Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a perfusable-type bio-dual proximal tubule cell construct and a producing method thereof capable of applying an in vitro artificial organ model configured to include a first bioink comprising a decellularized substance derived from a mammalian kidney tissue and human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) and a second bioink comprising the decellularized substance and renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (RPTECs), wherein the first bioink and the second bioink are coaxial and printed in tubular constructs having different inner diameters. According to the present disclosure, it is possible to use the renal proximal tubule-on-a-chip as a bioreactor capable of observing a biological drug reaction similar to a real drug by perfusing various drugs to the renal proximal tubule-on-a-chip.

Abstract: A method for treating cancer in a human subject includes initiating a cancer therapy on the human subject, preparing a biological sample from the human subject; (i) mixing the biological sample with an antibody or aptamer that specifically binds to an MEST protein, or (ii) obtaining mRNA of a nucleotide sequence encoding the MEST protein from the biological sample, and synthesizing and amplifying cDNA from the mRNA, detecting the MEST protein bound to the antibody or aptamer, or an expression of the cDNA, determining if the detected MEST or a level of the expression is higher than that in a normal human subject, determining responsiveness of the cancer to the cancer therapy by the detected MEST or the level of the expression, and continuing the cancer therapy to treat the cancer if it is determined that there is the responsiveness of the cancer to the cancer therapy.

Abstract: A method for treating cancer in a human subject includes initiating a cancer therapy on the human subject, preparing a biological sample from the human subject; (i) mixing the biological sample with an antibody or aptamer that specifically binds to an MEST protein, or (ii) obtaining mRNA of a nucleotide sequence encoding the MEST protein from the biological sample, and synthesizing and amplifying cDNA from the mRNA, detecting the MEST protein bound to the antibody or aptamer, or an expression of the cDNA, determining if the detected MEST or a level of the expression is higher than that in a normal human subject, determining responsiveness of the cancer to the cancer therapy by the detected MEST or the level of the expression, and continuing the cancer therapy to treat the cancer if it is determined that there is the responsiveness of the cancer to the cancer therapy.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a kit for cancer diagnosis or prognosis analysis. MEST in the present invention is a biomarker for cancer having significantly improved accuracy and reliability, especially, breast cancer and liver cancer as well as metastatic cancer. In addition, the present invention could be used for cancer diagnosis and prognosis in a biological sample (for example, blood or serum) by using MEST only specifically expressed from cells and tissues of cancer patients.

Abstract: Methods and/or devices used in delivering cardiac resynchronization therapy based on a plurality of device parameters (e.g., A-V delay, V-V delay, etc.) are optimized by setting a device parameter based on selection data. The selection data may be acquired by acquiring temporal fiducial points (e.g., heart sounds) associated with at least a part of a systolic portion of at least one cardiac cycle and/or temporal fiducial points associated with at least a part of a diastolic portion of the at least one cardiac cycle for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations, and extracting measurements from the intracardiac impedance signal acquired for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations based on the temporal fiducial points. The acquired selection data may be scored and used to optimize the device parameter.

Abstract: Methods and/or devices used in delivering cardiac resynchronization therapy based on a plurality of device parameters (e.g., A-V delay, V-V delay, etc.) are optimized by setting a device parameter based on selection data. The selection data may be acquired by acquiring temporal fiducial points (e.g., heart sounds) associated with at least a part of a systolic portion of at least one cardiac cycle and/or temporal fiducial points associated with at least a part of a diastolic portion of the at least one cardiac cycle for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations, and extracting measurements from the intracardiac impedance signal acquired for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations based on the temporal fiducial points. The acquired selection data may be scored and used to optimize the device parameter.

Abstract: Methods and/or devices used in delivering cardiac resynchronization therapy based on a plurality of device parameters (e.g., A-V delay, V-V delay, etc.) are optimized by setting a device parameter based on selection data. The selection data may be acquired by acquiring temporal fiducial points (e.g., heart sounds) associated with at least a part of a systolic portion of at least one cardiac cycle and/or temporal fiducial points associated with at least a part of a diastolic portion of the at least one cardiac cycle for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations, and extracting measurements from the intracardiac impedance signal acquired for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations based on the temporal fiducial points. The acquired selection data may be scored and used to optimize the device parameter.

Abstract: Methods and/or devices used in delivering cardiac resynchronization therapy based on a plurality of device parameters (e.g., A-V delay, V-V delay, etc.) are optimized by setting a device parameter based on selection data. The selection data may be acquired by acquiring temporal fiducial points (e.g., heart sounds) associated with at least a part of a systolic portion of at least one cardiac cycle and/or temporal fiducial points associated with at least a part of a diastolic portion of the at least one cardiac cycle for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations, and extracting measurements from the intracardiac impedance signal acquired for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations based on the temporal fiducial points. The acquired selection data may be scored and used to optimize the device parameter.

Abstract: A tester apparatus capable of obtaining a forming limit diagram pertaining to a sample having a high degree of precision includes a fixing jig and a mobile jig installed at an upper side of the fixing jig so as to enable a vertical movement. The mobile jig may be configured to fix the sample in cooperation with the fixing jig, and a driving apparatus disposed at a lower side of the fixing jig may be configured to drive the vertical movement of the mobile jig. An interlocking apparatus provided in between the mobile jig and the driving apparatus may be configured to deliver a driving force of the driving apparatus to the mobile jig.

