2151results about How to "Improve survivability" patented technology

A system and method are disclosed for removing a uterus using a fluid enclosure inserted in the peritoneal cavity of a patient so as to enclose the uterus. The fluid enclosure includes a distal open end surrounded by an adjustable loop, that can be tightened, a first proximal opening for inserting an electrosurgical instrument into the fluid enclosure, and a second proximal opening for inserting an endoscope. The loop is either a resilient band extending around the edge of the distal open end or a drawstring type of arrangement that can be tightened and released. The fluid enclosure is partially inserted into the peritoneal cavity of a patient in a deflated condition and then manipulated within the peritoneal cavity over the body and fundus of the uterus to the level of the uterocervical junction. The loop is tightened around the uterocervical junction, after which the enclosure is inflated using a conductive fluid. The loop forms a pressure seal against the uterocervical junction to contain the conductive fluid used to fill the fluid enclosure. Endoscopically inserted into the fluid enclosure is an electrosurgical instrument that is manipulated to vaporize and morcellate the fundus and body of the uterus. The fundus and body tissue that is vaporized and morcellated is then removed from the fluid enclosure through the shaft of the instrument, which includes a hollow interior that is connected to a suction pump The fundus and body are removed after the uterus has been disconnected from the tissue surrounding uterus.

A method of increasing the growth of stem cells by mixing the stem cells with a growth medium that has been conditioned by an incubation with placental tissue. The method increases the expansion of the stem cell population.

A personal and/or institutional health and wellness communications system, which may be used for a variety of emergency and non-emergency situations using two-way communication devices and a bi-directional communication network. In one application two-way pagers are adapted for use in the system. In one application cellular devices are adapted for use in the system. In one application an assisted living response center is established using various embodiments of the present personal and/or institutional communications system. The system provides multiple levels of prioritization, authentication of person (task, step, process or order), and confirmation via interrogation of person, device, or related monitor. One embodiment provides a method for receiving, evaluating and responding to calls received from a subscriber, patient, related party, or health care provider or health care system.

A digital processor aiming and firing system generates a trigger signal with electronic timing exactness, resulting in shooting accuracy unobtainable by humans. To achieve this, a view down the barrel sight is captured by a digital video camera and analyzed on a frame-by-frame basis by an electronic processor equipped with image identification software. Motion detectors attached to the weapon are used to interpolate the barrel position between frames. A motion history of the barrel position relative to the target is calculated and an extrapolation of the future position is made. When the anticipated barrel direction impinges on the target, corrected for motion and ballistic effects, the processor signals the launch of the projectile.

Percutaneous skin access devices include a plurality of locked connecting units mounted to the exterior surface of an implantable medical object which, in position, is configured to penetrate the skin of a subject. The locked connecting units may be mounted directly onto the desired surface of the exterior of the device or may be held on a substrate sheet, which is mounted to the exterior surface of the device. In position, the locked connecting units engage with soft tissue which can include the skin to form a bio-junction layer which includes mechanical and bio-sealing connection between the device body and the soft tissue. The configuration at the bio-junction layer secures the medical object in location in the subject even for long-term indwelling applications in a manner, which inhibits soft tissue infection.

The locked connecting units may be rigid or semi-rigid for longer-term indwelling applications, and semi-rigid and/or resilient for shorter term indwelling applications. The locked connecting units may take on the form of rings, hooks, or loops having aperture or gap width/length sizes of from about 0.2–4 mm. The rings, loops, or hooks may connect with any soft tissue including skin as well subcutaneous tissue. The rings, hooks, or loops may be released from the skin/tissue without requiring surgical cutting procedures.

The locked connecting units may be configured as a semi-rigid mesh collar arranged about the primary body providing access to the subject such that it resides in the subject and engages with the skin (epidermal/dermal layer). The mesh collar can be described as a particular type of ring or loop structure as the mesh defines the gap provided in individual loop configurations. The mesh collar may be used alone, or in combination with the loops, rings, or hooks. A skin stop collar having increased rigidity may be disposed under the mesh collar.

The invention relates to viable and stable probiotic formulations for intestinal targeting made of microspheres comprising each a core of one or more probiotic bacteria, microcrystallline cellulose with a degree of polymerization from 165-365 and mean diameter from 45 to 180 μm, a disintegrant and a stabilizer, the core being coated with a non-enteric coating and further coated with an enteric coating. Each probiotic microsphere has a residual moisture level of less than 5% and a water activity (a_w) between 0.1 and 0.5. Such a probiotic microsphere shows no reduction in viable bacteria after one hour in simulated gastric fluid. The present invention also relates to the process of preparing such formulation.

