mnn and a method for the detection or prognosis of a disease in the exhaled breath of a subject. X, when present is a moiety operable to target the compound to a site of interest in vivo; m is 0 or at least 1, Y is a cleavable group; L is a self-immolative linker, T is a terminating moiety, and n is 1 when m is 0 or n is at least 1 when m is at least 1, L is a self-immolative linker. The terminating moiety, T, may comprise an isotopically labelled reporter molecule or a precursor thereof. The reporter molecule is operable to be released upon cleavage of the cleavable group, Y; and the reporter molecule, upon release, is a volatile compound.
The invention relates to a method for detecting, staging, monitoring or prognosing a liver disease in a subject. The method comprises measuring the concentration of 2-pentanone, 4-methyl-1- pentene and/or 1-hexene, indole, dimethyl selenide, limonene, eucalyptol and (1- propylnonyl)benzene in a biological sample obtained from the subject.
This invention relates to methods of detecting, staging, monitoring or prognosing non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in a subject. The method comprises measuring the concentration of an exogenous substrate for an enzyme and/or measuring the concentration of a metabolite of said substrate in a biological sample obtained from said subject. The substrate is a generally recognised as safe (GRAS) compound.
A method for the detection or prognosis of cancer comprising; administering an exogenous substrate in combination with a sugar to a subject, measuring the concentration of a metabolite of said substrate in a biological sample that has been obtained from said subject. The invention extends to a kit comprising an exogenous substrate, a sugar and a device for obtaining a biological sample from a subject, and a composition comprising an exogenous compound and a sugar.
C12Q 1/54 - Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions involving glucose or galactose
G01N 33/574 - Immunoassay; Biospecific binding assay; Materials therefor for cancer
A process for the synthesis of a glycoside, comprising the step of; performing hydrolysis of a methyl ester glycoside in the presence of a base in water, to form a glycoside, wherein the propensity to reform the methyl ester glycoside is reduced. The invention also extends to methods for the detection or prognosis of cancer using a glycoside obtained by said process.
C07H 15/04 - Acyclic radicals, not substituted by cyclic structures attached to an oxygen atom of a saccharide radical
A61K 31/7012 - Compounds having a free or esterified carboxyl group attached, directly or through a carbon chain, to a carbon atom of the saccharide radical, e.g. glucuronic acid, neuraminic acid
The present techniques relate to sampling devices, and in particular to breath sampling devices. We describe a computer-implemented method of designing a breath sampling device comprising a housing through which a substantial portion of an exhaled breath passes and sorbent material which extends across a cross-section of the housing. The method comprises identifying a plurality of parameters of the device which are variable with different designs of the breath sampling device and selecting values of the plurality of parameters which maximise a global fitness value. The plurality of parameters comprises at least two of mass of the sorbent material, size of the sorbent material, thickness of the sorbent material, breakthrough volume and flowrate within the device.
A61B 10/00 - Other methods or instruments for diagnosis, e.g. for vaccination diagnosis; Sex determination; Ovulation-period determination; Throat striking implements
7.
DODECANE AS EXHALED BIOMARKER FOR EXERCISE-INDUCED ASTHMA IN CHILDREN
The invention relates to methods for predicting the response of a subject suffering from asthma or a respiratory disorder to a therapy comprising a Th2 pathway modulator and a device for use in such methods.
The present disclosure relates to sensor systems and methods for analysing fluid samples. The sensor system comprises a housing (220) having an inlet for a fluid sample to enter the housing, an outlet for the fluid sample to exit the housing, and a fluid sample path within the housing for the fluid sample to flow between the inlet and the outlet. The sensor system also comprises an ionizer (210) which is external to the housing and which is for ionizing the fluid sample at a first location on the fluid sample path to generate sample ions, an ion mobility filter (212) which is at least partially located within the housing and which is for filtering the generated sample ions at a second location on the fluid sample path, and a detector (214) which is external to the housing and which is for detecting the sample ions which pass through the ion mobility filter at a third location on the fluid sample path.
