Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and component parts of a system for the external fixation of bones. The component parts include fixation plates such as a C Plate, a N Plate, a J Plate, an I Plate and a K Plate. Two or more fixation plates are configured along an axis, the two or more fixation plates selected from a list, the list comprising a plurality of C Plates; a plurality of N Plates; a plurality of J Plates; and a plurality of I Plates; a plurality of telescoping adjustable struts that connect a first fixation plate along the axis with a second fixation plate of the plurality of fixation plates along the axis, wherein the first and second fixation plates are adjacent plates along the axis; and a plurality of posts, each post connecting two adjacent fixation plates of the plurality of fixation plates along the axis.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and component parts of a system for the external fixation of bones. The component parts include fixation plates such as a C Plate, a N Plate, a J Plate, an I Plate and a K Plate. Two or more fixation plates are configured along an axis, the two or more fixation plates selected from a list, the list comprising a plurality of C Plates; a plurality of N Plates; a plurality of J Plates; and a plurality of I Plates; a plurality of telescoping adjustable struts that connect a first fixation plate along the axis with a second fixation plate of the plurality of fixation plates along the axis, wherein the first and second fixation plates are adjacent plates along the axis; and a plurality of posts, each post connecting two adjacent fixation plates of the plurality of fixation plates along the axis.

Abstract: Provided are a super wing nut and a super wing bolt that may be used both separately and in conjunction with each other. The super wing nut comprises a head, two wings that extend transversely from opposite sides of the head, a tightening hole that passes perpendicular through the head between the two wings, a tightening slot in a top surface of the head, a polygonal sided shaft that extends downward from the head, and a threaded shaft that extends downward from the polygonal sided shaft. The super wing bolt comprises a head, two wings that extend transversely from opposite sides of the head, a tightening hole that passes perpendicular through the head between the two wings, a tightening slot in a first top surface of the head, a polygonal-sided shaft that extends downward from the head and a threaded hole that passes axially through the shaft.

Abstract: Methods and system to determine the health of wireless mesh networks are provided. Each radio node of a wireless mesh network transmits Link Quantification Messages (LQMs) interPAN at maximum power to enable adjacent nodes to determine the Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) on the wireless link to that radio node. Each radio node also transmits LQMs at successively lower power levels. The adjacent nodes detect a power level at measurable packet error rate to determine a noise floor for the wireless link. An aggregator collects link quantification information from the radio nodes and forms an intercommunication matrix for the wireless network. The RSSI and power level at measurable packet error rate information is used to remove unreliable links from the intercommunication matrix. Nodes are ranked and the reliability and dependability of the nodes is calculated to show the network health.

Abstract: Provided is a device for tensioning a wire in conjunction with an external bone fixation (EBF) device. A swivel hinge body comprises two forks extending in a plane parallel from the swivel hinge body. A lower lip extends from the swivel hinge body below and in parallel with the two forks. A swivel pin and a swivel block are positioned between the lower lip and the plane of the two forks and held in place by the swivel pin such that the swivel block is able to rotate in an arc with respect to the lower lip and the swivel hinge body. The swivel block comprises a face, wherein the face is configured to fit against an edge of a component of the EBF device such that, when the tensioning mechanism is applying tension to the wire, the swivel hinge body is prevented from deflecting to one side.

Abstract: An expandable valved conduit for pediatric right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction is disclosed. The valved conduit may provide long-term patency and resistance to thrombosis and stenosis. The valved conduit may enlarge radially and/or longitudinally to accommodate the growing anatomy of the patient. Further, a method is disclosed for the manufacture of the valved conduit based in part on a plastically deformable biocompatible polymer and a computer-optimized valve design developed for such an expandable valved conduit.

Abstract: Provided are a telescoping, adjustable orthopedic strut for use in conjunction with an external bone fixation (EBF) device and an EBF device that employs the strut. The strut includes swivel hinges at each end, wherein each swivel hinge is lockable in any position within a one hundred eighty degree (180°) plane and has a three hundred degree (360°) angle of rotation with respect to an orthopedic plate of the EBF device; an outer sleeve; an inner sleeve configured to slide within the outer sleeve; wherein the inner sleeve and outer sleeve may be positioned and fixed with respect to each other to provide an acute adjustment of the length of the strut; a leadscrew threaded into the inner sleeve, wherein the lead screw can be either rotated or fixed in position to provide a fine adjustment of the length of the strut.

