Methods and devices are provided for activating brown adipose tissue with targeted substance delivery. Generally, the methods and devices can activate BAT to increase thermogenesis, e.g., increase heat production in the patient, which over time can lead to weight loss and/or improved metabolic function. In one embodiment, a chemical configured to stimulate nerves that activate the BAT and/or to stimulate brown adipocytes directly can be delivered to a patient, thereby increasing thermogenesis in the BAT and inducing weight loss and/or improved metabolic function through energy expenditure. The chemical can be delivered to the patient locally and/or systemically to stimulate the nerves and/or the brown adipocytes.

A bariatric device 10 for use in inducing weight loss, comprising a cardiac element 12, a pyloric element 26, and a connecting element 25 between the two other elements, wherein the connecting element 25 provides structure between the cardiac 12 and pyloric 26 elements, keeping them largely in place and at least intermittently touching and applying pressure to the stomach's cardiac, adjacent fundic and pyloric regions, respectively, which produces a satiety signal to the user, giving the recipient a feeling of fullness and reducing his or her hunger feelings. Alternatively, the cardiac 12 and pyloric 26 elements may be symmetrical, so that the device can orient itself either way in the stomach and still achieve the weight loss function. Alternatively, the cardiac 12 and/or pyloric 26 elements may have a restriction element to slow gastric filling or emptying, to produce a satiety signal. In any of the embodiments, the bariatric device may be made from multiple sizes or adjustable, either manually, automatically or remotely, to optimally size and/or position the device to produce the desired satiety signals and weight loss.

A system and method for reducing the likelihood of colorectal cancer in a human being includes the modification of an individual's gut microbes by employing a Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-CRISPR-associated system (CRISPR-Cas) or Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats from Prevotella and Francisella 1 (CRISPR/Cpf1) system to modify only bacterial genes of bacteria that reside in the human gut that are non-homologous to those encompassed in the human genome, and in particular, to administer a therapeutically effective amount of a bacterial formulation comprising F. prausnitzii that has been modified to produce one of alliin or butyrate.

An apparatus for treating obesity and reflux disease of an obese patient has a volume filling device to be invaginated by a stomach wall portion with the outer surface of the volume filling device resting against the stomach wall, such that the volume of the food cavity is reduced in size by a volume substantially exceeding the volume of the volume filling device. An implantable movement restriction device to be invaginated by the stomach fundus wall has an outer surface to be rested against the stomach wall in a position between the patient's diaphragm and the lower part of the invaginated stomach fundus wall, such that movement of the cardiac notch of the patient's stomach towards the patient's diaphragm is restricted, to thereby prevent the cardia from sliding through the patient's diaphragm opening into the patient's thorax.

A gastroscopic method of implanting a device for treating obesity of a patient by the device being postoperatively and non-invasively regulated to actively stretch a portion of the stomach wall of the patient to actively create a feeling of satiety. The method comprising the steps of: inserting the stretching device into the stomach of the patient through the esophagus, inserting the operation device into the body of the patient, the operation device being adapted to be connected to the stretching device, placing the stretching device in contact with the stomach wall, and fixating the stretching device to the stomach wall such that the operation device can regulate the device for actively stretching the portion of the stomach wall to actively create a feeling of satiety in the patient.

A device for treating obesity of a patient, the device comprising: at least one operable stretching device implantable in the patient and adapted to stretch a portion of the patient's stomach wall, and an implantable control unit for automatically controlling the operable stretching device, when the control unit and stretching device are implanted, to stretch the stomach wall portion in connection with the patient eating such that satiety is created.

An apparatus for treating obesity and reflux disease of an obese patient has a volume filling device to be invaginated by a stomach wall portion with the outer surface of the volume filling device resting against the stomach wall, such that the volume of the food cavity is reduced in size by a volume substantially exceeding the volume of the volume filling device. An implantable movement restriction device to be invaginated by the stomach fundus wall has an outer surface to be rested against the stomach wall in a position between the patient's diaphragm and the lower part of the invaginated stomach fundus wall, such that movement of the cardiac notch of the patient's stomach towards the patient's diaphragm is restricted, to thereby prevent the cardia from sliding through the patient's diaphragm opening into the patient's thorax.

A method for preventing infection by a virus includes obtaining a sample from a person, assaying the sample to determine whether the person has been previously infected with a predetermined virus, and if the person has not been previously infected with the virus, providing the person with a sensor positioned to detect when a person's hand approaches a predetermined distance from the person's face. By warning the person of undesired hand-to-face contacts, the person is able to reduce the incidence of related viral infections.

The present invention relates to a reflux disease treatment apparatus, comprising two or more movement restriction device segments adapted to form an implantable movement restriction device with an elongated shape that maintains cardia in the correct position. The movement restriction device has proximal and a distal end, wherein the distal end is adapted to stabilize and hold the proximal end. The invention further comprises a control device for controlling the stimulation device to stimulate the cardia sphincter. The distal end can be further adapted to treat obesity, for example by stretching the wall of the stomach or filling out a volume of the stomach.

A volume filling device for treatment of obesity is placed outside the stomach wall of the patient to reduce the inner volume of the stomach, thereby affecting the patient's appetite. By providing the volume filling device outside the stomach wall, contact with stomach acids is avoided, thereby increasing the life of the device.