Abstract: Methods and/or devices used in delivering cardiac resynchronization therapy based on a plurality of device parameters (e.g., A-V delay, V-V delay, etc.) are optimized by setting a device parameter based on selection data. The selection data may be acquired by acquiring temporal fiducial points (e.g., heart sounds) associated with at least a part of a systolic portion of at least one cardiac cycle and/or temporal fiducial points associated with at least a part of a diastolic portion of the at least one cardiac cycle for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations, and extracting measurements from the intracardiac impedance signal acquired for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations based on the temporal fiducial points. The acquired selection data may be scored and used to optimize the device parameter.

Abstract: Methods and/or devices used in delivering cardiac resynchronization therapy based on a plurality of device parameters (e.g., A-V delay, V-V delay, etc.) are optimized by setting a device parameter based on selection data. The selection data may be acquired by acquiring temporal fiducial points (e.g., heart sounds) associated with at least a part of a systolic portion of at least one cardiac cycle and/or temporal fiducial points associated with at least a part of a diastolic portion of the at least one cardiac cycle for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations, and extracting measurements from the intracardiac impedance signal acquired for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations based on the temporal fiducial points. The acquired selection data may be scored and used to optimize the device parameter.

Abstract: An example system may include at least one pressure sensor configured to measure a cardiovascular pressure signal and another medical device configured to measure an electrical depolarization signal of the heart. The system determines a plurality of cardiovascular pressure metrics based on the measured cardiovascular pressure signal, including at least one cardiovascular pressure metric indicative of a timing of at least one cardiac pulse. The system also determines a metric indicative of a timing of at least one heart depolarization within the measured electrical depolarization signal. The system compares the timing of the at least one cardiac pulse to the timing of the at least one depolarization, and determines whether to discard the plurality of cardiovascular pressure metrics based on whether the timings substantially agree.

Abstract: A therapy regimen, e.g., a contingent medication prescription, may be created and automatically distributed to a patient via an integrated patient care system. A clinician may create therapy instructions by at least associating patient conditions with one or more therapy regimens, e.g., medication prescriptions. In some examples, the integrated patient care system may present historical condition data to the clinician to aid the clinician with creating and/or updating the therapy instructions specific to the patient. A therapy module of the integrated patient care system may use the therapy instructions to automatically select a therapy regimen from the therapy instructions based on a patient condition detected based on a sensed physiological parameter. The physiological parameter of the patient may be sensed by an implanted or external sensor. In some examples, the therapy regimen can be presented to the patient according to a predetermined schedule or in response to the detected condition.

Abstract: A method includes controlling a cardiac pacing rate of an implantable medical device to control a heart rate of a patient and detecting inhalation and exhalation of the patient. The method further includes determining that the patient is in a resting state, and, in response to determining that the patient is in the resting state, incrementally increasing the pacing rate while exhalation of the patient is detected and incrementally decreasing the pacing rate while inhalation of the patient is detected.

Abstract: An implantable cardioverter defibrillator evaluates the hemodynamic stability of an arrhythmia to determine whether or not to defibrillate. The device obtains cardiac pressure and cardiac impedance data and evaluates a phase relationship between these parameters. Hemodynamically stable rhythms will result in an out of phase relationship.

Abstract: A method includes controlling a cardiac pacing rate of an implantable medical device (IMD) to control a heart rate of a patient and determining that the patient is in a resting state. The method further includes modifying the pacing rate of the IMD for N cardiac cycles in response to determining that the patient is in the resting state. N is an integer greater than 1. Modifying the pacing rate includes incrementally increasing the pacing rate for a first portion of the N cardiac cycles, and incrementally decreasing the pacing rate for a second portion of the N cardiac cycles.

Abstract: An implantable medical device (IMD) can include an implantable pulse generator (IPG), such as a cardiac pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Various portions of the IMD, such as a device body, a lead body, or a lead tip, can be provided to reduce or dissipate a current and heat induced by various external environmental factors. According to various embodiments, features can be incorporated into the lead body, the lead tip, or the IMD body to reduce the creation of an induced current, or dissipate the induced current and heat created due to an induced current in the lead.

Abstract: A method includes controlling a cardiac pacing rate of an implantable medical device (IMD) to control a heart rate of a patient and determining that the patient is in a resting state. The method further includes modifying the pacing rate of the IMD for N cardiac cycles in response to determining that the patient is in the resting state. N is an integer greater than 1. Modifying the pacing rate includes incrementally increasing the pacing rate for a first portion of the N cardiac cycles, and incrementally decreasing the pacing rate for a second portion of the N cardiac cycles.

Abstract: A method includes controlling a cardiac pacing rate of an implantable medical device to control a heart rate of a patient and detecting inhalation and exhalation of the patient. The method further includes determining that the patient is in a resting state, and, in response to determining that the patient is in the resting state, incrementally increasing the pacing rate while exhalation of the patient is detected and incrementally decreasing the pacing rate while inhalation of the patient is detected.

Abstract: An example system may include at least one pressure sensor configured to measure a cardiovascular pressure signal and another medical device configured to measure an electrical depolarization signal of the heart. The system determines a plurality of cardiovascular pressure metrics based on the measured cardiovascular pressure signal, including at least one cardiovascular pressure metric indicative of a timing of at least one cardiac pulse. The system also determines a metric indicative of a timing of at least one heart depolarization within the measured electrical depolarization signal. The system compares the timing of the at least one cardiac pulse to the timing of the at least one depolarization, and determines whether to discard the plurality of cardiovascular pressure metrics based on whether the timings substantially agree.