Researchers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) have developed a high sample rate, high bandwidth single channel acquisition system and method to measure a patient’s EEG response to an electrical stimulus from a cochlear implant. This system and method may be used to assess a patient’s response to electrical stimuli from a CI and then to tune the performance of a cochlear implant (CI) to match a patient’s hearing needs. (more...)

Breast density is an important risk factor for breast cancer, second only to age and BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. Women with dense breasts have been shown to have significantly increased risk of developing breast cancer. Most cancers arise in dense ductal tissue. While mammography is the ”gold standard” for early breast cancer detection, early cancer detection rates are only in the range of 50% in women with dense breasts. Women with dense breasts thus may benefit from other screening and diagnostic imaging approaches (e.g. ultrasound and MRI). Therefore, determining the best strategy is dependent on characterizing the breast density. Therefore, improved breast density assessment and more cost-effective hardware are needed to improve breast cancer detection in women with dense breasts. (more...)

Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical procedure, in which operations are performed via multiple small incisions. These have gained popularity over conventional open procedures since the smaller incisions result in reduced hemorrhaging, minimal scaring, reduced pain, shorter recovery times and reduced infection and contamination risks. However, laparoscopic surgeries face mid-surgery visibility loss due to fogging, bleeding or tissue smearing, and as such laparoscopic instruments must be removed and cleaned several times over the course of a procedure. To address these challenges, investigators at UC Berkeley have developed a self-cleaning laparoscope, which will circumvent to need to remove the instrument from the patient mid-surgery. In vivo cleaning will not only reduce surgery times but also reduce risk of complications and interruptions from removing and reinserting the instrument. In addition, visibility will remain high throughout the procedure. By encasing the imaging lens in a rotating sphere, no waste is introduced to the patient’s body and the optical pathway will remain clear. The self-cleaning laparoscope has a simple mode of operation, where it is controlled by an external switch on the handle area, and has the potential to eventually replace conventional laparoscopes. (more...)

Endovascular stents are used for a variety of conditions involving blood vessels, most often to reinforce a weak spot in an artery called an aneurysm. Current commercially available stents are manufactured from a variety of metals and are permanently implanted in various parts of the body. As these metal implants often result in untoward long-term effects, there has been considerable interest in the development of a "temporary" stent that dissolves safely within the body. Degradable technology has not yet received FDA approval, but testing is underway for temporary stents manufactured from "soft" metals or polylactide (PLA) polymers. However, there are several limitations with the current designs, including difficulty in deployment, slow degradation, and erosion resulting in a highly acidic environment. Treating vascular disease while minimizing side effects depends on the development of safe and effective degradable stents.   (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a new hybrid tissue that is capable of self renewal. This new hybrid tissue may be used as replacement heart valve leaflets and may also be used for other tissue constructs like blood vessels. (more...)

Eyelid contour deformities occur in aging and a number of medical conditions such as Graves disease, ptosis, postoperative lid abnormalities, and congenital lid abnormalities. Digital analysis of eyelid position and contour has the potential to objectively characterize the eyelid examination and improve preoperative and postoperative assessment. (more...)

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a useful tool for measuring local tissue perfusion with magnetic resonance imaging. However in pathologies where slow or collateral flow conditions exist, ASL methods may not provide robust measure of cerebral blood. ASL with Velocity-selective tags (VSASL) can potentially measure cerebral blood flow under slow and collateral flow conditions and avoid main error sources of conventional ASL techniques.VSASL tags spins on a basis of flow velocity, instead of the spatial distribution that is commonly used by conventional ASL techniques. Using a specific pulse train in combination with flow sensitive gradients, VSASL can potentially generate tags that are very close to the imaging plane and whereby avoid the main error source of conventional ASL technique. However, it had been demonstrated that eddy currents (EC) can erroneously tag the static tissue, resulting in overestimation of mean gray matter perfusion. One way to reduce this is to arrange the gradients pulses so that the eddy currents can be compensated. Recently a VSASL tagging module based on a asymmetric BIR-8 pulse train was introduced by Meakin and Jezzard. UCSD researchers design a gradient pulse that further improves EC compensation using symmetric BIR-8 pulse train. (more...)

Focal therapy and needle-based procedures on the prostate are challenging due to the high potential for off-target side effects.  These side effects, which include severe pain, incontinence, and impotence, could be mitigated by more accurate visualization of the boundaries of prostate.  While CT and MRI provide anatomical information of the prostate, they cannot readily provide real-time imaging information during a procedure.  Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) probes are the current gold standard for procedural real-time imaging of the prostate, however, this technique suffers from inherent imaging constraints due to its external positioning to the prostate, such as poor resolution of the anterior side of the prostate and susceptibility to artifacts due to the rectal wall. (more...)

Systemic chemotherapy has been associated with damage to healthy tissue and in some cases induction of secondary malignancies. Transarterial chemo-embolization (TACE) is a commonly used procedure in hepatic malignancies designed to reduce the systemic dose. TACE therapy involves administration of chemotherapy directly to the liver via a catheter which is inserted through the femoral artery to the hepatic artery that directly feeds the hepatic tumor. The blood supply to the tumor is then embolized following chemotherapy to further increase the dose to the tumor tissue. Nonetheless, even with TACE up to 50% of administered doxorubicin (Dox) passes directly through hepatic tumors into the systemic circulation. To further increase tumor dose while reducing systemic exposure, UCSF scientists have developed a novel catheter incorporating a chemotherapy filter that is positioned transiently during TACE so as to bind Dox that has passed through the tumor before it enters the systemic circulation. (more...)

Central nervous system (CNS) related diseases, which include epilepsy, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), affect more than 1.5 billion people worldwide.  One of the drawbacks of research into CNS diseases lies in the lack of a suitable platform for effectively and efficiently testing new drug candidates.  This has contributed, in part, to the fact that there are few promising candidates for these debilitating diseases, and many of those that have reached clinical trials have failed.  To move drug discovery research forward, a device with the potential to be a platform technology that can model CNS diseases and allow for fast and accurate testing of novel therapeutic compounds is needed.     (more...)

The invention is an apparatus and method for second harmonic optical coherence tomography of a sample comprising a laser coupled to an interferometer which has a reference arm and in a sample arm. A nonlinear crystal in the reference arm generates a second harmonic reference signal. The sample typically backscatters some second harmonic light into the sample arm. A broadband beam splitter optically coupled to the reference arm and sample arm combines the signals from the reference arm and sample arm into interference fringes and a dichroic beam splitter splits the interference fringes into a fundamental and second harmonic interference signal. A detector is optically coupled to the dichroic beam splitter detects interference fringes from which both an OCT and second harmonic OCT image can be constructed using a conventional data processor. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a nanofluidic device that may be used to trap and analyze single mitochondria. (more...)

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a toxic byproduct of many physiologic and pathological reactions, and elevated in a variety of conditions in which free radicals have been implicated, such as inflammation, infection, cancer, diabetes, aging, and cardiovascular disease. Most conventional methods for H2O2 detection are limited to in vitro use. Being able to detect and image elevated H2O2 levels in vivo and in situ provides accurate and real time diagnosis and monitoring of many pathologies and body’s response to perturbation. (more...)

UCSD inventors have come up with a new glucose sensor and hypoglycemia detector that answers the challenge of reliable detection of nocturnal hypoglycemia. The invention would be most advantageous to people who do not want, or cannot accept, an implantable device. (more...)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules of about 21 to 23 nucleotides in length, which function in the regulation of gene expression. Over 2000 types of mature miRNAs have been found to date and new miRNAs continue to be discovered by research laboratories around the world. miRNAs are linked to over 100 diseases, including many types of cancers, chronic and immune diseases, and can thus be used as biomarkers for diagnosis. Further, circulating miRNAs, secreted by diseased tissues or produced due to immune responses, exist in blood and biofluids, so they are particularly promising for diagnosis with minimal invasiveness. However, it is technically challenging to measure many miRNAs, some differing from each other by one or a few nucleotides, and link their levels to various disease conditions. More generally, the medical community presently lacks devices for miRNA-based assays that are suitable for clinical applications. (more...)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness in people over sixty. Approximately 15 million people in the United States have AMD, and more than 1.7 million Americans have the advanced form of the disease. Patients with AMD have difficulty with daily tasks, including day and night driving. While glare reduction glasses are currently offered on the market, their efficacy is untested, and they are not specifically designed for AMD patients. (more...)

Dorso-ventral spinal cord pulsation often increases the risk of spinal injections because it leads to a likelihood of local tissue injury and bleeding. Further, delivery of agents into a pulsating spinal cord may result in less than optimal quantities of dug being delivered. Therefore, there is an unmet need for a safer and more efficient method to perform spinal injections. (more...)

More than 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic pain.  Current therapies directed toward controlling pain, including potent narcotics and local nerve inactivation, are often inadequate treatments.  In addition, these therapies may lead to negative side effects, such as central nervous system depression, neurologic deficits, and risk of addiction.  The majority of pain is known to originate from the peripheral pain receptors and is due to their prolonged and persistent activation.  The ability to block or reduce the signaling from this point of origin has high potential for the development of novel pain management therapies.  (more...)

UC researchers have developed a novel device concept that more efficiently couples the drug storage and delivery functionalities through integration of the microneedles within the drug reservoirs.  (more...)

An improved method of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for people with Parkinson’s disease. (more...)

UCR researchers have developed a simple microfluidic device that is free from any type of valve or pump.  The chip has been demonstrated to extract RNA fragments from cell lysates within 15 minutes. Droplets containing silica magnetic particles worked as the transportation vehicle, and were isolated from each other and contained in microwells. The enclosure of droplets in microwells diminished cross contamination between droplets, and also permitted the usage of multiple channels for parallel analysis of numerous samples. This multiwell/multi-channel (M&M) chip offers very high simplicity in automatic operation and parallel sample handling with low fabrication cost, improving both the speed and specificity of small RNAs detection.  (more...)

Available for licensing are patent rights in a method of fabricating long, narrow ceramic ridges with sharp edges for the purpose of shaving, or other hair and tissue cutting purposes. The method can optimize the shaving capability of the blades by allowing for arbitrary variation in angle, size and position of the blades. (more...)

A terahertz radiation mixer for detecting an electromagnetic input signal having a radio frequency. (more...)

Novel anticholinergics  which can be radiolabeled for evaluating cholinergic innervation in the living human brain. (more...)

Miniature, flexible, and transparent droplet-based pressure sensing device. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Davis campus have developed a miniature device for separating or detecting many different chemical species.  The device features an ion passage formed between a top and bottom containing discrete electrodes.  The low power consuming DC voltage-driven, hybrid device employs custom-tuned electric fields to manipulate ions for chemical analysis.  The device can be manufactured using low-cost microfabrication techniques. (more...)

