Abstract: An improved system can be used to examine a centrifuged sample of anticoagulated whole blood for evidence of blood borne rare events such as: circulating cancer cells; malarial parasites; other hemato-parasites; bacteria; and the like; and can also be used in the measurement of hematocrit and hemoglobin, as well as white cell and platelet count values in the centrifuged blood sample. The system includes a transparent blood sample tube and an insert that is placed in the tube. The insert floats on the packed erythrocyte layer in the centrifuged blood sample, and expands all of the layers above the packed erythrocyte layer. The insert also forces any blood borne rare events to the periphery of the blood sample in the tube where such events can be detected through the tube wall.

Abstract: Target nucleated cells, and target cells containing remnant ribosomal material, which are present in a quiescent anticoagulated whole blood sample are optically detected, enumerated, and analyzed in a sample chamber that has a varying through plane thickness due to convergent opposing sample chamber walls. At least one of the convergent walls of the chamber is transparent so that the blood sample can be observed. The chamber's varying thickness produces a first lesser thickness region in the chamber wherein individual red cells and quiescent monolayers of red cells in the sample will reside after the sample is introduced into and fills the chamber. Larger formed constituents such as white blood cells and nucleated red blood cells present in the sample will reside in greater thickness regions of the chamber, and non-nucleated red cells which reside in such greater thickness regions will agglomerate to form rouleaux.

Abstract: An open-loop internal monitoring system includes a plurality of internal radio transmitters, a plurality of external radio receivers, and a central processor for alerting a system monitor if a subject is outside a predetermined unauthorized location, the central processor being connected to the external radio receivers by relays. The open-loop system may alternatively include a substance monitoring unit. A closed-loop internal monitoring system for controlling one or more transmission parameters of the internal radio is also provided, the closed-loop system further including an external radio transmitter for transmitting a command relayed from the central processor and internal radio receivers for receiving the command. A closed-loop internal monitoring and behavior control system uses a behavior control unit having a stimulating electrode or chemical micropump for producing an adverse reaction within the subject upon receipt of a command from the central processor.

Abstract: This method for analyzing blood enables one to isolate, detect, enumerate and confirm under magnification the presence or absence of fragments of target analyte cancer cells which are circulating in blood. The analysis is performed in a sample of centrifuged anticoagulated whole blood. The analysis of the presence or absence of fragments of cancer cells relies on the detection of external or internal binding sites which are known to be present only in or on tumorous cancer cells. Fluorophors with distinct wavelength emissions are coupled with antibodies, or other binding moieties such as complementary nucleotide sequences, which antibodies are directed against the epithelial cell fragment membrane binding sites, such as internal or external surface epitopes on the cell fragments, or internal binding sites on cell organelles; and which nucleotide sequences are complementary to portions of cell fragment RNA and/or DNA. The labled binding agents are humoric or soluble in the blood sample.

Abstract: A method for analyzing blood enables one to isolate, detect, enumerate and confirm under magnification the presence or absence of target cancer cells and/or hematologic progenitor cells which are known to circulate in blood. The analysis is performed in a sample of centrifuged anticoagulated whole blood. The analysis involves both morphometric and epitopic examination of the blood sample while the blood sample is disposed in a centrifuged blood sampling tube. The epitopic analysis of the presence or absence of cancer cells relies on the detection of epitopes which are known to present only on cancer cells; and the epitopic analysis of the presence or absence of hematologic progenitor cells relies on the detection of epitopes which are known to present only on hematologic progenitor cells.

Abstract: A submerged, valve assembly for controlling flow of fluid (e.g. ballast water) to and from a reservoir (e.g. a ballast tank of a ship. The valve assembly is comprised of a valve which is controlled by a hydraulic valve actuator. A fluid-tight housing encloses the actuator so that any leaking hydraulic fluid will be contained within the housing and will not pollute the surrounding fluid in the tank. The assembly includes a means for detecting any hydraulic fluid which may leak into the housing.

