Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of inhibiting or preventing infection and blood coagulation in or near a medical prosthetic device after said device has been inserted in a patient comprising administering to the device a pharmaceutically effective amount of a composition comprising: (A) at least one taurinamide derivative, and (B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of biologically acceptable acids and biologically acceptable salts thereof, whereby there are no systemic anti-clotting and no systemic biocidal effects.

Abstract: This invention introduces a class of multi-band linear phase lapped biorthogonal transforms with fast, VLSI-friendly implementations via lifting steps called the LiftLT. The transform is based on a lattice structure which robustly enforces both linear phase and perfect reconstruction properties. The lattice coefficients are parameterized as a series of lifting steps, providing fast, efficient in-place computation of the transform coefficients as well as the ability to map integers to integers. Our main motivation of the new transform is its application in image and video coding. Comparing to the popular 8×8 DCT, the 8×16 LiftLT only requires 1 more multiplication, 22 more additions, and 6 more shifting operations. However, image coding examples show that the LiftLT is far superior to the DCT in both objective and subjective coding performance. Thanks to properly designed overlapping basis functions, the LiftLT can completely eliminate annoying blocking artifacts.

Abstract: An implanted single- or dual-lumen device for repeated accessing of a vessel within a body, especially for hemodialysis, plasmapheresis, and other fluid exchange therapy treatments. The device is characterized by having: no septum for sealing but uses a resilient material to form a seal; a smooth streamlined flowpath; low flow resistance; substantially no stagnation points, such that the device is easily and completely flushed; and a positive locking mechanism that accepts and retains a matching needle apparatus. The device is joined to a catheter, in most cases, such that fluids can be extracted from or injected into the vessel to be accessed. The device is designed for the high flowrates, on the order of 400 milliliters per minute, associated with hemodialysis, plasmapheresis, and other fluid exchange therapies. A corresponding straight-needle apparatus is designed to mate and lock with the access device, where alignment and open flowpath is ensured.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an internal prosthetic device comprising: (a) device for providing a continuous flowpath, crossing a patient's skin, between an external-to-patient site and an internal-to-patient site; (b) means for blocking the flowpath; and (c) a biocidal lock including: (i) an anticoagulant; and (ii) a non-antibiotic biocide.

Abstract: A system which classifies patients according to their level of awareness or consciousness using measures derived solely from electroencephalograph (EEG) signals. The system comprises multiple observers of characteristics of signals, including artifact detectors, especially magnitude artifact detectors, eye blink detectors, stationarity/RMS detectors, slew rate detectors, and burst suppression detectors, and determination of power in certain frequency bands. The system produces a single derived probabilistic measure of conscious awareness called the patient state index (PSI) and displays values of trends in that index and values of an artifact index, an EMG index, and a suppression ratio in order to give the operator current information on the quality of the signal input. The PSI is derived from a statistical analysis using empirically derived population norms and other parameters.

Abstract: This invention defines a system for monitoring the brain activity of a human patient under anesthesia in order to determine the patient's level of consciousness. The system uses a plurality of receptors which are mounted in predetermined anatomical positions on the patient's head. The receptors are secured by adhesive foam patches. The appliance fits snugly to the head with the aid of self-adjusting strip that carry imbedded electrical circuitry for the receptors. Electrical connectivity in locations where scalp hair is most likely to be present is improved by the use of braille-tip electrodes fitted with large gel reservoirs.

Abstract: An end cut tool for making an end cut in bone is disclosed that comprises: A) a shaft having first and second ends, 1) the first end having a blade attached thereto for making the end cut in the bone, and 2) the second end having a handle attached thereto substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shaft to facilitate rotation of the shaft, and B) at least one interlock located between the first and second ends, the interlock preventing rotation of the blade during insertion into a patient and then preventing withdrawal of the tool during use.

Abstract: A guide comprising a tube having a first end and a second end, the tube: A) being configured for insertable acceptance therethrough of a shaft of a tool designed to make cuts in a first vertebra and in a second vertebra simultaneously; B) having tangs extending from the first end thereof, wherein the tangs are tapered to conform to natural lordosis; and C) having a depth stop located on the second end thereof.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus driver device for use with a subcombination comprising A) a tome for cutting at least one dovetail in bone comprising a shaft having first and second ends, the first end having attached thereto a blade for cutting the dovetail in the bone and the second end having attached thereto an extension for engagement with a mechanical energy transmission mechanism, and B) a guide comprising a tube having a first end and a second end, the tube being configured for acceptance of the shaft of the tome and having tangs extending from one end thereof; wherein the driver comprises a mechanism for engagement with the subcombination, a piston, and a mechanism for providing power to the piston for delivery of a multiplicity of impact to the subcombination.