G01N 27/62 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
The present techniques relate to methods of manufacturing MEMS gas sensors, for example, an ion mobility filter which may be used as a field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry filter. The method comprises a step of providing a support with an aperture (S300, S302) and forming electrical connections (S304) in the support. The method also comprises steps of attaching an electrode layer to the support (S306) so that the electrode layer covers the aperture and forming a plurality of ion mobility electrodes (S308) by mechanically dicing through the electrode layer. Each adjacent pair of electrodes defines an ion channel between them and each electrode is separate from the adjacent electrode(s).
G01N 27/62 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
The waveform generator (10) comprises a switch (13). The waveform generator (10) comprises a transformer (15) having a primary side circuit and a secondary side circuit. The primary side circuit has a first terminal arranged to be conductively coupled to a DC voltage source, and a second terminal conductively coupled to the switch (13). The waveform generator (10) further comprises a controller (11) arranged to supply a drive signal to the switch for switching the switch between on and off states. The controller (11) is arranged to adjust the frequency of the drive signal so as to control at least one of the peak voltage and the duty cycle of a waveform generated by the waveform generator (10). The frequency of the drive signal may be adjusted as the voltage level of the DC voltage source remains constant. The frequency of the drive signal may be adjusted in response to a change in the voltage level of the DC voltage source.
H02M 7/48 - Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode
A method for the early detection and monitoring of the progression of cancer by detecting breath biomarkers is provided. The method comprises assessing the activity of an aldo-keto reductase by measuring the concentration of an exogenous substrate for said enzyme and/or measuring the concentration of a metabolite of said substrate in exhaled breath of a subject. Preferably, the cancer is lung cancer.
Mobile device (110) is disclosed. The present techniques relate to a mobile device or portable electronic device, particularly a device including a breath sampling device. The mobile electronic device (110) comprises a collection device (112) for collecting and storing a gas sample. The collection device (112) is accessible to enable analysis of the gas stored in the collection device (112). The collection device (112) comprises a mouthpiece (118) into which a user exhales. The collection device (112) further comprises a plurality of sorbent tubes (114) to collect and store the breath sample(s). Each tube (114) has a one-way valve (116) to prevent captured breath escaping.
Disclosed is apparatus for use in obtaining a breath sample from a mammalian, preferably human, subject, the apparatus comprising: a headset which is attachable to the subject; a separate suction pump; and an umbilical connecting the suction pump to the headset so as to allow the suction pump to create a lower than ambient pressure within the headset; wherein the headset comprises: a mask piece which fits over the nostrils and mouth of the subject; at least one breath sample capture device, and at least one valve to regulate the passage of gas into the sample capture device.
We describe a method and apparatus for detecting humidity using a Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry (FAIMS) system. The system may comprise an ionizer for generating ions within a gas sample, wherein each ion has an associated ion mobility; an ion filter for separating the ions by applying a compensation field and a dispersion field to the generated ions; a detector for detecting an output from the ion filter; and a processor. The processor may be configured to extract a spectrum of peak intensity of the detected output as a function of the compensation field and the dispersion field; calculate a turning point for the extracted spectrum; determine operating parameters of the field asymmetric ion mobility system; obtain, from a database, a plurality of known turning points each of which have an associated humidity and each of which were obtained using a field asymmetric ion mobility system having operating parameters aligned with the determined operating parameters; and determine the humidity by comparing the calculated turning point with known turning points.
G01N 27/62 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
A method of manufacture for a ion mobility filter is disclosed. The present techniques relate to a method of manufacturing a MEMS gas sensor, for example, an ion mobility filter which may be used as a field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry filter. The method of manufacturing an ion filter for a spectrometry system is comprised of providing a sheet of conductive material and defining a plurality of ion filters on the sheet. The definition of the plurality of ion filters is achieved by forming an electrode layer (22) for each ion filter on the sheet, wherein each electrode layer (22) comprisesat least one ion channel (28) and an isolation channel (30) surrounding the at least one ion channel (28). A support layer (24) on each electrode layer is also formed. Each support layer (24) comprises an aperture (25) at least partially aligned with the at least one ion channel (28). The ion filter is then separated. The risk of contaminants entering the at least one ion channel (28) when separating the ion filters is reduced by surrounding the at least one ion channel (28) with the isolation channel (30).
