Abstract: Suturing devices, systems, and methods used to suture biological structures. The suturing devices can be configured to place sutures into body tissue from one side of the tissue without requiring a component on an opposite side of the tissue and without requiring insertion of components into the body tissue beyond the needles and the suture.

Abstract: An aiding and guiding instrument for surgical sutures includes a frame that can be rested on a patient proximate to a wound to be sutured and/or to flaps of body tissue and/or prosthetic tissue to be mutually fixed. The frame defines, on the other side from the area configured to be placed on the patient, a plurality of raised portions arranged in series. At least some of the raised portions are mutually spaced to define respective seats for accommodating blocks. In the gap between each block and each contiguous raised portion, it is possible to temporarily stably accommodate a portion of a suture thread. At least one portion of the frame, associated with the raised portions and seats, can be plastically deformed to maintain the shape obtained following a deformation imparted by a user, and freely select the frame shape, and of the mutual arrangement of the raised portions and blocks.

Abstract: Provided is a system and method for a flared luer connector for medical tubing. More specifically, the flared luer connector includes a tube head adapter formed of a resilient material providing an inlet and opposite thereto an outlet with a longitudinal axis there between. A luer lock fitting is formed proximate to the inlet and structured and arranged to engage a syringe, and at least one flared member disposed between the luer lock fitting and the outlet, the flared member rising from the tube head adapter and angled towards the outlet. The flared member also provides at least one engaging surface between the tube head adapter and a distal edge, the engaging surface acutely angled with respect to the longitudinal axis. The engaging surface is structured and arranged to engage with a corresponding receiving section of a base, the base having a deflector section structured and arranged to deflect a tube head adapter having other than the corresponding flared member.

Abstract: In the present invention, a dripless syringe is provided that includes a barrel having fluid therein, the barrel defining an open end and a nozzle opposite the open end, a plunger disposed at least partially within the open end and including a body and a push pin extending from one end of the body, a seal plate slidably mounted to the push pin and a bung disposed over the seal plate and the push pin and sealingly engaged between the seal plate and the barrel the seal plate enables the bung to remain in sealing engagement with the interior of the barrel while the plunger is moved within the barrel. Further, when pressure is removed to cease dispensing of the fluid, the pin allows the bung to retract and provide a negative pressure on the fluid to prevent drips of fluid from leaking out of the nozzle.

Abstract: A bilateral hearing implant system has a left side and a right side. There is an interaural time delay (ITD) processing module on each side that adjusts ITD characteristics of the stimulation signals based on defined groups of stimulation channels that include: i. an apical channel group on each side corresponding to a lowest range of audio frequencies up to a common apical channel group upper frequency limit, wherein a common number of one or more stimulation channels is assigned to each apical channel group, and wherein corresponding apical channel group stimulation channels on each side have matching bands of audio frequencies, and ii. one or more basal channel groups on each side corresponding to higher range audio frequencies above the apical channel group upper frequency limit.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, by a receiver device, a request sent from a transmitter device. The request is identified by a case name and at least one of a type of the request and a due date of the request. The request has a transmitter priority designated by the transmitter device. The method also includes assigning, by the receiver device, a receiver priority for the request received by the receiver device. The method also includes determining a final priority by the receiver device. The final priority is based upon a combination of the transmitter priority and the receiver priority. The method further includes handling the request within the receiver device based on the final priority.

Abstract: A double network hydrogel consists of a first network and a second network, where the first network is, or includes, a first polymer that is formed, at least in part, of —CH2—CH(OH)— units, and the second network is, or includes, a second polymer that is formed, at least in part, of carboxyl (COOH)-containing units or salts thereof, sulfonyl (SO3H)-containing units or salts thereof, and at least one of hydroxyl (OH)-containing units or amino (NH2)-containing units, where the hydrogel may be used as a cartilage replacement.

