1. A method for adaptively treating a tumor with an alternating electric field, the method comprising the steps of:
applying an alternating electric field having a first frequency to the tumor;
determining an impedance of the tumor based on a measured current while the alternating electric field having the first frequency is applied;
estimating a size of cells in the tumor based on the determined impedance;
selecting a second frequency based on the estimated size of cells; and
applying an alternating electric field to the tumor at the second frequency to treat the tumor.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
waiting for a period of time;
applying an alternating electric field having a third frequency to the tumor;
determining a second impedance of the tumor based on a measured current while the alternating electric field having the third frequency is applied;
estimating a second size of cells in the tumor based on the determined second impedance;
selecting a fourth frequency based on the estimated second size of cells; and
applying an alternating electric field to the tumor at the fourth frequency to treat the tumor.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the period of time is at least one week.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a size, shape, type, or location of the tumor.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the estimation of the size of cells is made based on a Cole-Cole plot.
6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:
imaging the tumor with CT, MRI, or PET to locate portions of the tumor not having excess blood or cyst fluid; and
estimating the size of cells in the tumor based on a measured impedance of the located portions.
7. An apparatus for adaptively treating a tumor with an alternating electric field, the apparatus comprising:
an electrical impedance tomography device for measuring the impedance of the tumor, the electrical impedance tomography device using a frequency such that a size of cells in the tumor can be determined from the measured impedance of the tumor;
an AC signal generator having a controllable output frequency;
a processor for estimating the size of cells in the tumor based on the measured impedance of the tumor and setting the frequency of the AC signal generator based on the estimated size of cells in the tumor; and
at least one pair of electrodes operatively connected to the AC signal generator such that an alternating electric field is applied to the tumor to selectively destroy cells in the tumor.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the size of cells in the tumor is determined based on a Cole-Cole plot.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a CT, MRI, or PET imaging device configured to located portions of the tumor not having excess blood or cyst fluid; and wherein the electrical impedance tomography device only measures the impedance of the located portions.
10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the electrical impedance tomography device is configured to make periodic impedance measurements.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the periodicity of the impedance measurements is at least one week.
12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the periodicity of the impedance measurements is at least one month.
13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the periodicity of the impedance measurements is based on a history of the tumor.
14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the periodicity of the impedance measurements is based on the type of tumor.
15. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the frequency of the AC signal generator is set based on a spectrum of cell sizes.
16. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the frequency of the AC signal generator is set based on an average cell size.
17. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor computes a size of cells in the tumor based on a database look-up table.
18. A method for adaptively treating a tumor with an alternating electric field, the method comprising the steps of:
determining a first size of cells in the tumor;
selecting a first frequency based on the determined first size;
applying an alternating electric field to the tumor at the first frequency to treat the tumor;
waiting a period of time and subsequently determining a second size of cells in the tumor;
selecting a second frequency based on the determined second size; and
applying an alternating electric field to the tumor at the second frequency to treat the tumor.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first size and the second size are determined based on a tumor biopsy.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first size and the second size are determined based on a measured impedance of the tumor.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the determinations of the first size and the second size are made based on a Cole-Cole plot.
22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:
imaging the tumor with CT, MRI, or PET to locate portions of the tumor not having excess blood or cyst fluid; and
determining the first size and the second size based on a measure impedance of the located portions.
23. The method of claim 20, wherein the tumor is a glioma tumor or a melanoma tumor.
24. The method of claim 18, wherein the period of time is at least one week.
25. The method of claim 18, wherein the period of time is at least one month.
26. The method of claim 18, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are selected based on an average cell size.
27. The method of claim 18, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are selected based on a spectrum of cell sizes.
28. The method of claim 18 wherein the period of time is chosen based on the type of tumor.
29. The method of claim 18 wherein the period of time is chosen based on the history of the tumor.
30. The method of claim 18, wherein the first size and the second size are determined based on a database look-up table.
31. A method for adaptively providing a medical treatment to a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
applying an alternating electric field to a group of patient cells;
determining an impedance of the group of patient cells based on a measured current while the alternating electric field is applied;
selecting a treatment parameter based on the determined impedance; and
applying a treatment to the patient in accordance with the selected treatment parameter.
32. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:
waiting for a period of time;
applying an alternating electric field to a group of patient cells;
determining a second impedance of the group of patient cells based on a measured current while the alternating electric field is applied;
selecting a second treatment parameter based on the determined second impedance; and
applying a treatment to the patient in accordance with the selected second treatment parameter.
33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:
estimating a size of cells in the group of patient cells based on the determined impedance or the determined second impedance; and
selecting a treatment parameter based on the estimated size of cells.
34. The method of claim 33, wherein the medical treatment is chemotherapy.
35. The method of claim 33, wherein the medical treatment is a surgery or therapy.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the therapy is acoustic therapy, pharmacotherapy, radiation therapy, or nutritional therapy.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An odor trap for one of a waterless and a low-water urinal, comprising a cup-shaped housing having an inlet located on an upper end and an outlet on a lower end that leads into a drain line; a siphon configured to block the passage of gas from the outlet to the inlet; and a replaceable insert in the form of a urine collector in the shape of an inlet funnel configured to empty into a tube with a relatively small inside diameter.
2. The odor trap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube on a lower end emerges in an area and with it forms a flask having properties substantially similar to an Erlenmeyer flask.
3. The odor trap as claimed in claim 2, wherein the insert forms a replaceable unit with a housing.
4. The odor trap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insert forms at least one siphon.
5. The odor trap as claimed in claim 4, wherein the insert forms at least two ring-shaped siphons located in a cascade arrangement.
6. The odor trap as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one ring-shaped siphon is realized so that the surface of the urine collected in it is smaller than the corresponding surface of the siphon which blocks the outlet to the inlet.
7. The odor trap as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fan that generates an air current in the housing by which fresh air is sucked in at the inlet.
8. The odor trap as claimed in claim 7, wherein the fan is an axial fan.
9. The odor trap as claimed in claim 7, wherein the fan is located in an upper area of the housing on a pipe extending radially away.
10. The odor trap as claimed in claim 7, wherein the air sucked in by the fan is fed in a circulation system into an interior space of a urinal body and is introduced through a passage into the urinal cup.
11. The odor trap as claimed in claim 10, wherein the circulating air is cleaned during every passage by a filter.
12. The odor trap as claimed in claim 11, wherein the circulating air is cleaned by activated carbon.
13. The odor trap as claimed in claim 7, wherein the air sucked in by the fan is fed via a line to a drain pipe.
14. The odor trap as claimed in claim 2, wherein the insert forms at least one siphon.
15. The odor trap as claimed in claim 3, wherein the insert forms at least one siphon.
16. The odor trap as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one ring-shaped siphon is realized so that the surface of the urine collected in it is smaller than the corresponding surface of the siphon which blocks the outlet to the inlet.
17. The odor trap as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fan is located in an upper area of the housing on a pipe extending radially away.
18. The odor trap as claimed in claim 8, wherein the air sucked in by the fan is fed in a circulation system into an interior space of a urinal body and is introduced through a passage into the urinal cup.
19. The odor trap as claimed in claim 9, wherein the air sucked in by the fan is fed in a circulation system into an interior space of a urinal body and is introduced through a passage into the urinal cup.
20. The odor trap as claimed in claim 8, wherein the air sucked in by the fan is fed via a line to a drain pipe.