Obtaining a sample of the rectal mucosa is key to millions of diagnostic procedures performed each year, including those for colorectal and cervical cancer. Such sampling is also needed for detailed microbial, proteomic, and metabolic analyses integral to clinical research. Current procedures for sample collection, like biopsy and endoscopic lavage, entail the use of bulky anoscopes and rectal tubes, respectively. For a more comfortable alternative, some physicians have resorted to adapting ophthalmic "eye spears" to sample rectal mucosa. Although these modified tools are less bulky, they were originally designed for the eye, requiring improvisational procedures to implement. Thus, there is a need for a better, more streamlined sampling device designed specifically for the rectum. (more...)

The instrument is a pneumatic capillary gun (Fig. 1) and its operation is based on the ballistic delivery of microparticles, the same technique as used in the “gene guns” (e.g., the commercial Helios™ by BioRad).  The ballistic delivery of microparticles has the distinct advantages of no need of extrageneous genes or protein for carrier, and can be applied to a wide range of cell types and tissues. The existing gene gun models were essentially developed nearly 20 years ago and have drawbacks that limit the range of their applications.  They are usually hand-held (or even bigger) and do not fit into small opening.  The particles cover large areas; their penetration depths are widely dispersed and the accuracy and reproducibility of the delivery are generally rather low. Most importantly, the jet of the high speed Helium used for ballistic delivery can be damaging for the target tissue.   (more...)

Epileptic seizures are accompanied by specific physiologic responses, which can be monitored by analysis of, for example, eye movement, electrocardiography (EKG) and electroencephalography (EEG). While the EEG has yielded invaluable insights, its application to epilepsy is rooted in 20-30 year old technology, which analyzes specific EEG frequencies as they relate to general behavioral states. It would be desirable to have a system that could incorporate real time, functional assessment of brain signals to: Monitor and characterize pre-seizure physiology in a reliable way.Initiate remedial feedback therapy to prevent or minimize the onset of seizure. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California , San Diego , Department of Engineering and the School of Medicine have invented a miniature, minimally invasive system for video-guided surgery which can be inserted into closed cavities through an opening of 10 mm. The system will supply an efficient and effective source of illumination, will acquire live video images within this cavity, and transmit them to a monitor located outside the cavity for observation. The new type of system will differ significantly from present cumbersome laparoscopic devices in that it will enable three-dimensional vision and auto focusing, with varying field-of-view optical zoom. The elements of the system would be inserted in the abdominal cavity through an existing incision and connected to a 2 mm support needle. It will have a 360 degree rotation range on the horizontal plane and a 250 degree rotation range on the vertical plane. The location of the camera within the cavity is readily changeable. Video processing will ensure that blur, even color dependent blur, will be corrected. Prototypes of the system are currently being tested. (more...)

Micro/nanoscale motor designs typically require conversion of external chemical energy in the vicinity of the rockets to promote autonomous propulsion. Several mechanisms have been developed to realize such rocket thrust in connection with hydrogen-peroxide fuel, including self-electrophoresis and bubble propulsion. Fuel-free microrocket propulsion mechanisms that are more biocompatible have also been explored, including the utilization of electrical power (i.e., diode nanowires) and magnetic oscillation. While these microscale propulsion mechanisms have inherent advantages, they lack the thrust needed for penetrating tissue barriers and cellular membranes. (more...)

The majority of acute ischemic strokes (80%) are caused by thrombo-embolism. Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide and the third leading cause of death in the United States. During embolic stroke, 1,900,000 brain cells die every minute which underscores the desperate need to start stroke treatment at the earliest time point possible. – Time is Brain! The cause of the worldwide growing incidence of stroke has 3 main reasons: The lack of public awareness of the disease and its symptoms All therapeutic interventions require the hospitalization of the patient Among people of all ages, more than 85% of global deaths from stroke occur in either low- or middle-income countries, where approximately 85% of the world’s total population resides. Currently, there are no therapeutic options which allow the starting of treatment ‘in the field’ (i.e. at the site of the emergency and/or during transport to the hospital). Early treatment would help to save lives and reduce damage to the brain. (more...)

Chronic pain is a widespread public health problem. Interventional procedures, specifically injections of analgesic medications into bodily tissues, often offer the best chance for pain relief for many patients. These procedures are increasingly performed with the use of ultrasound guidance that has the advantage of eliminating the harmful effects of radiation that occur with the use of traditional x-ray fluoroscopic imaging. The use of ultrasound guidance, while advantageous, is problematic for the pain physician because it requires the use of both hands: one to hold the ultrasound probe in position, and one to manipulate the procedural needle. Moreover, multiple solutions are sometimes injected, biologic fluids are sometimes aspirates and collected, and the pain physician requires real-time feedback on resistance to injection as well as control of injection rate. All of these tasks are not practically achieved by the lone pain physician. Existing commercially-available syringe pumps are not a solution because they must be manually programmed to infuse at a specific rate and cannot be changed in real-time or without the use of the operator's hands. Such conventional devices also must be reprogrammed to inject different solutions, do not allow for aspiration and collection of biological fluids, or assess resistance to injection in real-time. Instead, what is typically done for these procedures is to employ and train another person, at significant cost, to control the injection and aspiration functions from multiple syringes while subjectively assessing injection/aspiration pressures. Alternatively, a pain physician may use a conventional syringe attached to a needle, stopping in between to change syringes manually if another solution is to be used or to aspirate and collect biological fluid samples. These strategies are problematic because additional personnel are expensive and it is cumbersome and potentially dangerous to change syringes with the needle in position or manipulate a needle while a syringe is attached, especially when targeting deeper tissues or when attempting to pass the needle tip through dense tissue planes. (more...)

A non-invasive device objectively measures hypertrophic scar tissue compliance. (more...)

UC Davis researchers have designed a device to measure a various lung function biometrics, including flow rate, peak expiratory flow, and concentrations of various chemical species in human breath. The device is portable, designed for easy patient use, and capable of transmitting data to a physician via an Android mobile phone system. (more...)

Hyper- and hypothermia therapies for the treatment and destruction of cancerous solid tumors have a long history. During treatment it is essential to accurately monitor tissue temperature to ensure tumor destruction. Typically MRI is used to image the tumor and monitor tissue heating and destruction by high-intensity focused ultrasound (FUS). Unfortunately MRI is very expensive and requires specialized equipment that can operate in a strong magnetic field significantly limiting clinical utilization. (more...)

Recent reports in the scientific literature have shown the ability of microneedle arrays to detect analytes via electrochemical methods. However, these technologies require the uptake of biological fluids via integrated microfluidic systems, thus complicating overall device design. Microneedle arrays for drug delivery have also been reported in the literature but these are not coupled with biosensing. (more...)

Conventional intermittent hemodialysis delivery (IHD) systems were designed for adult human hemodialysis, yet are routinely used for dialysis delivery to infants and small animal patients. However, these conventional systems are not sufficiently flexible to permit the slow rates of dialysis delivery that are necessary for patients that are severely uremic or small patients (less than 15 kg) including infants and companion pets. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have invented an economical add-on system which slows the rate of dialysis delivery while preserving all the functionality of the conventional IHD delivery system. The system allows for a single IHD platform (machine) to provide both conventional IHD for typical applications and prolonged slow hemodialysis, for small or severely uremic patients, without requiring modification to the standard IHD delivery system. The requisite slow blood flow rate required for slow dialysis delivery to small or severely uremic patients (1 to 10 ml/minute) is typically below the approved operational design of conventional IHD delivery systems. Even if such slow blood flow rates are obtainable on conventional systems, they predispose the patients to clotting in the extracorporeal circuit during extended dialysis sessions.   Also, the rapid solute shifts caused by conventional IHD procedures potentially precipitate the dialysis disequilibrium syndrome (DDS) in those patients with a very high blood urea nitrogen concentration and in children and animal patients, who, according to studies, may be at an increased risk for DDS.  In addition, for patients with low blood volume or hemodynamic instability, extended dialysis sessions permit the removal of a large volume of fluid with less risk or likelihood of hypotension. This invention allows for the necessary slow rate of solute clearance that is required for slow dialysis delivery to small or highly uremic patients on a conventional platform independent from the deliverable or desired extracorporeal blood flow rate while maintaining controlled ultrafiltration. (more...)

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is an imaging modality that yields physiological information necessary for clinical diagnoses based on altered tissue metabolism. Once a compound or radiopharmaceutical has distributed within the body according to the physiologic status of the patient, annihilation positrons emitted by the positron emitting radiopharmaceutical are detected by external imaging using PET. Neuroinflammation is a hallmark of major central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Arachidonic acid (AA) is found in high concentrations in brain phospholipids and is released as a second messenger during neurotransmission and much more so during pathological neuroinflammation and excitotoxicity. The use of C-14 AA in animal studies, and of C-11 AA in patients with Alzheimer's disease, has demonstrated on neuroimaging a relation between neuroinflammation-excitotoxicity and upregulated brain AA metabolism. However, use of C-11 AA in a clinical environment displays difficulties in maintaining a stable precursor, preparing C-11 fatty acid in special and less generally available cyclotron, and because of the short (20 minute) radioactive half-life of 11C in the body after injection. F-18 radiopharmaceuticals have proven to be of great utility in the measurement of metabolism in a wide variety of organs and disease states in humans. Because F-18 labeled tracers can be synthesized in most cyclotrons, the long 120 min radioactive half-life allows more quantitative imaging and transport from one center to the clinical positron emission tomography (PET) site, and allows much easier use. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a novel method and device for cell separation that does not require cell labeling. (more...)

The delivery of biomolecules, including therapeutic drugs, genes and proteins, provides a promising vehicle for the treatment of many incurable diseases. Efficient delivery of biomolecules remains a technical challenge due to poor targeting and delivery efficiency. The use of viral-, liposome-, and nanotube-mediated techniques for the delivery of biomolecules has been hindered by their cytotoxicity, low efficiency and poor biocompatibility properties. Delivery mechanisms that utilize cell culture substrates, such as nanowire-grafted surfaces, have recently gained traction as a promising method for drug delivery. However, the use of nanowire-based delivery substrates require the cells to be pre-coated with biomolecules, preventing repeated doses or sequential combination of therapies. The invention disclosed here utilizes a novel nanowire-based delivery approach capable of achieving efficiency rates greater than 90%. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have invented a device and methods for half-value layer (HVL) characterization in computed tomography (CT) to allow a medical physicist to measure the HVL of an X-ray system while the X-ray tube is rotating - that is, during its normal operation without the necessity to make the x-ray tube stationery. (more...)

