An in-vitro method for stimulating the gene expression of at least one of XOXA10, LIF, ITGB3, XOXA11 and ITGAV genes in endometrial cells comprising applying on such endometrial cells electric current waves having a sinusoidal waveform with a fundamental frequency higher than 2 MHz, preferably of about 4 MHz, for a predefined amount of time.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a portable insertion medical device (also referred to as self-collection insertion plunger device or self-collection delivery plunger device) with the design of a brush body for self-collection of a plurality of specimens from female genitalia. In one embodiment, the self-collection insertion plunger device includes a brush portion having a plurality of bristles that expand outward with a tensile strength to collect a plurality of specimens after insertion for a predetermined amount of time. In another embodiment, the self-collection insertion plunger device has a brush body with a plurality of petals and a plurality of bristles for a wider coverage in the collection of a plurality of specimens, particularly as the plurality of petals expand after insertion into female genitalia.

A method for taking a cervical or vaginal sample includes providing a sampling probe having a housing with a flange at one end and an internal step ring including a protrude follower tab near the distal end; and a shaft inside the housing with a brush and a handle, the shaft having a solid proximal section, a spirally grooved distal section, a retracting compression spring inside the housing on the spirally grooved distal section, and with the housing protruding follower tab engaging a spiral groove in the spiral groove section of the shaft; inserting the sampling probe into a vaginal canal; pushing on the handle causing the brush to protrude the distal end of the housing, with the housing follower tab engaging the shaft spiral groove, causing the shaft and the brush to rotate and take a sample; and releasing the shaft handle to retract the brush into the housing.

An everting balloon system is disclosed that can be used for biopsy within a body of a patient or animal. The everting balloon system can be used to access a bodily cavity or vessel for tissue specimen collection at specific bodily locations. The everting catheter system described simplifies the process of tissue biopsy.

A method for isolating and storing follicular content, including: repeatedly collecting follicular content including an oocyte and follicular fluid (FF) from a plurality of follicles of a female subject during a single oocyte retrieval process; storing each oocyte and follicular fluid originating from the same follicle in a separate storage compartment from the rest of the collected follicular content.

A needle employs a three-stair-stepped structure including a front-end small diameter part, an intermediate part, and a large diameter part. The front-end small diameter part and the intermediate part are in fluid communication with each other by a first tapered part, and the intermediate part and the large diameter part are in fluid communication with each other by a second tapered part. The internal diameter of the front-end small diameter part is made so as to be equal to or greater than 0.35 mm based on the allowable deformation level of a cumulus oocyte complex, the outer diameter is made so as to be equal to or smaller than 0.7 mm based on the size of a small follicle, and the inclination angle of the inclined acicular end, and the length is made so as to be 10-25 mm based on the size of a dominant follicle.

A tissue removal device includes a housing, an outer tube having a distal portion configured for transcervical insertion into a uterus, an inner tube slidably disposed within the outer tube lumen, a vacuum generation chamber disposed within the housing, a movable piston slidably disposed in the vacuum generation chamber, a collection chamber, a manual actuator moveably coupled to the housing and operatively coupled to the piston, and proximal and distal one-way valves. The outer tube has an outer tube lumen, a tissue in-take opening proximate a distal end thereof, and a proximal end coupled to the housing. The inner tube has an inner tube lumen extending from an open inner tube distal end to an open inner tube proximal end, the open inner tube distal end comprising a cutting edge configured to sever intrauterine tissue extending through the tissue in-take opening in the outer tube.

This invention provides devices and methods for self-administered noninvasive retrieval of biological materials of the uterus and cervix, and preimplantation stage embryos. The procedure uses a Uterine Device, with a receptacle of variable volume, a controller configured to change the volume of the receptacle cavity, a flexible pouch for generation of suction to facilitate their retrieval, and an Absorption Capsule, which is a surface for collection of the above biological materials. The biological materials retrieved include cells and secretions, directly from the site of pathology, not metabolized or diluted in the body fluids, allow comprehensive analysis of various biomarkers of diseases and disorders of reproduction. Information generated by analyzing these biological materials permits early diagnosis and assessment of prognosis of diseases and disorders of the female reproductive organs, irregularities of pregnancy, anomalies of the fetus in utero, and microbial infections. The preimplantation stage embryos are recovered from normal subjects or those received treatment of gonadotrophins and/or other methods for induction of ovulation or superovulation to improve the yield of ovulated oocytes (ova). Multiple ova released from the ovaries travel through the fallopian tubes, which may be fertilized with sperms made available by artificial or normal insemination (copulation). The fertilized embryos divide and differentiate further into free preimplantation stage embryos at morula- and blastocyst-stages are deposited on the Absorption Capsule. These embryos, retrieved from the Absorption Capsule and may be processed by a variety of methods routinely utilized in the Assisted Reproductive procedures, including, screening for various genomic diseases, karyotype errors of trisomy and other chromosomal anomalies, and deleterious mutations. The screening procedures may involve Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) and Trophectoderm biopsy methods. Normal embryos free of disease potential are transferred to the mothers or surrogates for further in utero development. These procedures allow prevention of human birth defects and pre- and post-natal genomic diseases by selection of disease-free normal embryos for further in utero development, and possible cure of genomic diseases at this stage, in the future.

A medical device includes an outer tubular member, a middle tubular member received within the outer tubular member, an inner tubular member received within the middle tubular member, and an engagement gear, wherein the inner tubular member is configured to be rotatable in one direction while the middle tubular member is configured to be simultaneously rotatable in an opposite direction through the engagement gear while the outer tubular member is configured to be stationary relative to both the middle tubular member and the inner tubular member.

The subject invention is related to the HVS and Pap smear testing apparatus providing Pap smear testing for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and HSV test for culture and sensitivity by doctor and patient automatically and being characterized by outer cylinder (1), head (2), interior side (3), end side (4), ring 1 (5), spiral end (6), ring 2a (7), internal cylinder 1 (8), piston cover (9), cylinder (10), protective cover (11), end part (12), outer end side (13), interior end side (14), flexible tube (15), medical tube (16), spring 1 (17), recoil cylinder 1 (18), line 1 (19.a), line 2 (19.b), ring 3 (20), ring 2b (21), spring 2 (22), internal cylinder 2 (23), ring 4 (24), hole 1 (25), tip holder (26), spring 3 (27), recoil cylinder 2 (28), hole 2 (29), circle 1 (30), coil (31), ring 5 (32), ring 6 (33), head bar 1 (34), cotton (35), empty space (36), accuracy sign (37), cone (38), circle 2 (39), black rubber (40), rear part (41), small cylinder 1 (42), wing (43), small cone (44), small cylinder 2 (45), head bar 2 (46), brush (47), ring 7 (48), brush bristle (49), sharp edge (50), and hole 3 (51).