Abstract: The invention concerns a sensor for obtaining information about the state of an organism for a medical therapy apparatus, preferably for a therapy apparatus for the electrostimulation or other treatment of the heart. The invention is distinguished by at least one sensor element for detecting molecular-genetic information. The invention further concerns a medical therapy apparatus having a sensor of that kind.

Abstract: A stent has a tubular portion which has openings that are of a substantially V-shaped configuration.

Abstract: The instant invention is a bio-supportive medium comprising a degradable material, at least one nutritional source, and at least one bio-limiting agent dispersed in the biodegradable material. The nutritional source is present in the degradable material or an additive to the degradable material. The components of the bio-supportive medium are provided in quantities, such that the bio-supportive medium is capable of supporting formation of a biomass having a specific consortium of organisms, substantially at equilibrium within its environment or host habitat. While maintaining the biomass, the bio-limiting agent also provides the bio-supportive medium to limit the amount and type of species present in the biomass. The instant invention provides a unique bio-mimicking and environmentally-friendly way to control fouling of materials exposed to marine and aquatic environments.

Abstract: An electrode arrangement provides an electrode line (10) carrying at least a first fixing element (16) which is designed to fix the electrode line to body tissue, especially the myocardium of a heart, and which is arranged at a spacing relative to the distal end (12) of the electrode line (10), wherein the first fixing element (16) is fixedly connected to the electrode line (10) and has a free first end (40) which has a component of extension in a direction tangential with respect to the electrode line (10) and which is of such a configuration that the first fixing element (16) penetrates into body tissue that is adjacent to the electrode line in the situation of use by a rotary movement of the electrode line (10) about the longitudinal axis thereof.

Abstract: A rail road car has a deck for carrying wheeled vehicles. The rail road car can be coupled to other rail road cars of the same type. Bridge plates are provided to permit wheeled vehicles to be conducted between adjacent rail road cars. The bridge plates have one end mounted to the rail road car at a pivot fitting. The pivot fitting allows the bridge plate to be moved from a length-wise position spanning the gap between cars, to a cross-wise storage position. The bridge plates have fittings which permit three degrees of freedom relative to the adjacent rail road cars, namely a first degree of freedom to tolerate yawing motion of the first rail road car, a second degree of freedom to accommodate yawing motion of the second rail road car, and a third degree of freedom to accommodate variation in distance between the respective portions of the rail road cars to which the bridge plate is mounted while the rail road cars are moving.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of signaling an internal status of an implantable cardiac stimulation device, which status is defined by a value of a status parameter, including the steps: a) Recording a measurement value (S12) representing the status parameter, b) Ascertaining the existence of the status by comparison of the measurement value with a comparative value (S14), c) Delivering a signal pulse with a predetermined, measurable pulse parameter, wherein the pulse parameter is uniquely associated with the status if the measurement value corresponds to the comparative value within predetermined limits (S26). In accordance with the invention the time difference of equal, predetermined phases of two successive, periodically recurring events prior to delivery of the signal pulse is measured (S20), and then the signal pulse is delivered prior to or after the next expiry of the measured time difference by a predeterminable period of time uniquely associated with the status (S22, S24, S26).

Abstract: A rotatory pump has a housing (20) and an impeller wheel (40) which is mounted on a driving shaft (30) to rotate integrally therewith. The driving shaft is rotatably supported in the housing. The driving shaft also has a disk (44) disposed to be concentric with the driving shaft. Radially extending blades (46) are directed along the axial direction of the driving shaft (30) being provided on the disk, and the blades, together with the inner wall portions (22a) of the housing (20) which face the blades (46), form flow channels for the fluid to be pumped. At least one raised portion (48) is on each of the radially extending edges (46a) of preferably three blades (46), to bear against the inner wall portions (22a) of the housing (20) which face the blades (46) of the impeller wheel housing.

Abstract: An auto rack rail road car has a main deck and at least one upper deck for carrying automobiles. The auto rack rail road car is provided with short travel buff gear and a reduced slack, or slackless, coupler. Bridge plates are provided to span the space between adjacent coupled rail road cars. The bridge plates are able to remain in place during train motion. The bridge plates can be swung to a stowed position.

Abstract: A rail road car has a deck for carrying wheeled vehicles. It has a bridge plate mounted to one end to permit wheeled vehicles to be conducted between the rail road car and an adjacently coupled rail road car. The bridge plate is movable between an extended, “drive-over” longitudinal orientation relative to the rail road car, and a side-ways, or cross-ways stowed orientation. The bridge plate can be moved to the stowed position by uncoupling the rail car, and pivoting the bridge plate to the cross-ways position. The cars can be re-coupled by placing the bridge plate in the length-wise orientation, and then advancing two cars together to form a coupling.

Abstract: An electrode arrangement (10) comprising a first electrode cable (12) which is to be inserted into the coronary sinus and which has an electrode conductor (32) and at least one electrode (38, 40) for outputting and/or receiving electrical signals in the coronary sinus. Longitudinally slidably guidable in the lumen of the first electrode cable (12) at least in a longitudinal portion-wise manner is a second electrode cable (14) which can issue from the first electrode cable through an opening (52) at the distal end thereof and which is adapted for insertion into a cardiac vein which opens into the coronary sinus.