No pancreas-specific contrast materials are currently available to highlight normal pancreas and distinguish it from tumor at high resolution CT imaging.  Current state-of-the-art clinical imaging of pancreatic tumors by CT and MRI rely on nonspecific intravenous contrast materials that transiently highlight all of the abdominopelvic vasculature and end organ parnechyma, including tumors.  Further, current pancreatic CT requires precise timing of imaging, after rapid intravenous contrast material delivery, to optimally distinguish between the tumor and surrounding pancreas.  Early detection of pancreatic cancer is extremely difficult.  This invention solves this problem. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a novel high resolution imaging technique, referred to as Photo-Magnetic Imaging (PMI), that combines the abilities of optical and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging systems. Images are created with PMI by heating tissue with a light (e.g. laser) and measuring the resulting temperature change with MR Thermometry. This change in temperature can then be related to a tissue’s absorption, scattering, and metabolic properties. PMI addresses the limitations of current optical imaging techniques by providing a repeatable, non-contact, high resolution optical image with increased quantitative accuracy. This technique can be used for a wide-range of applications including but not limited to imaging of small animals for research purposes. This technique may also be used in imaging the tissue and organs of a patient. (more...)

Liver organs suffer a tremendous degree of ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) during transplantation. The injury stems from the interruption of blood flow and depletion of nutrients to the organ in the period between donor organ procurement, preservation and transplantation into the recipient. Cell injury or death and metabolic changes accompany this cessation of blood flow and liver cells are further compromised upon revascularization of the organ in a process known as reperfusion injury. IRI is a significant problem and causes up to 12% of early organ failure and 15% to 25% of long-term graft dysfunction. Post-reperfusion syndrome has an incidence rate of up to 30% and can cause acute cardiovascular collapse leading to acute death of the patients. Moreover, IRI contributes to the ongoing crisis of transplantable organs because many potential organs from deceased donors are particularly susceptible to IRI. As such, these organs are discarded since these organs would lack sufficient function when transplanted. Currently, there is no procedure or treatment to mitigate these effects. (more...)

The fuel cell has been considered a clean alternative to fossil-fuel-based power generation. Conventional fuel cells, however, are large solid-state devices that employ costly mechanical and chemical components and have thus witnessed very limited commercial adoption since their introduction several decades ago. Further, such devices use inorganic fuels, many of which produce substantial carbon footprints when processed and refined. Biofuel cells (BFCs) derive power from organic/biological compounds; e.g., glucose (in blood), lactate (in perspiration), and urea (in urine, wastewater, sewage) - and represent a new, compelling class of energy conversion devices. BFCs have the ability to operate under mild conditions and are envisioned to be applicable as implantable power sources. (more...)

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Tumors have historically been removed through surgical intervention but recently many tumors are instead treated with needle tumor ablation. This is a procedure in which needles are inserted manually via a small skin incision, through the muscle and inner tissue layers, towards a tumor. The tumor is destroyed by applying energy through the needle (high frequency heat in the case of radiofrequency ablation and cold energy in the case of cryotherapy). The needle’s trajectory in relation to the patient’s body must be carefully monitored by CT or MRI scans to ensure that the needle does not damage collateral tissues such as blood vessels or other organs. Any displacement of the needle during the procedure may not only result in needle placement error, but could potentially lead to bleeding or rupture of the tumor and the in-situ release of tumor cells. Improvements in CT scan and MRI scan image resolution have advanced needle ablation therapy, allowing even small tumors to be easily detected. However, the need for continual imaging by CT scan results in the use of increased doses of radiation. Indeed, doses can be between 100 to 500 times greater than those used for conventional radiography. Furthermore, as small changes in needle positioning require repeat imaging, the operator must vacate the CT suite many times, adding a significant time delay to the procedure. (more...)

Mechanical ventilators are used to assist or replace spontaneous breathing. Normal air expired from a ventilated patient is typically humid and significant “rainout” of water condensation can occur in ventilator circuits. A significant problem for patients on long term care is that aspiration of contaminated condensate from exhaled gas in these circuits increases risks of microbial contamination and is a known contributing factor in the development of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP). Excessive water gurgling in the expiratory portion of the ventilator circuit can cause various problems with the ventilator itself, including; an inappropriate breath trigger of the ventilator, erroneous volume measurement due to the expiratory flow sensor becoming wet and inaccurate pressure readings along with associated alarms. (more...)

The ability to study the microstructural and physiological properties of biological tissue in vivo has benefited greatly from the exquisite sensitivity of water diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the ability to effectively and non-invasively probe biological tissue microstructures requires that one resolve both scale and orientation information. While current approaches (such as diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) and high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI)) are designed to capture either parameter separately, these methods do not allow simultaneous estimation of both scale and orientation. (more...)

A novel device based approach for the treatment of bladder pathologies including bladder overactivity and possibly interstitial cystitis. (more...)

A system for the treatment of chronic developmental stuttering. (more...)

Cyanide is a highly toxic and rapidly acting poison that is infamous due to its use in murders, suicides, wars and attempted genocide.In the present day, cyanide may be responsible for up to 10,000 deaths annually in the United States due to smoke inhalation.Cyanide may also be used as a terrorist weapon. Prior methods to measure cyanide in the blood have involved acidifying the blood after lysis of red blood cells.However, this method is time consuming (takes at least a few hours) and tedious, and thus, inadequate for rapid detection of cyanide toxicity in field or hospital settings.Field or laboratory devices capable of rapidly measuring cyanide levels in blood or body fluids are not currently available, however such field or laboratory devices would be highly useful. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a method to rapidly measure cyanide in biological samples, which can be carried out in field settings.This method is based on measuring cyanide based on spectral changes that occur when cyanide binds to the reagent.Advantages of this method are its ease of use, stability, and applicability across a wide range of cyanide concentrations and may be used with ease in the field or on laboratory devices. (more...)

Optical microscopy methods have tremendous application in the study of cells and other biological structures.Current imaging methods, such as STED and PALM, have allowed scientists to capture super-resolution images that have been difficult in the past.However, these current imaging methods are inadequate to detect the dynamic movements of live cell structures which are continually changing shape and position in the millisecond to second time scale.In addition, current scanning techniques, which utilize laser scanning in a predetermined pattern, are inefficient when the features to be imaged are at the nanometer scale.A method that is effective at capturing super-resolution images of dynamic, nanoscale biological samples will be an important scientific tool. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed an optical imaging method that can produce 3D images of small, moving cellular structures with fluorescent surfaces.The method is based on a feedback principle according to the shape of the objects present in the sample, instead of having a predetermined path.The feedback approach produces high quality 3D images in seconds and does not require sample fixation.This method works with live cells and is compatible with correlation techniques like FCS and RICS. (more...)

Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are life supporting medical devices that assist with blood flow from a lower chamber of the heart to the rest of the body. Because all of the currently available VADs require direct contact with the blood, patients need to be on antirejection and anticoagulation therapies. A VAD that does not require the patient to take additional medication may decrease complications for the patient and would also be cost effective. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a medical device used to augment cardiac function during heart failure. The ECVAD (extra cardiac ventricular assist device) operates by a different mechanism than the pulsatile or continuous flow designs that are currently used. With the ECVAD, there is no direct contact between the device and the patient’s blood, which decreases the risk of contamination of the blood and eliminates the need for certain drug therapy. In addition, the ECVAD can be implanted using minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery and can be easily removed without tissue damage to the patient. (more...)

The diffuse optical spectroscopic imaging (DOSI) device is a tissue spectroscopy instrument designed to measure absorption and scattering properties of tissues. These absorption and scattering spectra are dependent upon the functional and structural composition of the tissue under study. The use of non-ionizing radiation probes the tissues below the surface non-invasively. While the idea of optical tissue spectroscopy is not unique, researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a unique compact modular platform that provides high portability yet retains the high information content of spectroscopic imaging of tissues. (more...)

Precise positioning of the intraocular lens during cataract surgery is critical for optimal performance. Currently, cataract surgery is performed using viscoelastic material to safely position the synthetic intraocular lens (IOL). This viscoelastic material must be removed from the eye prior to the end of surgery to prevent clogging of the drainage channels of the eye and increased intraocular pressure. However, during this removal, the IOL often shifts position, requiring imprecise nudging of the IOL with available tools, such as blunt-tipped cannulas, or the re-injection/re-evacuation of viscoelastic for further positioning. What is needed is a device specifically designed for accurate lens positioning and a method that does not require additional viscoelastic, thus saving time and reducing the risk of retained viscoelastic material in the eye. (more...)

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) claims over 17 million lives worldwide, and costs to manage disease exceed $300 billion in the U.S. alone. Rapid control of heart rate and arterial blood pressure is desirable in CVD and in many medical emergencies. For example, unstable cardiac output or blood pressure associated with CVD often represents an immediate threat to survival. In addition, patients arriving in the ER with extremely low blood pressure secondary to blood loss or shock need immediate treatment to increase blood pressure and maintain life. Current pharmacological and blood volume regulation measures cannot completely avert the dangerous consequences of traumatic blood loss or underlying disease. Therefore, novel interventions that more rapidly regulate cardiovascular function may improve treatment and survival of CVD and medical emergencies. (more...)

It is critical to secure airways to ensure adequate ventilation for patients during or following general anesthesia and in patients who are unconscious for other reasons. There are nearly 30 million general anesthetics performed annually in the United States and approximately one-third of them require tracheal intubation. Clenching dental trauma during tracheal intubation account for the majority of dental injuries (50 to 75 percent) in the perioperative period. Currently there are a variety of oral airways used to maintain a patent airway in an anesthetized patient, and a variety of bite blocks that prevent the teeth from being damaged. However, there is no device that combines the functionalities into one and works. (more...)

Chronic diseases often require long-term treatment strategies that rely on repeated injections.  These delivery mechanisms, characterized by decreased bioavailability and highly variable drug exposure, constitute significant inconvenience and cost to patients by requiring frequent office visits and increasing potential complications from frequent injections.  For example, treatment of advanced macular degeneration (AMD) requires injections of anti-VEGF proteins into the eye once every four weeks, potentially leading to complications such as retinal detachment and tearing.  These limitations have spurred efforts to create new platforms for longer-term, constant delivery of therapeutics in the body, such as osmotic pumps and microparticle delivery systems.  These systems currently offer sustained release of therapeutics on the order of several weeks.  However, while the current offerings are effective in the release of small-molecule therapeutics, their ability to sustain longer-term, controlled release of large protein-based biologics is severely limited. (more...)

If electricity energy scavenging from vibration became commercially practical, then it would enable large opportunities for powering wireless electronics in many markets -- including, manufacturing, medical care, energy efficiency and personal electronics. However, vibration energy scavengers have been cost-prohibitive and too application-specific. The impediment of application-dependence is due to the fact that vibration energy scavengers only produce useful amounts of power when they are driven at their resonance frequency. Moving even several tenths of a Hz away from resonance frequency has a detrimental impact on power output. Solving this resonance issue is challenging because it's impractical to measure the vibration spectrum at every target location and then customize every vibration scavenger for each location. Furthermore, the vibration frequency at each location can't be expected to remain constant.   To solve this problem, researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a beam-mass system that autonomously adapts its resonance frequency to the ambient vibration frequency, thereby achieving maximum power output in arbitrary vibration environments. The same approach can also be used to autonomously minimize (i.e. de-tune or damp) the vibration amplitude in response to the external input vibration. Whether tuning or de-tuning, this novel system doesn't require any human intervention, control algorithms, or external energy sources (other than the ambient vibration).  (more...)

