Abstract: A barbed suture including a body with barbs on the periphery, a pointed end, and an anchor at one end to resist movement of the suture in the direction of the pointed end is provided. One or more limbs on the anchor may be provided, which may be arcuate, of varying lengths, and of varying distribution about the periphery of the suture body. Other anchor designs are provided. Methods of placing single-directional and bi-directional barbed sutures to approximate the tissue on each side of a wound and to position and support tissue in the absence of a wound, as in cosmetic surgery, are provided, and may include terminal J-stitches or S-stitches. Methods of placement may be made with sharp, pointed ends, which may be needles, or insertion devices. Sinusoidal patterns of sutures that have amplitudes generally perpendicular to the resultant holding force of the suture are provided.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method includes contacting a triiodobenzoic acid with an oxalyl chloride in a solvent whereby triiodobenzoyl chloride is formed, contacting diethanolamine with triiodobenzoyl chloride where triiodobenzoic diol amine is formed, and forming an acrylate of triiodobenzoic diol amine with acryloyl chloride where an organoiodine compound is formed. According to another embodiment, an optically clear photopolymer resist blend for additive manufacturing includes a radiopaque pre-polymer compound where the compound includes at least one of the following: iodine, bromine, tin, lead, or bismuth. The resist blend also includes a photoinitiator, a polymerization inhibitor, and a base pre-polymer.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for recovering data, the method comprising: retrieving a mapping structure associated with a volume in a storage system, the mapping structure including a plurality of entries, each entry including a respective short hash digest of a data block stored in the volume and an identifier of a location where the data block is stored; generating a plurality of long hash digests, each of the long hash digests being generated based on a different one of a plurality of data blocks that are stored in the storage system; comparing each of the long hash digests to a short hash digest of a missing data block, and adding the long hash digest to a candidate list when the long hash digest matches the short hash digest of the missing data block; generating a filtered candidate based on the candidate list; and recovering the missing data.

Abstract: An example actuator assembly includes a valve body having a body locating shoulder as a protrusion from an interior peripheral surface of the valve body, and an actuator having an end that is inserted into the valve body. The end has a first portion with a first diameter and a second portion with a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, and the second portion includes a threaded region. A locating shoulder is between the first portion and the second portion of the end of the actuator arranged at a position where the first diameter changes to the second diameter. The locating shoulder mates with the body locating shoulder of the valve body when the actuator is inserted and screwed into the valve body to enable alignment of the valve body and the actuator.

Abstract: A light system that includes one or more lighting sheets including a first lighting sheet, wherein the first lighting sheet includes a first plurality of LEDs arranged on a grid of intersecting rows and columns of electrical conductors on an insulating substrate, wherein the first plurality of LEDs emit light having a first color spectrum, wherein the first lighting sheet includes a plurality of holes through the insulating substrate of the first lighting sheet, wherein each one of the plurality of holes through the insulating substrate of the first lighting sheet is positioned between an adjacent pair of rows of electrical conductors and between an adjacent pair of columns of electrical conductors of the first lighting sheet; and an acoustic tile, wherein the first lighting sheet is mounted to the acoustic tile. Some embodiments include a plurality of layered light sheets, optionally individually controlled for color and/or brightness.

Abstract: The systems and methods disclosed herein relate to immediate replication for protected dedicated chunk. In one embodiment, a method comprises generating an encoded portion of data of a dedicated chunk in a node device of a first group of node devices in a first zone of a distributed storage system. The method further comprises, in immediate response to the generating, transferring the encoded portion of data of the dedicated chunk from the node device of the first group of node devices in the first zone of the distributed storage system to a second zone of the distributed storage system. The method further comprises dividing, by the system, the encoded portion of data in the second zone across second node devices.

Abstract: A transducer mounting apparatus can be used to remotely monitor the integrity of pipes or pipelines, which ordinarily are difficult to access due to environmental factors. The transducer mounting apparatus can include one or more transducer blocks, each adapted for receiving a transducer. A UT couplant and threaded transducer are positioned in an opening in the transducer block. A gear wheel adjusts the transducer up and down against the UT couplant to optimize the positioning relative to the pipe being monitored. A series of transducer blocks are connected by a tension block and or more wire ropes extending through the tension block and the transducer blocks. The length of the wire rope is adjusted with a set screw extending from the tension block to a transducer block, thereby allowing the transducer block assembly to accommodate different pipe diameters or mechanical structures of varying dimensions that are not necessarily round.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for removing targeted lesions from vessels. In at least one embodiment of a device for removing a stenotic lesion from a vessel, the device comprises a sizing portion capable of measuring a luminal size parameter when at least part of the device is positioned within a lumen of a luminal organ, a typing portion, wherein at least part of the at least one typing portion is capable of physically touching a portion of the luminal organ or a structure therein, and a treatment portion capable of removing at least part of a stenotic lesion from the luminal organ.

Abstract: A system includes a plurality of RFID chips affixed to a catheter, a data collection engine device, and a server device. The data collection engine wirelessly transmits power to a first one of the RFID chips and receives first medical data from the first RFID chip while the first RFID chip is activated by the power receiver. The data collection engine generates a first message indicative of the first medical data to be sent to the server device. The server device can determine aspects of the catheter such as position and risk states based upon the first medical data.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a handle, a cartridge configured to removably couple to the handle, an actuator movably coupled to the handle, and a lock operably coupled to the actuator. A first needle assembly and a second needle assembly of the cartridge are operably coupled to a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion, respectively, of the actuator when the cartridge is coupled to the handle. The first coupling portion is configured to transition the first needle assembly from a first configuration to a second configuration such that a first capture portion engages a first needle. The second coupling portion is configured to transition the second needle assembly from a first configuration to a second configuration such that a second capture portion engages the second needle. The lock is configured to selectively limit movement of the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion.

