Archives: 7/2007

Cardiology

Reveal® XT Continuously Monitors Atrial Fibrillation

by Gene Ostrovsky on Jul 12, 2007 • 9:20 am

353443med Reveal® XT Continuously Monitors Atrial FibrillationThis innovative, first of a kind insertable cardiac monitor to watch for atrial fibrillation 24 hours a day, is being introduced to the European market by Medtronic, Inc.. The device has received the CE Mark from the European Union, but at the present time it is not available for sale in the United States.

Long-term, continuous monitoring means that a clinician no longer needs to rely only on incomplete data to evaluate how AF may be progressing or treatment effectiveness. The device recently received CE (Conformité Européenne) Mark…
The Reveal XT Insertable Cardiac Monitor monitors AF patients 24 hours a day, every day for up to three years. There are a variety of ways to treat AF, but up until now physicians had no means of gathering detailed data, over an extended period, on the progression of AF and the effect of treatment. Reveal XT gives new insight into patients’ heart rhythms, which may help physicians to evaluate stroke risk and determine appropriate treatment and therapy options for their patients.
As Reveal XT is inserted just under the skin, the patient experiences no restrictions in daily activities. This is not only more comfortable for the patient, but also ensures that cardiac data recorded is not influenced by restrictions in activities. Patients continue to lead their normal life and therefore heart activity recorded shows real-life, relevant information. Once patients leave the clinic, Reveal XT does not require wires or sticky pads to monitor the patients’ heart rhythms.

Press release: Medtronic Insertable Heart Monitor Gives New Insight Into Heart Rhythm Disorder …

Telemedicine

MedApps D-PAL™ Remote Patient Monitoring System for Diabetes

by Gene Ostrovsky on Jul 12, 2007 • 8:56 am

62345ww1 MedApps D PAL™ Remote Patient Monitoring System for Diabetes
A wireless system to transmit daily glucose readings from a patient’s glucometer via cellphone into a central server, developed by a Scottsdale, Arizona startup MedApps, Inc., has been approved by the FDA for for over-the-counter use. We have briefly mentioned this system about a year ago.
62345ww2 MedApps D PAL™ Remote Patient Monitoring System for DiabetesHere’s how this telemedicine system works:

D-PAL currently combines with the Polymap Polytel(R) device which connects to the LifeScan(R) OneTouch(R) Ultra(R) and sends the data via Bluetooth(R) (wireless) to the patient’s cell phone (acting as a “Hub”) and transmits the information to the central server in near real-time. D-PAL is the first of a series of medical devices that integrates with the MedApps System and enables patients with chronic diseases to lead more active lifestyles. Additional integrated devices will include scales, blood pressure monitors, spirometers, pulse oximeters, ECG, and a variety of implantable devices such as pacemakers.
Pre-established thresholds are set for each patient by their healthcare provider(s). When a reading occurs outside of these thresholds, an alert may occur and the patient may be contacted using a pre-determined mode. One
such mode is an interactive voice response system which can qualify additional behavioral information by asking questions such as, “Have you exercised today?” or “Have you taken your medication?” The responses to these questions, combined with previously collected biometric data, can give healthcare professionals greater insight into a patient’s health.
The MedApps Telemedicine 2.0 Wireless System, allows medical providers to monitor trends in their patients’ health with accurate, timely readings. Healthcare professionals and patient management companies have greater accessibility to better information and no longer have to rely on patients to submit their own readings, while the patient, in turn, is encouraged to live a more active lifestyle. As patients lose mobility, they must curtail daily activities, in essence giving “control” of their lives to their disease. This loss of control signals a downward spiral toward immobilization, inpatient encounters, and costly ER visits. MedApps helps stabilize patient treatments, allows timely interventions, and gives patients more control over their diseases.


Press release (.pdf)…
Product page: MedApps D-PAL™ Remote Patient Monitoring System…
Flashbacks: Let Your Cellphone Monitor, Transfer Your Vitals & More ; Wireless Monitoring of Diabetics
(hat tip: The Medical Quack)

in the news...

Got Moles? They Might Be Good for You!

by Gene Ostrovsky on Jul 12, 2007 • 6:23 am

436456wee Got Moles? They Might Be Good for You!Skin moles might not always be pleasing to the eye. They might even lead to melanoma in some cases. All that aside, according to the latest research coming out of King’s College London, having skin moles is an indicator of one’s propensity for longevity:

