Abstract: A worm gear-worm retractor for an implanted tongue retraction device is provided. The retractor of the present invention includes a control switch capable of adjusting a retraction force of a pull line, a pull line fixing device capable of fixing the pull line, and a casing. The control switch and the pull line fixing device are mounted in the casing, and the control switch is a worm gear-worm structure formed by a worm and a worm gear. Because the control switch adopts the worm gear-worm structure, by rotating the worm, the worm gear can be driven, so that the pull line fixing device connected to the worm gear rotates, thereby tensioning or loosening the pull line to adjust the retraction force of the pull line fixing device. The retractor has advantages of a compact structure, a small size and convenient adjustment.

Abstract: An implanted tongue pulling device including a pull plate, a pull line, a retractor and a method thereof are provided. The tongue pulling device is implanted in the mandible and tongue of a human body, respectively, for tightening the tongue dorsum and/or the tongue base for treating obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). At least three pull lines are used for positioning the pull plate, which is a flat object implanted beneath the tongue dorsum and/or the mucous membrane of the tongue base and includes through holes for the growth of tissues and pull line fixing mechanisms. The pull line includes a draw line and a sleeve. The retractor includes a casing, a control switch and a pull line fixing device mounted on the casing. A patient after surgery can adjust the tightening extent of the implanted tongue pulling device by pressing the skin outside the control switch, thereby preventing OSAHS.

Abstract: A lateral pharyngeal wall tractor including a bone fixer, a traction mechanism and a lateral pharyngeal wall fixer; wherein the lateral pharyngeal wall fixer is configured to be fixed on an M. palatopharyngeus or other submucous tissues of a lateral pharyngeal wall; the bone fixer is configured to be fixed on a processus alveolaris or a hamulus pterygoideus or a processus pterygoideus as a supporting point; one end of the traction mechanism is connected to the bone fixer, the other end is connected to the lateral pharyngeal wall fixer; the elastic traction force produced by the traction mechanism is greater than the collapse force of the lateral pharyngeal wall which is produced by negative pressure during inspiration, but is less than the contraction force which is produced by the muscle of the lateral pharyngeal wall during deglutition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a layered soft palate support and an implantation method for treating sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome or snoring. The layered soft palate support is a layered structure formed by two or more supporting plates. The layered soft palate support has a hard palate connecting end and a soft palate insertion end, where the soft palate insertion end is configured for insertion into a soft palate, and the hard palate connecting end is configured to be fixed to a hard palate. At least two of the two or more supporting plates have distinct lengths with respect to a longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An implanted tongue pulling device including a pull plate, a pull line, a retractor and a method thereof are provided. The tongue pulling device is implanted in the mandible and tongue of a human body, respectively, for tightening the tongue dorsum and/or the tongue base for treating obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). At least three pull lines are used for positioning the pull plate, which is a flat object implanted beneath the tongue dorsum and/or the mucous membrane of the tongue base and includes through holes for the growth of tissues and pull line fixing mechanisms. The pull line includes a draw line and a sleeve. The retractor includes a casing, a control switch and a pull line fixing device mounted on the casing. A patient after surgery can adjust the tightening extent of the implanted tongue pulling device by pressing the skin outside the control switch, thereby preventing OSAHS.

Abstract: An implanted tongue septum fascia retraction device includes a fascia fixer, a pull line and a mandible fixer. The fascia fixer is fixed to a tongue septum fascia by means of a fixing clamp, a fixing hook or a fixing ring, and the mandible fixer is fixed to a mandible. One end of the pull line is connected to the fascia fixer, and the other end of the pull line is fixed to the mandible fixer. By adjusting the tightness of a pull line, a tongue septum fascia may be retracted forwards, thus pulling a falling tongue base forwards, opening an obstructed upper airway, and fulfilling the aim of treating snoring and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSA) caused by glossoptosis.

