Abstract: A device is proposed to progressively reduce the hemodynamic cardiac symptoms of congestive heart failure as well as those induced by dilated cardiomyopathies. This device affords progressive diastolic ventricular control by offering a method for percutaneous access and adjustments of its gas filled bladders surrounding the heart. After opening the pericardium, the device is not attached to the heart muscle but may be anchored to the pericardial sac. The device actually extends primarily around the heart from below the atrio-ventricular canal to the cardiac apex. Between the device exterior, made of non-elastic material and the epicardium, two independent elastic bladders or chambers provide variable compressive diastolic support to the right and left ventricles, while allowing adequate blood flow to the anterior and posterior descending epicardial branches of the coronary arteries and veins.

Abstract: A video-on-demand system provides efficient commercial distribution for renting and/or selling movies, video programs, video games and electronic data. Data input stations upload original video data from videotapes, videocassettes, videodisks or film, or from electronic data format on transferable storage media or over a telecommunications line. A video data capture computer converts the original video data into a preferred video data storage format and stores the video data files in a first generation video data storage unit. The video data files are sorted by categories and classified in indexed master files stored on a second generation video data storage unit. NTSC, PAL and/or HDTV versions of the video data files are created and stored in separate data storage units for serving different markets. Customers access the system through computer servers connected to the Internet.

Abstract: A method is described for performing protected angioplasty and stenting of a patient's carotid bifurcation. A self-expanding stent is deployed across a stenosis in the patient's carotid artery. A catheter system that includes a rapid exchange balloon angioplasty catheter with an occlusion balloon catheter positioned through the guidewire lumen is advanced through the guiding catheter and into the distal end of the stent. The occlusion balloon is inflated within the lumen of the stent to occlude the carotid artery and to prevent any embolic debris from traveling downstream from the treatment site. The angioplasty balloon is inflated to dilate the stenosis and to complete the expansion of the self-expanding stent. The angioplasty catheter is withdrawn and any potential embolic debris is aspirated out through the lumen of the guiding catheter. The occlusion balloon is deflated and the catheter system is withdrawn.

Abstract: An orbital vibrator apparatus has a base mounted on vibration isolation mounts. An armature plate is resiliently mounted to the base by three flexural spring elements. An armature of magnetically attracted material is mounted to the armature plate. A first electromagnet and a second electromagnet are mounted on the base at right angles to one another and in a spaced apart relationship to the armature. A source of single-phase alternating current is connected to the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet by way of a control circuit. The control circuit includes a variable voltage transformer for controlling the voltage of the electric current and a phase shifting circuit. The phase shifting circuit shifts the phase of the alternating current by approximately ninety degrees. The first electromagnet is driven directly from the output of the voltage transformer and the second electromagnet is driven from the output of the phase shifting circuit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning and polishing products, including fruits and vegetables, in which the product is placed in a specially constructed cleaning bag and oscillated. The rolling motion of the product cleans and polishes the surfaces of the product. The bag has a lining especially selected for the purpose and is designed for occasional replacement of the lining or temporary removal for cleaning purposes. In one embodiment, the bag features an elastic section that accommodates various sizes of loads.

Abstract: A two-layered fenestrated vascular graft is provided for repair of diseased, damaged or aneurismal blood vessels. The fenestrated vascular graft is configured to be delivered transluminally and implanted within the lumen of a native blood vessel using catheter-based minimally-invasive surgical techniques. The vascular graft is fenestrated or perforated to facilitate making a fluid connection or anastomosis with one or more of the sidebranches of the vessel into which it is implanted. The vascular graft is adapted for implantation into blood vessels, such as the aorta, having tributary vessels or sidebranches along the section of the blood vessel to be repaired without occluding or obscuring the sidebranches. Methods are described for implanting the vascular graft into a patient's aorta for repairing thoracic or abdominal aortic aneurysms and for making a fluid connection or anastomosis with the tributary vessels or sidebranches of the aorta, such as the renal, hepatic and mesenteric arteries.

Abstract: A contamination resistant lead screw or ball screw-driven linear actuator has the lead screw and drive nut enclosed within a specially constructed guide chassis. A carriage is slidably mounted on parallel rails attached to the guide chassis. The carriage is attached to the drive nut through a slot in the guide chassis. An enclosure surrounds the guide chassis. The enclosure and the guide chassis create a labyrinth seal that effectively contains internally generated debris and contamination and excludes environmental dirt, debris and contamination.

Abstract: An improved set of calipers or dividers having a pair of measurement jaws for measuring the distance between points, a display, and a calculation module which performs calculations or retrieves values for any one or more of the following functions: scaling, nominal values, basic geometry, and complex geometry. The scaling function is performed in one of two ways: numerical input or a calculated scaling factor. The nominal values function displays the nominal value which corresponds to the measured value of any preprogrammed table of values. Common tables would include tables of drill sizes, wire gauge, sheet metal gauge, screw size, font size, paper weight, hole size, etc. The basic geometry function calculates geometric values based on one or more measured inputs. For example, the user can measure the opposite and adjacent legs of a triangle and the caliper will calculate and display the angle.