The process of fitting or mapping a cochlear implant (CI) involves an audiologist carefully selecting the correct speech processing strategy and setting the electrical stimulation parameters for each individual CI user. Currently most of the fitting steps are done in an open-loop CI system. The audiologist stimulates the CI electrode and this elicits a verbal response from the user and accordingly the audiologist adjusts the settings on the CI. There are a number of disadvantages associated with this fitting method. First it is time consuming for both the audiologist and the CI user. Fitting a CI can range from ten minutes to a couple of hours, and as the optimal settings for each individual user can change during the first few months of use, therefore the fitting process is often repeated. Second, in an open-loop system there is no effective way to determine each user’s optimal settings for speech recognition. Finally for users born with profound hearing loss, verbal feedback on the quality of the CI speech processing from these users is difficult and sometimes impossible in producing quality speech recognition. Therefore there exists a need for an improved method and system for fitting CIs on users. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a novel closed-loop CI that monitors neural activity at multiple stages along the auditory pathway in response to an auditory stimulus. This CI monitors the user’s neural activity to auditory stimuli and then adjusts the CI’s settings so that optimal speech recognition is attained for the CI user. This closed-loop CI addresses the many limitations of the current open-loop CI as described above and allows for more efficient and precise CI fittings. (more...)

The invention discloses a magnetic navigation system and navigable capsules that are useful for remote-controlled imaging, biopsy, and programmable drug release within the body of an animal. The system includes a capsule dimensioned and shaped to move within the body; an anisotropic magnetic component coupled to the capsule to orient it relative to an applied magnetic field; a detector to determine the location of the capsule within the body; and a magnetic field generating system external to the body that is responsive to the detected location of the capsule. The detector senses the position of the capsule and the feedback of the position information is utilized for controlling the magnetic field generating system to guide the capsule as it moves within the body. The capsule can carry devices for imaging, biopsy, and/or drug release. (more...)

Lab-on-a-chip microfluidic devices have facilitated shrinking biological instruments onto chips that produce results faster while reducing consumables and waste and presenting the advantages of low cost, high portability, and easy operation. DC and AC power are widely used in these lab-on-a-chip devices to control the bioparticles suspended in microfluidic channels (e.g., localized heating, fluid mixing, and bio-particle handling). Interactions between electrical signals and cells and biomolecules also enable unique functions for diagnosis and cellular engineering (e.g., cell impedance measurements, electroporation, control of ion channels and membrane potential, and neural excitation and detection). In various types of such interactions, electrical signals of specific amplitudes, waveforms, and frequencies are needed to produce the desired effects. This has necessitated the use of several connecting wires between the lab-on-a-chip device and external instruments (power supplies, waveform, and function generators), thus adding to the cost and size of a system and, more importantly, increasing operational complexity and chance of error when clinicians with little electrical training use the device. For lab-on-a-chip devices to be more widely used in point-of-care settings, the devices need to offer additional functionalities and performance while keeping their operation simple. The current invention enables simple operation by providing wireless solutions for powering and signal generation and control. (more...)

Particle counting and differentiation based on optical detection in microfluidic devices has attracted significant attention because the technology promises cheaper, portable, and easy-to-operate devices for research, clinical, environmental, and industrial applications. For both sample analysis and sorting, detection of the intrinsic properties of each particle is the most critical step and particularly important for single-cell analysis in contrast with detection of average properties of an ensemble. Forward scattering (FS) and large angle scattering (LAS) or side-scattering signals (SS) are the most commonly used signals for analysis since these reveal the size, shape, and granularity of each individual particle without the need for labeling. However, side scattering signals are orders of magnitude weaker and usually detected by photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), which require high voltage (>1000V) operation and are expensive and fragile, not suitable for point-of-care clinics. Furthermore, most microfluidic devices produce weaker and noisier side scattering signals than commercial systems, and the large coefficients of variation values of such devices have severely limited the applicability of the side scattering signals in devices such as flow cytometers and complete blood count devices. (more...)

Lymphatic dysfunction has been found in many disorders from transplant rejection to cancer metastasis, but there is little effective treatment for lymphatic diseases. The cornea is an ideal site for lymphatic research due to its accessible location, transparent nature, and lymphatic-free but –inducible features. Because there are no pre-existing vessels to consider at this site, it is exceptionally straightforward and accurate to evaluate new lymphatic events in the cornea. Since lymphatic vessels are not easily visible, previous studies using the cornea have relied on traditional immunohistochemistry assays with dead tissues. Currently, there is no means of direct and harmless visualization of lymphatic vessels within live cornea.   Investigators at University of California at Berkeley have addressed this challenge by developing the first live imaging of corneal lymphatic vessels. Lymphatic specific dye is injected into the subconjunctival space to visualize lymphatic vessels at various stages in the cornea under a fluorescence stereo-, confocal, or two-photon microscope. Lymphatic vessels can be labeled in different colors to produce two-, three-, and four-dimensional images or live videos at a molecular level. The investigators have demonstrated a proof of principle in live mouse cornea. The technique allows time course tracking of dynamic lymphatic processes within the same tissue or subject over a short or long period of time. Live imaging of corneal lymphatic vessels allows visualization of lymphatic vessels in their natural morphology, state, and interactions with the local environment. Live imaging of corneal lymphatic vessels is readily applicable to patient examination as the lymphatic dye of dextran is bio-degradable and harmless to human health. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a method using nonlinear optical (NLO), femtosecond infrared lasers for the precise depth and area activation of photosensitizers to treat the cornea. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a novel, label-free imaging and evalution method that enables users to track cell metabolism in vivo.The technique is a novel phasor approach to Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM), a multi-photon microscopy technique that excites cells and then detects their fluorescence activity over time. In this approach, the data from these images is transformed mathematically into a phasor representation. The subsequent analysis identifies, locates, and calculates the concentration of important metabolic cell components, such as: collagen, FAD, free and bound NADH, retinol, and retinoic acid.Overall, this novel method provides a straightforward and quantitative interpretation of the physiological processes occurring in tissues. It enables users to visualize cellular metabolism and retinoid gradients, distinguish between the unique metabolic states of cells, and map their level of differentiation. (more...)

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Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a novel, non-invasive system to measure, quantify and analyze the spontaneous movements of infants in order to predict neurological disorders. The system involves capturing subtle movements of infants. This information is then analyzed and modeled by software. Movements identified may indicate that the infant has an increased risk for cerebral palsy, seizures, autism, intraventricular hemorrhage, cognitive delay or other neurological or motor conditions. By comparing to standards, the information may be used by a clinician to categorize the infant as either a high risk or low risk for the development of a neurological disorder. (more...)

There are approximately 20-40 million people in the United States with sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea has been recognized as a very common disorder and an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by repetitive interruptions of breathing during sleep due to the collapse of the upper airway. Sleep apnea can lead to severe health complications including hypertension, heart failure, memory impairment, motor vehicle and work accidents, decreased work productivity, and increased risk of death. The development of a novel, simple, rapid, minimally invasive method for the diagnosis and optimization of treatment of patients with obstructive sleep apnea would be a tremendous advance for these millions of patients. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging modality that can perform cross section views of tissue. OCT is analogous to ultrasound except that imaging is performed with light instead of acoustic waves. OCT is non invasive and non ionizing allowing study over lengthy periods during both sleep and wakefulness. Conventional OCT which is based on time domain technique has very limited imaging speed which precludes its use in real-time, dynamic monitoring and large volume detection. Researchers at the University of California have developed a technique including the step of combining a narrow line-width sweptsource based Fourier domain OCT (FDOCT) system with an endoscopic probe to enable an ideal upper airway imaging technology which is low-cost, compact, noninvasive, non-ionizing, dynamic (to visualize apneic events), suitable for supine position study, and capable of high resolution three dimensional images. This technology provides a mechanism for dynamic evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a novel method for capturing cellular resolution images of biological tissue at depths of up to several millimeters. Conventional fluorescence detection methods utilize microscope objectives for emission light collection, a less effective approach that is only capable of imaging up to one millimeter deep.To improve upon this standard, the UC researchers minimized light losses by optimizing the system’s excitation and detection optics. (more...)

This invention is a portable alveolar oxygen and carbon dioxide meter that shows the concentration or partial pressures of oxygen and/or carbon dioxide in the alveolar gas in the depths of the lung. It is the first portable oxygen meter and would compete only with pulse oximeters. However, pulse oximeters measure the oxygen saturation of the hemoglobin in the blood and this type of measurement does not give an accurate estimate of the alveolar oxygen content of the lung. Alveolar content is important information, useful in assessing the efficiency of respiration, especially the level of ventilation. (more...)

Lipid bilayers have previously been fabricated through droplet methods difficult to scale up and control in bulk fabrication processes. Although these methods have been inventive in their formation technique, they pose problems when attempting to transition to an automated system, and they also do not allow for simultaneous characterization, and instead rely on additional tools for that process. (more...)

In recent years, robotic manipulators have proven beneficial in assisting surgeons in the performance of minimally invasive procedures with high precision and little tissue damage. Nonetheless, current robotic systems are not suitable for microsurgery procedures due to their limited range of motion, lack of tracking system, and bulky design. Furthermore, because microsurgery requires many instruments the robotic systems need to be equipped with multiple integrated arms that are capable of maneuvering different surgical instruments. (more...)

Currently operating tables have a side mounted rail on one or both sides. The rail functions as a platform for mounting hardware that may include: cameras, intravenous pumps, and monitoring devices. In more sophisticated tables, such as an angiography table, the rails also serve as a mount for table controls, c-arm controls and a working console for interfacing with the monitors. Most of these devices require a physical communication cable which runs to the foot or base of the table in addition to a separate power supply cable. Currently all the power cables are run along the floor which poses a significant safety hazard, while the communication cables attached to the table can become caught on ancillary devices and are either stretched or damaged. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a novel centrifugal-based colorimetric lateral flow assay system for detection of analytes of interest. The system consists of a low-cost and disposable plastic CD disk incorporated with a lateral flow assay that enables complex sample preparation, precise volume definition, automation, and reproducibility.The conjugation of the microfluidic CD with lateral flow membrane allows for multiplexing and semi-quantitative rapid analysis of samples of interest. (more...)