Abstract: A spinal implant replaces excised tissue removed during spine surgery. This implant includes fasteners which firmly attach it to vertebrae adjacent to excised tissue so as to transmit tension and torsional loads to and from those vertebrae. The body of the implant has through cavities into which bone growth material is placed during surgery. The body of the implant also has a finite modulus of elasticity in compression so as to share compressive loads with emplaced bone growth material and with new bony growth facilitated by the emplaced material and the load sharing.

Abstract: A tome for cutting at least one dovetail in bone is disclosed wherein said tome includes: a shaft having first and second ends, said first end having attached thereto a blade shaped for cutting the dovetail in the bone and the second end having attached thereto an extension for engagement with mechanical energy transmission devices, and a depth stop on the shaft between the blade and the extension.

Abstract: An implanted single or dual lumen device for repeated accessing of a vessel within a body, especially for hemodialysis, plasmapheresis, and other fluid exchange therapy treatments. The device is characterized by having: no septum for sealing but having instead a resilient material to form a seal; a smooth, streamlined flowpath with low flow resistance and substantially no stagnation points, such that the device is easily and completely flushed; optionally a gradually changing direction of flow path without introducing flow resistance or stagnation points with a change in direction of up to 20 degrees with a minimum bend radius of twice the lumen diameter or up to 30 degrees with a minimum bend radius of four times the lumen diameter; and a positive locking mechanism that accepts and retains a matching needle apparatus. The device is joined to a catheter, in most cases, such that fluids can be extracted from or injected into the vessel or vessels to be accessed.

Abstract: A tool for selectively marking a surface in specific desired increments for use in a variety of mechanical arts. The tool has a ruled face and indicates selected increments by illuminating light emitting devices corresponding to the locations to be marked.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of inhibiting or preventing infection and blood coagulation in or near a medical prosthetic device after said device has been inserted in a patient comprising administering to the device a pharmaceutically effective amount of a composition comprising:(A) at least one taurinamide derivative, and(B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of biologically acceptable acids and biologically acceptable salts thereof, whereby there are no systemic anti-clotting and no systemic biocidal effects.

Abstract: A method for measurement of mass and energy transfer parameters (clearance and dialysance) in hemodialysis. A sensor is provided in the dialysate flow path downstream of the dialyzer and means are provided to add concentrate upstream of the dialyzer. A pre-determined amount of a substance whose dialysance is to be measured is added upstream of the dialyzer. The amount of substance not dialyzed in the dialyzer is measured downstream of the dialyzer by said sensor by integrating the concentration over time. Dialysance is calculated from the amount added upstream, the amount measured downstream and the dialysate flow. In case the substance is part of the dialysate the base concentration is subtracted during integration. The addition of the concentrate upstream of the dialyzer can be done manually or, alternatively by the mixing pump of the dialysis machine. Instead of an increase of the concentration with a concentrate dilution with water can be used as well.

Abstract: Method and use of injected fluids for enhancement of absorption of radiofrequency and microwave radiation in tissue. Biocompatible fluids or solutions with absorption properties greater than that of the target tissue are injected into the target tissue, which is then irradiated with appropriate frequency radio-frequency or microwave radiation. Absorption produces heat selectively in the target tissue, thereby producing desired ablation of excess or diseased tissue.

Abstract: This invention defines a system for monitoring the brain activity of a human patient in order to monitor a patient's brain electrical activity. The system uses a plurality of receptors which are mounted in predetermined anatomical positions on the patient's head. The receptors are secured by adhesive foam patches. The appliance fits snugly to the head with the aid of self-adjusting strap that carry imbedded electrical circuitry for the receptors. Electrical connectivity in locations where scalp hair is most likely to be present is improved by the use of braille-tip electrodes fitted with large gel reservoirs.

Abstract: PONS comprises a transform coder and decoder for discrete time electrical signals, in particular acoustic signals. The PONS coder utilizes an integer coefficient transform coder which is not frequency based, which requires almost exclusively fast integer arithmetic, and which spreads incoming signal energy nearly as evenly as possible among coefficients in the transform domain. The PONS coder also has the property that the magnitudes of transform domain coefficients vary by less than about an order of magnitude, so that the PONS coder dispenses completely with time-varying bit allocation. PONS uses only the quantization step to achieve significant compression. Energy spreading also permits reasonably accurate signal reconstruction when significant numbers of transform coefficients are lost or corrupted.