Abstract: A lateral pharyngeal wall tractor comprises a bone fixer, a traction mechanism and a lateral pharyngeal wall fixer. The lateral pharyngeal wall fixer is fixed on an M. palatopharyngeus or other submucous tissues of a lateral pharyngeal wall. With the bone fixer fixed on a processus alveolaris or a hamulus pterygoideus or a processus pterygoideus as a supporting point, one end of the traction mechanism is connected to the bone fixer, the other end is connected to the lateral pharyngeal wall fixer, and as a result, the submucous tissue of the lateral pharyngeal wall is pulled outward. The elastic traction force produced by the traction mechanism is greater than the collapse force of the lateral pharyngeal wall which is produced by negative pressure during inspiration, but is less than the contraction force which is produced by the muscle of the lateral pharyngeal wall during deglutition.

Abstract: An implanted tongue pulling device including a pull plate, a pull line, a retractor and a method thereof are provided. The tongue pulling device is implanted in the mandible and tongue of a human body, respectively, for tightening the tongue dorsum and/or the tongue base for treating obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). At least three pull lines are used for positioning the pull plate, which is a flat object implanted beneath the tongue dorsum and/or the mucous membrane of the tongue base and includes through holes for the growth of tissues and pull line fixing mechanisms. The pull line includes a draw line and a sleeve. The retractor includes a casing, a control switch and a pull line fixing device mounted on the casing. A patient after surgery can adjust the tightening extent of the implanted tongue pulling device by pressing the skin outside the control switch, thereby preventing OSAHS.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an elastic tongue-dorsum refraction device for treating obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), clamping pliers, installation pliers, a line guide, and an implantation method. The elastic tongue-dorsum refraction device of the present invention includes a tongue dorsum connection mechanism, an elastic retractor and a tooth-side fastener. The tongue dorsum connection mechanism is disposed at the tongue dorsum portion, the tooth-side fastener is fixed to teeth or the alveolar bone or outside the maxilla and mandible lips, one end of the elastic retractor is connected to the tooth-side fastener, and the other end of the elastic retractor is connected to the tongue dorsum connection mechanism. In this way, an elastic retraction device using the tooth-side fastener as a fulcrum is formed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a layered soft palate support and an implantation method for treating sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome or snoring. The layered soft palate support is a layered structure formed by two or more supporting plates. The layered soft palate support has a hard palate connecting end and a soft palate insertion end, where the soft palate insertion end is configured for insertion into a soft palate, and the hard palate connecting end is configured to be fixed to a hard palate. At least two of the two or more supporting plates have distinct lengths with respect to a longitudinal axis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a layered soft palate support and an implantation method for treating sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome or snoring. The layered soft palate support is a flat implant made of a material capable of being implanted into a human body for a long term, and includes a hard palate connecting end and a support. The support is a layered structure formed by stacking two or more layers of supporting plates and capable of being inserted into a soft palate, and is removably or irremovably fixed to the hard palate connecting end. The hard palate connecting end has a connecting structure connected with a hard palate, and is fixed to the hard palate through the connecting structure. The support is implanted into a muscular layer of the soft palate, and is inserted into the soft palate by a length equal to ? to ? of its total length.

Abstract: An implanted tongue pulling device including a pull plate, a pull line, a retractor and a method thereof are provided. The tongue pulling device is implanted in the mandible and tongue of a human body, respectively, for tightening the tongue dorsum and/or the tongue base for treating obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). At least three pull lines are used for positioning the pull plate, which is a flat object implanted beneath the tongue dorsum and/or the mucous membrane of the tongue base and includes through holes for the growth of tissues and pull line fixing mechanisms. The pull line includes a draw line and a sleeve. The retractor includes a casing, a control switch and a pull line fixing device mounted on the casing. A patient after surgery can adjust the tightening extent of the implanted tongue pulling device by pressing the skin outside the control switch, thereby preventing OSAHS.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses an expression vector that is capable of generating a virus from a segmented genome. In particular, a single expression vector may be utilized to produce influenza virus in cultured cells. The expression vector can be delivered in a purified DNA form or by a suitably designed bacterial carrier to cells in culture or to animals. This invention increases the virus generation efficiency, which benefits vaccine development. The bacterial carrier harboring such a plasmid encoding an attenuated virus may be used as a vaccine against corresponding viral disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an elastic tongue-dorsum refraction device for treating obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), clamping pliers, installation pliers, a line guide, and an implantation method. The elastic tongue-dorsum refraction device of the present invention includes a tongue dorsum connection mechanism, an elastic retractor and a tooth-side fastener. The tongue dorsum connection mechanism is disposed at the tongue dorsum portion, the tooth-side fastener is fixed to teeth or the alveolar bone or outside the maxilla and mandible lips, one end of the elastic retractor is connected to the tooth-side fastener, and the other end of the elastic retractor is connected to the tongue dorsum connection mechanism. In this way, an elastic retraction device using the tooth-side fastener as a fulcrum is formed.