People with large numbers of moles may age slower than expected, according to a study from King’s. Researchers studied the skin and telomere length (a marker of biological ageing found on all cells in the body) of more than 1800 twins and found that people with a high number of moles had longer telomeres.
The 10 year study from the Twin Research Unit was funded by the Wellcome Trust and is published in the July edition of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention.
Moles appear in childhood and disappear from middle age onwards. When present in large numbers they can increase the risk of melanoma, a rare form of skin cancer. Moles vary significantly in numbers and size between individuals. The average number of moles in people with white skin is 30 but some people may have as many as 400. Some moles may be 2mm in diameter whilst others are well over 5mm. The reason for such differences between people is unknown as is the function of moles…
Since moles disappear with age, scientists at the Twin Research Unit looked at the relationship between the number of moles and telomere length, which is a good indicator of our rate of ageing. Telomeres, which get shorter as we age, are bundles of DNA found at the end of chromosomes in all cells and assist in the protection, replication, and stabilization of the chromosome ends. (Telomeres have been compared with the plastic tips on shoelaces because they prevent chromosome ends from fraying and sticking to each other). A measure of the telomere length in white cells in the blood has been found to correlate with ageing in many different organs such as heart, muscle, bones and arteries.
The researchers compared telomere length measurements in white cells with the number of moles in more than 1800 female twins (900 pairs of twins) aged between 18 and 79 years. They found that those with high numbers of moles (greater than 100) had longer telomeres than those with very few moles (fewer than 25). The difference between the two mole groups was equivalent to six to seven years of normal ageing (estimated by looking at the average rate of telomere length loss per year in the whole group). This was not affected by other factors such as age, weight or smoking.
These results suggest those with higher numbers of moles may have a delayed ageing as they have longer telomeres and appear to keep their moles for longer. In contrast, people with shorter telomeres have lower numbers of moles and appear to lose them quicker with age – which may be a marker of accelerated ageing.
Lead researcher Dr Veronique Bataille says: ‘The results of this study are very exciting as they show, for the first time, that moley people who have a slightly increased risk of melanoma may, on the other hand, have the benefit of a reduced rate of ageing. This could imply susceptibility to fewer age-related diseases such as heart disease or osteoporosis, for example. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.’

Press release: Moles linked with slower ageing …

not funny

I’d Say that’s a 3: The Bristol Stool Scale

by Tim Odell on Jul 12, 2007 • 2:28 am

Oh, you doctors and your scales. In an effort to pseudo-quantize everything, perhaps you’ve gone too far. What follows is the Bristol Stool Scale, which goes waaaaay beyond “#2.” From Wikipedia:

It was developed by K W Heaton and S J Lewis at the University of Bristol and was first published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology in 1997.[1] The form of the stool depends on the time it spends in the colon.

Bristol Stool Chart Id Say thats a 3: The Bristol Stool Scale
We highly recommend printing this out and posting it on the inside of the stall doors at your workplace.
More from Wikipedia and the abstract on Pubmed…
RELATED: Merck Manual’s Flatulence Scale

the good old days...

You’re Not Getting Any Work Done Today: The Modern Mechanix Medical Section

by Tim Odell on Jul 12, 2007 • 12:59 am

WARNING: Do not follow these links if you want to get anything done in the next 4 hours. Via another collection of awesome retro-ness, we found the Modern Mechanix blog. Here you’ll discover the best collection of retro pop-science anywhere. The best part is, so much of it ties right in to today’s major accomplishments. It’s like medical technology was on hiatus from the 50s until about the 80s.
Here we find an early stomach-cam:

A NEW wonder in photography that will take pictures of the innermost recesses of the human stomach has recently been developed by three doctors of the University of Vienna. This amazing device, shown on the right, takes eight pictures simultaneously.

lrg stomach cam Youre Not Getting Any Work Done Today: The Modern Mechanix Medical Section
There’s this crazy thing at a Los Angeles hospital called a “blood bank,” thoughts on the “Right-to-die” issue, pre-DNA genetics research, and advanced prosthetics.
More from Modern Mechanix. The Personal Appearance Section is worth a look too (particularly this machine that “measure the beauty of the face”), as in the 20s and 30s, medicine and personal appearance were closely related pseudosciences.

Rehab

Bionic Lower Limbs Bring Smile to Tragic Victim

by Justin Barad on Jul 11, 2007 • 10:55 am

HalfMan2 450x400 Bionic Lower Limbs Bring Smile to Tragic VictimA man in China, Peng Shulin, that was tragically cut in half by a truck, is able to walk again thanks to a custom designed “bionic” lower half. It’s always nice seeing medgadgets bring a smile to people’s faces. Here’s more from Metro.co.uk:

Doctors at the China Rehabilitation Research Centre in Beijing found out about Mr Peng’s plight late last year and devised a plan to get him up walking again.
They came up with an ingenious way to allow him to walk on his own, creating a sophisticated egg cup-like casing to hold his body with two bionic legs attached to it.
He has been taking his first steps around the centre with the aid of his specially adapted legs and a resized walking frame.
Mr Peng, who has to learn how to walk again, is said to be delighted with the device.