Emergency workers and other personnel are often endangered by losing contact with other personnel, for example, firefighters working in hostile conditions. Methods and devices for improving the survivability and reducing the potential for injury or death of emergency personnel and others are provided. The methods and devices monitor the distance of members of a group to, among other things, minimize or prevent personnel from being separated from the group. Devices worn by members of a group monitor the distance between members by monitoring the characteristics of wireless communication, for example, signal strength, between members. If the distance between members exceeds or is less than a predetermined distance, an alarm is sounded to alert members to the potential for contact between members or loss of a member of the group. Though aspects of the invention may be used by emergency workers, such as firefighters and policemen, other aspects of the invention may be used to monitor objects or children, among others.

The present invention is organ and tissue preservation solutions that provide improved viability of an organ such as a heart or lung, or portion of the organ, for storage and transplantation. In particular, a solution contains trehalose, magnesium sulfate, calcium chloride, heparin, dextran, nitroglycerin, adenosine, L-arginine, allopurinol, reduced glutathione, db-cylic AMP and potassium phosphate.

A solid-state relay/breaker that can replace mechanical units to control any type of AC or DC load. Power MOSFETs or other transistors control a load current. A bypass current sensing path monitors MOSFET current and causes a shutdown through signal processing in the event of an over-current condition. This shutdown resembles that of a slow-blow fuse where the rate of shutdown is proportional to the value of the current. This prevents shutdown on momentary spikes or in-rush. In addition, temperature and internal power supply voltages are monitored to determine additional operational conditions where over-temperature or voltages out of range can also cause shutdown. The MOSFET and current sensing path are turned on and off in staggered timing with different slew rates to provide built-in hysteresis. The device can be manufactured in any type of package to match any type of environment or existing replacement requirement.

The present invention comprises the discovery and development of an effective cryoprotectant composition, without containing skim milk or any other animal-derived compounds, to achieve long-term stability of freeze-dried lactic acid bacteria (LAB), at different temperatures, whereby the retention of viability of the freeze-dried LAB after 6 months of storage, preferably after 9 months of storage, more preferably after 12 months of storage is more than 50%. The invention is in the field of producing freeze dried bacteria, in particular Lactic acid bacteria. More in particular, the invention relates to the use of a novel combination of cryoprotectants for increasing the viability of bacteria after freeze drying, improving the texture of the lyofilized cake for easy grinding and improving the long term stability of the freeze dried bacteria at different temperature conditions. The invention further relates to such freeze dried bacteria for use in food industry or in human or animal health applications. More in particular, the invention relates to the increased viability and long-term storage of recombinant bacteria capable of expressing heterologous proteins or peptides and administered to humans or animals for therapeutic or vaccination purposes.

A method for inhibiting the rejection of transplanted grafts is disclosed. The method comprising administering an effective amount of an antagonist of CXCR3 function to a graft recipient. The disclosed methods can also comprise the co-administration of one or more additional therapeutic agents, for example, immunosuppressive agents.

Methods and device are provided for delivery of biologics to an intervertebral disc. Device described herein include a needle assembly and handle assembly that optimize biologic delivery parameters to a target location within a disc. The needle assembly includes the capability of advancing into the disc at pre-configured pathways that allow for minimized damaged and maximized positioning of the biologic.

The present invention is directed to methods of cryopreserving cells and cryopreserved cells prepared according to the methods. In specific embodiments, the method comprises combining cells with a cross-linked hydrogel matrix in particulate form, the matrix comprising a polyglycan cross-linked to a polypeptide and subjecting the combination to cryopreservation conditions. In further embodiments, the invention provides cell-seeded compositions comprising cells and a cross-linked bioactive hydrogel matrix in particulate form, the matrix comprising a polyglycan cross-linked to a polypeptide, wherein the composition has been subjected to cryopreservation conditions. The cryopreserved cells can be thawed and used in methods of treatment without the need for intervening steps to make the cells viable for in vivo use.

Systems and methods are disclosed for autonomous or remote-controlled operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”). An integrated mechanical and electrical system is capable of launching, controlling, snagging, recovering, securing, parking, and servicing UAVs without human intervention at the site of the system. The illustrative embodiment comprises a boom and a container that houses the boom and UAV(s). The boom rotates about its longitudinal axis to operationally orient a plurality of faces thereof. Each face is associated with certain system operations, including but not limited to: launching a UAV, snagging a UAV from the air, and securing a UAV to the boom.

An inverted microwell (102) provides rapid and efficient microanalysis system (100) and method for screening of biological particles (128), particularly functional analysis of cells on a single cell basis. The use of an inverted open microwell system (102) permits identification of particles, cells, and biomolecules that may be combined to produce a desired functional effect also functional screening of secreted antibody therapeutic activity as well as the potential to recover cells and fluid, and optionally expand cells, such as antibody secreting cells, within the same microwell.