G01N 27/62 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
H01J 49/00 - Particle spectrometers or separator tubes
H01J 49/06 - Electron- or ion-optical arrangements
H01L 21/78 - Manufacture or treatment of devices consisting of a plurality of solid state components or integrated circuits formed in, or on, a common substrate with subsequent division of the substrate into plural individual devices
An Ion mobility filter (20) is disclosed. The present invention relates to but not exclusively a field asymmetric ion spectrometry filter. For example, we describe an ion filter for filtering ions in a gas sample. The ion filter is comprised of a plurality of electrodes (30a, 30b, 30c, 32a, 32b, 32c), a first ion channel (34a), and a second ion channel (34b). The first ion channel (34a) is used for filtering ions from a target chemical in the gas sample, wherein the first ion channel (34a) defines a gap between a first pair of electrodes (30a and 32a) in the plurality of electrodes (30a, 30b, 30c, 32a, 32b, 32c) and has a first ion channel gap width (d1). The second ion channel (34b) is used for filtering ions from the target chemical in the gas sample, wherein the second ion channel (34b) defines a gap between a second pair of electrodes (30b and 32b) in the plurality of electrodes (30a, 30b, 30c, 32a, 32b, 32c) and has a second ion channel gap width (d2), wherein the first ion channel gap width (d1) is greater than the second ion channel gap width (d2). Various arrangements of the ion channels in ion mobility filters are also disclosed.
G01N 27/62 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
H01J 49/00 - Particle spectrometers or separator tubes
H01J 49/06 - Electron- or ion-optical arrangements
A spectrometry system is provided. The spectrometry system has an ionizer (210) for generating ions within a sample with an associated ion mobility. The spectrometry system has an excitation source (240) for generating an excitation signal to modulate the ion mobility associated with ions from a target chemical within the gas sample. The spectrometry system has an ion filter (220) for separating the ions having modulated ion mobility from the gas sample. The spectrometry system has a detector (230) for detecting an output from the ion filter (220).
G01N 27/62 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
An ion filter (120) for filtering ions in a gas sample. The ion filter (120) has a first ion channel (132) for filtering ions from a target chemical in the gas sample. The ion filter (120) has a second ion channel (134) for filtering ions from the target chemical in the gas sample. The second ion channel (134) is separated from the first ion channel (132). A temperature control region (136) is in thermal contact with the first and second ion channels for controlling a difference in temperature between the first and second ion channels (132), (134).A method of filtering ions from a target chemical in a gas sample is also provided.
G01N 27/62 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
H01J 49/06 - Electron- or ion-optical arrangements
20.
FLUID SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ANALYSING FLUID
A sensor system comprising a housing (10) having an inlet aperture (18) through which fluid enters the housing (10) and a conditioning material (32) in the housing (10), the conditioning material (32) being adapted to control levels of a substance within the housing (10). The sensor system comprises a sensor (12) for analysing the fluid in the housing (10). The sensor system comprises circulation means (14) which is configured to alternate circulation of fluid within the housing (10) between a sensing fluid path in which the fluid is analysed by the sensor (12) and a second fluid path in which the fluid flow is conditioned. A method for analysing fluid in a housing (10) using a sensor (12) is also provided.
