Abstract: A biological fluid analysis device including a biosensor is disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for photodynamic therapy (PDT) includes a cover (22) shaped to engage skin tissue (12) and a fiber optic panel (31) housed within the cover (22). Hydrogel (26) is located within the cover (22) and is in intimate physical and optical contact with the fiber optic panel (31) for optically coupling light from the fiber optic panel (31) to the skin tissue (12). The hydrogel (26) engages the stratum corneum (14) and hydrates and softens the stratum corneum (14) to enhance its optical transmissiveness to facilitate the transmission of light therethrough and to enhance its chemical transmissiveness to facilitate the transmission therethrough of photopharmaceuticals (28, 54) for treatment of a dermal lesion 10.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the encapsulation of biologically-active substances in red blood cell, characterized by an optionally automated, continuous-flow, self-contained electroporation system which allows withdrawal of blood from a patient, separation of red blood cells, encapsulation of a biologically-active substances in the cells, and optional recombination of blood plasma and the modified red blood cells thereby producing blood with modified biological characteristics. The present invention is particularly suited for use to encapsulate allosteric effectors of hemoglobin, thereby reducing the affinity of erythrocytes for oxygen and improving the release of oxygen from erythrocytes in tissues.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the encapsulation of biologically-active substances in red blood cells, characterized by an optionally automated, continuous-flow, self-contained electroporation system which allows withdrawal of blood from a patient, separation of red blood cells, encapsulation of a biologically-active substances in the cells, and optional recombination of blood plasma and the modified red blood cells thereby producing blood with modified biological characteristics. The present invention is particularly suited for use to encapsulate allosteric effectors of hemoglobin, thereby reducing the affinity of erythrocytes for oxygen and improving the release of oxygen from erythrocytes in tissues.

Abstract: An article of manufacture for photodynamic therapy of a dermal lesion located at a dermal treatment site on skin including the stratum corneum, transparent hydrogel for covering the dermal treatment site and containing hydration agent and photopharmaceutical, the transparent hydrogel couples the hydration agent to the stratum corneum to hydrate and soften the stratum corneum to enhance its optical transmissiveness to facilitate the transmission of light therethrough and to enhance its chemical transmissiveness to facilitate the transmission therethrough of the photopharmaceutical for treatment of the dermal lesion; and light delivery means are included for delivering light through the transparent hydrogel and the hydrated stratum corneum to photoactivate the photopharmaceutical to treat the dermal lesion.

Abstract: Method of applying photodynamic therapy to dermal lesion located at a dermal treatment site in skin which includes the stratum corneum, including the steps of hydrating the stratum corneum at the dermal treatment site to enhance the chemical and optical transparency of the stratum corneum at the dermal treatment site and to enhance the passage therethrough of photopharmaceutical and light, introducing photopharmaceutical into the treatment site through the hydrated stratum corneum, and introducing light into the treatment site through the hydrated stratum corneum to photoactivate the photopharmaceutical to treat the dermal lesion.

Abstract: Combination controller and patch for photodynamic therapy of a dermal lesion located at a dermal treatment site on skin including stratum corneum, the controller is optically connected to the patch and the patch includes hydrogel containing hydration agent and photopharmaceutical, the patch covers the site and the hydrogel engages and couples the hydration agent to the stratum corneum to hydrate and soften the stratum corneum to enhance its optical transmissiveness to facilitate the transmission of light therethrough and to enhance its chemical transmissiveness to facilitate the transmission therethrough of the photopharmaceutical for treatment of the dermal lesion, light delivery apparatus are included in the patch for receiving light from the controller and for delivering light through the hydrogel and the hydrated stratum corneum to the site to photoactivate the photopharmaceutical at the site to treat the dermal lesion.