Abstract: The current invention provides an adjustable soft palate support and an implantation method. The adjustable soft palate support is a flat implant including a hard palate connecting end and a support. The support is a flat implant connected to the hard palate connecting end and is inserted into the soft palate. The hard palate connecting end is connected to the hard palate and includes a connecting structure and an adjustment mechanism. The connecting structure is configured to affix the support to the hard palate, and the adjustment mechanism is configured to control the movement or the curvature of the support or the lifting degree of the soft palate. The adjustment mechanism may be set to be in an on state to reduce interference with swallowing or to an off state to enlarge an airway during breathing, thereby treating snoring and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

Abstract: An implanted soft palate support and an implantation method are provided. The implanted soft palate support is a flat implant made of a material capable of being implanted into human tissues for a long time period, and includes a hard palate connecting end and a support. The hard palate connecting end has a connecting structure connected with a hard palate; the support is a flat implant capable of being inserted into a soft palate; and the hard palate connecting end is connected to the support. The implanted soft palate support can achieve the objectives of treating OSAHS and snoring by effectively lifting the collapsed soft palate during sleep and thereby reducing an upper airway obstruction condition. In particular, the soft palate support can be adjusted within a certain range to calibrate its shape and curvature event after the surgery, so as to achieve optimal treatment and comfort.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a layered soft palate support and an implantation method for treating sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome or snoring. The layered soft palate support is a flat implant made of a material capable of being implanted into a human body for a long term, and includes a hard palate connecting end and a support. The support is a layered structure formed by stacking two or more layers of supporting plates and capable of being inserted into a soft palate, and is removably or irremovably fixed to the hard palate connecting end. The hard palate connecting end has a connecting structure connected with a hard palate, and is fixed to the hard palate through the connecting structure. The support is implanted into a muscular layer of the soft palate, and is inserted into the soft palate by a length equal to ? to ? of its total length.

Abstract: A system and methods for the efficient segmentation of globally optimal surfaces representing object boundaries in volumetric datasets is provided. An optical surface detection system and methods are provided that are capable of simultaneously detecting multiple interacting surfaces in which the optimality is controlled by the cost functions designed for individual surfaces and by several geometric constraints defining the surface smoothness and interrelations. The present invention includes surface segmentation using a layered graph-theoretic approach that optimally segments multiple interacting surfaces of a single object using a pre-segmentation step, after which the segmentation of all desired surfaces of the object are performed simultaneously in a single optimization process.

Abstract: An implanted tongue pulling device including a pull plate, a pull line, a retractor and a method thereof are provided. The tongue pulling device is implanted in the mandible and tongue of a human body, respectively, for tightening the tongue dorsum and/or the tongue base for treating obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). At least three pull lines are used for positioning the pull plate, which is a flat object implanted beneath the tongue dorsum and/or the mucous membrane of the tongue base and includes through holes for the growth of tissues and pull line fixing mechanisms. The pull line includes a draw line and a sleeve. The retractor includes a casing, a control switch and a pull line fixing device mounted on the casing. A patient after surgery can adjust the tightening extent of the implanted tongue pulling device by pressing the skin outside the control switch, thereby preventing OSAHS.

Abstract: An adjustable soft palate support and an implantation method are provided. The adjustable soft palate support is a flat implant made of a material capable of being implanted into a human body for a long term, including a hard palate connecting end and a support. The support is a flat implant capable of being inserted into a soft palate, and is connected to the hard palate connecting end. The hard palate connecting end includes a connecting structure and an adjustment mechanism connected to a hard palate. The connecting structure on the hard palate connecting end is configured to fix the support to the hard palate, and the adjustment mechanism on the hard palate connecting end is configured to control the movement or a curvature of the support or a lifting degree of the soft palate.