H01J 49/04 - Arrangements for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed, e.g. vacuum locks; Arrangements for external adjustment of electron- or ion-optical components
G01N 1/22 - Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state
G01N 27/62 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
A waveform generator (200) configured to generate two waveforms (211, 213) of opposite polarity so as to provide a voltage gain across a load (207). The waveform generator (200) has a primary side circuit comprising a first inductor (201). The waveform generator (200) has a secondary side circuit comprising a second inductor (203), a first output region (231) conductively coupled to the load (207), and a second output region (233) conductively coupled to the load (207). The second inductor (203) is inductively coupled to the first inductor (201). The first inductor (201) is conductively coupled to the first output region (231) so as to supply a first (211) of the two waveforms (211, 213) to the load (207). The second inductor (203) is conductively coupled to the second output region (233) so as to supply a second (213) of the two waveforms (211, 213) to the load (207). A system (500) incorporating the waveform generator (200) and a method of driving the waveform generator (200) are also provided.
H03K 3/57 - Generators characterised by the type of circuit or by the means used for producing pulses by the use of an energy-accumulating element discharged through the load by a switching device controlled by an external signal and not incorporating positive feedback the switching device being a semiconductor device
Disclosed is a method for collecting different selected exhaled breath samples, or fractions thereof, on a single sample capture device, the method comprising the steps of: (a)collecting a first exhaled breath sample by contacting the sample with a capture device comprising an adsorbent material; (b)collecting a second exhaled breath sample by contacting the second sample with said capture device, wherein the first and second exhaled breath samples are caused to be captured on the capture device in a spatially separated manner.
Disclosed is apparatus for collecting a breath sample from a human subject, the apparatus comprising at least a mask portion which, in use, is positioned over the subject's mouth and nostrils so as to collect breath exhaled from the subject, the apparatus further comprising movement detection means for detecting movement of the mask portion, and an alarm signal generator, which alarm signal generator generates an alarm signal if the subject's head is outside a predetermined range of acceptable orientations during collection of a breath sample, but only after the subject's head has been outside the predetermined range of acceptable orientations for a defined or measurable period of time.
Disclosed is a method of identifying if a subject is sufficiently prepared to permit successful colonoscopic examination, the method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining a stool sample from a subject having undergone preparation for a colonoscopic examination; (b) analysing the sample to detect the presence and/or amount of faecal matter, if any, in the stool sample; and (c) from the analysis in step (b), identifying whether the subject has been sufficiently prepared.
A61B 1/31 - Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes
There is provided a device (10) for collecting a breath portion from a patient for analysis, comprising a housing structure including an inlet port (30) associated with a mask structure for receiving a portion of the patient's breath, at least one sensor (22) operatively coupled to the inlet port (30) for detecting one or more parameters regarding the patient's breath, at least one collection container (20) for collecting a portion of the patient's breath received in the inlet port (30), at least one pump (28) for pumping a selective portion of the patient's breath from the inlet port (30) to the at least one collection container (20) and a control system (32) for controlling operation of the at least one sensor and at least one pump (30). The control system (32) selectively operates the pump based on sensed parameters such as CO2 and/or pressure to collect breath samples.
Disclosed is a method for selectively capturing one or more portions of a patient's breath, comprising: detect one or more parameters regarding the patient's breath duringa breathing routine; determine one or more data points from the detected one or moreparameters wherein the one or more data points identifies one or more portions of thepatient's breath to capture; and capture one or more portions of the patient's breathduring the breathing routine.
A method of quantifying the amount of at least two analytes Al and A2 comprised in a sample, comprising: • (a) adding at least one salt (S) to at least a portion (PI) of the sample comprising the at least two analytes Al and A2, • (b) ionizing at least a portion of the sample according to (a) thereby forming an analyte flow comprising the analytes Al and A2 in ionized form, • (c) separating the ionized analytes Al and A2 from each other by using at least one ion mobility separator (124), wherein the analyte flow according to (b) at least partially passes through the ion mobility separator (124), • (d) quantifying the amount of the separated ionized analytes obtained according to (c).
C07B 63/00 - Purification; Separation specially adapted for the purpose of recovering organic compounds; Stabilisation; Use of additives
C12Q 1/00 - Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions
G01N 33/50 - Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing
G01N 27/62 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
patents
