Abstract: A device and method for alleviating pressure on a portion of a patient's body that may be bed-ridden or otherwise constrained for long periods of time. A position of the mechanism is based upon a location or distribution of angiosomes in the body portion. The mechanism includes a pump, and a portable garment with inflatable channels and pressure relievers. The channels provide varying pressure on the body portion, a maximum pressure being set at a level sufficient for treating or preventing decubitus ulcer formation on the body portion. The channels are positioned based upon angiosome distribution in the portion of the body. The pressure relievers protect tissue on bony prominences from excess pressure.

Abstract: System and methods for collecting and preparing fat for autologous fat tissue transplantation. The system includes syringes, filtering and transferring assemblies coupled with the syringes, a centrifuge and a centrifuge insert releasably coupled with the centrifuge. Substances, including oil, fat, and denser substances, such as tumescent fluid, connective tissue, hormones and/or other non-fat substances, are harvested through a cannula into a syringe. Syringes are placed in the centrifuge insert, and subject to centrifugation. Centrifugation stratifies the substances into a top oil stratum, a middle fat stratum, and a bottom denser substance stratum. Denser substances are filtered out of the syringes during or after centrifugation. Oil is removed through an aspiration port in the plunger head of the syringe plunger. Fat is transferred from the first syringe into one or more smaller syringes through an adapter in the assembly coupled with the first syringe and the smaller syringe.

Abstract: System and methods for collecting and preparing fat for autologous fat transplantation. The system includes a centrifuge, syringes, and filtering and transferring assemblies coupled with the syringes. Substances, including oil, fat, and denser substances (tumescent fluid, connective tissue, and other non-fat substances), are harvested into a syringe. A dye is provided or injected in the syringe. Centrifugation of the syringe stratifies the substances into a top oil stratum, a middle fat stratum, and a bottom denser substance stratum. A superficial layer of less viable fat tissue in the middle stratum is highlighted by the dye. Denser substances are filtered out of the syringes during centrifugation. Oil and the less viable fat tissue are removed through a port in the plunger head of the syringe plunger. More viable fat tissue is transferred into smaller syringes through an adapter in the assembly coupled with the syringe and the smaller syringes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for severing a spare rib (RR) from a backbone (R), whereby the split backbone is conveyed inside a guideway (2), which is comprised of two guide plates (21, 22) and which delimits a wedge-shaped channel (23) through which the spare rib (R) projects each time and a cutting edge (10) of a cutting device (1) traverses past on the side of the rib. The cutting device (1) is a rotary blade with a cutting rim (10), which is tapered to form a sharp edge, and its cutting blade (11) is arranged nearly parallel to the guide plates (21, 22) whose distance from one another can be adjusted.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for severing a spare rib (RR) from a backbone (R), whereby the split backbone is conveyed inside a guideway (2), which is comprised of two guide plates (21, 22) and which delimits a wedge-shaped channel (23) through which the spare rib (R) projects each time and a cutting edge (10) of a cutting device (1) traverses past on the side of the rib. The cutting device (1) is a rotary blade with a cutting rim (10), which is tapered to form a sharp edge, and its cutting blade (11) is arranged nearly parallel to the guide plates (21, 22) whose distance from one another can be adjusted.

Abstract: A modular plastic wall block to be used for forming a retaining wall including a plurality of vertically superimposed courses, each course including a plurality of laterally juxtaposed wall blocks. Each wall block is formed of a wall block frame and an easily replaceable facing panel interconnected by a tongue and groove connection. By rotating the facing panel by 90.degree., it can be used to overly and conceal at least a portion of the top of an uppermost course of wall blocks in the retaining wall. The wall blocks include elements for side-to-side connection enabling juxtaposed wall blocks in each course to be laterally aligned to form a straight portion of a face of a retaining wall, or to be angularly positioned to form concave or convex portions of the face of the retaining wall without the formation of gaps between adjacent wall blocks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the flow rates of fluids is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a probe which may be placed in a fluid inside a vessel, such as a blood vessel. The probe comprises at least one pair of conductors to which the circuit provides a small current. As ions are disordered or migrate between at least one of the conductors and the fluid, a current or charge is caused to flow between the conductors. The circuit measures this current using a differential amplifier and generates an output signal corresponding thereto. The output signal is then displayed on a monitor. Because the current flow is closely related to the rate of flow of the fluid past the probe, an accurate measurement of the flow rate is obtained.