The field of the invention generally relates to methods of constructing high surface area structures using photoresist patterning in combination with electrochemical polymer deposition.The methods described herein can be used to create structures for a wide variety of applications including, but not limited to, micro-reactors, electrodes, and sensors (e.g., biosensors). (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed methods to attenuate inflammation and decrease tissue damage for patients undergoing laparoscopic prostatectomy through the use of cold irrigation to deliver preemptive local hypothermia; thus resulting in improved early post-operative urinary continence. Successful implementation has lead to the development of additional novel methods and devices that could improve upon current intraoperative and post-operative bladder cooling techniques as well as minimize collateral tissue damage in various surgical settings. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a new controllable method to fabricate functionalized carbon nanowires that can then be covalently bound to antibodies, proteins, mRNA, DNA or other reagents. These antibodies and reagents may then bind with analytes of interest in solution causing a measurable change in the electrical current. Additionally, interdigitated electrode arrays may also be fabricated by using nanowires made from this method. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a microfluidic device that has a combination of side wall and planar electrodes designed to generate magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and dielectrophoresis (DEP) forces on cells in solution. The MHD and DEP forces can separate a heterogeneous population of cells based on their different dielectric properties and sizes. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a CD microfluidic device that is capable of blood plasma separation of 2 mL of undiluted blood samples. A technician would pipette into the CD device the blood sample for separation. The device is then rotated at high frequencies in order to separate the plasma from the blood. As the frequency of rotation for the CD device is decreased, a siphon valve is primed due to the low frequency of rotation; and the plasma is separated into a collection chamber. (more...)

Microfluidics is becoming one of the most rapidly growing supporting technologies for innovation in biosciences. Microfluidic technology promises benefits such as fast analysis and integration of multiple processing steps. However, microfluidic lab-on-a-chip devices for disease diagnostics suffer from the weak link of sample preparation. Sample preparation is a major issue for diagnostic assays. Off-ship sample preparation requires expertise and equipment, which may not be readily available in resource-poor settings where the diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, or malaria are often prevalent. In addition, off-chip sample preparation may add considerable time and statistical variation to an assay. Membrane-based filters, the most common on-chip filtering mechanisms, have proven effective for single assays. However, for multiplexed analysis, the differential binding of biomarkers to the membrane material(s) prevents reliable diagnostics. Researchers at UC Berkeley are developing a low cost and easy to operate microfluidic sample preparation module that can be used for parallel diagnostics of multiple diseases. The module will take a sample of whole blood from an infected patient ranging in volume from just a few microliters (from a pin prick) to a few microliters, depending on the required statistical significance of the diagnostic assay. The processed blood sample will be outputted as plasma enriched in disease antigens and/or pathogenic nucleic acids for downstream amplification and detection. The module will not require any external reagents or off-chip sample manipulations. It can be operated on-site with minimal training, and will be made USB-compatible for easy power supply, data analysis, and storage. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed an automated microfluidic device that traps different cell populations in different chambers based on the cells’ dielectric properties. The device consists of one main channel with individual sets of electrodes in three or more different chambers. Each set of electrodes generates a non-uniform electric field that traps and therefore separates a heterogeneous cell population at different frequency ranges due to dielectrophoretic forces. These trapping chambers are intersected by channels perpendicular to the main channel. Flow along the different channels is controlled by actuating pneumatic valves. To retrieve the cells, the flow in the main channel is stopped and flow from the perpendicular channels is initiated. The trapped cells are then captured into collection wells. (more...)

Recently, a joint research team at UC San Diego developed a new model for a retinal prosthesis, applying single-photon sensitive nano-wires as artificial rods and cones within the human eye. This therapy will provide great relief to patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration and retina pigmentosa. Presently the technology is undergoing advanced testing through a partnership between UC San Diego’s Jacobs School of Engineering, Institute for Neural Computation and the Jacobs Retina Center. Additional patient trials are required, but interested parties are invited to meet the research team and learn about this exciting new technological opportunity. (more...)

UCSF inventors have developed a safe endovascular biopsy device for extraction of endothelial cells from the blood vessel wall. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) have developed a device that improves the efficiency of loading cells into microfluidic devices. (more...)

Vasectomy is the most commonly performed adult urologic procedure in the USA and is increasing carried out by non-urologist physicians. In the U.S. alone, vasectomies are performed on approximately 500,000 men per year. Worldwide, it is estimated that 35 million couples use vasectomy as a contraceptive. It is also one of the most litigated surgical procedures in the USA. Therefore, a device that facilitates this surgical procedure would help to: 1. Decrease operative time; 2. Facilitate the procedure, so as to decrease the risk of complications and failure rate. Among both urologist and non-urologist physicians, one of the most challenging aspects of vasectomy is securing the vas deferens during dissection and ligation. The “slippery” nature of this anatomic structure within the scrotum facilitates its “slipping” from grasp throughout the procedure. Whenever grasp of the vas deferens is lost, the likelihood of surgical wound complications, and operative time, increases. Furthermore, identification of the vas deferens can be challenging for some practitioners of vasectomy. Uncertainty as to whether the vas deferens has been secured and dissected increases the risk of iatrogenic injury to collateral anatomic structures and increased risk of litigation against the practitioner.  Surgical devices that address these problems are described. These can be manufactured cheaply, as disposable or reusable devices.  (more...)

A novel method for measuring the precise visual distortion experienced by an individual MD patient. This measurement is the stepping stone for the development of updateable visual aids. (more...)

A new platform to mimic the in-vivo formation of angiogenesis. (more...)

A smart conserver that responds with each breath, automatically metering out O2 as needed to meet changing patient demand. (more...)

University of California, Irvine researchers have developed a novel vacuum system for providing optimized pressure to the trachea when the trachea is being suctioned. (more...)

Novel polymeric micro- and nanoparticles with non-spherical shapes and methods of making such particles. The particles have an average diameter of about 10 nm to about 100 µm and can have a wide variety of non-spherical shapes. (more...)

Although arthroscopic surgery has revolutionized the treatment of damaged joints, the means are less advanced for assessing the extent of damage and for real-time optimization of the treatment. Various means of measuring local tissue damage include the assessment of stiffness by indentation probing and of structure by magnetic resonance, ultrasound, or optical coherence tomography imaging. However, none of these measurements test the functional interface between cartilage and bone, and few of these can be adapted for both real-time assessment and repair using existing arthroscopic devices. (more...)

BACKGROUND:   In the United States, over 1.5 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2010. It has been long established that early cancer detection is key to successful treatment. However, current methods remain non-specific and insensitive. And unfortunately, even if cancer is detected, there exists few effective cancer therapies that prevent cancer growth and progression. Treatments are needed that can home in on cancer cells and kill them before they proliferate and spread.   A key strategy for advancing the treatment of cancer is to address two large unmet needs – accurate cancer detection and effective targeted therapeutics.   TECHNOLOGY:   Investigators at UCSF have developed a COX-2 sensitive trigger molecule capable of detecting cancerous cells and releasing therapeutic agents to carcinomas and tumors. The trigger molecule has been functionalized and modified to release either activatable fluorescent moieties or anti-cancer agents upon enzymatic catalysis by COX-2, a cyclooxygenase enzyme previously shown to be expressed in a variety of tumors including head and neck, colon, lung, pancreatic and breast cancers.   When activatable fluorescent compounds, bound to the trigger molecule, undergo COX-2 directed cleavage from the trigger, they selectively label the cancerous cells within a tissue or organ. This technology has the added advantage of a high signal to noise ratio, which essential for cancer detection.   UCSF investigators have also taken advantage of the versatility of the novel trigger molecule to develop a novel targeted cancer treatment platform. They have created a method of binding anti-cancer drugs to COX-2 sensitive trigger molecules. This allows for the release of multiple drug molecules into a cancerous cell. (more...)

It is highly desirable to replicate a natural silk spinning process in an industrial setting. Natural silk fibers produced by silkworms and spiders have exceptional mechanical properties, which so far have not been matched by artificially produced silk. Furthermore, most of the artificial spinning technologies involve extremely high temperatures and pressures, as well as hazardous solvents. Spider and silkworm silk, on the other hand, is spun at room temperature, low pressures, and uses only water as a solvent. Although a lot is known about the biological mechanisms involved in the natural silk spinning process, a major roadblock toward the creation of a biomimetic spinning system has been the inability to fabricate fluidic structures on the same size scale as the silk gland (10-100 μm in a large spider). Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a biomimetic silk gland using the latest advances in microfabrication and microfluidics. The system captures the geometrical features of the native silk gland, and it uses a porous material allowing mass transport in and out of the silk solution during flow. Similar to the native spinneret, the biomimetic spinneret can alter the pH of a solution flowing through it. This invention opens the way towards replicating natural silk production in an industrial setting, and producing native-quality artificial silk. (more...)

Surgeons at the University of California, Irvine have developed a new intragastric balloon. (more...)

The data bandwidth needs of the 21st century rely on the progress of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs), which are able to provide ultra high bandwidths at low cost. PICs appeared as the result of miniaturization of discrete optical components, similar to the miniaturization of electrical components that caused a revolution in electronics. However, in case of PICs, the diffraction limit of light fundamentally restricts how small the components can be scaled. The most critical devices in PICs are electro-optical transducers, such as light sources and detectors, which convert electrical signals into optical ones and need to be fast, efficient, and integrable. While many PIC components have been successfully developed, the on-chip laser light source is still facing many challenges. Researchers at UC Berkeley invented a semiconductor plasmonic laser that surpasses the diffraction limit, offering true PIC scaling. The laser uses a hybrid plasmonic waveguide consisting of a semiconductor nanowire separated from a metal surface by a thin insulating gap. Because plasmonic modes have no cutoff, the lateral dimensions of both the device and the optical mode can be downscaled. This invention overcomes the difficulties encountered by previous attempts to use plasmons in creating a truly nano-scale laser and opens the door to constructing other types of optical transducers.  (more...)

University of California, Irvine surgeons have developed a novel trocar that may improve instrument movement and decrease instrument interaction and fighting that may facilitate single incision laparoscopic surgery. (more...)

  BACKGROUND: Regional anesthesia is performed by placing needles in specific anatomic locations of the body to administer medications (such as local anesthetics, narcotics, or steroids) near peripheral nerves. These procedures are traditionally guided by surface landmarks, nerve stimulation to evoke sensory or motor responses, loss-of-resistance to identify spaces, free flow of cerebrospinal fluid, fluoroscopy, or computed tomography scans. If not correctly identified, the needle tip can inadvertently puncture blood vessels, the lung, peritoneum, dura mater, peripheral nerves or the spinal cord, potentially resulting in injuries to patients.   Although fluoroscopy has been used to guide needle placement, exposure to ionizing radiation is an important consideration for both patients and practitioners. In addition, fluoroscopy is not generally recommended for pregnant patients. Fluoroscopy is an excellent imaging modality for identifying bony landmarks, but it does not provide identification of soft tissue structures such as nerves and blood vessels.   An increasingly popular alternative is to use high-resolution ultrasound to visualize needle placement. However, this technique is limited by poor needle tip visibility at steep angles of needle insertion. Therefore, there is a need for a technology that addresses the need for improved needle tip visibility at steep insertion angles to ultimately improve the placement of needles for regional anesthesia via ultrasound imaging.   SUMMARY: UCSF physicians have discovered a new method of design for attaining ultrasound visibility of needles and other interventional devices that works at all angles of needle insertion. The needles have been tested using commercial ultrasound scanners, and have been show to be visible at steep angles, even when the needle tip is slightly covered by bone. This new technology also reduces the need for long, shallow needle paths required to avoid steep angles. Since precise localization of the needle tip is essential to the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided interventions, this invention will reduce patient morbidity and increase the number and scope of procedures for which ultrasound guidance will be advantageous. (more...)

