Abstract: The invention provides MRI contrast agents which provide a high sensitivity and which have an optimised body retention time. These agents enable the mapping of the local pH, temperature, oxygen concentration or other metabolites in a patient's body by the use of Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST). Particularly pH and temperature mapping are useful for the detection of small cancer lesions and localized inflammation respectively.

Abstract: This invention relates to medical, health care and non-medical devices comprising a rubbery or elastomeric polymer material taking up more than 5% by weight of water and at most 500% by weight of water after immersion in demineralized water at room temperature for a sufficient time to reach saturation. The material may be in the form of a foam, or in the form of a coating adapted for adhesion to a substrate, or in the form of a sheet, or in the form of a fiber, and may comprise: —repeating units from one or more hydrophobic organic monomers, and —repeating units from one or more monomers (a) being modified with one or more hydrophilic side groups.

Abstract: A seal for a respiratory mask that includes a first end portion adapted to be coupled to a mask shell, a second end portion for sealing engagement with a face of a patient, and a sidewall extending between the first end portion and the second end portion. At least a portion of the second end portion includes a textured area having a predetermined pattern. The area of increased surface roughness provides the patient contacting portion of the seal with a silky feeling to maximize patient comfort and the effectiveness of the seal without impairing the sealing ability.

Abstract: Skin-contact products with a transpiration function such as medical devices or medicinal products, of which face masks, aspirators, ventilators, breast pumps or wound dressings are examples are described especially a skin-contact product with a transpiration function with an improved microclimate at a patient interface material-skin contact area. In an embodiment a material system (10, 20, 30) is described that comprises a hydrophobic silicone base material (11, 21, 31) and a hydrophilic silicone material (12, 22, 32) that is combined with the hydrophobic base material (11, 21, 31). At least a part of the hydrophilic material (12, 22, 32) is in contact with a moist surface (50). The hydrophobic base material (11, 21, 31) provides mechanical and dynamical stability of the material system (10, 20, 30). The hydrophilic material (12, 22, 32) allows for uptake or for diffusion of moisture away from moist surface (50).

Abstract: A cushion member for a user interface device is provided. The cushion member is structured to provide a load distribution functionality responsive to the cushion member being donned by the user, wherein at least a portion of the cushion member has a local stiffness of less than or equal to 100 kPa/mm responsive to a stress increase on the cushion member of 1 kPa-15 kPa.

Abstract: A seal for a respiratory mask that includes a first end portion adapted to be coupled to a mask shell, a second end portion for sealing engagement with a face of a patient, and a sidewall extending between the first end portion and the second end portion. At least a portion of the second end portion includes a textured area having a predetermined pattern. The area of increased surface roughness provides the patient contacting portion of the seal with a silky feeling to maximize patient comfort and the effectiveness of the seal without impairing the sealing ability.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device (1) for determining NO concentrations in fluids such as exhaled breath. The device (1) typically comprises a pair of electrodes (18) separated from each other to define a channel region (16) in an organic semiconductor (14), a gate structure (10) for controlling said channel region, and a receptor layer (22) at least partially overlapping said channel region, said receptor layer comprising a porphine or phtalocyanine coordination complex including a group III-XII transition metal ion or a lead (Pb) ion for complexing NO. Such a semiconductor device is capable of sensing NO concentrations in the ppb range.

Abstract: A seal for a respiratory mask that includes a first end portion adapted to be coupled to a mask shell, a second end portion for sealing engagement with a face of a patient, and a sidewall extending between the first end portion and the second end portion. At least a portion of the second end portion includes a textured area having a predetermined pattern. The area of increased surface roughness provides the patient contacting portion of the seal with a silky feeling to maximize patient comfort and the effectiveness of the seal without impairing the sealing ability.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method MRI imaging. By applying a time modulation to the contrast enhancement of an MRI contrast agent, the method according to the invention leads to images with improved signal-to-noise ratio in the contrast-enhanced areas, strongly suppressed unwanted signal in the unenhanced areas, and reduced artefacts, such as motion artefacts.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing thin layers of a fluid sample for analysis, has a two dimensional array of analysis chambers (45), and a branching pattern of entry channels (25) coupled to the array to enable the analysis chambers to be filled in parallel. The analysis chambers are planar with a height less than that of the entry channels so as to produce the thin layers when filled with the fluid sample. The array enables more spacers between chambers in a given area, so that variations in height of the chambers can be reduced, while still enabling fast filling of the chambers. The analysis chambers can be suitable for capillary filling by a specified fluid sample such as blood. A pattern of exit channels (35) can be coupled to the array. The entry and exit channels can form comb patterns, fingers of the comb patterns being interdigitated, and the analysis chambers being arranged between the interdigitated fingers of the comb patterns.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of determining the level of exhaled nitric oxide (NO) is disclosed. The method involves measuring the level of exhaled NO (34) and the corresponding exhalation flow rate in one or more exhalations (30, 32) of a tidal breathing manoeuvre performed by a subject. The data is used with a model describing the flow dependence of exhaled NO to derive a value for exhaled NO corresponding to a fixed flow rate, especially to an exhaled NO level corresponding to a fixed flow rate of 50 ml/s. During the manoeuvre a variation in flow restriction (31) may be applied so as to vary the overall flow rate of exhalation. The method offers a simple and quick way to determine exhaled NO levels with good accuracy and is suitable for use with children.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device (1) for determining NO concentrations in fluids such as exhaled breath. The device (1) typically comprises a pair of electrodes (18) separated from each other to define a channel region (16) in an organic semiconductor (14), a gate structure (10) for controlling said channel region, and a receptor layer (22) at least partially overlapping said channel region, said receptor layer comprising a porphine or phtalocyanine coordination complex including a group III-XII transition metal ion or a lead (Pb) ion for complexing NO. Such a semiconductor device is capable of sensing NO concentrations in the ppb range.

