Abstract: A method for the fail-safe termination of in vivo drug delivery from an implantable drug delivery system, the method comprising: providing an implantable drug delivery system comprising: a housing having a reservoir for containing a drug, and a port for dispensing the drug to a patient; and an emergency deactivation unit disposed between the reservoir and the port, the emergency deactivation unit comprising a composite structure comprising a biocompatible ferromagnetic mesh open to fluid flow and a hydrophobic meltable material, the hydrophobic meltable material comprising at least one hole therein for enabling a fluid to pass through the hydrophobic meltable material; implanting the implantable drug delivery system within a patient; enabling the drug to flow from the reservoir, through the at least one hole in the hydrophobic meltable material and out the port; and when drug flow is to be terminated, applying a magnetic field to the composite structure, such that a current is induced in the ferromagnetic mes

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope including a holder having at least one electric port, wherein the holder is configured to support a sample to be imaged. The scanning probe microscope further includes a probe and an actuator configured to move at least one of the holder and the probe up to three directions. The scanning probe microscope further includes a reflectometer configured to measure reflection and/or transmission coefficients at each of the at least one electric ports of the holder by feeding each of the at least one electric ports of the holder with electromagnetic wave signals.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices for use in transplanting cells. The devices can include a housing defining a cavity; and a support structure separating the cavity into a cell chamber and a reservoir chamber, wherein the support structure comprises a membrane for fluid communication between the cell chamber and reservoir chamber. The cell chamber can define a first opening comprising a microstructure containing an array of micro-channels, each having a diameter to facilitate growth of vascular tissues; and an array of micro-reservoirs, each having a diameter to facilitate housing of cell aggregates individually. The membrane can define a surface area that is at least 50% of a total surface area of the support structure. Methods of treating a subject for a disease condition, such as diabetes, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A device for acquisition of medical images of an ulcer includes a plurality of light sources arranged on the perimeter of a closed regular plane geometry, and adapted to illuminate an ulcer by respective light beams covering the surface of the wound in an overlapped fashion; an image acquisition device placed within the perimeter of the light sources and adapted to acquire medical images of said illuminated ulcer.

Abstract: A system and a method of analysis of medical images of an ulcer acquired by a capturing and measuring device (d1, . . . , dN) adapted to detect at least one parameter of the ulcer. The method provides for: —automatically and accurately identifying and classifying the ulcer and the clinical state of the ulcer being analyzed, —evaluating the evolution of the ulcer over time, —correlating the pathologic state of the ulcer detected by the capturing and measuring device (d1, . . . , dN) with the clinical data and characteristics of the patient, —comparing the pathologic state of the ulcer with similar ulcers of other patients and determining a plurality of possible therapies and posologies, and —selecting, from said plurality, a therapy and a posology to be adopted for the patient in order to achieve ulcer recovery, on the basis of the success percentage of the selected therapy and posology.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope including a holder having at least one electric port, wherein the holder is configured to support a sample to be imaged. The scanning probe microscope further includes a probe and an actuator configured to move at least one of the holder and the probe up to three directions. The scanning probe microscope further includes a reflectometer configured to measure reflection and/or transmission coefficients at each of the at least one electric ports of the holder by feeding each of the at least one electric ports of the holder with electromagnetic wave signals.

Abstract: A method for the fail-safe termination of in vivo drug delivery from an implantable drug delivery system, the method comprising: providing an implantable drug delivery system comprising: a housing having a reservoir for containing a drug, and a port for dispensing the drug to a patient; and an emergency deactivation unit disposed between the reservoir and the port, the emergency deactivation unit comprising a composite structure comprising a biocompatible ferromagnetic mesh open to fluid flow and a hydrophobic meltable material, the hydrophobic meltable material comprising at least one hole therein for enabling a fluid to pass through the hydrophobic meltable material; implanting the implantable drug delivery system within a patient; enabling the drug to flow from the reservoir, through the at least one hole in the hydrophobic meltable material and out the port; and when drug flow is to be terminated, applying a magnetic field to the composite structure, such that a current is induced in the ferromagnetic mes

Abstract: A device and a method are provided for detecting and monitoring cutaneous diseases, wherein the device includes an image acquisition component adapted to acquire medical images of at least one portion of skin affected by a cutaneous disease, sensors adapted to detect physical conditions of the portion of skin and/or environmental conditions around the portion of skin, and to generate pathology data representing the physical conditions and/or the environmental conditions, memory for storing data in digital form, and a processor configured for a) reading the pathology data detected by the sensors and the medical images acquired by the image acquisition component, and b) storing the pathology data and the medical images into the memory.

