Abstract: A radially expandable segmented stent, the stent including annular metallic stent segments and connectors interconnecting each segment, the interconnectors are formed from a biodegradable polymer material.

Abstract: A stent in a non-expanded state has a first column expansion strut pair. A plurality of the first column expansion strut pair form a first expansion column. A plurality of second column expansion strut pair form a second expansion column. A plurality of first serial connecting struts form a first connecting strut column that couples the first expansion column to the second expansion column. The first expansion column, the second expansion column, and the first connecting strut column form a plurality of geometric cells. At least a portion of the plurality are asymmetrical geometric cells.

Abstract: A venous valve with a frame and a cover on the frame for unidirectional flow of a liquid through the valve.

Abstract: A stent comprises a tubular member having openings therein and having a plurality of interconnected members and one or more frangible restraining members. The frangible restraining members break upon partial expansion of the stent. Thereafter, the stent self-expands.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a stent comprises a plurality of interconnected framework members defining a plurality of cells. A portion of the interconnected framework members comprise a side branch structure defining an inner side branch cell that is shaped differently from other cells of the stent. The side branch structure comprises a serpentine ring that extends around the inner side branch cell. The serpentine ring comprises alternating struts and turns. The turns comprise alternating inner turns and outer turns, and the inner turns comprise alternating first inner turns and second inner turns. The second inner turns are located farther away from a side branch center point than the first inner turns.

Abstract: Composite material with a polymerisable organic binder, characterised in that it contains a filler with filler particles which have the shape of a torus.

Abstract: A laboratory apparatus having at least one control device (4) comprising an electric printed-circuit board (15) of the control device (4) that is disposed on an instrument body (2) of the laboratory apparatus (1) and has at least one electric control element (16, 18), at least one operator interface (6) of the control device (4) including at least one operator control (11, 33); a retaining device (29, 30) for detachably holding the operator interface (6) on the instrument body (2) with the operator control (11, 33) oriented to the control element (16, 18), and a mechanical and/or magnetic connection for detachably joining the control element (16, 18) mechanically and/or magnetically to the operator control (11, 33).

Abstract: An apparatus for the measurement of mass and/or moisture of dielectric objects, with an analysing unit, at least one high frequency generator, at least one high frequency detector and with a high frequency resonator, wherein the at least one high frequency generator can generate at least two modes which are independent from each other, having different resonance frequencies in the resonator, the at least one high frequency detector can measure the occurring frequencies for each mode in the resonator, and the analysing unit can determine a shift of the resonance frequency (A) and a change of the resonance curve for the measured frequencies in each mode, and can calculate the mass and/or moisture of the dielectric object from the determined values for the shift of the resonance frequency (A) and the change of the resonance curve.

Abstract: There is disclosed a portable gum container, comprising a body. The body has a chewing gum holder, a sheet material dispenser, and a waste receptacle. The chewing gum holder is for holding chewing gum. The sheet material dispenser is for dispensing sheet material sized and shaped for wrapping about a piece of spent chewing gum. The waste receptacle is sized and shaped to contain the wrapped spent piece of chewing gum. Also disclosed is a portable gum container, comprising a body having a chewing gum holder, a waste receptacle and at least one piece of sheet material associated with the body for wrapping about a piece of spent chewing gum.

Abstract: Particulate materials useful as fillers, reinforcing agents, radioopacifiers, or impact modifiers. The particulate material has an average particle size range of about 10,000 nm or less and comprises an organic-inorganic hybrid material that has a ceramic material network having organic polymer segments distributed throughout the ceramic network. The ceramic network may be prepared by a sol-gel technique. The particulate material may be compounded in thermoplastic polymer compositions useful in a variety of applications such as preparation of medical device components.

Abstract: An apparatus for the payout of coins from a pair of neighbouring coin tubes, in which one stack of coins at a time is supported on the bottom of a coin tube, with a payout disc below the coin tubes, which is rotatably mounted around an axis parallel to the axis of the coin tubes and which has a payout element on the side facing the coin tubes, which is moved along a curved slit in the bottom of the respective coin tube in an angular rotation of the payout disc, in order to capture the respective lowermost coin and to push it out, with an electric drive motor for the payout disc and a control device, which triggers the drive motor such that departing from a rest position, the payout disc is rotated at option about a limited rotational angle up to a final position, and is consecutively turned back into the rest position, wherein the payout disc has an extension in the rotational direction by which the stack of coins rests on the payout element in the final position of the payout disc, characterised in that on t

Abstract: A cardiac valve with a support frame having a first end member and a second end member opposing the first end member in a substantially fixed distance relationship, and a cover extending over the support frame to allow for unidirectional flow of a liquid through the valve.