Abstract: An open-loop internal monitoring system includes a plurality of internal radio transmitters, a plurality of external radio receivers, and a central processor for alerting a system monitor if a subject is outside a predetermined unauthorized location, the central processor being connected to the external radio receivers by relays. The open-loop system may alternatively include a substance monitoring unit. A closed-loop internal monitoring system for controlling one or more transmission parameters of the internal radio is also provided, the closed-loop system further including an external radio transmitter for transmitting a command relayed from the central processor and internal radio receivers for receiving the command. A closed-loop internal monitoring and behavior control system uses a behavior control unit having a stimulating electrode or chemical micropump for producing an adverse reaction within the subject upon receipt of a command from the central processor.

Abstract: An open-loop internal monitoring system comprising (a) a plurality of internal radio transmitters, each being implanted in a human for transmitting a plurality of signal pulses, each pulse being encoded with unique identifying information; (b) a plurality of external radio receivers each having a corresponding clock, for receiving each of the plurality of signal pulses transmitted by each of the plurality of internal radio transmitters and for generating from each received signal pulse a plurality of data including at least a time-of-arrival generated in accordance with the synchronized clock of the external radio receiver and the internal radio transmitter identifying information; and (c) a central processor for (1) estimating a location for each internal radio transmitter in accordance with the time-of-arrival, (2) storing, for each human, authorized or unauthorized areas to which the human is assigned, (3) determining an event of whether the estimated location is within the authorized area or the unauthori

Abstract: A target analyte which may be found in a substance, such as a biological or environmental substance, is assayed by inoculating a media with a sample of the substance. The target analyte is a unique nucleotide sequence of the RNA or DNA of a suspect organism, or any nucleotide target, or a combination of nucleotide sequences thereof, which organism may be found in the substance. The media contains selected target analyte amplifiers which will result in the amplification of any target analytes which are present in the substance. The media may also contain one or more labeled analyte-specific materials (LASMs) which can migrate through the media. The nature of the media is such that it will support target analyte-copying but will not allow the target analyte to migrate extensively within the media.

Abstract: A urine sample is analyzed for urine chemistry, formed bodies, and rare event evidence, all in a single sample container and under low power magnification. The sample container includes a urine sample receiving chamber which is connected to a urine chemistry chamber, to a formed body isolation chamber, and to a rare events detection chamber, so that the urine can flow from the receiving chamber to the other three chambers. The container may also include a sterile chamber for receiving an auxiliary portion of the urine which may be used for further analysis by the clinician if necessary. The chemistry chamber contains a miniaturized urine dip stick which is scanned by an optical scanning instrument for color emissions. The formed body isolation chamber can be precoated with one or more stains, and is formed with a plurality of different through plane thicknesses whereby smaller formed bodies will be isolated in the smaller thickness regions of the chamber which the larger formed bodies cannot enter.

Abstract: The present invention includes a multi-frequency ultrasonic generator coupled to a multi-resonance frequency transducer capable of operating at a plurality of usable resonance frequencies. A controller is coupled to a power amplifier that drives the ultrasonic transducer and is capable of applying power, voltage or current profiles for each of the resonance frequencies to be used during a bonding operation independent of the others.

Abstract: A patient's health may be diagnosed by centrifuging blood samples in a transparent tube, which tube contains one or more bodies or groups of bodies such as floats, inserts, liposomes, or plastic beads of different densities. Each density-defined body carries analyte-capture binding materials such as antigens or antibodies, which are specific to an epitope, or other specific high affinity binding site on a target analyte which target analyte may be in the blood or other sample being tested; and the level of which analyte is indicative of the patient's health. At least one labeled binding material which is also specific to an epitope, or other specific high affinity binding site on the target analyte is added to the sample so as to form labeled binding material/analyte/body complexes in the sample.

Abstract: Centrifuged anticoagulated blood samples are analyzed under magnification in a centrifuge tube containing a layer-elongating insert, which tube is placed on a calibrated slide. The slide includes a slot in which the tube is placed. A calibrated scale is disposed adjacent to the slot for use in measuring various blood sample parameters, such as hematocrit, platelet count, and the like. Anemia and/or low platelet counts are indicative of potentially serious complications of malaria. Their detection will prompt a physician to consider the liklihood of serious illness due to malaria. The presence or absence of blood-borne parasites can also be determined using the procedures of this invention. Thus the device allows a blood sample to be analyzed for malarial parasites, and also allows measurement of hematicrit and platelet counts.