Abstract: A system and a method of analysis of medical images of an ulcer acquired by a capturing and measuring device (d1, . . . , dN) adapted to detect at least one parameter of the ulcer. The method provides for: —automatically and accurately identifying and classifying the ulcer and the clinical state of the ulcer being analyzed, —evaluating the evolution of the ulcer over time, —correlating the pathologic state of the ulcer detected by the capturing and measuring device (d1, . . . , dN) with the clinical data and characteristics of the patient, —comparing the pathologic state of the ulcer with similar ulcers of other patients and determining a plurality of possible therapies and posologies, and —selecting, from said plurality, a therapy and a posology to be adopted for the patient in order to achieve ulcer recovery, on the basis of the success percentage of the selected therapy and posology.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices for use in transplanting cells. The devices can include a housing defining a cavity; and a support structure separating the cavity into a cell chamber and a reservoir chamber, wherein the support structure comprises a membrane for fluid communication between the cell chamber and reservoir chamber. The cell chamber can define a first opening comprising a microstructure containing an array of micro-channels, each having a diameter to facilitate growth of vascular tissues; and an array of micro-reservoirs, each having a diameter to facilitate housing of cell aggregates individually. The membrane can define a surface area that is at least 50% of a total surface area of the support structure. Methods of treating a subject for a disease condition, such as diabetes, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for the fail-safe termination of in vivo drug delivery from an implantable drug delivery system, the method comprising: providing an implantable drug delivery system comprising: a housing having a reservoir for containing a drug, and a port for dispensing the drug to a patient; and an emergency deactivation unit disposed between the reservoir and the port, the emergency deactivation unit comprising a composite structure comprising a biocompatible ferromagnetic mesh open to fluid flow and a hydrophobic meltable material, the hydrophobic meltable material comprising at least one hole therein for enabling a fluid to pass through the hydrophobic meltable material; implanting the implantable drug delivery system within a patient; enabling the drug to flow from the reservoir, through the at least one hole in the hydrophobic meltable material and out the port; and when drug flow is to be terminated, applying a magnetic field to the composite structure, such that a current is induced in the ferromagnetic mes

Abstract: A device for acquisition of medical images of an ulcer includes a plurality of light sources arranged on the perimeter of a closed regular plane geometry, and adapted to illuminate an ulcer by respective light beams covering the surface of the wound in an overlapped fashion; an image acquisition device placed within the perimeter of the light sources and adapted to acquire medical images of said illuminated ulcer.

Abstract: In an embodiment, set forth by way of example and not limitation, an integrated circuit includes charge pump circuitry formed on an integrated circuit (IC) chip, a first protective circuit formed on the integrated circuit chip and coupling the first output node to a first IC port, a second protective circuit formed on the integrated circuit chip and coupling the second output node to a second IC port, and a third protective circuit formed on the integrated circuit chip and coupling the power input node to a power input IC port.

Abstract: A method for the fail-safe termination of in vivo drug delivery from an implantable drug delivery system, the method comprising: providing an implantable drug delivery system comprising: a housing having a reservoir for containing a drug, and a port for dispensing the drug to a patient; and an emergency deactivation unit disposed between the reservoir and the port, the emergency deactivation unit comprising a composite structure comprising a biocompatible ferromagnetic mesh open to fluid flow and a hydrophobic meltable material, the hydrophobic meltable material comprising at least one hole therein for enabling a fluid to pass through the hydrophobic meltable material; implanting the implantable drug delivery system within a patient; enabling the drug to flow from the reservoir, through the at least one hole in the hydrophobic meltable material and out the port; and when drug flow is to be terminated, applying a magnetic field to the composite structure, such that a current is induced in the ferromagnetic mes

Abstract: A power supply protection system including a first metal oxide field effect transistor (MOSFET) having a first source, a first drain coupled to an input node, and a first gate; a second MOSFET having a second source coupled to the first source, a second drain coupled to an output node and a second gate coupled to the first gate, whereby the first MOSFET and the second MOSFET are coupled back-to-back; a zener diode coupled between the first and second sources and the first and second gates; and charge pump circuitry coupled across the zener diode, whereby a voltage on the first and second gates is boosted with respect to the voltage on the first and second sources.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a light sensor includes four cell arrays, one for each color of the Bayer pattern, and four lenses each focusing the light coming from the scene to be captured on a respective cell array. The lenses are oriented such that at least a second green image, commonly provided by the fourth cell array, is both horizontally and vertically shifted (spaced) apart by half a pixel pitch from a first (reference) green image. In a second embodiment, the four lenses are oriented such that the red and blue images are respectively shifted (spaced) apart by half a pixel pitch from the first or reference green image, one horizontally and the other vertically, and the second green image is shifted (spaced) apart by half a pixel pitch from the reference green image both horizontally and vertically.

Abstract: Alkaloid aminoester derivatives according to formula (I) and (VI) act as muscarinic receptor antagonists.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a light sensor includes four cell arrays, one for each color of the Bayer pattern, and four lenses each focusing the light coming from the scene to be captured on a respective cell array. The lenses are oriented such that at least a second green image, commonly provided by the fourth cell array, is both horizontally and vertically shifted (spaced) apart by half a pixel pitch from a first (reference) green image. In a second embodiment, the four lenses are oriented such that the red and blue images are respectively shifted (spaced) apart by half a pixel pitch from the first or reference green image, one horizontally and the other vertically, and the second green image is shifted (spaced) apart by half a pixel pitch from the reference green image both horizontally and vertically.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a light sensor includes four cell arrays, one for each color of the Bayer pattern, and four lenses each focusing the light coming from the scene to be captured on a respective cell array. The lenses are oriented such that at least a second green image, commonly provided by the fourth cell array, is both horizontally and vertically shifted (spaced) apart by half a pixel pitch from a first (reference) green image. In a second embodiment, the four lenses are oriented such that the red and blue images are respectively shifted (spaced) apart by half a pixel pitch from the first or reference green image, one horizontally and the other vertically, and the second green image is shifted (spaced) apart by half a pixel pitch from the reference green image both horizontally and vertically.

Abstract: Alkaloid aminoester derivatives according to formula (I) and (VI) act as muscarinic receptor antagonists.