The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for delivering and/or receiving a substance or substances such as blood, from subjects, e.g., from the skin and/or from other tissues of the body. In some cases, the device may contain a substance transfer component such as needles or microneedles, which can be inserted into the skin or another organ to deliver and/or receiving fluid or other substances from the subject. In some embodiments, the device may include an activator constructed and arranged to insert one or more substance transfer components into the skin or other organ. In certain cases, the device may also include a storage chamber for receiving a fluid received from the subject.

Methods, devices, and systems may use a kinetic model to determine physiological parameters related to the kinetics of red blood cell glycation, elimination, and generation. Such physiological parameters can be used, for example, to determine a more reliable calculated HbA1c. In another example, a method may comprise: receiving a plurality of glucose levels over a time period; receiving a glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level corresponding to an end of the time period; determining at least one physiological parameter selected from the group consisting of: a red blood cell glycation rate constant (k.sub.gly), a red blood cell generation rate constant (k.sub.gen), a red blood cell elimination constant (k.sub.age), and an apparent glycation constant (K), based on (1) the plurality of glucose levels and (2) the HbA1c level; and adjusting a glucose level target based on the at least one physiological parameter.

A medical system including a body; a first electrode; a second electrode; an electric generator; and a processing device suitable for determining an electrical characteristic that represents the capacity of the tissue of an anatomical structure between first and second contact surfaces of the first and second electrodes to conduct the electric current, and for emitting a warning signal corresponding to the determined electrical characteristic, the warning signal being intermittent. The processing device is suitable for detecting a variation in the electrical characteristic and for varying at least one variable parameter of the warning signal after a time delay, in accordance with the variation in the electrical characteristic, has elapsed.

The present invention provides methods of calibrating a fluidic device useful for detecting an analyte of interest in a bodily fluid. The invention also provides methods for assessing the reliability of an assay for an analyte in a bodily fluid with the use of a fluidic device. Another aspect of the invention is a method for performing a trend analysis on the concentration of an analyte in a subject using a fluidic device.

The present invention comprises a method for identifying the presence or absence of a pulmonary embolism using a combination of tests and brightline thresholds. The first test is a blood based test measuring D-Dimer concentration and the second test is a respiratory analysis that determines a carboximetry ratio. If the measured D-Dimer value is at or above a threshold indicative of concern and the carboximetry value is equal to or less than a carboximetry ratio threshold, pulmonary embolism is present. If the measured D-Dimer value is at or above a threshold indicative of concern and the respiratory analysis yields a carboximetry ratio greater than the carboximetry ratio threshold, test results are inconclusive and additional testing is required to determine whether a pulmonary embolism is present.

A device for supporting bone marrow reading based on image analysis includes an image acquisition unit for acquiring a bone marrow image of a subject for bone marrow reading by an imaging device; a discrimination index unit for classifying the acquired bone marrow image into a class among a plurality of classes corresponding to preset discrimination indices; and a result providing unit for providing the result read by the discrimination index unit.

This invention is in the field of medical devices. Specifically, the present invention provides portable medical devices that allow real-time detection of analytes from a biological fluid. The methods and devices are particularly useful for providing point-of-care testing for a variety of medical applications.

A control section as a tissue identification device includes: an absorbance ratio calculating section configured to calculate the ratio of an absorbance indicated by a transmitted portion of first inspection light transmitted through biological tissue to an absorbance indicated by a transmitted portion of second inspection light transmitted through the biological tissue; and an identification information generating section configured to generate identification information indicative of the type or state of the biological tissue by determining within which of a plurality of preset numerical ranges the ratio falls.

The present invention provides methods of calibrating a fluidic device useful for detecting an analyte of interest in a bodily fluid. The invention also provides methods for assessing the reliability of an assay for an analyte in a bodily fluid with the use of a fluidic device. Another aspect of the invention is a method for performing a trend analysis on the concentration of an analyte in a subject using a fluidic device.

The present invention relates to medical use of polysulfated polysaccharides and compositions thereof in the treatment of post-operative joint pain in a mammal. In particular, the invention relates to the use of the polysulfated polysaccharide, pentosan polysulfate, and compositions thereof in the treatment of aseptic persistent pain after joint arthroplasty in a mammal.