92 results about "Diagnostic evaluation" patented technology

Elevated number of Circulating Endothelial Cells (CEC) have been implicated in disease conditions associated with the formation or destruction of blood vessels such as acute coronary syndrome, thrombocytopenic purpura, sickle cell disease, sepsis, lupus, nephrotic syndromes, rejection of organ transplants, surgical trauma and cancer. This invention provides a method for assessing the levels of CEC which vary between different studies using a sensitive enrichment, imaging, and enumberation analysis. CD146 is one of the most specific endothelium-associated cell-surface antigens which can be used in image cytometry. CEC analysis provides an essential tool in prognostic / diagnostic evaluation in the clinic.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for the treatment and diagnosis of immune disorders, especially T helper lymphocyte-related disorders. For example, genes which are differentially expressed within and among T helper (TH) cells and TH cell subpopulations, which include, but are not limited to TH0, TH1 and TH2 cell subpopulations are identified. Genes are also identified via the ability of their gene products to interact with gene products involved in the differentiation, maintenance and effector function of such TH cells and TH cell subpopulations. The genes identified can be used diagnostically or as targets for therapeutic intervention. In this regard, the present invention provides methods for the identification and therapeutic use of compounds as treatments of immune disorders, especially TH cell subpopulation-related disorders. Additionally, methods are provided for the diagnostic evaluation and prognosis of TH cell subpopulation-related disorders, for the identification of subjects exhibiting a predisposition to such conditions, for monitoring patients undergoing clinical evaluation for the treatment of such disorders, and for monitoring the efficacy of compounds used in clinical trials.

The present application discloses solid compositions for the oral administration of dyes, and diagnostic use thereof. Preferably, such diagnostic use is aimed at the diagnostic evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract.

A system for diagnostically evaluating the health of tissue within the fundus of an eye includes a fs laser source, an adaptive optical assembly, an imaging unit, and a computer. The adaptive optical assembly focuses a laser beam to a focal point in the fundus of the eye, and scans the fundus tissue according to a predetermined scanning pattern. Illumination of anisotropic tissue within the fundus, such as the photoreceptors and the Henle-fiber layer, induces a Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) response. Red photons, with a wavelength (λ) of about 880 nm, are converted to blue photons, with a wavelength of λ / 2, through the process of photon conversion. An imaging unit senses the blue photon return light, and uses the return light to generate an image of the fundus. The computer processes the image, and compares it to a template of healthy tissue to evaluate the health of the imaged tissue.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for the treatment of body weight disorders, including, but not limited to, obesity. Specifically, the present invention identifies and describes genes which are differentially expressed in body weight disorder states, relative to their expression in normal, or non-body weight disorder states, and / or in response to manipulations relevant to appetite and / or weight regulation. Further, the present invention identifies and describes genes via the ability of their gene products to interact with gene products involved in body weight disorders and / or appetite and / or body weight regulation. Still further, the present invention provides methods for the identification and therapeutic use of compounds as treatments of body weight disorders. Additionally, the present invention describes methods for the diagnostic evaluation and prognosis of various body weight disorders, and for the identification of subjects exhibiting a predisposition to such conditions.

An instrument for precisely cutting tissue to controlled dimensions (length, width, depth, and shape) is provided for the removal of tissue specimens from remote sites in the body of a patient, such as from the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, or vascular structures, or any tissue surface or soft tissue of the body. The instrument has a housing and a substantially flexible shaft extending from the housing to a distal end. The distal end of the instrument has an open cavity into which tissue is receivable. Suction can be communicated along the shaft to the distal end for distribution across the cavity utilizing a manifold having a grated tissue engaging surface with opening(s) for applying the suction, thereby pulling tissue adjacent to the distal end into the cavity against the tissue engaging surface of the manifold. One or more hollow needles are extendable from the housing through the shaft into the cavity to enable infusion of fluid, such as saline or a hemostatic agent, into the tissue. A blade in the distal end is extendable through the cavity over the manifold and across the opening to cut the tissue held by suction and stabilized by the needles in the cavity. The shape and depth of the tissue removed by the cuts is in accordance with the contour of the tissue engaging surface and the size and shape of the cavity at the distal end. The tissue so removed by the instrument may be for therapeutic intervention and / or represent a tissue specimen for biopsy suitable of diagnostic evaluation. The tissue edges in the patient's body left after cutting with this instrument readily avail themselves to apposition for enhanced healing.