Abstract: The present invention provides an electrochemical sensor that employs multiple electrode areas that are exposed for contact with a body fluid, e.g., when the sensor is inserted subcutaneously into a patient's skin. The exposed electrode areas are arranged symmetrically, such that a symmetrical potential distribution is produced when an AC signal is applied to the sensor. The sensors in accordance with these teachings can advantageously be used with AC signals to determine characteristics of the sensor and thus improve sensor performance. These teachings also provide a biocompatible sensor with multiple reference electrode areas that are exposed for contact with body fluid.

Abstract: An in vivo amperometric sensor is provided for measuring the concentration of an analyte in a body fluid. The sensor comprises a counter electrode and a working electrode, and the working electrode comprises a sensing layer which is generally water permeable and arranged on a support member adjacent to a contact pad. The sensing layer comprises an immobilized enzyme capable of acting catalytically in the presence of the analyte to cause an electrical signal. The sensing layer has an upper surface facing the body fluid and a lower surface facing away from the body fluid, and the immobilized enzyme is distributed within the sensing layer in such a way that the enzyme concentration in the middle between the upper and lower surfaces is at least as high as on the upper surface of the sensing layer.

Abstract: An electronic device may communicate wirelessly with another electronic device. The electronic device may include a first processor configured to control only wireless communications with the another device but not operations associated only with the electronic device, a second processor configured to control the operations associated only with the electronic device but not the wireless communications with the another device, and a memory device connected between the first and second processors. The first and second processors may each be configured to exchange information with the memory device separately and independently of the exchange of information by the other of the first and second processors with the memory device.

Abstract: An in vivo amperometric sensor is provided for measuring the concentration of an analyte in a body fluid. The sensor comprises a counter electrode and a working electrode, and the working electrode comprises a sensing layer which is generally water permeable and arranged on a support member adjacent to a contact pad. The sensing layer comprises an immobilized enzyme capable of acting catalytically in the presence of the analyte to cause an electrical signal. The sensing layer has an upper surface facing the body fluid and a lower surface facing away from the body fluid, and the immobilized enzyme is distributed within the sensing layer in such a way that the enzyme concentration in the middle between the upper and lower surfaces is at least as high as on the upper surface of the sensing layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrochemical sensor that employs multiple electrode areas that are exposed for contact with a body fluid, e.g., when the sensor is inserted subcutaneously into a patient's skin. The exposed electrode areas are arranged symmetrically, such that a symmetrical potential distribution is produced when an AC signal is applied to the sensor. The sensors in accordance with these teachings can advantageously be used with AC signals to determine characteristics of the sensor and thus improve sensor performance. These teachings also provide a biocompatible sensor with multiple reference electrode areas that are exposed for contact with body fluid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a biosensor. The biosensor includes a support substrate, electrodes positioned on the support substrate, a spacer substrate positioned on the support substrate, and a cover positioned on the spacer substrate. The cover cooperates with the support substrate to define a capillary channel. The electrodes include at least one working electrode defining a working electrode area in the capillary channel. The working electrode is configured to minimize variation in the working electrode area in the capillary channel due to variations in the spacer substrate placement relative to the working electrode.

Abstract: A system for determining drug administration information may comprise an input device providing for user input of feed forward information having a first parameter component and a second parameter component, a data storage device and a processor. The data storage device may have stored therein a map correlating values of the first and second parameters to drug administration information. The processor may be responsive to user input of the feed forward information to determine corresponding drug administration information according to the map.

Abstract: An electronic device may communicate wirelessly with another electronic device. The electronic device may include a first processor configured to control only wireless communications with the another device but not operations associated only with the electronic device, a second processor configured to control the operations associated only with the electronic device but not the wireless communications with the another device, and a memory device connected between the first and second processors. The first and second processors may each be configured to exchange information with the memory device separately and independently of the exchange of information by the other of the first and second processors with the memory device.

Abstract: A system for configuring one or more medical devices used for patient self-monitoring of medical parameters includes a broadcast provider and one or more medical devices in a network area of the broadcast provider. The one or more medical devices each include a receiver operable to receive data signals transmitted over the network area from the broadcast provider. The signals transmit medical device data to the one or more medical devices to facilitate the use of the medical device by the user while reducing the potential for errors that may be made by the user when using the medical device.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling change access to a display menu of an ambulatory liquid infusion pump. A programmed menu of the infusion pump may be displayed and a menu lock flag may be monitored. Changes to at least one active item of the programmed menu may be disabled if the menu lock flag is activated.

Abstract: An in vivo amperometric sensor is provided for measuring the concentration of an analyte in a body fluid. The sensor comprises a counter electrode and a working electrode, and the working electrode comprises a sensing layer which is generally water permeable and arranged on a support member adjacent to a contact pad. The sensing layer comprises an immobilized enzyme capable of acting catalytically in the presence of the analyte to cause an electrical signal. The sensing layer has an upper surface facing the body fluid and a lower surface facing away from the body fluid, and the immobilized enzyme is distributed within the sensing layer in such a way that the enzyme concentration in the middle between the upper and lower surfaces is at least as high as on the upper surface of the sensing layer.

