A method and system is provided for determining a discrimination index in a subject that may be suffering from or at risk for a stress-induced psychiatric disorder. The discrimination index may be equal to a ratio of a subject's cued fear response and non-cued fear response measured during a fear-potentiated startle (FPS) paradigm. Such a value may allow a physician or researcher to quantify how well a subject discriminates between signaled (cued) fear and un-signaled (non-cued) fear, which may be a biomarker for psychiatric disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, phobias, and/or generalized anxiety disorder. The determined discrimination index may provide a standardized way of diagnosing and evaluating mental illnesses, more uniform treatment of patients, and/or more precise monitoring and evaluation of treatment efficacy.

A photoacoustic remote sensing system for imaging a subsurface structure in a sample, comprising exactly one laser source configured to generate a pulsed or intensity-modulated excitation beam configured to generate ultrasonic pressure signals in the sample at an excitation location, and an interrogation beam incident on the sample at the excitation location, a portion of the interrogation beam returning from the sample that is indicative of the generated ultrasonic pressure signals, an optical system configured to focus the excitation beam and the interrogation beam below a surface of the sample, a detector configured to detect the returning portion of the interrogation beam, and a processor configured to calculate an image of the sample based on a detected intensity modulation of the returning portion of the interrogation beam from below the surface of the sample.

A system and method for determining the pH of tissue in vivo. A Raman spectrometer is used to collect Raman spectra from the target tissue. The Raman spectra are baseline subtracted and assessed to determine the concentration of HPO.sub.4.sup.−2 and H.sub.2PO.sub.4.sup.−1 for the purposes of calculating the pH. The approach was validate in vitro using PBS solutions of known pH. The approach was confirmed in vivo using rat and swine models by probing the immediate vicinity of a contusive spinal cord injury (SCI) in the first minutes and hours after injury. Using a dynamic analysis and the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, the average of (N=12) noninvasive Raman-based pH measurements of CSF was 7.073±0.156 and at >95% confidence there is no statistically significant difference between the Raman-based and the physically sampled results.

A reusable and electrochemically active device 100 is provided comprising, detachable electrode arrangement including working electrodes 101a, 101b, 101c, 101d and a counter electrode 102 that are functionalised with selected electrochemically active receptor(s) that can interact with at least a target bioanalyte. Fluid transportation channels 108a, 108b, 108c, 108d are formed, to receive biological samples with the at least target bioanalyte and for further transportation to the selected electrode arrangement, preferably in a sequential manner, for measuring the concentrations of the target bioanalytes. Used working electrodes 101a, 101b, 101c, 101d and a partial portion of the counter electrode 102 are detachable from the device 100. Insulating members 113a, 113b, 113c, 113d, 113e, 113f, 113g are disposed on the electrode arrangement such that the integrity of the electrical connectivity of the remaining electrode arrangement is retained even after the detachment of the used working electrodes 101a, 101b, 101c, 101d and a portion of the counter electrode 102. The present invention also provides a point-of-care biosensor 300 and a method to electrochemically measure the concentrations of multiple target bioanalytes and a single bioanalyte repeatedly.

A cannula sensing system and method include a cannula having at least one biosensor configured to detect a level of one or more biomarkers in blood within a blood vessel of a patient. The biosensors are arranged at or near a distal end of a cannula inserted within the blood vessel. The biosensor may be connected to a wire arranged on and/or within a wall of the cannula.

An introducer is provided for introducing a sensor into the body of a patient. The introducer connects to a sensor hub. When the sensor hub and introducer are connected, the introducer needle is exposed. When the sensor hub and introducer are disconnected, a needle cover and the needle move with respect to each other so that the needle cover substantially covers the needle, protecting a user from being injured by the needle.

A venous access device includes a hub and a bifurcated cannula. The hub includes a bifurcated connecting arm, a blood sampling arm connected to the bifurcated connecting arm, a fluid transfer arm connected to the bifurcated connecting arm, a blood sampling channel and a fluid transfer channel. The blood sampling channel passes through the blood sampling arm and the bifurcated connecting arm. The fluid transfer channel passes through the fluid transfer arm and the bifurcated connecting arm. The bifurcated cannula is coupled to the bifurcated connecting arm and includes a blood sampling lumen having a blood sampling port, a fluid transfer lumen having a fluid transfer port, and a dividing member separating the blood sampling lumen from the fluid transfer lumen. The blood sampling port is 2 mm to 20 mm proximal from the fluid transfer port. The blood sampling channel is fluidly connected to the blood sampling lumen, and the fluid transfer channel is fluidly connected to the fluid transfer lumen.

The disclosure provides a method for cleaning an implanted medical device. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a medical device including a membrane; wherein the membrane comprises a thermoresponsive hydrogel including N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) or poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm), and a volume phase transition temperature (VPTT). The method also includes implanting the medical device into a target area; wherein the membrane temperature is maintained at substantially the same temperature as the target area; wherein temperature fluctuations within the target area that approach, meet and/or exceed the volume phase transition temperature induce deswelling or relative deswelling in the membrane and temperature fluctuations within the target area that are relatively lower and/or approach and/or fall below the volume phase transition temperature induce swelling or relative swelling in the membrane.

In some examples, a device includes a catheter insert elongated body defining a body lumen, the catheter insert elongated body being configured to be at least partially inserted to a catheter lumen defined by a catheter without covering a first fluid opening of the catheter and to form a fluidically tight coupling with the catheter, and one or more sensors positioned on the elongated body. At least one of the one or more sensors are configured to sense a substance of interest. The catheter insert elongated body includes a material that is a substantially non-permeable to the substance of interest.

A medical device includes a hybrid circuitry assembly and a core circuitry support structure. The core circuitry support structure includes a frame defining a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the hybrid circuitry assembly. An outer surface of the frame is shaped to correspond to an inside surface of a core assembly housing configured to enclose the hybrid circuitry assembly and the core circuitry support structure.