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is an analytical chemistry technique for rapid and accurate detection of chemicals and bioagents by scattering laser light from a sample. The Raman signals are enhanced tremendously when samples are deposited onto specially prepared metal surfaces (substrates), which create localized amplification of the laser’s electromagnetic field. The result is an enhancement of the intensity of the spectral peaks by several orders of magnitude, bringing the level of detection down to a single molecule. A good nanostructure substrate is the key to SERS applications. Silver has optimal properties for Raman scattering, but is chemically unstable, requiring complex and expensive equipment for substrate fabrication. Current SERS substrates typically cost over $100 and are not reusable. For a wide range of commercial SERS applications, better methods are needed to make nanosubstrates that are inexpensive, stable, and easy to make. Scientists as UC Berkeley developed an easy and cost-effective way of producing substrates suitable for enhancement of Raman, fluorescent, or luminescent signals. The method allows for producing bulk amounts of silver dendrites in powder form that can be used as is, attached to adhesive substrate, or compressed into a tablet. The final cost of each substrate can be substantially less than $1 because of the simplicity of the process and the low cost of the materials and reagents used. (more...)

Premature infants often require support for their breathing because of the immaturity of their lungs. One of the methods to assist their breathing is called nasal continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP. While CPAP does work in keeping the airways open, it also has a negative effect on the infant: CPAP moves air down into the stomach. When this happens, feeding, which may already be problematic in these infants, is made even more difficult because the stomachs are full of air. In the worst cases, the air build-up may cause part of the bowel to burst or perforate. There is currently no adequate method of preventing the air from accumulating. (more...)

Enzyme-based logic gates and their networks are recent developments in the field of biochemical information processing or biocomputing. Chemical logic gates mimic Boolean logic operations and are composed of chemical systems where the input and output signals are represented by concentrations of reactants and products, respectively. In particular, enzyme-based logic gates perform enzyme-biocatalyzed reactions resembling properties of Boolean logic systems. (more...)

A method to control the amount of heat generated upon application of silaceous oxide to a wound, allowing for the intentional cauterization of traumatic wounds while minimizing heat generation. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a breast anatomy imaging system that combines a position tracking system with a handheld optical imaging device. This combined technology allows the researcher and/or clinician to image cancerous versus normal breast tissue at intervals throughout the course of the therapy. A non-invasive near-infrared technology based upon diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) has been developed to quantitatively monitor tumor response to the pres-surgical chemotherapy. A tracking device associated with a handheld device can measure a region of interest in the breast tissue at each visit with approximately 1 mm system accuracy. Thus, diffuse optical spectroscopy is used to monitor tumor response in patients with locally advanced cancer throughout the course of the therapy. (more...)

This novel detection probe provides a method for determining hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels in blood plasma, enabling physicians to correlate those levels to essential (idiopathic) hypertension. Even if an individual does not yet have elevated blood pressure, because H2O2 level is directly related to the level of reactive oxygen species in the plasma, this probe can be used as an accurate predictor of risk for hypertension. Since the sensor probe delivers a simple and prompt measurement of H2O2 content without using additional chemicals, it facilitates the physician’s ability to treat patients while minimizing waste and the risk of contamination. From a broader perspective, other diseases in which free radicals have been implicated (such as arthritis, atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, and ischemia) can be assessed, once an individual has been identified as being at risk for hypertension. Other contributors to oxidative stress (such as biological and psychological stresses, smoking, and inappropriate diet) may be taken into consideration. Detection and/or quantitative assay of H2O2 may therefore be an indicator of these causes, permitting a physician to suggest course, timing, and extent of therapeutic intervention. (more...)

Fluorescent molecular rotors are molecules that exhibit a viscosity-dependent fluorescence. Because a simple mathematical relationship exists between their quantum yield and the viscosity of their environment, simple fluorescence intensity measurements can be used to obtain the viscosity of a fluid, such as blood plasma. Since the measurement method does not rely on mechanical means, this tool offers major advantages: low-volume measurements and real-time viscosity monitoring. Furthermore, unlike mechanical viscosity measurements, the accuracy of fluorescent measurements is not affected by errors introduced at the liquid-air interface or by material deposition at the instrument surfaces. Finally, the time-consuming process of cleaning a large apparatus between measurements becomes unnecessary, as one needs merely to discard a disposable capillary tube. UC San Diego researchers have improved rotor-based viscosity measurements by adapting the molecular rotors in such a way as to allow the measurement of turbid liquids, such as whole blood. (more...)

Researchers in the School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego, have developed a large-surface-area, high density array of titanium oxide nanotubes or titanium oxide covered nanopores.  It has been demonstrated by these researchers that these nanostructures enhance cell adhesion to the substrate and exhibit accelerated cell growth kinetics.  Moreover, application for biomaterial implants provide improved stability, biocompatibility, and mechanical lock-in reliability at the implant-cultured bone/cell interface. These inventive structures are useful for rapid production of healthy cells, such as liver cells, bone cells, and stem cells.  Application to dental implants and toxicity testing of drugs is obvious.  This technology is in early-stage development, but licensing is presently available. (more...)

Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a nanotube surface on titanium oxide (TiO2) that markedly accelerates the growth of cells. This biocompatible material can be used to coat the surface of orthopedic implants to permit a stronger bond with bone as well as accelerate healing. Early experimental results with cells in culture show strong cell adhesion with significantly enhanced formation of cells and associated growth. Economical and convenient fabrication of the nano-structured substrate material has been demonstrated in the laboratory. (more...)

Monitoring vital physiological data, such as blood pressure, oxygen, and temperature levels, is imperative to treatment of diseases. Recent advancements in MEMS technology have enhanced the performance of sensors, but typically monitor only one physiological sign. (more...)

Current endovascular procedures for the treatment of vascular diseases use a number of metallic devices including guidewires, stents and coils. A popular material for these metallic devices is NiTi and CoCr. Although this material is commonly used, it has several limitations. First, the device generates friction during the installation procedure as the device rubs against the plastic catheter used during installation. A second problem is that once a metal device is placed in an artery, the patient needs to be on blood thinning medications for a long time. This problem can be mitigated by covering the device with native tissues and cells. (more...)

Biological tissues such as skin and arterial walls contain various endogenous fluorophores such as NADH, collagen, elastin, and flavins uniquely characterized by their fluorescence properties. These proteins can be markers of diseases and cause the skin of diseased patients to fluoresce differently from that of a healthy individual. Consequently, fluorescence of the skin has been proposed as a means of diagnosing pathologic tissue. (more...)

Currently, anal cytology screening is accomplished using one of the following collection tools: Dacron swab or cytobrush. Dacron swab often yields scant cellularity while the cytobrush, designed for cervical specimen collection, can be uncomfortable for anal epithelial specimen collection. These inadequacies necessitate the development of a device tailored for the collection of anal epithelial cells that keep patient comfort in mind. (more...)

UCSF cardiologists have developed a novel topical anesthetic composition that facilitates radial artery cannulation. This composition can be delivered either as a topical cream or through a transdermal patch and can be co-marketed with radial catheterization sheaths and cannulaes to increase product appeal to clinical users. In clinical trials, this novel composition causes local increase of the arterial diamter (by 25% or more for at least 30 minutes) and provides local anesthesia in the patient, without inducing undesirable systemic effects, thus enabling clinicians to insert radial arterial catheters with greater ease, reduce the risk of spasm, and reduce pain experienced by patients undergoing this procedure.  (more...)

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MR perfusion imaging based on arterial spin labeling (ASL) uses arterial blood water as the endogenous contrast agent, making possible for this non-invasive procedure to be widely available at relatively low cost. To date, most perfusion studies carried out by MRI have obtained perfusion maps that include contributions from all the arteries feeding the brain. In perfusion territory imaging, blood in individual or groups of feeding arteries are tagged separately and the images acquired map the vascular distribution of those feeding arteries. A researcher at UC San Diego has developed a non-invasive mapping approach of perfusion territories using MRI. It allows one to place a person in an MRI scanner, without the use of any exogenous agents, and map the tissue regions that are supplied with blood from different feeding arteries in a time-efficient manner practical for clinical applications. Compared to the pulsed methods developed for this use by others, the UC San Diego’s pseudo-continuous tagging approach is superior in four ways: • Higher SNR • Better vessel selectivity • Flexibility in tagging geometry • Potential for separation of vascular territories above the Circle of Willis in the brain The relative tagging efficiency for each vessel is measured directly from the ASL data and is used in the decoding process to improve the separation of vascular territories. High SNR maps of left carotid, right carotid, and basilar territories are generated in six minutes of scan time. Software has been developed on a GE MRI scanner and can be adapted to other MRI scanners. (more...)

Delivery devices and methods are used in humans for spinal delivery of cells, drugs, or vectors. The patient population may include patients with spinal traumatic injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, spinal ischemia, and any other spinal neurodegenerative disorders that require spinal cell, vector, or drug delivery. Current conventional methods require multiple injection sites to make multiple, localized substrate deliveries. (more...)

Luciferase is an enzyme that produces light by catalyzing the conversion of luciferin to oxyluciferase in the presence of ATP and molecular oxygen. The ability of luciferase to produce light has made it an attractive enzyme for use in a wide variety of bioluminescent assays. These assays offer high sensitivity of detection, low background, and versatility of use. While native luciferase is difficult to isolate and is easily denatured, recombinant luciferase can be stably and easily produced in vitro and in vivo. In addition, hybrid proteins containing luciferase covalently attached to another unrelated protein are easily generated. These dual-function hybrid molecules can be used for bioluminescent binding assays, as molecular reporters, etc. In addition, recombinant luciferase can be mutated to generate enzymes with altered light emission properties. (more...)

In brain imaging, one is required to make a choice between methods that either rapidly detect neuronal activity changes (high temporal resolution) or that yield a precise anatomical image (high spatial resolution). EEG and MEG directly measure electric or magnetic fields associated with neuronal currents (nc) with the highest temporal resolution, but they record only superposition of activity in brain structures near the surface of the scalp, which results in substantial spatial uncertainty of the sources of activity. Alternatively, one can use fMRI, a high spatial resolution method, to measure activity arising from deep brain structures. However, fMRI is an indirect measure of neuronal responses, which uses changes in regional deoxyhemoglobin concentration as a proxy for brain activation and is limited by poor temporal resolution. Ideally, one would want to merge these capabilities into a method with high temporal and spatial resolution that can directly measure activity in the entire brain. (more...)