Abstract: Apparatus for performing immunoassays which is essentially self-contained, requiring only the introduction of a sample and, at appropriate times, washing solution. The apparatus (10) includes: a fluid container (12) having a central platform area with a reaction area (30) which can contain a reactive agent; a sample receiving chamber (22) having a sample conduit (24) located above the porous medium; at least one openable reagent container (46); a conduit (28) for directing reagents onto the porous medium; an opening member (50) attached to the upper unit and positioned to contact and open reagent containers sequentially, by incremental relative rotation of the upper and base units; and a window (34) for viewing the reaction area. The apparatus can also include a sampler member (58) in the nature of a tampon for assays involving samples taken from body cavities.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for depositing reagent only on a specimen contained in a cavity utilizing reagent deposition apparatus under the control of imaging apparatus providing an image of the specimen within the cavity; and an analytic implement including a pair of opposed and spaced apart transparent plates mounted in a frame and providing the cavity therebetween for receiving the specimen.

Abstract: An optical analyzer for determining an analyte in a fluid of interest such as a body fluid of interest satisfying the foregoing need and embodying the present invention may include a housing; combination optically transparent cuvette and lancet mounted removably in the housing, the cuvette may receive an optically transparent reagent test system for reacting with the body fluid to produce a change in at least one optical transmissive characteristic of the system indicative of the analyte; a cuvette carrier mounted slidably in the housing and for removably receiving the cuvette; a spring actuator mounted in the housing and connected to the cuvette carrier, the spring actuator may be compressed and released to advance the carrier and thereby advance the lancet into engagement with a portion of a body to produce the body fluid; depth control apparatus for controlling the depth of penetration of the lancet into the body portion; an electrooptical system mounted in the housing in optical engagement with the cuvett

Abstract: A gel body is provided with a reagent system which interacts with a sample portion which diffuses into the gel to change the transmissive properties of the gel. The gel body is used in an assay for various analytes, and preferably has a shape and index of refraction whereby a beam of light can be transmitted through the gel body by total internal reflectance.

Abstract: Apparatus for and process of facilitating reaction between analyte contained in a sample and test reagent system at least one of which sample and test reagent system is a liquid, wherein the liquid one of the sample and test reagent system is placed in a reservoir, the other of the analyte and test reagent system is placed in capillary means dimensioned for entry into the reservoir, the reservoir and capillary means being mounted for at least relative movement towards each other and entry of the capillary means into the reservoir to draw by capillary attraction the liquid one of the sample and test reagent system from the reservoir into the capillary means and to bring the analyte and test reagent system into contact in the capillary means and facilitate the reaction.

Abstract: Cuvette with or without a lancet secured thereto and extending therefrom for producing skin puncture to produce body fluid of interest, the cuvette is made of optically transparent material and is provided with a shape and a plurality of optical elements such as integrally formed optical elements for causing a light beam to pass therethrough by total internal reflectance and for causing the beam of light to be reflected back along a line different from the direction of the line of entry of the beam of light into the cuvette such as back along a line generally parallel to the line of entry of the beam of light into the cuvette and in the opposite direction to the direction of entry of the beam of light into the cuvette.

Abstract: A biological fluid assay system and method for the determination of immunoreactive characteristics of biological specimen and more particularly for the qualitative determination of immunological reactions. The apparatus includes a centrifuge rotor, a disposable belt mountable on the centrifuge rotor, and a plurality of light transmissive chambers as components of the removable belt, each of the chambers having a vertical apex and a horizontal radial apex for accepting a sample comprising a specimen and an appropriate reagent. An illumination system projects an image of the sample while a linear photosensitive array detects the image of the sample for measuring the vertical dimension of the sample and a microprocessor analyzes the vertical dimension of the sample. A sample is radially accelerated to compress the particulate portion of the sample or reagent into a compact mass in the extreme radial portion of the transparent chamber.

