Abstract: A medical device lead includes an insulative lead body, a conductor extending through the lead body from a proximal end to a distal end, and an electrode electrically connected to the conductor. The proximal end is adapted to be electrically connected to a pulse generator. The electrode includes a plurality of electrode modules mechanically coupled in a stack of electrode modules. Each electrode module includes a plurality of layers that define substantially similar sized pores such that the stack of electrode modules includes an array of the substantially similar sized pores.

Abstract: A method of assisting in regenerating a patient's liver includes fluidly coupling a first end of a conduit with a first blood vessel of the patient that carries oxygenated blood. A second end of the conduit is fluidly coupled with a second blood vessel of the patient that carries blood to the patient's liver. Oxygenated blood is allowed to flow from the first blood vessel, through the conduit and to the liver via the second blood vessel of the patient.

Abstract: An assembly of a mounting support and an optical fibre connector adaptor (20) mounted on the support, wherein the adaptor has a connector-receiving axis and at least one lateral (to the said axis) mounting projection (25) on at least a first one of its sides, and the mounting support comprises wall members (not necessarily flat or continuous) upstanding from the support on both sides of the said adaptor, which wall members on at least one side of the adaptor define mounting slots adapted to receive the said mounting projections of the adaptor, and wherein the slots are formed to permit movement of the adaptor between at least a first position in which the adaptor is supported with its said axis at an acute angle to the support, and a working position in which the adaptor is supported with its said axis lying substantially parallel to the support, and wherein the wall members define, in at least one of the said slots, at least one shoulder (30) on which one of the mounting projections (25) of the adaptor can b

Abstract: A catheter assembly for cannulating an ostium of a coronary sinus of a heart comprises an outer catheter member and an inner catheter member. The outer catheter member has a distal end portion including a deflectable distal end and a lumen extending through the deflectable distal end, wherein the distal end portion includes regions of varying stiffness and has a pre-formed curvature. The inner catheter member is slidably and rotatably disposed within the lumen of the outer catheter member, and has a distal end portion including a distal end, and a lumen extending through the distal end. The distal end portion of the inner catheter member has regions of varying stiffness and a pre-formed curvature. The outer and inner catheter members are configured such that relative translation and rotation of the outer and inner catheter members causes the distal end of the outer catheter member to assume a plurality of two and three dimensional shapes.

Abstract: A firefighting nozzle of the present invention includes a nozzle body with an inlet and an outlet, a passageway having a smooth bore extending between the inlet and the outlet of the nozzle body, and a compressible member defining at least a portion of the passageway. The compressible member has an inner dimension transverse to the longitudinal central axis. The nozzle also includes an adjuster mounted about the compressible member for selectively compressing the compressible member, wherein the pressure of the fluid flowing into the nozzle applies an outwardly directed pressure on the compressible member to thereby increase the inner dimension of the compressible member, and with at least a portion of the pressure being diverted from the passageway for applying an inwardly directed pressure on the compressible member to thereby at least reduce the force needed to be applied by the adjuster to counter-act the outwardly directed pressure when adjusting the flow rate of the nozzle.

Abstract: A work vehicle is provided having a front wheel assembly and a rear wheel assembly. The front wheel assembly may include a front axle assembly, and the rear wheel assembly may include a rear axle assembly. The vehicle may include a braking system configured to transfer front axle braking torque to the rear axle assembly when the vehicle is positioned on a slope.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for checking the integrity of a database through a test of database integrity information provided in the database and integrity information provided external to the database. The integrity information may be provided in a configuration file.

Abstract: Multiple Video Graphic Adapters (VGAs) are used to render video data to a common port. In one embodiment, each VGA will render an entire frame of video and provide it to the output port through a switch. The next adjacent frame will be calculated by a separate VGA and provided to an output port through the switch. A voltage adjustment is made to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) of at least one of the VGAs in order to correlate the video-out voltages being provided by the VGAs. This correlation assures that the color being viewed on the screen is uniform regardless of which VGA is providing the signal. A dummy switch receives the video-output from each of the VGAs. When a VGA is not providing information to the output port, the dummy switch can be selected to provide the video-output of the selected VGA a resistance path which matches the resistance at the video port. This allows the video graphics controller to maintain a constant thermal state.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for fast context switching in a virtualized system. In the disclosed system, a globally unique application-space identifier is associated with each guest application. No two applications share the same application-space identifier, even if the two applications reside in different virtual machines. Domain identifiers are used to ensure that a guest's mappings are only active when that guest is executing. A unique domain identifier is associated with each virtual machine, and all translation lookaside buffer entries thereby mapping the guest's kernel pages with that domain value. All other mappings are tagged with a predefined domain such as zero. In addition, a virtual memory management unit may be configured to support two virtual page table pointers and a configurable boundary between a virtual user page table and a virtual kernel page table.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for making a polymer patterned electrode for cardiac pacing and sensing. The electrode surface includes a polymer overlayed on an electrode. The polymer layer is patterned to form an electrode surface consisting of a polymer and a conductive metal surface. The electrode can be made of a high or low impedance electrode by changing the conductivity of the polymer. Furthermore, the electrode surface texture can be optimized with a micro pattern that may enhance the biocompatibility. The polymer may be conductive or insulative.