Read the article here…

Art

Nikon Small World Voting Open

by Gene Ostrovsky on Jul 11, 2007 • 10:04 am

436522nik Nikon Small World Voting Open
Nikon Small World, a photographic competition featuring microscopic images that showcase the intersection of science and art, is fascinating on an annual basis. Anyone can now participate in the voting, and, in the process, one will see more than 90 absolutely stunning photographs :

“The breathtaking images showcased through the Nikon Small World Competition can be appreciated by everyone, whether scientist or layperson,” said Eric Flem, Communications Manager, Nikon Instruments. “By inviting the public to serve as judges this year, we hope to spark interest in things scientific and help people understand the breadth and depth of microscopy.”
Nikon Small World is widely regarded as the leading forum to recognize proficiency and photographic excellence of photography taken under the microscope. This year’s competition garnered more than 1,500 micrographs from all over the world, covering subjects ranging from chemical compounds to up-close-and-personal looks at biological specimens.
Winning images will be unveiled on October 4, 2007 at the Explorer’s Club in New York City, including the most popular. Top images will also be exhibited in a full-color calendar and through a national museum tour.

A Small World First: Rate This Year’s Top Photomicrographs!…
Nikon Small World – Photomicrography Competition Main Page…
Flashbacks: Small World 2005 ; Small World 2006

Neurology / Rehab

Myomo e100 NeuroRobotic System for Rehab and Assistance

by Gene Ostrovsky on Jul 11, 2007 • 1:05 am

43653eww1 Myomo e100 NeuroRobotic System for Rehab and Assistance
Myomo, Inc., a Boston, Mass company, is reporting that its “smart” portable elbow brace, the Myomo e100 NeuroRobotic System, has just been 510(k)’ed by the FDA. With the approval to market its device in the US, the company is looking to tap into a large market of status post stroke sufferers, to “allow patients to self initiate and control movement of partially paralyzed limbs using their own biological signals.” The noninvasive system is also designed to help in the rehabilitation process of patients by “engaging and reinforcing both neurological and motor pathways,” according to the company. We have covered this device a while back, when it was in the prototype stage, being developed at MIT. (See: NeuroRobotic Brace for Stroke Recovery.)
Details about the technology:
43653eww2 Myomo e100 NeuroRobotic System for Rehab and Assistance

Designed as a feedback-based, closed loop system, NeuroRobotics facilitates muscle re-education by both amplifying and rewarding a patient with desired motion in concert with his or her own muscular activation.
Key system components include: surface electromyography (EMG) sensing, system software, and wearable, portable robotic devices. Since movement is initiated and continuously controlled by an individual’s residual muscle activity, the person’s brain functions as the system controller. With this capability, patients have an opportunity to stop, in real time, during execution of a targeted training task, to evaluate performance and re-adjust positioning, as they train toward muscle re-education. The goal is that through repetition and practice, patients will relearn and achieve more normative movement patterns.
How it Works

  • Patient’s brain is the controller: When a patient attempts movement during therapy, their muscles contract and electrical muscle activity signals fire
  • Non-invasive sensing: An EMG sensor sits on the skin’s surface to detect and continuously monitor a person’s residual electrical muscle activity
  • Proprietary system software: Advanced signal processing software filters and processes the user’s EMG signal, and then forwards the data to a robotic device
  • Proportional assistance: Portable, wearable robotics use the person’s EMG signal to assist with desired movement; power assistance is customized to patient ability with Myomo’s real-time adjustable control unit.

    • Product page: Myomo e100 NeuroRobotic System …
    Press release: Myomo Receives FDA Clearance to Market the Myomo e100 NeuroRobotic System (.pdf)
    Flashbacks: NESS H200™ System; Ankle Brace to Prevent Falls ; Device to Aid People With Muscular Dystrophy; Anklebot for Stroke Patients; Functional Electrical Stimulation Shows Promise.

    Nanomedicine

    Nanoparticle-based ‘Chemical Nose’

    by Gene Ostrovsky on Jul 11, 2007 • 12:25 am

    153434nna Nanoparticle based Chemical NoseNanowerk‘s Michael Berger is reporting on the efforts by two groups of investigators (one from University of Massachusetts, and the other from Georgia Institute of Technology) to develop a sensor array, based on nanotechnology, that will be able to detect specific protein markers of cancers or other diseases. In fact, these scientists have already published their research in the April issue of Nature Nanotechnology, where they’ve described “”chemical nose’ sensors.”
    From the abstract:

    A sensor array containing six non-covalent gold nanoparticle-fluorescent polymer conjugates has been created to detect, identify and quantify protein targets. The polymer fluorescence is quenched by gold nanoparticles; the presence of proteins disrupts the nanoparticle-polymer interaction, producing distinct fluorescence response patterns. These patterns are highly repeatable and are characteristic for individual proteins at nanomolar concentrations, and can be quantitatively differentiated by linear discriminant analysis (LDA).

    To learn more about the sensor array, head on to: Developing nanotechnology noses to ‘smell’ cancer @ Nanowerk…

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