A method according to the present invention can comprise measuring the value of an analyte such as glucose at a first time; determining a second time from a patient condition, an environmental condition, or a combination thereof; then measuring the value of the analyte at the second time (where the second time can be expressed as an interval after the first time, an absolute time, or a time indicated when certain patient or environmental conditions, or both, are reached or detected). The second time can be determined, as an example, from a comparison of the analyte value at the first time with a threshold. The interval between the first time and the second time can be related to the difference between the analyte value at the first time and the threshold; e.g.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and apparatuses of medication management based upon active authorization of medication infusion by a clinician that can provide for effective management of an analyte in a patient's blood, reducing the opportunities for human error common with current manual systems while still placing final control of the medication management with the human clinician. For example, a semi-automated glucose management system can measure the glucose level in a patient's blood, recommend infusion parameters to a clinician who can authorize an infusion of glucose or insulin, and infuse the glucose or insulin into the patient.

Abstract: The pumpkin carving kit for carving shapes into pumpkins includes a knob and templates, which are used to form face shapes on a pumpkin. The kit may include a striking mallet and a scraper. The knob has a threaded connector extending Therefrom. Each template has a sharp bottom rim defining a cutting edge and a top rim. The top rim has a retention strip extending across it, and a threaded hole situated within the retention strip for receiving the threaded connector of the knob. Stabilizers are attached to the bottom rim of the template. The template is placed on the surface of a pumpkin, and the stabilizers steady the template against the pumpkin surface. The front surface of the knob is then struck either with the mallet or with the user's hand, forcing the sharp bottom rim of the template to pierce a shaped hole into the surface of the pumpkin.