Abstract: Improved apparatus and methods are described for performing endarterectomy remotely via intraluminal techniques. A flexible blade dissector has a curved, diamond-shaped flexible dissecting blade mounted on a catheter shaft. The distal edge of the flexible dissecting blade is configured to form a dissecting edge for separating an atheromatous plaque from the medial layer of an artery wall. The flexible blade dissector may incorporate a steering mechanism to direct the flexible dissecting blade along a preferred path within the arterial wall. The endarterectomy method is performed by making an incision into an artery wall and initiating a plane of separation between an atherosclerotic plaque and the medial layer of the artery wall, inserting the flexible blade dissector into the plane of separation and advancing the flexible dissecting blade to longitudinally extend the plane of separation.

Abstract: A child's car seat accessory with a footrest and/or storage pockets. The combined footrest and pocket version is made of cloth in a T shape. The middle of the top of the T fits in the seat of the car seat, with an opening to allow the fastening mechanism to pass through. To the right and left sides are the storage pockets, which hang over each side of the car seat. The pockets can be elaslicized on the outside to allow for greater storage and to hold items in the pockets. The bottom of the T has a foam footrest covered with the same cloth. Above the foam piece on both edges are snaps to allow the length of the foam to be adjusted to the child's leg length. The pocket accessory version is formed of a generally rectangular piece of cloth with a seat portion in the middle and the two opposite ends having pockets extending over each side of the car seat. The footrest accessory version is formed of a generally rectangular piece of cloth with a seat portion at one end and the footrest at the opposite end.

Abstract: An improved method for welding and passivation forms a chromium oxide passivated film over the welded portion during the welding process. In a shielding step, a backshield gas, preferably argon, is flowed around the welding site. In a welding step, an arc gas, preferably argon with approximately 10% hydrogen and less than 1 ppm moisture content, is flowed through the welding head and a welded joint is formed, for example by high speed tungsten-inert gas (TIG) orbital welding. In the passivation step, a process gas, preferably argon with approximately 30-100 ppm of oxygen and less than 1 ppm moisture content, and preferably less than 1 ppb moisture content, is flowed over the welded portion to form a chromium oxide passivated film on the welded portion. The process gas is passed through a gas purifier prior to being flowed over the welded portion to maintain its moisture level at less than 1 ppb.

Abstract: A multilayer composite material and method for evaporative cooling of a person employs an evaporative cooling liquid that changes phase from a liquid to a gaseous state to absorb thermal energy. The evaporative cooling liquid is absorbed into a superabsorbent material enclosed within the multilayer composite material. The multilayer composite material has a high percentage of the evaporative cooling liquid in the matrix. The cooling effect can be sustained for an extended period of time because of the high percentage of phase change liquid that can be absorbed into the superabsorbent. Such a composite can be used for cooling febrile patients by evaporative cooling as the evaporative cooling liquid in the matrix changes from a liquid to a gaseous state to absorb thermal energy. The composite can be made with a perforated barrier material around the outside to regulate the evaporation rate of the phase change liquid.

Abstract: A sling having a generally rectangular shoulder pad with a cutout for the user's neck and four D-rings attached thereto is disclosed. A chest strap is attached to two of the D-rings, one on each end of the shoulder pad. An arm strap is attached to the two remaining D-rings. Both of the straps are formed of a resilient material to allow the user flexibility and mobility while wearing the sling. In order to create an easily adjusted attachment, each of the straps has a layer of resilient hook material on one side. At each end of each strap is a patch of hook material. The combination of hook and loop material is used to connect each end of the strap to the corresponding D-ring. An alternate embodiment uses two O-rings. Each O-ring attaches one end of both the arm strap and the chest strap to the shoulder pad.

Abstract: A tubular member useful as an inner liner for the working channel of a flexible endoscope has a distal portion which is specially treated to make it highly flexible and resistant to kinking or collapsing when it bends with the flexible section of the endoscope. The tubular member is also useful as a catheter device or as a component of a catheter device or catheter system. A helically wound wire is drawn into the wall of the tubing to prevent kinking or buckling of the wall or collapsing of the inner lumen. External ridges may be formed by convolutions of the tubing wall or by external threads that are formed on the exterior of the tubing wall within the flexible distal portion. An outer helical reinforcing coil may be added between the external ridges to further reinforce the flexible distal portion of the tubular member from kinking or collapsing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to fabricate nano-device and semiconductor device structures and features by controlling a coherent or near coherent particle beam to directly deposit, or direct write, onto a preselected deposition site of a substrate and into a predetermined shape is provided. Evanescent wave plates are optionally included to increase the order of the particle beam prior to interaction with a photonic lens. The photonic lens is holographically generated by means of a source laser and an optical lens to focus the atomic beam onto the deposition site by means of Lorenz force interaction between light fields of the photonic lens and dipole moments of the atoms of the atomic beam.

Abstract: A stirrer for mixing an additive into a liquid has a handle extending upward from a flattened, generally planar mixing element. Although the connection may take other forms, the embodiments shown have the mixing element extending up from the central portion of the mixing element. The handle is connected generally perpendicular to the plane of the mixing element. An alternate embodiment shows the handle connected to the mixing element at an angle of approximately 75 degrees from the plane of the mixing element. The mixing element may be virtually any planar shape, however, a generally round shape is optimal to match most standard drinking glasses.