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Show moreBackground of the invention: 1. Field of the Invention: The present invention relates to a medical ultrasound imaging system for producing images of anatomic structures. In particular, the present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system capable of producing and displaying the acoustic impedance of soft tissue, bone and the like, reconstructed from reflected pulse-echo ultrasound signals. 2. Description of the Related ArtDiagnostic imaging, based on technologies such as MRI, X-ray, CT and ultrasound, is currently performed by large, expensive equipment that often requires the patient to be brought considerable distances to special facilities. Although these techniques are non-invasive, some generate hazardous radiation that necessitates separation of the physician and technician from the patient during the procedure. Often, resolution and the ability to define a specific area under test are not satisfactory, making diagnosis difficult without further invasive exploration. The availability of a convenient and cost-effective method to image and quantitatively assess the real time status of internal injuries, growths and fractures or other defects, and to identify and define the trauma site and trauma status, would be a valuable clinical tool. It could potentially shorten hospital stays and allow earlier return to normal activities. Further, it could provide early detection of malignancies and delayed fractures or non-union of fractures, thereby allowing early introduction of appropriate therapies. This could have a considerable economic impact in those cases where long-term disability could be avoided or minimized. If such a system were available at a moderate cost, it would potentially find use in the majority of medical offices, clinics and hospitals dealing with fractures and soft tissue injuries as well as in other medical fields, including physical therapy, sports medicine, rehabilitation and geriatrics. Consequently, there has been a growing interest in recent years to develop higher resolution ultrasound imaging systems designed for specific applications. For example, a non-invasive diagnostic imaging technique capable of identifying malignancy in vivo would have a major impact on the detection and treatment of cancer. In dermatologic diagnostics, high resolution ultrasound systems have been developed utilizing transducer frequencies up to 100 MHz for imaging the layers of the skin, determining margins of small skin lesions, and characterizing non-malignant skin diseases by thickness measurements. In ophthalmology applications, such as characterization of ocular tissue, examination of eye tumors and assessment of corneal diseases, high frequency ultrasound systems have been developed approaching resolutions of 20 .mu.m.
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6200266
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Show moreField of the invention: The present invention relates to the in vivo delivery of exogenous nucleic acids to cells of multicellular organisms. In particular, the present invention relates to the delivery of exogenous nucleic acids to cells having a serpin enzyme complex receptor on their surface. Background: Functional exogenous genes can be introduced to mammalian cells in vitro by a variety of physical methods, including transfection, direct microinjection, electroporation, and coprecipitation with calcium phosphate. Most of these techniques, however, are impractical for delivering genes to cells within intact animals. Receptor-Mediated Uncompacted DNA Delivery in VivoReceptor-mediated gene transfer has been shown to be successful in introducing transgenes into suitable recipient cells, both in vitro and in vivo. This procedure involves linking the DNA to a polycationic protein (usually poly-L-lysine) containing a covalently attached ligand, which is selected to target a specific receptor on the surface of the tissue of interest. The gene is taken up by the tissue, transported to the nucleus of the cell and expressed for varying times. The overall level of expression of the transgene in the target tissue is dependent on several factors: the stability of the DNA-carrier complex, the presence and number of specific receptors on the surface of the targeted cell, the receptor-carrier ligand interaction, endocytosis and transport of the complex to the nucleus, and the efficiency of gene transcription in the nuclei of the target cells. Wu, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,320, discloses tissue-specific delivery of DNA using a conjugate of a polynucleic acid binding agent (such as polylysine, polyarginine, polyomithine, histone, avidin, or protamine) and a tissue receptor-specific protein ligand. For targeting liver cells, Wu suggests "asialoglycoprotein (galactose-terminal) ligands".Wagner, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 88:4255-4259 (1991) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,844 disclose complexing a transferrin-polylysine conjugate with DNA for delivering DNA to cells via receptor mediated endocytosis. Wagner, et al., teach that it is important that there be sufficient polycation in the mixture to ensure compaction of plasmid DNA into toroidal structures of 80-100 nm diameter, which, they speculate, facilitate the endocytic event. Direct Injection of Naked, Uncompacted DNA: The possibility of detecting gene expression by directly injecting naked DNA into animal tissues was demonstrated first by Dubenski et al, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA, 81:7529-33 (1984), who showed that viral or plasmid DNA injected into the liver or spleen of mice was expressed at detectable levels. The DNA was precipitated using calcium phosphate and injected together with hyaluronidase and collagenase. The transfected gene was shown to replicate in the liver of the host animal.
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6200801
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