1. An electric toothbrush, comprising:
a handle having a motor disposed therein;
a head having a longitudinal axis, the head having a first bristle holder with a plurality of bristle tufts and a second bristle holder with a plurality of bristle tufts, the second bristle holder having an end portion, each of the bristle tufts of the first and second bristle holders having a base end connected to its respective bristle holder and an opposite free end;
a neck disposed between the handle and the head;
wherein the motor is operatively connected to the first bristle holder to oscillate the first bristle holder about a first axis passing through the first bristle holder generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the head; and
wherein the motor is operatively connected to the second bristle holder to oscillate the second bristle holder about a second axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the head, wherein the base ends of the tufts of the second bristle holder move in unison and in the same direction with the free ends thereof, and wherein the second axis is at the end portion of the second bristle holder.
2. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the end portion of the second bristle holder is located adjacent the neck.
3. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the toothbrush further comprises a shaft having a longitudinal axis and operatively connected to the motor, wherein the shaft engages the first and second bristle holders.
4. The electric toothbrush of claim 3, wherein the shaft further comprises a cam, and wherein the engagement between the shaft and the second bristle holder occurs between the cam and the second bristle holder.
5. The electric toothbrush of claim 3, wherein the shaft further comprises a cam, and wherein the engagement between the shaft and the first bristle holder occurs between the cam and the first bristle holder.
6. The electric toothbrush of claim 5, wherein the first bristle holder has a slot that captures the cam such that the engagement between the cam and the first bristle holder occurs between the cam and the slot.
7. The electric toothbrush of claim 6, wherein the cam is at a remote-most end of the shaft.
8. The electric toothbrush of claim 3, wherein the shaft further comprises a cam, and wherein the engagement between the shaft and the first and second bristle holders occur between the cam and the first and the second bristle holders.
9. The electric toothbrush of claim 8, wherein the cam is secured to the shaft.
10. The electric toothbrush of claim 3, wherein the shaft is rotatable.
11. The electric toothbrush of claim 3, wherein shaft completely passes under the second moving bristle holder and does not completely pass under the first bristle holder.
12. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, further comprising a gap between the first bristle holder and the second bristle holder.
13. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the first axis is surrounded by the plurality of bristles of the first bristle holder.
14. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bristle tufts of the second bristle holder differ in height.
15. The electric toothbrush of claim 14, wherein the second bristle holder further has a top surface, and wherein at least one of the bristle tufts of the second bristle holder forms an acute angle with the top surface of the second bristle holder.
16. The electric toothbrush of claim 15, wherein the at least one of the bristle tufts of the second bristle holder is angled away from the neck.
17. The electric toothbrush of claim 16, wherein the at least one of the bristle tufts of the second bristle holder is angled toward the neck.
18. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the head directly supports the first and second bristle holders.
19. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the first bristle holder further comprises a top surface and wherein some of the plurality of bristle tufts of the first bristle holder form an acute angle with the top surface of the first bristle holder.
20. The electric toothbrush of claim 19, wherein the plurality of bristle tufts of the first bristle holder differ in height.
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 for diagnosing coronary heart disease in a subject in need thereof comprising:
(i) administering an admixture comprising CO2 to a subject to reach a predetermined PaCO2 in the subject to induce hyperemia;
(ii) monitoring vascular reactivity in the subject; and
(iii) diagnosing the presence or absence of coronary heart disease in the subject, wherein decreased vascular reactivity in the subject compared to a control subject is indicative of coronary heart disease,
thereby diagnosing coronary heart disease in the subject in need thereof.
2. A method for assessing hyperemic response in a subject in need thereof comprising:
(i) administering an admixture comprising CO2 to a subject to reach a predetermined PaCO2 in the subject to induce hyperemia;
(ii) monitoring vascular reactivity in the subject; and
(iii) assessing hyperemic response in the subject, wherein decreased vascular reactivity in the subject compared to a control subject is indicative of poor hyperemic response,
thereby assessing hyperemic response in the subject in need thereof.
3. A method of producing coronary vasodilation in a subject in need thereof comprising:
(i) providing a composition comprising CO2; and
(ii) administering an admixture comprising CO2 to the subject to reach a predetermined PaCO2 in the subject, so as to produce coronary vasodilation.
4. A method for assessing organ perfusion in a subject in need thereof by the method of claim 2.
5. A method for assessing vascular reactivity of an organ in a subject in need thereof by the method of claim 2.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein CO2 is administered via inhalation.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein administering CO2 comprises administering carbon dioxide in a stepwise manner.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein administering carbon dioxide in a stepwise manner comprises administering carbon dioxide so as to change the PaCO2 in 5 mmHg, increments in the range of any one or more of 10 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2 or 50 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein administering carbon dioxide in a stepwise manner comprises administering carbon dioxide so as to change the PaCO2 in 15 mmHg increments in the range of any one or more of 10 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2 or 50 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein administering carbon dioxide in a stepwise manner comprises administering carbon dioxide so as to change the PaCO2 in 25 mmHg increments in the range of any one or more of 10 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 100 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 90 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 80 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 50 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 60 mmHg to 70 mmHg CO2, 10 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2 or 50 mmHg to 60 mmHg CO2.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein administering the admixture comprising CO2 to a subject to reach a predetermined PaCO2 in the subject comprises administering carbon dioxide to alter PaCO2 in block manner.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein administration of CO2 to alter PaCO2 in a block manner is repeated over time.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein administering CO2 to alter PaCO2 in a block manner comprises administering carbon dioxide so as to alternate between two or more levels of PaCO2 over a period of time.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein alternating amounts of CO2 to establish PaCO2 levels between any of 20 mmHg and 40 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg and 40 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg and 50 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg and 50 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg and 50 mmHg CO2, 20 mmHg and 60 mmHg CO2, 30 mmHg and 60 mmHg CO2, 40 mmHg and 60 mmHg CO2, or 50 mmHg and 60 mmHg CO2.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein vascular reactivity is monitored using any one or more of positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomographycomputed tomography (SPECT), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), single photon emission computed tomographycomputed tomography (SPECTCT), positron emission tomographycomputed tomography (PETCT), ultrasound, electrocardiogram (ECG), Electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT), echocardiogram (ECHO), electron spin resonance (ESR) andor any combination of the imaging modalities such as (PETMR), PETCT, andor SPECTMR.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the vascular reactivity is monitored using FFR.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is any one or more of human, monkey, ape, dog, cat, cow, horse, goat, pig, rabbit, mouse and rat.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein the administering CO2 alters the PaCO2 in the subject and does not alter the O2 levels.
19. A method for increasing the sensitivity and specificity of BOLD MRI comprising:
(i) administering an admixture comprising CO2 to a subject to reach a predetermined PaCO2 in the subject; and
(ii) imaging the myocardium using MRI to assess a hyperemic response in reaction to modulation on PaCO2.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the admixture comprising CO2 is administered repeatedly over time.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein imaging the myocardium comprises obtaining free-breathing cardiac phase resolved 3D myocardial BOLD images. (ii) registering and segmenting the images to obtain the myocardial dynamic volume and (iii) identifying ischemic territory and quantify image volume.
22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
(i) registering and segmenting the images to obtain the myocardial dynamic volume; and
(ii) identifying ischemic territory and quantifying image volume.