Abstract: The systems and methods of the present invention utilize a linear component of a non-linear, faradaic current response generated by a biological fluid sample when an AC excitation potential sufficient to produce such a faradaic current response is applied to the sample, in order to calculate the concentration of a medically significant component in the biological fluid sample. The current response is created by the excitation of electrochemical processes within the sample by the applied potential. Typically, the linear component of the current response to an applied AC potential contains phase angle and/or admittance information that may be correlated to the concentration of the medically significant component. Also typically, the fundamental linear component of the current response is utilized in the disclosed systems and methods. Harmonics of the fundamental linear component may also be used. Other methods and devices are disclosed.

Abstract: A system for determining drug administration information may comprise an input device providing for user input of feed forward information having a first parameter component and a second parameter component, a data storage device and a processor. The data storage device may have stored therein a map correlating values of the first and second parameters to drug administration information. The processor may be responsive to user input of the feed forward information to determine corresponding drug administration information according to the map.

Abstract: Sensors and methods for producing them are disclosed. A cavity is created and filled with a reagent that includes a conductive matrix, enzyme, catalyst, and binding agent, in a preferred embodiment. The cavity is substantially enclosed, leaving enough of an opening to allow the sample to enter. A portion of the material surrounding the cavity is preferably permeable to a substance useful for measuring reaction, but not to the reagent or the sample. Cavities that have the shape of a cone, conical frustum, pyramidal frustum, and right circular cylinder are given as examples. Other systems include a membrane that contains the sensor's active area and defines an internal volume of fluid, where the membrane or internal volume has a particular geometric relationship to the active area.

Abstract: Sensors and a method for detecting an analyte are described. Sensors each have a volume of a hydrophilic medium that retains an amount of analyte proportionate to the concentration of analyte in a biological fluid, electrodes and a redox enzyme in contact with medium, and an electron transfer mediator. The fluid contacts sensors and at initially predetermined intervals intermittently applies a potential to electrode sufficient to oxidize the mediator and sensing current through electrode as a function of the duration of the applied potential. The applied mediator oxidizing applied potential is maintained for a period of time sufficient to determine the rate of change of current with time through electrode. The current flow is correlated with the current flow for known concentrations of the analyte in medium.

Abstract: A biosensor having multiple electrical functionalities located both within and outside of the measurement zone in which a fluid sample is interrogated. Incredibly small and complex electrical patterns with high quality edges provide electrical functionalities in the biosensor and also provide the electrical wiring for the various other electrical devices provided in the inventive biosensor. In addition to a measurement zone with multiple and various electrical functionalities, biosensors of the present invention may be provided with a user interface zone, a digital device zone and/or a power generation zone. The inventive biosensors offer improved ease of use and performance, and decrease the computational burden and associated cost of the instruments that read the biosensors by adding accurate yet cost-effective functionalities to the biosensors themselves.

Abstract: The invention relates to a test system useful in carrying out diagnostic assays. One component of the test system is an unblocked solid phase test carrier with a three dimensional configuration, impregnated with a first binding partner for analyte of interest. The second component of a binding agent containing a second binding partner coupled to an immediately visually determinable label, and a blocking agent. Rapid and accurate assays may be carried out by using the described system.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improvement in the strand displacement assay. Probes that are at least 20 nucleotide bases in length, but are no more than 40 bases in length, are used. These short probes permit detection and discrimination down to the order of a single base.

Abstract: A method of detecting hydrolase activity using as substrates the compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, or phenyl optionally substituted in the meta- or para- position by C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkoxy or mono- or di-(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)-alkylamino, or optionally substituted by an O-X group in which X is a glycosyl, phosphate or acyl moiety of a natural substrate of the corresponding glycosidase, phosphatase or esterase.

Abstract: A process for the detection of substances with hydrolase activity in a sample by mixing the sample with a hydrolase substrate and an oxidising agent, and the evaluating the resultant colour intensity, wherein, as hydrolase substrate, there is used at least one compound of the formula ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an alkoxy radical,R.sup.2 is hydrogen or halogen, an amino group or an alkoxy or aralkoxy radical,R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, which can be the same or different, are hydrogen, halogen, carboxyl, a carbamoyl group, sulpho, an amino groups alkyl, an alkoxy radical, aralkoxy, alkylcarbonyl or alkoxycarbonyl, andX is a glycosyl, phosphate or acyl residue. Optionally R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5, and R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 can be joined to form a ring system. At least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 must be hydrogen and at least one of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 must not be hydrogen. Compounds in which X is .beta.-galactosyl are new.