Screening methods for identifying substances that provide therapeutic value for various diseases associated with protein misfolding are provided. Genetic and chemical screening methods are provided using a yeast system. The methods of the invention provide a rapid and cost-effective method to screen for compounds that prevent protein misfolding and/or protein fibril formation and/or protein aggregation which includes numerous neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease as well as non-neuronal diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

The invention discloses a route exchange method suitable for a GEO/LEO double layered constellation network. According to the method, a system period is divided into equal-duration time sections based on a dynamic boundary value; a GEO layer satellite high in on-board processing capacity is used for calculating the best route and the second best route for each LEO satellite; in the processes of information transmission and exchange, when loads of the LED satellites are large, the GEO satellite shares part of low priority services in time for the LED satellites, and it is guaranteed that important information is reliably transmitted in real time; when link congestion, node ineffectiveness and other emergency conditions happen in the satellite network, in order to avoid rerouting of the whole network, and the GEO satellite only calculates rerouting for affected routes; after link congestion is eliminated, the LED satellites recover route information in time before congestion in order to avoid link resource waste in the network. In the network that topology time varying happens, links are prone to congestion, on-board resources are limited, continuous high-load flows are prone to being generated, and nodes are prone to being ineffective at the special period, the method can reduce constellation system cost, shorten convergence time, save the on-board resources, increase the utilization rate of the link resources, guarantee that important information is reliably transmitted in real time and improve invulnerability and robustness of the satellite network.

The present invention claims and discloses a novel apparatus and method for efficiently cultivating cells with minimal mortality in order to harvest a maximum amount of cellular products generated by the cultivated cells. More particularly, the present invention teaches a method and a device for plating cells and causing maximum adherence of cells of interest. Furthermore, the present invention also teaches a growth substrate means that is capable of providing the largest surface area for cell adhesion and functions as an oxygenator, a depth filter and a static mixer to maximize the production of cellular products by intermittently and periodically provide sufficient oxygen and nutrients to the cells without causing cell death. The device of the present invention is economical and can be disposable thus eliminating complications caused by sterlization and is capable of periodically and intermittently provide oxygen and nutrients to cells, through controlling the amount of culture medium that comes into contact with the growth substrate means.

The invention discloses a building fire intelligent rescue system based on a ubiquitous network. The system comprises a fire monitoring network, a handheld terminal, a monitoring center computer and a fire fighting command terminal, wherein the fire monitoring network consists of a plurality of convergence sub-networks and is connected with the monitoring center computer through wireless convergence nodes of the convergence sub-networks and a 3rd generation (3G) network; each convergence sub-network is a wireless sensor network which is provided with a main-chain-type topology structure consisting of wireless sensor nodes, namely fire monitoring nodes; and the handheld terminal comprises a query handheld terminal and a rescue handheld terminal, reads the label data of radio frequency identification (RFID) data of neighboring fire monitoring nodes of the handheld terminal by an internal RFID card reader and an RFID reading link which are arranged in the hand-held terminal, and exchanges data with the monitoring center computer through the 3G network. The system has the advantages of convenience in arrangement and high real-time capability; and the system can effectively assist firetrapped personnel in escaping and fire rescue personnel in making a rescue scheme; and intelligent guide is provided for the fire trapped personnel and the fire rescue personnel under the emergency condition of fire, and lives and property can be effectively rescued.

A robot hand has a plurality of fingers and is provided, at a location at which the robot hand touches an object, with a moving means for touching the object and moving the object. The moving means is provided to the palm side of the robot hand and/or the finger pad side of the robot hand.

The present invention provides personal care compositions, and more particularly, personal care compositions comprising a bioactively effective amount of a repeat sequence protein polymer. In some particularly preferred embodiments, the present invention provides personal care compositions comprising an effective amount of at least one fragment of a repeat sequence protein polymer having bioactivity.

The present invention provides an aqueous composition for storage of red blood cells consisting essentially of: adenine; dextrose; at least one non-metabolizable membrane-protectant sugar; and a specifically defined pH buffering system. Also provided are improved methods for preserving red blood cells and methods for increasing the viability, membrane retention, and recoverability while suppressing apoptosis, hemolysis, and post-reinfusion clearance of stored red blood cells which utilize the novel compositions.

The present invention is directed to therapeutic methods using IL-6 antagonists such as anti-IL-6 antibodies and fragments thereof having binding specificity for IL-6 to prevent or treat anemia (e.g., anemia associated with chemotherapy) including persons on a treatment regimen with a drug or chemotherapy and/or radiation for cancer (e.g., head and neck cancer) that is associated with increased risk of anemia.