METHODS OF AND DEVICES FOR MONITORING THE EFFECTS OF CELLULAR STRESS AND DAMAGE RESULTING FROM RADIATION EXPOSURE

• US 20110035158A1
• Filed: 08/06/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter Theophilos Banos
• Original Assignee: Peter Theophilos Banos
• Inventors: Burmeister, Robert Alfred, Banos, Peter Theophilos
• Granted Patent: US 11,534,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/091 Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/417 the bone marrow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4848 Monitoring or testing the effects of treatment, e.g. of medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1031 using a specific method of dose optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

Methods of and devices for detecting a measurable characteristic of the gas sample. The methods and devices are able to detect a value of or a change of measurable characteristic (e.g., such as chemical concentrations), a change of chemical compositions and/or biological responses of a living organism that are induced by a stressor. The biological responses are able to include cellular stress, damage, and immune responses. The stressor is able to include an exposure to ionizing radiation. The effects of the stressors are able to be monitored in terms of changes in the chemical concentrations and chemical compositions in an exhaled breath. The chemicals are able to function as bio-markers. The chemicals that are to be monitored are able to include nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ethane, and other molecules related to specific disease resulting from the stressor.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a measurable characteristic of the gas sample comprising:

a. receiving a gas sample containing a targeting chemical generated by a testee; and

b. determining a measurable characteristic of the gas sample before, during or after, or some combination of before, during, or after a stressor event to the testee by using an analytic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stressor event comprises exposure to radiation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the radiation comprises a medical ionizing radiation.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the gas sample comprises an exhaled breath.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the testee comprises an animal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the animal comprises a human.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the targeting chemical comprises nitric oxide.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the targeting chemical comprises carbon dioxide.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the targeting chemical comprises carbon monoxide.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the targeting chemical comprises nitrous oxide.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising correlating the change with the stressor event, such that an effect of the stressor event is able to be determined.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising initiating or optimizing a therapy to the testee, wherein the therapy does not use the stressor event.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising adjusting the stressor event to optimize a therapy to the testee, wherein the therapy uses the stressor event.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the stressor event comprises adjusting a dosage of the stressor event.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the optimization of the therapy comprises improving a prognosis, outcome, or a combination thereof of the therapy.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the optimization of the therapy comprises altering a dosage in real time while applying the stressor event.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurable characteristic comprises a quantity.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the quantity comprises a mass, an amount, or a concentration of the targeting chemical in the gas sample.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the quantity comprises a flow rate or a volume of the gas sample.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the quantity is performed before the stressor event.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the quantity is performed after the stressor event.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the quantity is performed during the stressor event.

23. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining a change of the quantity caused by the stressor event.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein determining the quantity is performed before and during the stressor event and determining the change of the quantity is performed during or after the stressor event.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein determining the quantity is performed before and after the stressor event and determining the change of the quantity is performed after the stressor event.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein determining the quantity is performed during and after the stressor event and determining the change of the quantity is performed after the stressor event.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the stressor event comprises exposure to a chemical agent, a toxin, or any combination thereof.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the stressor event comprises exposure to an infectious organism.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the stressor event comprises exposure to a chemotherapy.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the targeting chemical comprises acetone, acetaldehyde, ammonia, butane, carbon monoxide, carbon disulphide, carbon dioxide, carbonyl sulfide, ethane, ethanol, ethylene, hydrogen, an H/D isotope, hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen cyanide, 8-isoprostane, isoprene, methane, methanethiol, methanol, methylated amines, methyl nitrate, nitrogen monoxide, nitrotyrosine, oxygen, pentane, pyridine, sulfur compounds, or hydrocarbons.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the hydrocarbons comprise toulene, benzene, decane, styrene, octane, or pentamethylheptane.

32. The method of claim 1 further comprising taking the breath sample for contemporaneous or non-contemporaneous analysis one or more times before a stressor event, one or more times during a stressor event, or one or more times after a stressor event.

33. A method of determining an effect caused by exposure to radiation comprising:

a. obtaining one or more gas samples from one or more exhaled breaths of an animal;

b. determining one or more quantities of one or more chemicals contained in the breath or breaths of the animal;

c. allowing the animal to be exposed to a stressor, wherein the stressor comprises radiation;

d. again determining one or more quantities of one or more chemicals contained in the breath or breaths of the animal; and

e. determining a change in the quantity of the measured chemical or chemicals across the multiple determinations.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the animal comprises a human.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the chemical comprises a bio-marker.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the chemical comprises a volatile organic compound.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the chemical comprises carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, nitrous oxide, or a combination thereof.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the change is used to adjust the dosage of the radiation.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the quantity or quantities of one or more compounds are determined before exposure to radiation, during to radiation, after exposure to radiation, or any combination thereof.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein the first concentration, the second concentration, or both is determined by using infrared spectroscopy.

41. A system for measuring a biological response to a radiation exposure comprising:

a. a sensing member capable of detecting a measurable characteristic of a gas sample generated by a biological substance;

b. a gas collector fluidly coupling with the sensing member, such that the gas sample collected is able to be transferred to the sensing member; and

c. a software system in a computing device coupling with the sensing member, wherein the software is capable of determining the measurable characteristic of the gas sample.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the software is capable of determining a change of the measurable characteristic caused by a radiation event.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the measurable characteristic comprises a mass, an amount, or a concentration of a targeting chemical in the gas sample.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the measurable characteristic comprises a flow rate, a volume of the gas sample, or both.

45. The system of claim 41 further comprising a laser-based spectroscopic system.

46. The system of claim 41 further comprising a database in the computing device.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the database comprises earlier data, which is able to be used for comparison of later data or data from a current measurement.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the comparison is able to show an effect of the radiation, such that a dosage of the radiation is able to be adjusted based on the comparison.

49. The system of claim 41, wherein the sensing member comprises infrared spectroscopy other than laser-based spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy, gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, raman spectroscopy, or a combination thereof.

50. The system of claim 41, wherein the software system is able to predict the biological response.