Such diverse fields as nano-materials, biomatrices, and semi-conductors are all challenged by the need to generate materials with such desired features as surface compatibility, size, shape, and hardness. Answers to these common issues may be addressed by understanding how nature solves similar problems. (more...)

The present invention relates to a hearing device and, more particularly, to a device that can mechanically drive the ossicular chain while being located  in the ear canal. (more...)

The present invention is related generally to a method for screening subjects to determine those subjects more likely to develop diabetes by quantization of insulin producing cells. The present invention is also related to the diagnosis of diabetes to monitor disease progression or treatment efficacy of candidate drugs. (more...)

Detection and quantification at the level of single molecules is the ultimate goal of analytical assays. This sensitive, platform technology could transform diverse fields, from environmental monitoring and medical diagnostics to the fundamental studies of chemical and biochemical processes. The early potential of synthetic, ion channel-forming peptides was has not been realized; one factor of many has been the inability to translate the technology to low cost, large scale production of stable and portable devices. The absence of generalized modalities for sensing a broad range of analytes left few incentives to clear the hurdles. (more...)

Instrument tracking and inventory control are burgeoning areas in hospital device development as safety initiatives and economic pressure for improved efficiency prompt hospitals and their insurers to develop improved means to satisfy rapidly evolving criteria. By combining expertise and observation in the operating room (OR) with chemistry and nano-engineering advances outside the OR, UC inventors have developed a proprietary, automated system that can scan and control a wide variety of materials that are routinely used in the surgical theater. (more...)

Retraction of tissues or organs during surgical procedures can be complicated by trauma or damage to the tissue as a result of the rigid or sharp devices used in the process. This can result in complications such as bleeding or other fluid and tissue leakage. In order to address this concern, inventors at UCSF have developed set of new surgical devices, vacuum actuated surgical retractors, which atraumatically retract tissues such as tumors, organs, or even foreign objects from a patient. The retractors are useful for both conventional and videoscopic surgical procedures. Further, the retractors allow operations to be performed more easily and efficiently, through smaller incisions and in less time than with other devices. The vacuum activated retractors should be easily applied to a large variety of surgical techniques including biopsies, breast, endocrine and oncology. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California have developed a fiber-based spectroscopic technique that can be used to quantify optical properties in superficial layers of tissue. (more...)

The most common method for manufacturing polyolefins and their derivatives is by polymerization of olefin monomers with Ziegler-Natta catalysts or by the use of free radical, nucleophilic, or electrophilic initiators. Although one can achieve high molecular weights with these methods, the resulting products are often polydisperse. Many types of polymers are very difficult, if not impossible to manufacture by olefin polymerization. (more...)

A complication of using a cryogen gas to provide cooling during laser irradiation of biological tissues is the formation of ice crystals. This formation of ice on the tissue surface causes two major problems: 1) it decreases the incident light dosage due to optical scattering by the cryogen-ice layer, and 2) it decreases the cooling effectiveness of the cryogen because cryogen becomes trapped in the ice and cannot easily evaporate. (more...)

Ten percent of the general population suffers from hearing loss and that number rises to thirty five percent for people over sixty-five years of age. However, current digital hearing aids and cochlear implants to ameliorate hearing loss have their disadvantages. Some of these include high power consumption and long processing time associated with a large number of channels which increases its cost and size and limits its utility. (more...)

The ability to resist nonspecific protein adsorption (protein resistance) is an indicator of a material's biological inertness or biocompatibility. Protein resistant biomaterials such as the commonly used poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) have been used in a number of applications such as prostheses, contact lenses, implanted devices, microfluidic systems, drug delivery, and substrates for assays. However PEG has two major limitations. First PEG can only be functionalized at the chain ends, and second PEG is not biodegradable. (more...)

Diabetes is a condition that affects blood vessels throughout the body, particularly in the kidneys and eyes. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes and is the leading cause of new blindness in the United States. Diabetic retinopathy results when diabetes affects vessels in the eyes, producing abnormalities such as microaneurysms and hemorrhages. These abnormalities are the same color as that of blood vessels, causing some areas of the normal blood vessel system in the retina to be erroneously classified as defects. Automated systems for detecting diabetic retinopathy have been plagued by high false alarm rates. Performance reported from prior systems using a matched filter response was below the level of a human operator. (more...)

Endoscopes with a soft insertion unit can be inserted into the lumen of a body cavity to diagnose problems located in a deep region in the body cavity without the necessity of incision and can also be used to guide treatment appliances to a desired location within the body cavity. In the past, medical practitioners have needed to use radio-opaque markers or contrast either in the patient or on the instruments (or both) in order to visualize instrument placement under fluoroscopy. Visualization of conventional guidewires using fluoroscopy not only requires bulky equipment, but also may expose both the patient and the surgical team to X-ray irradiation. In cases where x-ray exposure under fluoroscopy is contra-indicated or where the scheduling of procedures to occur in radiology is economically or logistically discouraging, alternative measures are needed for positioning a variety of surgical instruments and monitoring the positions and configurations of those instruments. (more...)

Microscopy is an important tool used by all researchers in the scientific community. Often, a microscope user will first scan the specimen with a low power dry objective and then wish to switch to an oil, water or glycerin immersion objective to increase optical resolution. In other cases, a user might want to scan a large area, i.e. a multiple-well plate, and would need to replace the immersion media as it is sheared away from the objective lens. In the case of inverted microscopy, both of these examples pose a problem for maintaining the integrity and position of the specimen because the user is required to remove the sample from the stage for application of the immersion media. This procedure is time consuming and difficult to reposition the sample after the immersion fluid is delivered. A more effective method would involve delivery of the immersion media without removing the sample. (more...)

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been used for high resolution optical imaging in many areas of medicine, especially ophthalmology. "Conventional wisdom" was that OCT could not be done through flexible fiber bundles. Indeed, the use of flexible fiberoptic bundles to deliver OCT directly to a tissue sample has not been previously achieved. (more...)

Ultrasound imaging may be used to produce a 2D image of the body's internal structures. However, since blood is much less (1000x less) echogenic than tissue, small vessels, blood pool volume and blood flow all are difficult, if not impossible, to image using traditional ultrasound techniques. Researchers discovered, however, that by introducing micro-bubbles (USCAs) into the circulation many of the limitations surrounding blood imaging could be overcome. Of the recent developments in ultrasound imaging, undoubtedly one of the most promising is the use of targeted contrast agents. Ligands to biologically active molecules are incorporated into the shells of the USCAs, causing them to adhere to and accumulate at the tissue expressing the complementary proteins, allowing researchers to visualize sites of for example, inflammation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis. Conventional methods used to produce microbubble suspensions rely on simple agitation (e.g., shaking and sonication) to entrain a portion of the bulk gas phase into the bulk aqueous phase. The random nature of this homogenization process generally result in a highly polydisperse distribution. Thus a large portion of the contrast agent population is effectively wasted, reducing the sensitivity of the imaging system. (more...)

Large scale confinement chambers have been created in the past using traditional glass-blowing techniques. However, conventional glass-blowing can only be used to create large components and requires the components to be made one at a time. Micro-glass spheres have previously been fabricated by letting glass particles fall through a temperature-controlled drop tower. While it is possible to create hollow spheres by introducing a blowing agent in the glass, these micro-spheres are not attached to a substrate and are therefore difficult to integrate with micro-machined components on a wafer. (more...)

Large scale confinement chambers have been created in the past using traditional glass-blowing techniques. However, conventional glass-blowing can only be used to create large components and requires the components to be made one at a time. Micro-glass spheres have previously been fabricated by letting glass particles fall through a temperature-controlled drop tower. While it is possible to create hollow spheres by introducing a blowing agent in the glass, these micro-spheres are not attached to a substrate and are therefore difficult to integrate with micro-machined components on a wafer. (more...)

The determinant factor for the successful applications of delivering drugs is to develop a non-viral and efficient carrier. Cationic lipid based liposomal carriers are the most attractive non-viral solution. Advantages of liposomal vectors include safety, lack of immunogenicity, ability to package large DNA molecules and ease of preparation. However, the conventional processes for catatonic lipids and DNA complex formulation are normally irreproducible. (more...)

An important issue in laser treatment of cutaneous lesions is to protect the epidermis from thermal damage. This heating, which is primarily caused by light absorption in the melanosomes, can easily bring the temperatures of the basal layer above the threshold damage value of 65-70 degrees C. Pre-cooling of the epidermal basal layer from the ambient value of 35 degrees C to 0 degrees C increases the optical radiant exposure that can be safely delivered by a factor of two. Currently, selective epidermal cooling can be obtained by using a liquid spray of the cryogen R-134A (tetrafluoroethane) for 30-100 ms immediately before laser exposure. However, R-134A has a Global Warming Potential of 1,300 (GWP) and will soon be banned as refrigerant in Europe with the possibility of a future ban in the U.S. Thus a low GWP value substitute is needed. (more...)

The ability to deliver drugs locally to the site of need and over a prolonged period of time is important as a therapeutic method for many ailments and diseases. Many drugs are more effective if delivered at a specific site since they can be delivered in concentrated dosages at the point of interest, while maintaining an overall low dosage within the total body. Some drugs require delivery in places that are inconvenient for injection. For example, the highly invasive nature of the treatment and limitations in controlling an effective drug concentration in the eye for age related macular degeneration (AMD) over a prolonged period of time still leave these delivery methods far from ideal. Small, programmable drug delivery implants would be a highly valuable alternative. The current state of art does not provide a satisfactory way to construct a small device that can deliver a time dependent profile of drug dosing. A device that can be readily constructed to produce a desired time dosing profile would be desirable. (more...)

Microelectrical-mechanical systems (MEMS) are miniature mechanical devices intended to perform non-electronic functions such as sensing or actuation. These devices are typically built from silicon using lithographic techniques borrowed from the semiconductor industry. This manufacturing technique is expensive and limited. Furthermore, almost all micromachined devices must eventually be placed in a protective housing so that electrical connections can be made to the devices, and to protect the devices. This is troublesome for MEMS devices because they are fragile and so extreme care must be taken to move them from their fabricated substrates (e.g., wafers) to micro-electronic packages. It is well known that 60%-80% of the final cost for a MEMS device is from the costs associated with packaging. (more...)

