A method is for determining the effect of a selected treatment administered to a patient. The method includes acquiring VOC-emission-data of pre-treatment-target-cells-cultures and producing a pre-treatment-target cells-VOC-profile from the VOC-emission of the pre-treatment-target-cells-cultures. An MCD-target-cells-VOC-profile can be produced by inducing MCD on non-treated target-cells-cultures thereby producing post-MCD-target-cells-cultures and acquiring VOC-emission-data of the post-MCD-target-cells-cultures. The selected treatment is applied to target-cells-cultures and VOC-emission-data of post-treatment-target-cells-cultures is acquired. The treatment is determined as effective when concentration values from VOC-emission-data of pre-treatment-target-cells-cultures, of VOCs associated with the pre-treatment-target-cells-VOC-profile, are greater than concentration values from the VOC-emission-data of post-treatment-target-cells-cultures, of VOCs associated with the pre-treatment-target-cells-VOC profile and (b) concentration values from VOC-emission-data of post-treatment-target-cells-cultures, of VOCs associated with the MCD-target-cells-VOC-profile, emitted by the post-treatment-target-cell-cultures, are greater than concentration values from the VOC-emission-data of pre-treatment-target-cells-cultures, of VOCs associated with the MCD-target-cells-VOC-profile, emitted by the pre-treatment-target-cell cultures.

A method for determining the effect of at least one selected administered treatment of a metabolic, anabolic, catabolic, genetic and/or medical condition, including: acquiring VOC emission data of pre-treatment target cells cultures; producing a pre-treatment target cells VOC profile from said VOC emission data of said pre-treatment target cells cultures; producing an MCD target cells VOC profile by: (a) inducing massive cell death on non-treated target cells cultures thereby producing post-MCD target cells cultures; and (b) acquiring post-MCD target cells cultures VOC emission data relating to the target cells; applying said at least one selected treatment at least to target cells cultures; for each selected treatment, acquiring VOC emission data of post-treatment target cells cultures; and determining the effect of the selected treatment.

A gas-permeable well for use with a bioreactor may include a reinforced gas-permeable membrane. The gas-permeable membrane may include an integrated reinforcing structure such as a stainless steel mesh or perforated screen, and may include an integrated gasket or O-ring, or other regions of increased thickness. A sensor brought into close proximity to the reinforced gas-permeable membrane may take an indirect measurement of a condition of process medium on the other side of the gas-permeable membrane, such as a measurement of dissolved oxygen or carbon dioxide.

A monolithic, three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) device includes a sensing layer, a memory layer, and a processing layer. The sensing layer includes a plurality of carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNFETs) that are functionalized with at least 50 functional materials to generate data in response to exposure to a gas. The memory layer stores the data generated by the plurality of CNFETs, and the processing layer identifies one or more components of the gas based on the data generated by the plurality of CNFETs.

A method of making a sensor tag includes an initial step of printing a sensor on a portion of a substrate by a rotary screen printing process. An integrated circuit chip in then placed on the substrate. Subsequently, a non-conductive immobilization coating is provided over the integrated circuit chip to thereby produce the sensor tag.

A method for detecting freshness of a perishable item includes placing a sensor device for detecting freshness in proximity with the perishable item. An analyte of interest from the perishable item is then detected and the associated data is converted into a signal. The signal is transmitted from the sensor device to a receiving device, and data within the signal is subsequently analyzed via a software application running on the receiving device. The signal is decoded during the analysis and the decoded signal converted into information containing a unique identifier for the perishable item. The unique identifier links to any specific information of the perishable item to thereby determine a freshness data point of the perishable item and match the freshness data point with a predicted trend for spoilage of the perishable item.

A method of real-time freshness monitoring of a perishable item in a retail store, a consumer home, or within a supply chain, includes an initial step of placing a sensor device for detecting freshness in proximity with the perishable item. The sensor device comprises a sensor for detecting an analyte of interest in the perishable item, an integrated circuit for converting information detected by the sensor into a signal, and an antenna portion for receiving and transmitting the signal from the integrated circuit. The signal received from the sensor device is then analyzed via a software application running on a receiving device, and relevant information pertaining to the freshness of the perishable item can subsequently be displayed on the receiving device.

Gas exchange analysis methods and systems utilize a buffering component including a material configured to buffer water vapor in a flow of a gas, whereby fluctuations in the water vapor content in the flow of the gas are minimized or reduced in magnitude for components in the flow path. Components in the flow path may include: a gas analyzer configured to receive a flow of a gas from a first gas flow line coupled to an exit of a sample chamber and configured to measure a first concentration of an analyte of interest in the flow of the gas received in the first gas flow line from the sample chamber; the sample chamber, which is configured to hold a sample capable of adding or removing water from the gas and configured to receive the gas exiting the gas analyzer after measurement by the gas analyzer; and the buffering component positioned in the first gas flow line between the gas analyzer and the sample chamber.

Embodiments include an ingestible capsule being configured, in response to identification of an excretion marker from on-board sensor hardware, to determine occurrence of an excretion event, and in response to determining occurrence of the excretion event to modify one or more settings of the wireless data transmitter to start, restart, increase transmission power of, or increase a rate of, wireless transmission of the data transmission payload away from the ingestible capsule by a wireless data transmitter.

Embodiments include a method for detecting small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, SIBO, the method comprising: obtaining data representing a time series of readings from gas sensor hardware housed within an ingestible capsule device orally ingested by a subject, identifying the data corresponding to timing of passage through the small intestine, and determining whether or not the data indicates presence of SIBO.