Abstract: A method of locating a cellular phone on an aircraft includes detecting a cellular phone transmission of a passenger on an aircraft, logging a subscriber number and a serial number of the phone, transmitting the subscriber number and the serial number of the phone to a common carrier for caller identification information, attempting to match the caller identification information with a database, displaying a name and a seat number of the passenger if a match was found between the caller identification information and the database, and recording all information related to the cellular phone transmission.

Abstract: System for the production of preforms made of a powder material, in particular tablets, with a rotary tablet press, which is arranged in a housing supported by a frame in the housing, wherein an electric drive motor is integrated into the rotor of the tablet press and the rotor is swivel-mounted on a middle column of the frame, and a control cabinet for the tablet press, which contains among other things a machine computer for the operation of the tablet press, wherein the middle column is supported on a horizontal load-bearing element, which is arranged at a distance above a base plate placed on the floor and the control cabinet is arranged in the interim space between the horizontal load-bearing element and the base plate.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for treating an irregularity in a wall of a vessel of a patient defined by an irregular or afflicted wall portion with adjacent normal wall portions comprises a catheter having a distal end portion for being guided through the vessel to the site of the irregularity. A balloon associated with said distal end portion of the catheter for selective inflating to contact the walls of the vessel urges a stent carried by the distal end portion of the catheter in a constricted condition for passage through the vessel into an expanded form with the stent spanning the afflicted wall portion and contacting the adjacent wall portions. The catheter is formed with lumens for inflating the balloon, for receiving a guidewire for guiding the catheter through the vessel, and for connecting a port in the catheter proximate the afflicted wall portion to enable delivery of a therapeutic agent into the vessel to contact the stent and the irregular wall portion.

Abstract: The polishing composition contains polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester, silicon dioxide, water soluble cellulose, an alkaline compound, and water. The content of polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester in the polishing composition is less than 0.0025% by mass. The polishing composition is appropriate for final polishing of silicon wafers.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention a coating topology, or engineered surface architecture that may be referred to as a microdroplet deposited engineered surface architecture is provided. A plurality of drops are placed on the stent with the purpose, of building up individual units of coating material on the outer stent surface. This architecture results in a coating that uses less material, i.e., polymer, solvent, medicine, while at the same time providing for better, and determinable, drug kinetics, approaching 100% delivery and better mechanical operation of the coating binding to the stent.

Abstract: An implantable prosthesis is provided having a radially-expandable tubular body and at least one skirt extending therefrom. The skirt terminates in a peripheral edge, wherein at least portions of the peripheral edge are free and displaceable to a greater diameter of the tubular body. Thus, with the implantable prosthesis being a stent-graft used to treat an aortic aneurysm (e.g., abdominal aortic aneurysm (“AAA”)), the skirt may be used to inhibit Type I endoleaks upon its selective displacement in response to irregular aortic shaping and/or aneurysm neck expansion. The skirt may actively inhibit Type I endoleaks by forming a physical barrier against flow between the tubular body and the aortic wall. In addition, the skirt may passively inhibit endoleak formation by sufficiently restricting blood flow to allow coagulation and clot formation, which would act as a barrier against endoleakage.

Abstract: A method for making an implantable stent includes the steps of (i) providing a plurality of elongate stent wires; (ii) forming said wires into a hollow tubular structure having opposed first and second open ends; (iii) terminating said wires at the second end; (iv) aligning the wires at the second end into a plurality of mated adjacent wires to define a plurality of abutting regions; (v) welding the mated adjacent wires to one and the other at the abutting regions to define a plurality of welds; and optionally (vi) chemically or electro-chemically removing a portion of the welds. The method may further include the steps of (a) extending at least one of the mated stent wires to provide an extended stent wire; (b) looping the extended stent wire so the extended end abuts a proximal pair of stent wires; and (c) welding the extended and looped wire to the proximal pair of wires.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a stent comprises a plurality of serpentine bands and a plurality of connector columns. Each serpentine band comprises a plurality of alternating straight band struts and turns. Adjacent serpentine bands are connected across a connector column by a plurality of connector struts. Each connector strut is connected at one end to a turn of one serpentine band and connected at the other end to a turn of another serpentine band. The turns of a serpentine band comprise connected turns that connect to a connector strut and unconnected turns that do not connect to a connector strut. At least one serpentine band comprises a repeating pattern of three band struts and then five band struts extending between connected turns as the serpentine band is traversed. At least one serpentine band comprises a repeating pattern of three band struts and then one band strut extending between connected turns as the serpentine band is traversed.