| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20090137911 | Electrode Positioning - In a method and device for positioning a linear array of electrodes mounted on a distal end section of an elongated flexible member in a patient's respiratory airways at the level of the patient's diaphragm, a length of the elongated flexible member pre-determined to position the linear array of electrodes at the level of the patient's diaphragm is inserted through the patient's respiratory airways. Signals representative of an electrical activity of the patient's diaphragm (EAdi) are detected through the electrodes of the linear array, a presence or absence of ECG signal components is detected in the EAdi signals, and the position of the linear array of electrodes in the patient's respiratory airways is detected in response to the presence or absence of the ECG signal components in the EAdi signals. Also, lower esophageal sphincter activity may be detected in the EAdi signals, and the position of the linear array of electrodes in the patient's respiratory airways determined in response to the detected lower esophageal sphincter. Finally, an end-expiratory occlusion of the patient's respiratory airways may be performed to verify that the electrical activity of the diaphragm coincides with a negative deflection of the patient's respiratory airways pressure again in view of determining adequate positioning of the linear array of electrodes. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20110301482 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING CHANGES IN INSPIRATORY LOAD - A method and system for measuring changes in inspiratory load of a patient's respiratory system during mechanical ventilation. The method and system calculate a first relation between a measured inspiratory airway pressure and a measured electrical activity of respiratory muscle, and a second relation between a measured inspiratory volume and the measured electrical activity. A load index is calculated from the first and second relations. Changes in inspiratory load are determined based on the load index. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20120006327 | Method and Device for Determining a Level of Ventilatory Assist to a Patient - A method and device for determining a level of ventilatory assist to be delivered to a patient by a mechanical ventilator in response to a measure of a patient's neural respiratory drive multiplied by an amplification factor, wherein an existing predicted ventilatory assist pressure is calculated and an existing resulting pressure delivered to the patient by the mechanical ventilator is measured. The amplification factor is changed from an existing amplification factor to a new amplification factor, a new predicted ventilatory assist pressure is calculated using the new amplification factor, and a new resulting pressure delivered to the patient by the mechanical ventilator after the amplification factor has been changed is measured. The new and existing predicted ventilatory assist pressures are compared to determine an anticipated change in pressure that will be delivered to the patient, and the new and existing resulting pressures are compared to determine an actual change in pressure delivered to the patient by the mechanical ventilator. The anticipated and actual changes in pressure are compared and a decision to increase, maintain or decrease the amplification factor is delivered in response to the comparison between the anticipated change and the actual change in pressure. | 01-12-2012 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20100148118 | Method to control the dispersibility and barrier properties of dried nanocrystalline cellulose in solutions of different pH and ionic strength - A new method to control the dispersibility of dried nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) by controlling solution pH and ionic strength is provided; when stable, non-reswellable acid-form NCC (H-NCC) films are placed in concentrated sodium hydroxide solutions, they swell but do not disperse; while sodium-form NCC (Na-NCC) or other NCC films having neutral monovalent counterions readily disperse in pure water, Na-NCC films placed in hydrochloric acid and sodium chloride as well as sodium hydroxide solutions of sufficient ionic strength swell, but do not disperse; similar properties are observed for freeze-dried NCC products. The dispersibility of these NCC films is a function of the ionic strength and the identity of the electrolyte solutions to which they are exposed. NCC films are envisaged that have barrier properties in an electrolyte solution but that disintegrate or disperse when rinsed with pure water at the end of their useful lifespan. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100151159 | Iridescent solid nanocrystalline cellulose films incorporating patterns and method for their production - A new method to produce solid nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) films containing patterns by differential heating of aqueous suspensions of NCC has been discovered. When acid-form NCC suspensions are dried by heating to temperatures above 50° C., darkening of the NCC can occur, while neutral forms of NCC can produce iridescent chiral nematic films by heating to temperatures up to 105° C. Placing materials of different thermal conductivity beneath the container containing an evaporating NCC suspension results in watermark-like patterns of different iridescent colour imprinted within the film structure. Other colloidal rod-like particles can be employed in place of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), for example chitin or chitosan. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100279019 | CONTROL OF NANOCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE FILM IRIDESCENCE WAVELENGTH - A new method to control the iridescence colour of solid nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) films by ultrasound and high-shear (mechanical) energy input to the NCC suspension prior to film formation is provided. As the energy input to the NCC suspension increases, the resulting film colour shifts from the ultraviolet region towards the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum; this wavelength shift lies in the opposite direction to that caused by the addition of electrolytes to NCC suspensions prior to film formation. No additives are required to achieve the changes in colour; colour changes can also be effected by mixing two suspensions exposed to different levels of sonication. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20110183141 | DRIED NANOCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE OF CONTROLLABLE DISPERSIBILITY AND METHOD THEREFOR - Dried nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), in particular films of NCC, of controlled water dispersibility and a method to control the dispersibility of dried NCC by controlling electrolyte solution ionic strength and ion valency is described. Neutral M-NCC suspensions containing monovalent counterions (e.g., M=Na | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110290149 | REDISPERSIBLE DRIED NANOCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE - Dried forms of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) with controllable redispersibility in water are provided; lightweight and easily transportable dried acid-form nanocrystalline cellulose which can be resuspended for use in a desired application can be produced by maintaining the humidity content of the NCC within a specific, low, range; evaporated acid-form NCC suspensions with moisture contents below this range are non-dispersible and therefore can be subsequently fixed in permanently dried form; the second form is produced by exchanging the proton of the acid-form NCC for neutral monovalent counterions and freeze-drying the NCC to give a solid product which rapidly disperses when placed in water; properties similar to those of the original suspension are also obtained with a brief sonication treatment. | 12-01-2011 |
