• Hoana Medical (Honolulu, Hawaii) reported the launch of the LifeGurney patient vigilance system, which transforms any patient stretcher into an untethered tracking, assessment and alert network for both cardiac and respiratory functions. The LifeGurney tracks a patient's heart and respiratory rate, as well as bed exit attempts, and notifies the nursing team immediately if the patient begins to deteriorate. LifeGurney is a technology solution that can maximize a hospital's holding area by ensuring that patients waiting for services or an in-patient bed are tracked continuously during their wait. Patients lie on the stretcher with no attachments, electrodes or cuffs and, within seconds, sensors under the coverlet (similar to a fitted sheet) capture signals generated by the patient. The LifeGurney analyzes these signals and notifies the clinical team through existing nurse call systems and/or bedside alerts if they fall outside set parameters.

• Power3 Medical (Houston) said it is planning to commercialize its early diagnostic tests for breast cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and anticipates revenue from sales and licensing this quarter. President/CEO Ira Goldknopf said, "The pre-marketing and packaging of the company's early diagnostic test sample kits are complete, and ready for commercialization. Our partners in the foreign markets are primed as the points of release of the tests to the market. Our lab is positioned to run the tests in house with CLIA certification. The initial launch is anticipated for Greece with completion of the clinical validation trials with the University of Thessaly."

• Roche Diagnostics (Indianapolis) has introduced the Anti-TSHR assay, which Roche says is the only fully automated TSH receptor antibody (TRAb) test available on the market for use on the Roche cobas e 601 and cobas e 411 analyzers, Modular Analytics E 170 module, and Elecsys 2010 system. The anti-TSH receptor determination is used in the assessment of patients with suspected Graves' disease (autoimmune hyperthyroidism) as well as in monitoring therapy and aiding in predicting relapses. The Anti-TSHR assay can be run with other thyroid tests, utilizing one sample tube, providing the lab greater efficiency in processing both traditional and novel thyroid markers.