1. An antisense oligomer capable of inhibiting production of interleukin-15 (IL-15) by hybridizing to the 5-UTR or 3-UTR regions of the mRNA of IL-15.
2. An oligomer according to claim 1 selected from the group consisting of ODN 1 through ODN 12.
3. An oligomer according to claim 1 which is selected from the group consisting of an oligonucleotide and an oligonucleotide analog.
4. An oligomer according to claim 3, wherein the oligonucleotide is DNA.
5. An oligonucleotide according to claim 3 wherein the oligonucleotide is selected from the group consisting of phosphodiester, phosphorothioate, ethylphosphonate, methylphosphonate, and methylphosphonothioate oligonucleotides.
6. An oligomer according to claim 3, wherein the oligonucleotide is at least 5 nucleotides in length.
7. An oligomer according to claim 6, wherein the length is from 5 to 50 nucleotides.
8. An oligomer according to claim 3, wherein the oligonucleotide analog is selected from the group consisting of protein nucleic acid morpholino, methylene linkage, boronated, and pteridine oligonucleotide analogs.
9. An oligomer according to claim 3, wherein the oligonucleotide analog is linked at its 5 end or at its 3 end to an intercalator.
10. An oligomer according to claim 9, wherein the intercalator is selected from the group consisting of psoralen and acridine derivatives.
11. An oligomer comprising an oligomer according to claim 1.
12. An oligomer according to claim 1, wherein the oligomer is capable of alleviating inflammatory polyarthopathy.
13. An oligomer according to claim 12, wherein the inflammatory polyarthopathy is associated with rheumatoid arthritis, organ and cell transplant rejections and inflammatory bowel disease.
14. An oligomer according to claim 13 wherein said organ transplant rejection is a kidney transplant rejection.
15. A method of inhibiting production of interleukin-15 (IL-15) by a cell comprising the steps of:
(One) introducing an antisense oligomer according to claim 1 into said cell; and
(Two) allowing said oligomer to hybridize to the mRNA of IL-15, thereby inhibiting the production of IL-15.
16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the oligomer is dispersed in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of injectable preparations, sprays, ointments, creams, gels, tablets, and perfusions.
18. A method according to claim 15, wherein the oligomer is selected from the group consisting of an oligonucleotide and an oligonucleotide analog.
19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the oligonucleotide analog is selected from the group consisting of protein nucleic acid, morpholino, methylene linkage, boronated, and pteridine oligonucleotide analogs.
20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the oligonucleotide analog is linked at its 5 end or its 3 end to an intercalator.
21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the intercalator is selected from the group consisting according to psoralen and acridine derivatives.
22. A method according to claim 18, wherein the oligonucleotide is DNA.
23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the oligonucleotide is selected from the group consisting of phosphodiester, phosphorothioate, methylphosphonate, and methylphosphonothioate oligonucleotides.
24. A method according to claim 18, wherein the oligonucleotide is at least 5 nucleotides in length.
25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the length is from 5 to 50 nucleotides.
26. A method according to claim 15 wherein a combination of two or more different said oligomers are introduced into said cell.
27. A pharmaceutical composition for treating diseases associated with the production of IL-15 comprising an antisense oligomer capable of inhibiting production of interleukin-15 (IL-15) by hybridizing to the 5-UTR or 3-UTR regions of the mRNA of IL-15, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
28. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 27 wherein said antisense oligomer is selected from the group consisting of ODN 1 (SEQ. ID. NO 2), ODN2 (SEQ. ID. NO 4), ODN3 (SEQ . ID. NO 5), ODN 4 (SEQ. ID. NO 6), ODN 5 (SEQ. ID. NO. 7), ODN 6 (SEQ. ID. NO. 8), ODN 7 (SEQ. ID. NO. 9), ODN 8 (SEQ. ID. NO. 10), ODN 9 (SEQ. ID. NO. 11), ODN 10 (SEQ. ID. NO. 12), ODN 11 (SEQ. ID. NO. 13) and ODN 12 (SEQ. ID. NO. 14).
29. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 27 wherein said oligomer is selected from the group consisting of an oligonucleotide and an oligonucleotide analog.
30. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 29 wherein the oligonucleotide is DNA.
31. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 29, wherein the oligonucleotide is selected from the group consisting of phosphodiester, phosphorothioate, ethylphosphonate, methylphosphonate, and methylphosphonothioate oligonucleotides.
32. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 29 wherein the oligonucleotide is at least 5 nucleotides in length.
33. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 32, wherein the length is from 5 to 50 nucleotides.
34. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 28, wherein the oligonucleotide analog is selected from the group consisting of protein nucleic acid, morpholino, methylene linkage, boronated, and pteridine oligonucleotide analogs.
35. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 28, wherein the oligonucleotide analog is linked at its 5 end or its 3 end to an intercalator.
36. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 34, wherein the intercalator is selected from the group consisting of psoralen and acridine derivatives.
37. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 27 comprising a combination of two or more different said oligomers.
38. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 27, wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of injectable preparations, sprays, ointments, creams, gels, tablets, and perfusions.
39. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 27 wherein said disease is an inflammatory polyarthopathy associated with rheumatoid arthritis, organ and cell transplant rejections, asthma, lupus erythematosus and inflammatory bowel disease.
40. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 39 wherein said organ transplant rejection is a kidney transplant rejection.
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. A method of positioning a device in a patient’s body using an ultrasound probe and a device installation apparatus, the ultrasound probe including an ultrasound transducer that captures images of an imaging plane and a first position sensor mounted so that a geometric relationship between the first position sensor and the ultrasound transducer is known, the device installation apparatus including the device, a device deployment mechanism, and a second position sensor mounted so that a geometric relationship between the second position sensor and the device is known, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting a position of the first position sensor;
detecting a position of the second position sensor;
determining the device’s position with respect to the imaging plane based on (a) the detected position of the first position sensor and the geometric relationship between the first position sensor and the ultrasound transducer and (b) the detected position of the second position sensor and the geometric relationship between the second position sensor and the device;
displaying images of the imaging plane; and
outputting an indication of the device’s position with respect to the imaging plane based on a result of the determining step.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of outputting an indication comprises displaying, on a display of the imaging plane, a projection of at least one point on the device onto the imaging plane.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining the device’s position comprises determining a distance in a direction that is perpendicular to the imaging plane, and wherein the step of outputting an indication comprises displaying the determined distance.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of actuating the device deployment mechanism when the determined distance is about zero.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the device’s position comprises the steps of:
determining where the imaging plane is based on the detected position of the first position sensor and the geometric relationship between the first position sensor and the ultrasound transducer;
determining where the device is based on the detected position of the second position sensor and the geometric relationship between the second position sensor and the device; and
computing a projection of at least one point on the device onto the imaging plane.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of outputting an indication comprises displaying, on a display of the imaging plane, where the computed projection hits the imaging plane.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of outputting an indication comprises displaying a distance between the imaging plane and the at least one point on the device.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the device comprises a valve, the device installation apparatus comprises a valve installation apparatus, and the device deployment mechanism comprises a valve deployment mechanism.
9. An apparatus for determining a position of a device in a patient’s body using an ultrasound probe and a device installation apparatus, the ultrasound probe including an ultrasound transducer that captures images of an imaging plane and a first position sensor mounted so that a geometric relationship between the first position sensor and the ultrasound transducer is known, the device installation apparatus including the device, a device deployment mechanism, and a second position sensor mounted so that a geometric relationship between the second position sensor and the device is known, the apparatus comprising:
an ultrasound imaging machine that drives the ultrasound transducer, receives return signals from the ultrasound transducer, converts the received return signals into 2D images of the imaging plane, and displays the 2D images; and
a position tracking system that detects a position of the first position sensor, detects a position of the second position sensor, reports the position of the first position sensor to the ultrasound imaging machine, and reports the position of the second position sensor to the ultrasound imaging machine,
wherein the ultrasound imaging machine includes a processor that is programmed to determine the device’s position with respect to the imaging plane based on (a) the detected position of the first position sensor and the geometric relationship between the first position sensor and the ultrasound transducer and (b) the detected position of the second position sensor and the geometric relationship between the second position sensor and the device, and wherein the processor is programmed to output an indication of the device’s position with respect to the imaging plane.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the ultrasound imaging machine displays, on at least one of the 2D images, a projection of at least one point on the device onto the imaging plane.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the ultrasound imaging machine displays a distance between at least one point on the device and the imaging plane.
12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is programmed to determine the device’s position with respect to the imaging plane by executing the steps of:
determining where the imaging plane is based on the detected position of the first position sensor and the geometric relationship between the first position sensor and the ultrasound transducer,
determining where the device is based on the detected position of the second position sensor and the geometric relationship between the second position sensor and the device, and
computing a projection of at least one point on the device onto the imaging plane.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the ultrasound imaging machine displays, on at least one of the 2D images, where the computed projection hits the imaging plane.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the ultrasound imaging machine displays an indication of distance between the imaging plane and the device.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the device comprises a valve, the device installation apparatus comprises a valve installation apparatus, and the device deployment mechanism comprises a valve deployment mechanism.
16. An ultrasound probe for use with an ultrasound system comprising:
a housing having a flexible shaft and a distal end;
an ultrasound transducer housed within the distal end of the housing;
an interface that permits the transducer to be driven by the ultrasound system; and
a position sensor disposed in the distal end of the housing so that a geometric relationship between the position sensor and the ultrasound transducer is known.
17. The probe of claim 16, wherein the geometric relationship is permanently fixed by mounting the ultrasound transducer in a fixed position with respect to the housing and by mounting the position sensor in a fixed position with respect to the housing.
18. The probe of claim 17, wherein the ultrasound transducer comprises a phased array ultrasound transducer with a plurality of elements that are configured so that the elements can be driven individually and independently, and wherein the elements of the ultrasound transducer are stacked so that each element is displaced in an azimuthal direction with respect to at least one adjacent element.
19. The probe of claim 18, wherein the position sensor uses a magnetic-based technology.
20. The probe of claim 18, wherein the position sensor uses a RF-based technology.