Abstract: A sorbent composition that is useful for injection into a flue gas stream of a coal burning furnace to efficiently remove mercury from the flue gas stream. The sorbent composition may include a sorbent with an associated ancillary catalyst component that is a catalytic metal, a precursor to a catalytic metal, a catalytic metal compound or a precursor to a catalytic metal compound. Alternatively, a catalytic metal or metal compound, or their precursors, may be admixed with the coal feedstock prior to or during combustion in the furnace, or may be independently injected into a flue gas stream. A catalytic promoter may also be used to enhance the performance of the catalytic metal or metal compound.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor for determining a position of a magnet, the position identified by one or more position variables can include: one or more magnetic field sensing element operable to generate one or more magnetic field measurements of the magnet and an associated one or more measured magnetic field variable values; a first module for identifying calculated magnetic field variable values associated with a plurality of positions of the magnet; a second module operable to perform an optimization process to determine a value of a distance function, the distance function using the one or more measured magnetic field variable values and the calculated magnetic field variable values; and a third module operable to determine the position of the magnet by associating the value of the distance function with corresponding values of the one or more position variables. A complimentary method can be used in the magnetic field sensor.

Abstract: A system includes multiple capacitive sensors, a multiplexer, a programmable gain amplifier, an oscillator, a switch, and a controller. The sensors are coupled to the multiplexer, the multiplexer is coupled to the switch, and the switch is coupled to the amplifier and the oscillator. The controller may control the multiplexer to select each of the sensors. The controller may control the switch to activate the amplifier or the oscillator. The controller may measure voltage output by the amplifier or frequency output by the oscillator. The system may be included in an occupant support such as a vehicle seat.

Abstract: A test meter and related method for monitoring the condition of a backlight battery of the meter in which the meter includes a housing, controller, display with backlight and a battery monitoring circuit. An off-time of the meter is measured and compared to a predetermined recovery time of the backlight battery. If the off-time of the meter is greater than the predetermined recovery time of the backlight battery, a voltage of the backlight battery is measured at a predetermined time after energizing the backlight and compared to a first predetermined voltage in excess of a threshold voltage of the backlight battery. If the measured voltage is less than the first predetermined voltage, the measured voltage is compared to a second predetermined voltage between the first predetermined voltage and the threshold voltage. A battery depletion warning is displayed if the measured voltage is less than the second predetermined voltage.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are systems and methods for an augmented touch-sensitive display system. A portable electronic device can render on the touch-sensitive display a physical scene within the field of view of the image capturing device. The portable electronic device, can parse the physical scene rendered on the touch-sensitive display into discrete elements based on dimensions of items in the physical scene. The portable electronic device can superimpose a selectable link on the at least one of the discrete elements on the touch-sensitive display.

Abstract: A system and method is described in which vehicles are configured to collect driver and vehicle event data, selectively compress and encode the collected driver and vehicle event data, and communicate the compressed and encoded data wirelessly to one or more telematics service providers. Servers poll this driver event data periodically, process it, and present multiple methods to end users by which they are able to view and analyze it. The present system permits fleet managers to use this driver event data, received through a report or notification, or pulled directly from a web-based portal, to monitor, correct or reward driver behavior, and to implement driver education and training programs.

Abstract: Various embodiments are direct to a surgical instrument comprising and end effector, an articulating shaft and an ultrasonic transducer assembly. The end effector may comprise an ultrasonic blade. The articulating shaft may extend proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis and may comprise a proximal shaft member and a distal shaft member pivotably coupled at an articulation joint. The ultrasonic transducer assembly may comprise an ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade. The ultrasonic transducer assembly may be positioned distally from the articulation joint.

Abstract: A vibrating glass massager includes a glass vibration head having a base end, a free end, and a wall defining a hollow interior compartment that is closed at the vibration head free end and open at the vibration head base end. A vibration motor assembly is disposed in the vibration head interior compartment. A resilient vibration-transmitting interface is disposed between the vibration motor assembly and the vibration head wall. A non-glass base includes a base housing. The base housing and the vibration head base end are joined in interlocking relationship at a head-base connection interface. A power source and a control circuit are disposed in the base housing. The control circuit is electrically connected to the power source and to the vibration motor assembly. The glass vibration head is operable to deliver vibrations received from the vibration motor assembly via the vibration transmitting interface.

Abstract: A reaction system, such as for forming a rigid polyurethane foam, includes a flame retardant polyol that is a brominated reaction product of a cardanol component, a bromine component, and an additive component. The cardanol component includes at least 80 wt % of cardanol, based on the total weight of the cardanol component, and the bromine component including at least 80 wt % of bromine, based on the total weight of the bromine component.

Abstract: Means and methods for preventing crawling insects from infesting a site where food, water, or garbage is located. In particular, this relates to creating a non-poisonous barrier in the path of the insects by coating a surface with a layer of high viscosity index petroleum based gel (HVIP-gel). One embodiment is an insect deterrent cup that is comprised of an inverted (upside down) cup whose inner surface is coated with a layer of PetrolGel. The insect deterrent cup is positioned between the food site and the crawling insects, blocking their path. This prevents crawling insects from accessing the food, water, or garbage.