Abstract: An example ullage-recirculating catalytic inerting system includes: (i) a plurality of fuel tanks having (a) respective inert gas ports for discharging the inert gas within a respective fuel tank, and (b) respective ullage gas ports for drawing ullage gas from the respective fuel tank; and (ii) an inert gas generating system including (a) an ullage gas inlet port fluidly coupled to the respective ullage gas ports, (b) an inert gas outlet port fluidly coupled to the respective inert gas ports, (c) a catalytic reactor for chemically converting ullage gas received through the ullage gas inlet port to inert gas for discharge through the inert gas outlet port, and (d) a prime mover for moving gas through the inert gas generating system.

Abstract: An example ullage-recirculating catalytic inerting system includes: (i) a plurality of fuel tanks having (a) respective inert gas ports for discharging the inert gas within a respective fuel tank, and (b) respective ullage gas ports for drawing ullage gas from the respective fuel tank; and (ii) an inert gas generating system including (a) an ullage gas inlet port fluidly coupled to the respective ullage gas ports, (b) an inert gas outlet port fluidly coupled to the respective inert gas ports, (c) a catalytic reactor for chemically converting ullage gas received through the ullage gas inlet port to inert gas for discharge through the inert gas outlet port, and (d) a prime mover for moving gas through the inert gas generating system.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes an electrically conductive lead for a medical device, the lead having an internal bore terminating at a distal lead opening, and a lead delivery device for delivering the distal end of the lead to a blood vessel during implantation of the lead. The lead delivery device includes a removably anchorable guidewire, and a fixator attached to a distal portion of the guidewire for anchoring the guidewire. The fixator is movable between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration. The fixator is capable of passing through the distal lead opening of the lead in the compact configuration. The fixator is capable of exerting a holding force in the range of about 0.89 to 4.45 N in the lumen of the blood vessel in the expanded configuration.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a guidewire and a fixator catheter. The fixator catheter comprises a tubular body with a distal portion and a proximal portion, and further includes a distal opening, a fixator secured to the distal portion, and a body opening arranged between the fixator and the proximal portion. The guidewire passes through the body opening and the distal opening of the fixator catheter. The fixator is movable between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration and, in the expanded condition, is capable of anchoring the guidewire and fixator catheter in a lumen of a blood vessel.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a guidewire and a fixator catheter. The fixator catheter comprises a tubular body with a distal portion and a proximal portion, and further includes a distal opening, a fixator secured to the distal portion, and a body opening arranged between the fixator and the proximal portion. The guidewire passes through the body opening and the distal opening of the fixator catheter. The fixator is movable between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration and, in the expanded condition, is capable of anchoring the guidewire and fixator catheter in a lumen of a blood vessel.

Abstract: A water abrasive slurry supply system permits abrasive recovery and reuse and allows for constant controlled supply of abrasive slurry to multiple cutting heads in series or in parallel from a remote common slurry mix/supply tank. By keeping the slurry mix always in constant motion the abrasive is not allowed to settle out of suspension. The velocity required to maintain suspension in the recirculating loop is 6 to 7 feet per second.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a guidewire and a fixator catheter. The fixator catheter comprises a tubular body with a distal portion and a proximal portion, and further includes a distal opening, a fixator secured to the distal portion, and a body opening arranged between the fixator and the proximal portion. The guidewire passes through the body opening and the distal opening of the fixator catheter. The fixator is movable between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration and, in the expanded condition, is capable of anchoring the guidewire and fixator catheter in a lumen of a blood vessel.

Abstract: A method of forming non-linear slots in pipe and the resulting slotted pipes are disclosed. The non-linear slots can be created using fluid jet, plasma, laser or any cutting method capable of producing a non-linear slot through the wall of a pipe. One embodiment includes interruptions in the slots to form ribs or structural connections between the pipe material along either side of a slot. The non-linear slots can be arranged in longitudinal, latitudinal, or in a helical orientation around the axis of the liner in straight, staggered, or ganged patterns. The slots can be formed in any non-linear shape, pattern, or slot thickness. One method employs high pressure fluid jet cutting from within the pipe, resulting in slots having a smaller width at the outside surface of the pipe.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a guidewire and a fixator catheter. The fixator catheter comprises a tubular body with a distal portion and a proximal portion, and further includes a distal opening, a fixator secured to the distal portion, and a body opening arranged between the fixator and the proximal portion. The guidewire passes through the body opening and the distal opening of the fixator catheter. The fixator is movable between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration and, in the expanded condition, is capable of anchoring the guidewire and fixator catheter in a lumen of a blood vessel.

Abstract: A water abrasive slurry supply system permits abrasive recovery and reuse and allows for constant controlled supply of abrasive slurry to multiple cutting heads in series or in parallel from a remote common slurry mix/supply tank. By keeping the slurry mix always in constant motion the abrasive is not allowed to settle out of suspension. The velocity required to maintain suspension in the recirculating loop is 6 to 7 feet per second.