In biomedical research, controlled modulation of physiological functions of various excitable cells such as skeletal, cardiac and neuronal cells is important. The information derived from activation of these excitable cells under different chemical environments can lead to the evaluation of therapeutic drug efficacy. Further, there is a need for controlled poration of exogenous materials/genes into living cells. Various electrical, chemical and optical methods are recently being pursued to realize this goal. However, chemical methods cannot modulate cells in localized spatial locations with high temporal resolution since it requires control of fluid flow into or from the desired regions with high precision. While light beams can be spatially configured to excite and transfect several cells in parallel, the high laser power requirements and low throughput has been a hindrance to its applicability. Use of multiple electrodes for excitation, and poration of cells is limited due to lack of the ability to reconfigure the electrodes in real time and also due to the complicated fabrication process. (more...)

SPI is one of the most popular bus interfaces between a microcontroller and a peripheral device. However, system designers often overlook a bottleneck, which uses SPI inefficiently when transferring between two slave devices. Our technique eliminates this bottleneck with very simple hardware, and this should be of interest to manufacturers of microcontrollers. Peripheral devices would not require any modifications and can be used just as before. (more...)

Laser scissors use lasers to alter and/or to ablate intracellular organelles, cellular and tissue samples, and today has become an important tool for cell biologists to study the molecular mechanism of complex biological systems. Single cells or groups of cells have been perforated for injection of exogenous materials, induction of DNA damage in cells, micro-dissection of neuronal processes, as well as other intra-cellular organelles such as chromosomes or microtubules. Clinically, laser scissors have been used to reduce the thickness of the zona pellucida layer of the ovum in order to improve human in vitro fertility. In these applications, either a scanning stage or scanning mirror was used to scan a region in a single cell or group of cells for micro-processing. This method is expensive and requires complex control of the scanning beam via computer. In addition, the processing time can be lengthy and reduces the throughput of the laser microbeam system. (more...)

An IC-processed microneedle including an interface region and shaft. A shell defines an enclosed channel to form the shaft. The shaft has ports to permit fluid movement therethrough. Microheaters, microdetectors and additional devices may also be fabricated on the microneedle. The small diameter minimizes trauma to the patient yet retains sufficient strength to effectively penetrate biological tissue. The microneedle also permits real-time analysis of a fluid sample. (more...)

To date, syringe pump feedback control has required a pressure sensor or a flow sensor located close to the syringe in the system. In many applications, this is not possible or is inhibited by cost. Typical syringe pumps range in price from $2500-$4000, and those in the $500 range suffer from extremely poor performance where the fluidic time constant is large. To address these problems, Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a novel feedback controlled syringe pump with no wetted feedback components. Their design enables the measurement of flow as well as pressure and includes hardware and software components. (more...)

Many research inroads have been made into understanding data from human brain activity. New brain assessment devices beond classing EEG data, such as MRIs and PET scans, have increased this available data stream. However, the information is often only inferentially related to specific brain activity. There is an important need for individuals with limited physical capacity to control devices and communicate with others. Work towards this end has been persued in BMI research. There is the potential in brain activity sensing devices to provide these capacities by other means as well. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have made important strides in accomplishing these goals with software which can identify natural images from human brain activity. This provides an opterunity for a visual BMI. An encoding model is constructed that describes how visual stimuli are represented in the pattern of activity across visual cortex. The activity that the image produces in visual cortex has proven out to be systematically related to the particular visual stimulus that is being viewed at any point in time. Currently, the system identifies the image from a large, known set of potential images. The UCB model is a variant of those that have been developed by the sensory neuroscience community over the last 50 years. The current research suggests that fMRI-based measurements of brain activity contain much more information about underlying neural processes than might have been expected. In fact so much information is available in these signals that one day it may even be possible to reconstruct the visual contents of dreams or visual imagery. To identify which of the images elicited the measured activity the decoder scans through all possible images, and for each image it predicts what pattern of brain activity should have been elicited if that image had actually been seen. Then the decoder simply chooses the image whose predicted brain activity is most similar to the measured brain activity. The current research is described in Nature Letters, Vol. 452, March 2008. Decoding visual content is conceptually related to the neural-motor prosthesis BMI work build a decoder that can be used to drive a prosthetic arm or other device from brain activity. While the current research is focused on visual perception, other sensory systems, such as touch, taste, hearing, etc, are also amenable to analysis using the innovative software. The potential use of this technology in the legal system brings with it most of the problems that are already known regarding eyewitness testimony. UCB investigators for this innovation are: Jack Gallant, Thomas Naselaris, Kendrick Kay, and Ryan Prenger. (more...)

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have developed a method of fabricating a thin film filter membrane composed of polycrystalline silicon wtih a surface roughness approximately equal to the membrane thickness. Under the fabrication process developed at Berkeley, pores form with lateral dimensions smaller than those of the silicon grains, typically in the 10 nanometer to 50 nanometer range. (more...)

Novel Device for Treatment of Swallowing Disorders (more...)

Mathematical Modeling of Skeletal Muscle Forces and Limb Motions during Functional Electrical Stimulation (more...)

Real-time Continuous and Direct Measurement of Aqueous Outflow Resistance (more...)

In 2007, diabetes accounted for $174 billion in health-care costs, with 20.8 million Americans diagnosed with this disease. Type I diabetes comprises up to 10% of diabetes mellitus cases in North America. Intensive insulin therapy can help reduce the risks of developing complications like neuropathy, nephropathy and ketoacidosis, but it requires three or more insulin injections or use of an external insulin infusion pump. We currently have excellent insulin infusion pumps, and continuous glucose sensors are now sufficiently accurate to be used to regulate insulin delivery. What is missing is a program (algorithm) to regulate insulin delivery based on the signal from a continuous glucose sensor. In addition, the risk of nocturnal hypoglycemia is still high. (more...)

In 2007, diabetes accounted for $174 billion in health-care costs, with 20.8 million Americans diagnosed with this disease. Type I diabetes comprises up to 10% of diabetes mellitus cases in North America. Intensive insulin therapy can help reduce the risks of developing complications like neuropathy, nephropathy and ketoacidosis, but it requires three or more insulin injections or use of an external insulin infusion pump. We currently have excellent insulin infusion pumps, and continuous glucose sensors are now sufficiently accurate to be used to regulate insulin delivery. What is missing is a program (algorithm) to regulate insulin delivery based on the signal from a continuous glucose sensor. In addition, the risk of nocturnal hypoglycemia is still high. (more...)

 Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) is an optical analysis technique that can provide molecular identification and quantification by recording a spectrum that displays characteristic vibrational fingerprints of molecules or parts of molecules. SERS is potentially among the most sensitive analysis techniques with molecular identification capabilities and has the benefit of extraordinary sensitivity. In the past, however, SERS platforms have been highly technical preparations. (more...)

 While many assays exist for the detection of DNA, RNA, proteins and other molecular targets, most sensors require sample purity and rigorous controls available only under ideal laboratory settings. These constraints significantly dampen the effectiveness of most reported sensing technologies for real world applications. Rapid, accurate and cost-effective sensors that can quickly identify and quantify targets within contaminated samples would provide a critical tool for diagnostics, forensics, food safety, water/soil testing, civil defense, and other applications. (more...)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) are anatomical and biochemical imaging techniques, respectively, which depend on the interaction of molecules with static and radio-frequency magnetic fields. MRI relies upon mapping the proton (1H) concentration of water molecules, while MRS records the 1H concentration of several water-soluble metabolites, lipids and water. Although they use different techniques, MRS can be performed with the same MRI scanner by using identical hardware and slightly modified software platforms. Because MRS can also record metabolites consisting of other nuclei, such as carbon (13C), phosphorous (31P), fluorine (19F), and sodium (23Na), it can be used to record the metabolite levels in different areas of the human body for which MRI provides the spatial coordinates for the volume locations. However, current versions of the localized one-dimensional (1D) MR spectroscopic sequences (STEAM, PRESS, ISIS, etc.) result in severe overlap of spectral peaks in the MR spectra and ambiguous assignments of metabolites. (more...)

The Pap smear has been the diagnostic screening tool of choice for the early detection of cervical cancer for over half a century, with over 50% of U.S. women tested annually. However, the procedures for sample collection, preparation, and analysis cause sufficiently poor sensitivity and specificity to give rise to significant numbers of false negative and false positive results. Two areas of Pap smear diagnosis are particularly problematic. They are Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance (ASCUS) and Atypical Glandular Cells of Undetermined Significance (AGCUS). There are approximately 250,000 AGCUS diagnoses per annum and 1.5 million ASCUS diagnoses. An indication of the problem with these diagnoses - where the oncologist is left not knowing if a dysplastic or malignant lesion is present or not - is that approximately 40% of patients who receive an AGCUS diagnosis harbor a high-grade dysplasic lesion or carcinoma. While biopsies can provide a more definitive result, they are much more expensive than Pap smears, costing $400 to $1200 to perform. To minimize the need for expensive biopsies to resolve ambiguous Pap smears, a University of California researcher has discovered that these ambiguous cell types express a certain antigen when they are derived from cancerous or pre-cancerous lesions. Using appropriate compounds for detecting the antigen, a cytologist could rapidly and economically discriminate between benign and cancerous/pre-cancerous atypical cells. Thus, this invention has the potential to find clinical application in routine screening procedures, eliminating up to 150,000 biopsies annually. (more...)

In situations such as blood transfusions and pregnancy, contact between different sources of blood makes it necessary to screen blood types to identify mutually incompatible immunogenic factors. Standard hemagglutination tests for blood typing are slower and more complicated in the case of the Rh (D) red blood cell (RBC) factor, however, since secondary reagents or enzymatic treatments have to be employed in order to give anti-Rh (D) antibodies sufficient access to the appropriate antigens. To make Rh (D) phenotyping of RBCs easier and faster, researchers at the University of California have developed a novel blood typing reagent that quickly agglutinates Rh (D) positive RBCs in a single step. The UC blood typing reagent is a recombinant protein that can directly agglutinate Rh (D) positive RBCs. Although it functions in a manner similar to natural antibodies, the UC reagent has important structural differences that overcomes the obstacles antibody/antigen interactions. With its greater speed and ease of use as compared to current Rh (D) blood typing methods, use of the UC reagent may become the method of choice among blood banks and clinical laboratories. (more...)

A complication of using a cryogen gas to provide cooling during laser irradiation of biological tissues is the formation of ice crystals. This formation of ice on the tissue surface causes two major problems: It decreases the incident light dosage due to optical scattering by the cryogen-ice layer, and  It decreases the cooling effectiveness of the cryogen because cryogen becomes trapped in the ice and cannot easily evaporate. (more...)

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis infects 30% of people with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is the most common ocular opportunistic infection and the leading cause of blindness in AIDS patients. Drugs currently available for treatment require daily systemic intravenous administration. While effective initially, they only prolong the time before the infection reappears rather than permanently suppressing it. In addition, these drugs have serious systemic toxicities. Scientists at the University of California have developed a new approach, using photosensitizing agents, for treatment and improving the control of viral retinitis and other ocular viruses. This new technique presents a radical departure from current therapies for ocular pathogenic viruses and has significant potential for improved treatment of these diseases while minimizing systemic toxicity. (more...)