Method and system for preventing virus-related obesity and obesity related diseases

• US 8,591,412 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nohands, LLC, Seed Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nohands, LLC
• Inventors: Kovarik, Katherine R., Kovarik, Joseph E., Zarouri, Mourad
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, Bill
• Assistant Examiner(s): JIAN, SHIRLEY XUEYING
• Application Number:
  US12/949,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20110144453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 607/45, 607/58, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0038 Devices for taking faeces samples; Faecal examination devices anal receptacles A61F5/451
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0051 for taking saliva or sputum samples devices for receiving spittle A61J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0418 Pen-shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0257 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0026 characterised by the transmission medium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15 Devices for taking samples of blood hypodermic syringes A61M5/178
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6893 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6897 Computer input devices, e.g. mice or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 : Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0003 : Apparatus for the treatment of obesity; Anti-eating devices surgical instruments or methods for treatment of obesity, devices specially adapted therefor A61B17/00; hollow or tubular parts of organs A61F2/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2333/075 : Adenoviridae
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2469/20 : Detection of antibodies in sample from host which are directed against antigens from microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/044 : Hyperlipemia or hypolipemia, e.g. dyslipidaemia, obesity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/56983 : Viruses

Abstract

A method for preventing obesity related to infection by an adipogenic adenovirus includes obtaining a sample from a person, assaying the sample to determine whether the person has been previously infected with an adipogenic adenovirus, and if the person has not been previously infected, providing the person with at least one 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 obesity related infections. Other embodiments are directed to a kit for preventing obesity caused by infection with an adipogenic, adenovirus, such kit including a container for assaying an agent indicating the presence of antibodies to Ad-36, and a sensor positioned on an item selected from the group consisting of one of a hat, a writing instrument, eye glasses, a belt, sunglasses, a bra, a shirt, and a tie.

Claims

1. A method for preventing obesity related to infection by an adipogenic adenovirus, comprising:

obtaining a sample from a person;

assaying the sample to determine whether the person has been previously infected with an adipogenic adenovirus;

if said assaying step indicates that such person has not been previously infected with an adipogenic adenovirus, providing to the person at least one sensor positioned to detect when a person'"'"'s hand approaches a predetermined distance from the person'"'"'s face;

reducing the incidence of hand-to-face contacts by said person due to the person being warned by said at least one sensor of occasions when the person'"'"'s hands approach said person'"'"'s face, said at least one sensor incorporated into the bill of a baseball cap;

providing a signal generating device operatively associated with said at least one sensor and with a semiconductor device programmed to select one of a plurality of predetermined distances of proximity so that a person'"'"'s hand triggers the signal generating device to warn the person that their hand is in the proximity of their mouth, said signal generating device employing at least a vibratory signal; and

communicating from the sensor to a recording device, via a transmitter, the occurrence of said vibratory signal, said recording device recording the occurrence of said vibratory signal to indicate the number of hand-to-face contacts by said person, thereby reducing the risk that obesity related infections will be acquired by said person.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor having an IR emitter, an IR receiver, a signal generating device, and a semiconductor device programmed to select a predetermined distance of proximity so that a person'"'"'s hand triggers the signal generating device to warn the person that their hand is in the proximity of their month.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of assaying the sample comprises the steps of:

screening the sample for the presence of antibodies specific to the adipogenic adenovirus in the sample; and

determining the presence of antibodies specific to the adipogenic adenovirus in the sample.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adipogenic adenovirus is selected from the group consisting of adenovirus type 5, adenovirus type 36, and adenovirus type 37.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adipogenic adenovirus is selected from the group consisting of adenovirus type 5 and adenovirus type 36.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assaying comprises determining the presence of antibodies specific to one or more peptides related to the adenovirus.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said assaying step is performed by using a method selected from the group consisting of serum neutralization assay and ELISA.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is selected from the group consisting of a biological sample, body fluid, a tissue sample, an organ sample, feces, blood, saliva, and any combination thereof.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein either immunoanalytical or nucleic-acid based techniques are employed to detect the presence of adenovirus.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor also produces a signal consisting of an electric shock.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor also produces a signal selected from the group consisting of a sound, light and an electric shock.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor also produces a signal selected from the group consisting of a sound and light.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising transmitting data from said at least one sensor to a remote area and determining whether behaviors of individuals who had used said at least one sensor are modified due to using said at least one sensor for a predetermined time period.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor also produces a sound signal.

15. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said recording device comprises cell phone.

16. A kit for preventing obesity related to infection by an adipogenic adenovirus, comprising:

a container for assaying an agent indicating the presence of antibodies to Ad-36;

a baseball cap having at least one sensor incorporated into the bill of the baseball cap;

a signal generating device that employs at least a vibratory signal operatively associated with said at least one sensor;

a semiconductor device programmed to select one of a plurality of predetermined distances of proximity so that a person'"'"'s hand triggers the signal generating device to warn a person wearing the baseball cap that their hand is in the proximity of their mouth; and

a transmitter for communicating from the sensor to a recording device the occurrence of said vibratory signal, said

recording device recording the occurrence of said vibratory signal to indicate the number of hand-to-face contacts by said person, thereby reducing the risk that obesity related infections will be acquired by said person.

17. The kit as set forth in claim 16, wherein said obesity causing virus is an adenovirus and said antibody binding agent detects the presence of an antibody to said adenovirus in a test sample from the person, and wherein the kit comprises a receptacle for containing a sample from the person;

and instructions for using the binding agent to detect the presence of the antibody to the adenovirus virus in the sample.

18. The kit as set forth in claim 16, wherein said signal generating device is adjustable with respect to one or more of the following:

duration of signal and intensity of signal.

19. The kit as set forth in claim 16, further comprising a detection probe, a lateral flow assay device having a detection zone in which is immobilized a first receptive material, an indicator zone in which is immobilized a second receptive material, and a calibration zone in which is immobilized a third receptive material.

20. A kit for use in preventing infection with an obesity causing virus, comprising,

a package, an anti-body detection device carried within the package and consisting of an antibody binding agent that reacts with a predetermined amount of a sample taken from a person;

a container for assaying an agent indicating the presence of antibodies to Ad-36;

a baseball cap having at least one sensor incorporated into the bill of the baseball cap;

a signal generating device that employs at least a vibratory signal operatively associated with said at least one sensor;

a semiconductor device programmed to select one of a plurality of predetermined distances of proximity so that a person'"'"'s hand triggers the signal generating device to warn a person wearing the baseball cap that their hand is in the proximity of their mouth; and

a transmitter for communicating from the sensor to a recording device the occurrence of said vibratory signal, said recording device recording the occurrence of said vibratory signal to indicate the number of hand-to-face contacts by said person, thereby reducing the risk that obesity related infections will be acquired by said person;

whereby said semiconductor device is adapted to monitor movement of a hand of a person wearing said baseball cap within at least 12 inches from the mouth of the person wearing said baseball cap.

21. A method for preventing obesity related to infection by an adipogenic adenovirus, comprising:

obtaining a sample from a person;

assaying the sample to determine whether the person has been previously infected with an adipogenic adenovirus;

if said assaying step indicates that such person has not been previously infected with an adipogenic adenovirus, providing to the person at least one sensor positioned to detect when a person'"'"'s hand approaches a predetermined distance from the person'"'"'s face, said at least one sensor incorporated into the bill of a baseball cap;

reducing the incidence of hand-to-face contacts by providing a signal generating device operatively associated with said at least one sensor and with a semiconductor device programmed to select one of a plurality of predetermined distances of proximity so that a person'"'"'s hand triggers the signal generating device to warn the person that their hand is in the proximity of their mouth, said signal generating device employing at least a vibratory signal;

communicating to a recording device, via a transmitter, an occurrence of said vibratory signal, and recording the occurrence of said vibratory signal to indicate the number of hand-to-face contacts by said person, thereby reducing the risk that obesity related infections will be acquired by said person, wherein said recording device comprises a cell phone.