Abstract: A receiving device captures sounds signals (e.g., ultrasonic) from multiple sound signal sources, selects the sound signals satisfying a reliability condition for use in determining an initial position of the receiving device relative to the corresponding sound signal sources, determines the initial position of the receiving device using multilateration of the selected sound signals, and updates the current position of the receiving device as the reliability of individual sound signals varies in the presence of dynamically changing environmental interference, multipathing, and movement between the receiving device and the sound signal sources.

Abstract: A receiving device captures sounds signals (e.g., ultrasonic) from multiple sound signal sources, selects the sound signals satisfying a reliability condition for use in determining an initial position of the receiving device relative to the corresponding sound signal sources, determines the initial position of the receiving device using multilateration of the selected sound signals, and updates the current position of the receiving device as the reliability of individual sound signals varies in the presence of dynamically changing environmental interference, multipathing, and movement between the receiving device and the sound signal sources.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes an electrically conductive lead for a medical device, the lead having an internal bore terminating at a distal lead opening, and a lead delivery device for delivering the distal end of the lead to a blood vessel during implantation of the lead. The lead delivery device includes a removably anchorable guidewire, and a fixator attached to a distal portion of the guidewire for anchoring the guidewire. The fixator is movable between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration. The fixator is capable of passing through the distal lead opening of the lead in the compact configuration. The fixator is capable of exerting a holding force in the range of about 0.89 to 4.45 N in the lumen of the blood vessel in the expanded configuration.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a guidewire and a fixator catheter. The fixator catheter comprises a tubular body with a distal portion and a proximal portion, and further includes a distal opening, a fixator secured to the distal portion, and a body opening arranged between the fixator and the proximal portion. The guidewire passes through the body opening and the distal opening of the fixator catheter. The fixator is movable between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration and, in the expanded condition, is capable of anchoring the guidewire and fixator catheter in a lumen of a blood vessel.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a guidewire and a fixator catheter. The fixator catheter comprises a tubular body with a distal portion and a proximal portion, and further includes a distal opening, a fixator secured to the distal portion, and a body opening arranged between the fixator and the proximal portion. The guidewire passes through the body opening and the distal opening of the fixator catheter. The fixator is movable between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration and, in the expanded condition, is capable of anchoring the guidewire and fixator catheter in a lumen of a blood vessel.

Abstract: The invention provides devices and methods for treatment of acute ischemic stroke and other blockages in small and highly curved or highly diseased vessels and a means of delivering devices and agents to a target site. The devices of the present invention are in a collapsed position while maneuvering to the target lesion that enables access to small vessels. It expands to create a large lumen fill length of the catheter lumen to allow greater suction force and energy than systems known in prior art or a large lumen for easier and safer delivery of an interventional device to a target lesion. The expansion of the distal end also allows the device to seal the vessel at the target site to control flow to the site of a blockage, such as drugs to reduce reprofusion deficit or thrombolytic agents.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for synchronizing threads of execution within a distributed computing environment. Threads of execution within a computer spawn additional threads of execution on separate computers within the distributed computing environment. Each thread may compete for shared resources within the computing environment, thereby creating a need to avoid deadlocks among the local threads. Whereas locals thread exists within a single computing platform, logical threads are created to relate local threads to each other and thereby span the platforms on which the local threads reside. Distributed monitors are created to control access to shared resources by local threads based on logical thread affiliations. Locks within the distributed monitors are assigned to logical threads instead of local threads. Local threads that are each part of the same logical thread will all have access to the shared resource when the lock is assigned to the logical thread.

Abstract: In an object oriented software environment, a system and method is disclosed that addresses both state recovery and relationship recovery in the event of a system halt. The system is suited to enterprise-class distributed systems with extensive object relationships. Each essential object is saved in persistent storage. Essential values within each object are updated in storage according to a method within each object. After a partial or total halt of the system, the state of the software is reconstructed in a two phase process. In the first phase, the essential objects are restored from persistent storage, along with essential values. In the second phase, a method uniquely implemented by each object will reconstruct non-essential objects and variables. The second phase is ideally tailored to allow the system to be reconstructed even when the underlying hardware or software has been altered.

Abstract: Several embodiments of a compliant catheter and methods of use are disclosed. The distal portion of the catheter maintains a collapsed position during navigation through a vessel and may be expanded upon reaching the target location. The collapsed position allows better maneuverability in small and tortuous or heavily diseased vessels. Expanding the distal portion of the catheter allows better device passage and increased fluid flow. This catheter may be used for device or fluid delivery, or for removing fluid and/or solids from a vessel or duct.

Abstract: In an object oriented software environment, a system and method is disclosed that addresses both state recovery and relationship recovery in the event of a system halt. The system is suited to enterprise-class distributed systems with extensive object relationships. Each essential object is saved in persistent storage. Essential values within each object are updated in storage according to a method within each object. After a partial or total halt of the system, the state of the software is reconstructed in a two phase process. In the first phase, the essential objects are restored from persistent storage, along with essential values. In the second phase, a method uniquely implemented by each object will reconstruct non-essential objects and variables. The second phase is ideally tailored to allow the system to be reconstructed even when the underlying hardware or software has been altered.