Abstract: A railcar unit has a pair of deep sidewalls and a cradle mounted between the sidewalls for carrying coils. The sidewalls span the distance between the two railcar trucks, and act as a pair of deep beams for carrying vertical loads. The deep sidewalls are arranged to extend above and below the center sill of the cradle and to give vertical stiffness to the car. The center sill is a straight through sill for carrying buff and draft loads between the couplers. The cradle is made from a set of cross bearers welded to the center sill to form a series of segmented beams, covered by plating. The cross bearers are welded to the sidewalls at lap joints. The cross bearers are all of the same design and can be made from a rolled beam. The sidewalls have their deepest section at mid-span, and are tapered to a thinner section toward the end structure of the cars. The tapering includes provision of an access way between the railcar truck wheels and the sidewall to permit brake maintenance.

Abstract: In order to ensure a simple structure and precise handling in the case of a catheter, in particular a bi- or unidirectionally deflectable ablation catheter, comprising a flexible guide tube (3) which extends from a gripping element (1) and which terminates in a catheter tip (6) for treating or investigating a hollow organ in a body, wherein provided for deflection purposes there is at least one draw wire (13a; 13b) which extends within the flexible guide tube (3) and which is fixed to the tip (6) of the catheter and which is movable by way of a transmission means disposed in the gripping element (1) for converting the rotary movement of a manual control wheel (7) into a longitudinal movement for the draw wire (13a; 13b), it is proposed that provided as the transmission means is a toothed drive pulley (8) which is coupled to the control wheel (7) and which correspondingly engages into the teeth of a toothed belt (9) which is guided over guide means within the gripping element (1) in such a way that the draw wi

Abstract: A tangle free lead device has a coupler with first and second bores in axial alignment. A first linear element is rotatably received in the first bore and a second linear element is rotatably received in the second bore. A head on each linear element, positioned in a central aperture of a main body of the coupler retains the linear element axially in the coupler. The relative position of the heads of the respective elements also delimit the axial movement of the linear elements relative to each other.

Abstract: This invention relates to a unipolar or multipolar electrical filter feedthrough device (1) to be introduced into an aperture of housing (26) of an implantable electronic therapeutic device with a feedthrough body (2) to be inserted in the aperture and comprising a fixing means (3) to connect with the housing wall, and with filter means (7) designed as capacitors, that are, on one side, connected—in an electrically conductive manner—with one of the electrical pins (8) that are mutually electrically separated, and, on the other side, with the housing of the therapeutic device carrying a reference potential. Filter means (7) are arranged outside the feedthrough body (2) and are connected with this body in such a manner that they basically stick out into the inside (4) of housing (26) in a freely suspended manner.

Abstract: A device for taking a sample from the human or animal body comprising a casing tube (2) in which there is longitudinally movably arranged a swab carrier (1) whose distal end is provided with a swab (4), and a displacement device (3) which is arranged at the proximal end of the device and by the actuation of which the swab (4) can be extended from the casing tube (2) or completely retracted thereinto, wherein the swab carrier (1) comprises at least a distal carrier portion (10) and a tubular proximal carrier portion (11), which are releasably connected together by way of a coupling portion (12) which is introduced into the proximal carrier portion (11) and which extends in the distal direction into a first opening (13) at the proximal end of the distal carrier portion (10), and wherein the coupling portion (12) locks the carrier portions relative to each in their longitudinal direction in such a way that the connection thereof is releasable by pulling the distal end of the coupling portion (12) in the proximal

Abstract: A well car for carrying shipping containers has a pair of end structures supported by rail car trucks, a pair of first and second spaced apart side beams extending between the end structures and a well defined therebetween. A container support cross member is mounted between the side sills in a position to support an end of a shipping container load carried within the well. The container support cross member may be a monolithic beam member with a attachment fitting formed at an end thereof. The attachment fitting is connectable to a side sill at a moment connection. The remaining end of the cross member is similarly configured and connected to the second side sill. Each end of the cross member has load bearing surface portions which may be used for supporting a corner of a shipping container. The moment connections permit a bending moment to be carried by the cross member between the first and second side sills.

Abstract: The invention concerns an implantable defibrillator (1) comprising a chargeable voltage source (2) and a pulse generator (3) which is formed from a voltage multiplier (5) and a capacitor (4) chargeable to the defibrillation voltage. Provided between the capacitor (4) and the voltage source (2) is a line connection (6) by way of which electrical energy which has not been consumed or which is not required for the tissue stimulation procedure can be returned from the capacitor to the voltage source.

Abstract: A multipolar electrode arrangement having a plurality of electrodes (14, 14′, 14″) with an electrical feed line, wherein the electrodes (14, 14′, 14″) are connected to an electrode carrier (10) which is adapted to be insertable together with the electrodes (14, 14′, 14″) into the lumen of a catheter.