1. A method of treating a cardiac disorder in a subject in need of such treatment, comprising:
providing a nanoparticle composition comprising a plurality of nanoparticles, each nanoparticle comprising a magnetically-susceptible core, a biocompatible polymer shell which surrounds the magnetically-susceptible core, and an active agent which is embedded, loaded, andor absorbed on or within, or otherwise linked, attached, andor bound to the biocompatible polymer shell;
administering the nanoparticle composition to a vascular component of the subject;
applying a magnetic field to a targeted portion of the heart causing the nanoparticles to be retained in the targeted portion of the heart, and wherein the active agent is released from the biocompatible polymer shell of the nanoparticles for treatment of or application to the targeted portion of the heart, thereby treating the cardiac disorder.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetically-susceptible core of the nanoparticle comprises a superparamagnetic material.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the superparamagnetic material comprises magnetite, maghemite, hematite, FeNi, FePt, Fe, or FeCoNi alloy.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the nanoparticles have a major diameter in a range of 2-500 nm.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the nanoparticles have a major diameter in a range of 10-200 nm.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the active agent comprises one or more of botulinum toxin, N-isopropylacrylamide monomer, botulinum toxin-alpha, hemicholinium-3, 192-IgG-toxin, or 6-hydroxydopamine.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the active agent comprises botulinum toxin.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the biocompatible polymer shell is bio-degradable.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetic field is applied to the targeted portion of the heart via a magnet implanted directly upon a portion of the heart of the subject.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetic field is applied to the targeted portion of the heart via an electromagnet which is external to the chest cavity of the subject.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetic field is an oscillating magnetic field.
12. The method of clam 1 wherein the targeted portion of the heart is at least one ganglionated plexus of the heart.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the ganglionated plexus is selected from the anterior right ganglionated plexus, the inferior right ganglionated plexus, the superior left ganglionated plexus, the inferior left ganglionated plexus, and the ligament of Marshall.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the targeted portion is the PV-atrial junction.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the cardiac disorder is an atrial disorder.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the cardiac disorder is an atrial fibrillation.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein the cardiac disorder is a ventricular disorder.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein the active agent causes a temporary suppression of function of the targeted portion of the heart.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein the active agent comprises a neurotoxin.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein the biocompatible polymer shell is thermo-labile, wherein the biocompatible polymer shell is induced to release the active agent upon reaching a temperature of about 37\xb0 C. or greater.
21. A method of treating an atrial fibrillation in a subject in need of such treatment, comprising:
providing a nanoparticle composition comprising a plurality of nanoparticles, each nanoparticle comprising a magnetite core, a biocompatible polymer shell which surrounds the magnetite core, and a botulinum toxin on or within the biocompatible polymer shell;
administering the nanoparticle composition to a vascular component of the subject;
applying a magnetic field to at least one ganglionated plexus or region of the heart causing the nanoparticles to be retained in the at least one ganglionated plexus or region of the heart, and wherein the botulinum toxin is released from the biocompatible polymer shell of nanoparticles for treatment of or application to the at least one ganglionated plexus of the heart, thereby treating the atrial fibrillation.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein the nanoparticles have a major diameter in a range of 2-500 nm.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the nanoparticles have a major diameter in a range of 10-200 nm.
24. The method of claim 21 wherein the biocompatible polymer shell is bio-degradable.
25. The method of claim 21 wherein the magnetic field is applied to the targeted portion of the heart via a magnet implanted directly upon a portion of the heart of the subject.
26. The method of claim 21 wherein the magnetic field is applied to the targeted portion of the heart via an electromagnet which is external to the chest cavity of the subject.
27. The method of claim 21 wherein the magnetic field is an oscillating magnetic field.
28. The method of claim 21 wherein the ganglionated plexus is selected from the anterior right ganglionated plexus, the inferior right ganglionated plexus, the superior left ganglionated plexus, the inferior left ganglionated plexus, and the ligament of Marshall.
29. The method of claim 21 wherein the biocompatible polymer shell is thermo-labile, wherein the biocompatible polymer shell is induced to release the botulinum toxin upon reaching a temperature of about 37\xb0 C. or greater.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
1. A method of providing low human involvement access to a network comprising the acts of:
automatically detecting at a site of a network accessing system an accessing event by a user or installer;
automatically classifying the event;
automatically provisioning a temporary service line from the site into the system;
automatically categorizing the accessing event across an activated terminal as a previously registered site or a non-registered site;
automatically registering data within the system characterizing the site to a network access control of the system;
correlating an identifiable order authorizing access from the site to the system;
automatically associating the registered data with the order to provide permanent access service from the site into the system.
2. A method of providing low human involvement access to a network, comprising the acts of:
connecting a device to and thereby activating an identified network access unit;
establishing at least one temporary communications path, without human intervention, between the device across the network access unit to a network access system by which information concerning the device and the network access unit is communicated to and registered within the system;
creating an identifiable order comprising registered data;
correlating, without human intervention, the registered order data and the registered information;
provisioning of a compensible communication path between the device and the network through the system based upon the correlated data and information.
3. A method of accessing to a network which is obtained more rapidly and has significantly lower human involvement than in the past, comprising the acts of:
correlating (a) information, communicated to a network access system along a temporary path and automatically registered within the system, which information identifies a discovered object with (b) data electronically entered in the system comprising an identifiable order for network services to be provided to the discovered object;
automatically providing a non-temporary path by which communication services between the object and the network through the system are provided on a compensatory basis.
4. A method according to claim 3 further comprising the act of automatically restoring service after service is inadvertently lost, by use of the information and data.
5. A method according to claim 3 wherein the object is discovered electrically, optically, by radio communication.
6. A method according to claim 3 comprising the acts of establishing at least two paths within the system, one an object path and the other a service path.
7. A method according to claim 3 wherein the system comprises an object state model which classifies services being obtained or terminated as new, pending, active and disconnect based upon state transitions pertaining to the discovery of the object.
8. A method according to claim 3 wherein the system sequencing all installation, restore, recovery and repair activities to reduce labor requirements.
9. A method according to claim 3 wherein the system comprises at least some of: a local digital switch, a host digital terminal, a network access unit and a remote terminal.
10. A method according to claim 3 further comprising the act of replacing the object with another object without disrupting service and automatically registering information identifying the other object.
11. A method according to claim 3 wherein the non-temporary path is discontinued after a short term comprising one or a few compensatory uses.
12. A method according to claim 3 wherein newly discovered object data is correlated to previously registered data pertaining to the object to rapidly effect accurate replacement, upgrades and substitution of another object for the first object.
13. An auto discovery method of providing highly automated access through a network access system to a network, comprising the acts of:
automatically discovering an object added to the system at a network access unit;
automatically classifying the type of network access unit;
automatically temporarily connecting the object to the system for system processing purposes;
automatically determining the object state as between a previously registered object, a non-registered but registerable object and a non-registerable object;
automatically registering the non-registered but registerable object without issuing an alarm;
issuing an alarm for the non-registerable object;
creating a customer-derived order for communication services;
automatically correlating information of the order with the corresponding previously registered or newly registered object;
automatically creating a non-temporary service communication path for services, the service comprising provisioning, repair, recovery, restoration, rearrangement and disconnect.
14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the correlating act comprises use by a technician of an integrated voice response unit.
15. A method according to claim 13 where the correlating act comprises automatic association of object and order data.
16. A method according to claim 13 further comprising the act of automatically releasing the temporary connection upon the automatic implementation of the non-temporary service.