Abstract:
A method and system for determining the quantity of an analyte initially present in a chemical and or biological reaction as well as a computer implemented method and system to automate portions of the analysis comprising mathematical or graphical analysis of an amplification reaction.
Abstract:
Provided is a highly reliable method to predict the beginning and/or ending of the fertile period for a female for each menstrual cycle. The methods and means provided advantageously address the day-to-day, cycle-to-cycle, and women-to-women variability in fertility hormone levels by analyzing the measurements of serial hormone concentrations in the midst of daily hormonal variations to determine when an actual and significant increase in the concentration of the monitored hormone has begun. Thus the present disclosure is directed to a method that combines existing hormone assay methods with calculation procedures to optimize the predictive values of daily hormonal changes. In this way a reliable and useful prediction of the fertile period is achieved with the concomitant assurance that the beginning and/or end of the fertile period has been reached so that such declarations are sufficient to provide both fertility enhancement and contraceptive utility.
Abstract:
Apparatus and method for determining at least one parameter, e.g., concentration, of at least one analyte, e.g., urea, of a biological sample, e.g., urine. A biological sample particularly suitable for the apparatus and method of this invention is urine. In general, spectroscopic measurements can be used to quantify the concentrations of one or more analytes in a biological sample. In order to obtain concentration values of certain analytes, such as hemoglobin and bilirubin, visible light absorption spectroscopy can be used. In order to obtain concentration values of other analytes, such as urea, creatinine, glucose, ketones, and protein, infrared light absorption spectroscopy can be used. The apparatus and method of this invention utilize one or more mathematical techniques to improve the accuracy of measurement of parameters of analytes in a biological sample. The invention also provides an apparatus and method for measuring the refractive index of a sample of biological fluid while making spectroscopic measurements substantially simultaneously.
Abstract:
A method and system for determining the quantity of an analyte initially present in a chemical and or biological reaction as well as a computer implemented method and system to automate portions of the analysis comprising mathematical or graphical analysis of an amplification reaction.
Abstract:
A method for determining the concentration of an analyte in a biological sample comprising the steps of: (1) providing an optical measuring instrument (10) that comprises at least one thermally controllable optical measuring element (12) that comes into contact with the surface of the biological sample; (2) applying an inert, thermally conductive, optically transparent coupling agent (100) to the at least one optical measuring element (12) or to the surface of the biological sample or both so that the coupling agent will be disposed at the interface of the surface of the biological sample and the at least one optical measuring element; (3) measuring optical properties of the biological sample by means of the optical measuring instrument; and (4) correlating the optical properties of the biological sample with the concentration of the analyte in the biological sample.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for the measurement of trans-cutaneous diffuse reflectance at a single sampling distance for determining the concentration of an analyte in a biological sample, such as, for example, human tissue. The determination of the concentration of the analyte has been found to depend on the sampling distance and reaches an optimal result at a defined sampling distance for a given analyte and a given sample. The method involves measuring the light re-emitted from the sample at a distance from a light introduction site and correlating the intensity of the re-emitted light to the concentration of an analyte. For a given sample, the distance between the light collection site and a light introduction site (i.e., the sampling distance) corresponds to the depth from the surface into the sample at which scattering and absorption events significantly affect the intensity of re-emitted light (i.e., the sampling depth). Prior knowledge about the sample determines the optimal sampling depth for performing a measurement for a specific analyte and the corresponding sampling distance needed to reach that optimal sampling depth. Optimization of the sampling distance, as well as the correlation relationship, can be established in a calibration procedure.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for measuring the concentration of an analyte of interest, e.g. glucose, in blood non-invasively. The method and apparatus of this invention can also be adapted to allow a portion of a body part to be engorged with blood to bring about greater accuracy in optical measurements. In the method of this invention, at least two similar, but not identical, measurements are made concurrently. For example, two similar, but not identical, wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation can be used. The two wavelengths should not be overlapping to allow maximum non-identity. By making measurements concurrently, each measurement channel in the system experiences variations as they occur substantially simultaneously in all channels. By selecting one of the channels as a reference channel and by normalizing the optical measurements of the other channels to this reference channel, the variations common to all channels are eliminated. Removing these common variations from the optical measurements by normalization, such as by calculating ratios of the measurement of each of the measuring channels to that of the reference channel, will allow the actual changes of the signal for a specific analyte of interest to be measured.
Abstract:
A method for the determination of hemoglobin and hematocrit by means of an apparatus that is capable of controlling the temperature of a defined subcutaneous volume of human skin. The method involves a calculation of hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit value that takes into consideration the values of optical parameters of the sample at various pre-set temperatures. It employs steady state optical measurements of samples, such as, for example, human tissue, by means of a reflectance tissue photometer and localized control of the temperature of the sample. An optical signal from a defined subcutaneous volume of human skin is measured as the temperature of this volume is controlled. This allows determination of hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit value non-invasively in a population of subjects having different skin colors by means of steady state reflectance measurements. The determination of hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit value is useful for monitoring patients, testing at the point of care, and screening for anemia. This method has the advantage for the determination of analytes in weak cardiac pulse situations, such as, for example, in elderly patients.
Abstract:
Devices and methods for non-invasively measuring at least one parameter of a sample, such as the presence of a disease condition, progression of a disease state, presence of an analyte, or concentration of an analyte, in a biological sample, such as, for example, a body part. In these devices and methods, temperature is controlled and is varied between preset boundaries. The methods and devices measure light that is reflected, scattered, absorbed, or emitted by the sample from an average sampling depth, dav, that is confined within a region in the sample wherein temperature is controlled. According to the method of this invention, the sampling depth dav, in human tissue is modified by changing the temperature of the tissue.