Abstract: A lead delivery system for delivering a neurostimulation lead to a patient's internal jugular vein using a percutaneous stick. The system comprises a neurostimulation lead adapted to stimulate a vagus nerve from the internal jugular vein. The lead includes a proximal end, a distal end, a generally spiral shaped retaining structure interposed between the proximal and distal ends and configured to retain the lead in the internal jugular vein, an electrode coupled to the retaining structure, and a side port interposed between the retaining structure and the proximal end. The side port provides access to a lumen extending from the distal end to the side port. A guidewire is sized to fit within the side port and lumen and reduce a force exerted by the retaining structure against the internal jugular vein, thereby allowing rotation of the lead and orientation of the electrode by applying a torque to the lead.

Abstract: A magnetic core flux canceling device according to embodiments of the present invention includes a magnetic field sensor adapted for placement at a ferrite material core in an implantable medical device, the magnetic field sensor adapted to transmit a signal corresponding to a magnitude of a first magnetic field. Such a device may also include a coil disposed around the ferrite material core and a driver circuit configured to receive the signal and to vary a voltage applied across the coil based on the signal, the voltage applied across the coil creating a second magnetic field at least partially in a direction opposite the first magnetic field. According to some embodiments of the present invention, multiple coils may be used to cancel magnetic fields in multiple directions. A voltage applied across the coil varies in magnitude and/or direction to cancel or weaken an MRI-related magnetic field.

Abstract: A connecting device for connection to an electrical connection system of a solar module comprises a connector housing for arranging on an outer face of the solar module and current-carrying components arranged in the connector housing, which components comprise at least one contact for connection to a conductor of the electrical connection system of the solar module, which conductor leads out from the solar module. A connection device, which may be arranged inside the connector housing, for positioning the conductor which leads out from the solar module is also provided, it being possible for the connection device and the contact to be arranged relative to one another in such a way that the contact is initially guided contactlessly along the conductor which leads out, so as to contact said conductor which leads out, and contacts the conductor which leads out in an end position. Reliable contact is thus possible without displacing the conductor which leads out.

Abstract: A method of making a pole housing for an electric motor is provided. The pole housing may be used in both sealed and unsealed applications.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of optimizing performance of a fingerprint sensor includes determining whether a force applied to a sensing portion of the sensor is within an optimal force range for the fingerprint sensor and capturing at least one fingerprint image with the fingerprint sensor after the applied force is in the optimal force range.

Abstract: The invention relates to a Switch connector for mounting on a printed circuit board, adapted to receive a mating connector in an insertion direction along an insertion axis. The switch connector comprises a shield, a contact element, and a contact spring having at least one fixed leg, at least one elastically deflectable switching leg, and at least one spring bend, the fixed leg and the switching leg extending from the spring bend in a common direction and passing the insertion axis. The switching leg is adapted to be moved by insertion of the mating connector from a rest position, at which the switching leg exerts a spring force onto the contact element, to a switching position, at which the switching leg is spaced apart from the contact element, at least one spring force flux that in the rest position is generated by the switching leg and guided in a closed loop to the fixed leg. To increase the reliability of the switching function, the shield is arranged in the closed loop of the spring force flux.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods provide at least redundant control information such as control symbols and control data over respective channels, such as differential lanes, and skew at least the redundant control information in time between the plurality of transmission circuits. Non-control information such as video and/or audio data may also be skewed. Corresponding receiver circuits and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for charging one or more learning session to one or more student accounts comprises an online learning system having one or more nodes that creates one or more online learning sessions over one or more communications channels between one or more students and corresponding teachers. An enrollment node receives student enrollment information. A scheduling node schedules the online learning session. A database that stores information relating to one or more charge criterion information for charging the one or more learning sessions to the one or more student accounts based on communications channel activity. An activity node receives communications channel activity information associated with one or more learning sessions, and an accounting node associates a charge information for a learning session to the student account based on the channel activity information and one or more charge criterion information.