Abstract: A structural support beam for use in buildings, bridges, mechanical frames and the like to resist bending due to gravitational and external forces comprising a top substantially flat flange disposed in fixed spaced relationship relative to a bottom substantially concave flange by an interconnecting web and a lower stabilizing brace disposed to engage the opposite end portions of the bottom substantially concave flange and the opposite end portions of the interconnecting web to reinforce the interconnection therebetween.

Abstract: Valved conduits having leaflet structures that do not contact an inner surface of a conduit in which they are formed are described herein.

Abstract: Valves constructed from low porosity leaflets are disclosed. The valves disclosed herein may be integrated into a variety of structures, such as valved conduits and transcatheter stents, and may be constructed of one or more layers. Embodiments herein are also directed to methods of using the same and methods of making the same.

Abstract: Valves constructed from low porosity leaflets are disclosed. The valves disclosed herein may be integrated into a variety of structures, such as valved conduits and transcatheter stents, and may be constructed of one or more layers. Embodiments herein are also directed to methods of using the same and methods of making the same.

Abstract: The present invention describes a speech enhancement method using microphone arrays and a new iterative technique for enhancing noisy speech signals under low signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) environments. A first embodiment involves the processing of the observed noisy speech both in the spatial- and the temporal-domains to enhance the desired signal component speech and an iterative technique to compute the generalized eigenvectors of the multichannel data derived from the microphone array. The entire processing is done on the spatio-temporal correlation coefficient sequence of the observed data in order to avoid large matrix-vector multiplications. A further embodiment relates to a speech enhancement system that is composed of two stages. In the first stage, the noise component of the observed signal is whitened, and in the second stage a spatio-temporal power method is used to extract the most dominant speech component.

Abstract: A structural support beam for use in buildings, bridges, mechanical frames and the like to resist bending due to gravitational and external forces comprising a top substantially flat flange disposed in fixed spaced relationship relative to a bottom substantially concave flange by an interconnecting web and a lower stabilizing brace disposed to engage the opposite end portions of the bottom substantially concave flange and the opposite end portions of the interconnecting web to reinforce the interconnection therebetween.

Abstract: A winged heat sink includes one or more arms that transport heat from a pedestal that is thermally coupled to an integrated circuit to convective fins. For example, the one or more arms may include one or more heat pipes. Moreover, the arms extend the vertical position of the winged heat sink away from a plane of the pedestal so that the convective fins extend downward back toward a circuit board on which the integrated circuit is mounted. These downward facing fins may match the topologies of components on the underlying circuit board.

Abstract: Implantable devices including conduits that have markings along the length of the conduit are described herein.

Abstract: A method for preparing a laminate coronary stent comprising: providing a stent framework; and depositing a plurality of layers on said stent framework to form said laminate coronary stent; wherein at least one of said layers comprises a bioabsorbable polymer.

Abstract: Artificial heart valve structures and methods of their fabrication are disclosed. The heart valve structures may be fabricated from a biocompatible polymer and include one or more heart valve leaflet structures incorporated within a conduit. The valve structures may incorporate one or more conduit sinuses, as well as a gap between the lower margin of the valve leaflets and the interior of the conduit. In addition, the valve structures may include one or more valve sinuses created in a space between the valve leaflets and the conduit inner surface. Computational fluid dynamics and mechanical modeling may be used to design the valve leaflets with optimal characteristics. A heart valve structure may also incorporate a biodegradable component to which cells may adhere The incorporated cells may arise from patient cells migrating to the biodegradable component, or the component may be pre-seeded with cells prior to implantation in a patient.

Abstract: This disclosure describes the application of a supplemental corona source to provide surface charge on submicrometer particles to enhance collection efficiency and micro-structural density during electrostatic collection.

Abstract: A structural support beam for use in buildings, bridges, mechanical frames and the like to resist bending due to gravitational and external forces comprising a top substantially flat flange disposed in fixed spaced relationship relative to a bottom substantially concave flange by an interconnecting web and a lower stabilizing brace disposed to engage the opposite end portions of the bottom substantially concave flange and the opposite end portions of the interconnecting web to reinforce the interconnection therebetween.

Abstract: The present invention describes a speech enhancement method using microphone arrays and a new iterative technique for enhancing noisy speech signals under low signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) environments. A first embodiment involves the processing of the observed noisy speech both in the spatial- and the temporal-domains to enhance the desired signal component speech and an iterative technique to compute the generalized eigenvectors of the multichannel data derived from the microphone array. The entire processing is done on the spatio-temporal correlation coefficient sequence of the observed data in order to avoid large matrix-vector multiplications. A further embodiment relates to a speech enhancement system that is composed of two stages. In the first stage, the noise component of the observed signal is whitened, and in the second stage a spatio-temporal power method is used to extract the most dominant speech component.