Abstract: A method for mapping a physico-chemical parameter using a chemical exchange saturation transfer contrast agent in Magnetic Resonance Imaging is used with agents having only one exchangeable entity pool, e.g. proton pool, by applying two different RF frequencies for pre-saturation of the contrast agent.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of breaking a substrate of a brittle material, the method comprising the steps of providing a substrate (1) of a brittle material, heating the substrate with a laser beam (3) to create a heated spot on the substrate, moving the laser beam and the substrate with respect to each other to create a line of heated spots on the substrate (2), cooling the heated spots on the substrate by locally applying a cooling medium (4) behind the heated spots such that a micro-crack is propagated in the line of heated spots, and breaking the substrate along the line of the propagated micro-cracks by applying a mechanical force on the substrate wherein, the cooling medium comprises an aqueous surfactant solution. The surfactants will connect to the broken siloxane bonds inside the surface cracks. Then recombination and healing of the broken siloxane bonds will not occur and the required breaking load will remain constant over time.

Abstract: A device (100) for measuring a concentration of NO in exhaled air is provided. The device (100) comprises a mouthpiece (11), an NO sensor (12), an airway obstruction measurement and an analysis module. The mouthpiece (11) receives the exhaled air during an exhalation. The NO sensor (12) measures the concentration of NO in the exhaled air. The airway obstruction measurement module determines an airway obstruction parameter. The analysis module (16) analyzes an inflammatory status of a respiratory system based on a combination of the measured concentration of NO and the determined airway obstruction parameter.

Abstract: A method for measuring a concentration of a sample in a sample mixture, the method comprising bringing the sample mixture in contact with an organic semiconductor transistor, applying measurement signals to electrodes of the transistor for enabling measuring a drain current through the transistor, applying a refreshment signal to the gate electrode for counteracting effects imposed on the transistor during the measurement signal, measuring the drain current, applying an adaptation to at least one of said signals for stabilizing the drain current, and determining the concentration based on the adaptation.

Abstract: A new type of contrast agent is described, which comprises matrix particles with a plurality of metal nanoparticles as well as the method of imaging therewith. A plurality of metal nanoparticles are encapsulated in a non-proteinaceous biocompatible or biodegradable matrix particle and/or attached to a non-proteinaceous biocompatible or biodegradable matrix particle, the matrix of the matrix particles being selected from the group consisting of a carbohydrate, a lipid, a synthetic polymer, an aqueous liquid, a surfactant and an organic liquid, or a mixture thereof. The matrix particles are biocompatible and/or biodegradable and can be coupled to targeting molecules for targeted visualization.

Abstract: Nitrogen-containing compounds are detected by chemically converting (210) them to nitrogen dioxide, and detecting (10) the amount of nitrogen dioxide. A semiconductor laser or light emitting diode (132) provides a modulated light (131) in the blue-violet-green wavelength range and a narrow bandwidth photo-acoustic sensor (10) detects the standing waves produced by the absorption of the light by the nitrogen dioxide. The photo-acoustic sensor (10) uses a resonant cavity (161, 182a-b) with a resonant frequency that corresponds to the modulation frequency of the light (131). For detecting nitric oxide, a surface chemical oxidation unit (210) is preferably used to convert the nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide, using, for example potassium permanganate (KMnO4) filter, or a platinum (Pt) catalyst unit (260).

Abstract: A gas analyser (12) comprises a transistor (1) that has a cavity (7) between its gate (2) and its organic semiconductor (6) based conducting channel. In operation a component from a gas sample introduced into the cavity (7) may absorb onto an exposed absorption sensitive surface portion of the organic semiconductor (6). A detector (13) detects a change in the threshold voltage of the transistor caused by the component absorbing on the exposed surface portion. In response to detecting this change, the detector generates a measurement signal indicative of a concentration of the component in the sample.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method MRI imaging. By applying a time modulation to the contrast enhancement of an MRI contrast agent, the method according to the invention leads to images with improved signal-to-noise ratio in the contrast-enhanced areas, strongly suppressed unwanted signal in the unenhanced areas, and reduced artefacts, such as motion artefacts.