Abstract: A patient's health may be diagnosed by centrifuging blood samples in a transparent tube, which tube contains one or more bodies or groups of bodies such as floats, inserts, liposomes, or plastic beads of different densities. Each density-defined body carries analyte-capture binding materials such as antigens or antibodies, which are specific to an epitope, or other specific high affinity binding site on a target analyte which target analyte may be in the blood or other sample being tested; and the level of which analyte is indicative of the patient's health. At least one labeled binding material which is also specific to an epitope, or other specific high affinity binding site on the target analyte is added to the sample so as to form labeled binding material/analyte/body complexes in the sample.

Abstract: A patient's health may be diagnosed by centrifuging blood samples in a transparent tube, which tube contains one or more bodies or groups of bodies such as floats, inserts, liposomes, or plastic beads of different densities. Each density-defined body carries analyte-capture binding materials such as antigens or antibodies, which are specific to an epitope, or other specific high affinity binding site on a target analyte which target analyte may be in the blood or other sample being tested; and the level of which analyte is indicative of the patient's health. At least one labeled binding material which is also specific to an epitope, or other specific high affinity binding site on the target analyte is added to the sample so as to form labeled binding material/analyte/body complexes in the sample.

Abstract: Centrifuged anticoagulated blood samples are analyzed under magnification in a centrifuge tube containing a layer-elongating insert, which tube is placed on a calibrated slide. The slide includes a slot in which the tube is placed. A calibrated scale is disposed adjacent to the slot for use in measuring various blood sample parameters, such as hematocrit, platelet count, and the like. Anemia and/or low platelet counts are indicative of potentially serious complications of malaria. Their detection will prompt a physician to consider the liklihood of serious illness due to malaria. The presence or absence of blood-borne parasites can also be determined using the procedures of this invention. Thus the device allows a blood sample to be analyzed for malarial parasites, and also allows measurement of hematicrit and platelet counts.

Abstract: Constituent layers are harvested from a centrifuged material mixture contained in a centrifuge tube assembly. The centrifuge tube assembly includes a transparent tube, one end of which is closed by an elastomeric cap. The tube contains one or more detectable constituent layer boundary markers which will settle gravimetrically in the material mixture when the latter is centrifuged. The markers will identify boundaries of the constituent layers which will gravimetrically separate from each other during the centrifugation step. After centrifugation, a cannula is inserted into the tube through the elastomeric cap, and a fluid material such as a liquid or a gas is injected into the tube through the cannula. The injected material displaces the centrifuged mixture column and the boundary markers toward the end of the tube opposite the cap, which opposite end is open so that the centrifuged material is expressed from the tube therethrough.

Abstract: In most mammals studied, a histogram of the erythrocytes' density of a healthy individual normally has a Gaussian distribution. Gaussian or near-Gaussian distributions may be characterized by their mean, by their standard deviation, and their absence of skewness. A measurement of the erythrocyte density distribution (EDD) in mammalian whole blood which has been anticoagulated with heparin can yield information which is indicative of certain physiologic and pathophysiologic conditions that are characterized by various EDD abnormalities. These abnormalities may include abnormalities in the standard deviation of the EDD; the mean erythrocyte density; and any skewness of the EDD curve. The hematocrit or percent packed red cell volume, which is obtained at the same time as the EDD can also yield information.

Abstract: A patient's health may be diagnosed by centrifuging blood samples in a transparent tube, which tube contains one or more bodies or groups of bodies such as floats, inserts, liposomes, or plastic beads of different densities. Each density-defined body carries analyte-capture binding materials such as antigens or antibodies, which are specific to an epitope, or other specific high affinity binding site on a target analyte which target analyte may be in the blood or other sample being tested; and the level of which analyte is indicative of the patient's health. At least one labeled binding material which is also specific to an epitope, or other specific high affinity binding site on the target analyte is added to the sample so as to form labeled binding material/analyte/body complexes in the sample.

Abstract: An improved assay of target components in a sample utilizes specific gravity-altering particles which are attached to the target components by specific antibodies. The attached specific gravity-altering particles are preferably liposomes which will buoy or sink the targets to a common level in the specimen sample when the latter has been centrifuged in a transparent tube. The liposomes can provide an accentuated and more pronounced indication of the presence of the targets in the sample due to their ability to contain many multiples of fluorescent or non-fluorescent dye molecules with minimal steric interference with the attached antibodies' binding ability.