Abstract: A biological fluid assay system and method for the determination of immunoreactive characteristics of biological specimen and more particularly for the qualitative determination of immunological reactions. The apparatus includes a centrifuge rotor, a disposable belt mountable on the centrifuge rotor, and a plurality of light transmissive chambers as components of the removable belt, each of the chambers having a vertical apex and a horizontal radial apex for accepting a sample comprising a specimen and an appropriate reagent. An illumination system projects an image of the sample while a linear photosensitive array detects the image of the sample for measuring the vertical dimension of the sample and a microprocessor analyzes the vertical dimension of the sample. A sample is radially accelerated to compress the particulate portion of the sample or reagent into a compact mass in the extreme radial portion of the transparent chamber.

Abstract: Self-sufficient incubation assembly for the in vitro cultivation of microorganisms such as bacteria and for being energized by a self-contained energy source, including a heater for heating means, such as a culture growth dish assembly or a cuvette, for receiving a culture growth medium seeded with microorganisms, to a physiological temperature to cultivate the microorganisms, and electrical circuitry which interconnects the heater with the energy source and which includes a temperature control element in intimate physical contact with the seeded culture growth receiving means to cause the temperature of the control element to be substantially the same as the temperature of the medium; the electrical circuit in operation produces heat and due to its intimate physical contact with the means for receiving the seeded culture growth medium supplements the heating of the medium by the heater and the supplementation reduces the total energy required to be supplied by the energy source to cultivate the microorganism

Abstract: The combination of a cuvette for receiving a medium undergoing change in optical characteristics which change modifies the energy level of a ray of energy passing through the medium and wherein the cuvette is provided with integrally formed first and second ray modifying optical means, such as collimating and collecting lens, wherein the first ray modifying optical means receives and modifies the ray in a first manner, such as by collimation, and transmits the ray into the medium and wherein the second ray modifying optical means receives and modifies the ray in a second manner, such as by collection, upon the ray passing through the medium and transmits the ray from the cuvette; and an electrical circuit including photoemissive and photosensitive means, such as a photoemitter and photodetector, wherein the photoemissive means is in intimate optical contact with the first ray modifying optical element of the cuvette and wherein the photosensitive means is in intimate optical contact with the second ray modify

Abstract: A cuvette provided with integral optical elements for use in photometric measurements, wherein the cuvette includes means, such as a cell, for receiving a medium, such as a seeded culture growth medium, undergoing change in optical characteristics which change modifies the energy level of a ray of energy, such as a transilluminating ray of light, passing through the medium, and wherein the cuvette is further provided with integrally formed first and second ray modifying optical means, such as integrally formed collimating and collecting lens, wherein the first ray modifying means receives and modifies the ray in a first predetermined manner, such as by collimation, and transmits the ray into the medium and wherein the second ray modifying optical means receives and modifies the ray in a second manner, such as by collection, upon the ray passing through the medium and transmits the ray from the cuvette.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for use in qualitative and quantitative determinations of agglutination in immunoreactive systems. The apparatus comprises a carriage assembly having a plurality of spaced, axially-disposed compartments for receiving image cells which are uniquely designed for holding the biological fluid test specimen and the reagent therefor. Means are provided for partially lifting each image cell successively out of its compartment and into an optical path. A monochromatic light source directs beams of radiant energy through the reaction zone in each image cell and the light beams transmitted through the reaction zone are focused, by means of an imaging lens, on the surface of an image sensor such as a "Charge-Coupled Device". The dark areas formed on the image sensor are measured electronically and also displayed on a display cathode ray tube.

Abstract: The method of this invention comprises introducing the fluid biological test specimen and the reagent (e.g., latex spheres) into a reaction zone in the image cell, evenly mixing and incubating the mixture thereby forming agglutinated particles. After transilluminating the reaction zone and imaging the light beams transmitted therethrough on the image sensor, the dark areas formed on the surface of the image sensor are measured, preferably electronically. This procedure is repeated for a reference specimen and the total dark imaged area is compared with the total dark area obtained for the unknown specimen for qualitative determination.In order to obtain the concentration of the immunoreactive component in the unknown specimen, the foregoing procedure is repeated for at least two specimens with known antibody concentrations, one of which may be a negative control.