Abstract: A pacifier weaning apparatus is provided that includes a shell or shell assembly providing a housing, and a nipple configured to protrude from the housing. The nipple includes a first end adapted to be held by the housing, and an opposing, sucking end adapted for insertion into a user's mouth. The nipple also defines a first chamber and an expandable, second chamber that are both open at the first end and extend in a direction from the first end to the sucking end, and the first chamber being open and the second chamber being closed at the sucking end. And the pacifier weaning apparatus includes an airflow-control component configured to regulate either or both a break pressure at or above which airflow through the first chamber is permitted, or a rate of airflow through the first chamber.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring, preventing and/or treating upper airway disorders such as apnea, dysphagia, reflux and/or snoring are described. The methods and systems monitor the upper airway disorders by processing one or more neural signals obtained from one or more upper airway afferents. Upper airway disorders are prevented and/or treated by delivering one or more stimulations to one or more reflex-related afferents, efferents, muscles, and sensory receptors to manipulate the threshold and/or trigger an upper airway reflex including, but not limited to a swallow reflex and/or a negative-pressure reflex.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for nucleic acid amplification and, more particularly, to an apparatus for nucleic acid amplification capable of rapid nucleic acid amplification by rapidly heating and cooling a reactant in a reaction vessel for a chemical/biochemical reaction requiring a temperature change, and a method for temperature control in nucleic acid amplification.

Abstract: A “one-step”, single-handed device for obtaining small, precise volumes of fluid from animals is able to quickly and easily draw a fluid sample. The device comprises an extraction component and a collection component that are coupled together and disposed along a grip handle. The user manipulates the device so as to initiate the extraction of the fluid, and then collect the fluid in a component that can quickly and easily be removed from the grip handle—allowing the handle to be re-loaded and used again and again. The extraction component may comprise a hypodermic needle and the collection component may comprise a pre-calibrated pipette, where the pipette is positioned directly behind the needle and will thus draw the extracted fluid into a pre-sized chamber within the pipette.

Abstract: A tissue removal device includes a hollow needle, an ultrasonic transducer for mechanically vibrating the needle, an aspiration line communicating with the needle, and a vacuum pulsing device for generating vacuum pulses in the needle. The device may be utilized for breaking up tissue by phacoemulsification, vacuum pulsing, or both.

Abstract: Provided are methods and kits for determining predisposition of a subject to develop a kidney disease, by identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant which is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions; or at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation or polypeptide variant being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, wherein presence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition and a method of treating, reducing or preventing vascular, cardiovascular arterial or valve calcification in a subject in need comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that prevents or reduces the expression of HDAC4, an agent that modulates the location of HDAC4, an agent that binds to HDAC4 or an inhibitor of HDAC4 or any combination thereof is provided. In some embodiments, there is provided a pharmaceutical composition comprising: an agent that prevents or reduces the expression of HDAC4, an agent that modulates the location of HDAC4, an agent that binds to HDAC4 or an inhibitor of HDAC4 or any combination thereof; an agent that prevents or reduces the expression of SIK or is an inhibitor of SIK; and/or an agent that prevents or reduces the expression of ENIGMA (Pdlim7) or is an inhibitor of ENIGMA.

Abstract: Determining an orthodontic treatment having sequential treatment steps defining treatment intervals therebetween. The method comprises obtaining a segmented 3D model of teeth; obtaining start and desired end positions of each tooth; determining an initial number of sequential treatment steps; for each tooth and for each treatment interval, determining a root force imposed on a root portion of the given tooth by a given orthodontic appliance; in response to the root force of each tooth not exceeding a predetermined threshold value, determining that the determined initial number of sequential treatment steps is the determined orthodontic treatment; and in response to the root force exceeding the predetermined threshold value, iteratively decreasing the initial distance of each treatment interval to provide a revised number of sequential treatment steps, and re-calculating the root force until it is determined that the root force of each tooth does not exceed the predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A portable therapeutic device can include a handle, a rod, a resistance element, and an adjustment element. The handle can define a first slot and a second slot. The first slot can extend into the handle forming an opening in the handle and the second slot can be adjacent to the first slot. The rod can be translatable within the first slot and can extend from the opening. The resistance element can be disposed in the second slot and can be engageable with the rod to apply a resistance force to the rod. The adjustment element can be coupleable to the resistance element, and the adjustment element can be configured to adjust the resistance force.

Abstract: A middle ear prosthesis coupling member is described that includes a transducer coupling element adapted for coupling to a mechanical signal transducer, and an ossicle fastener coupled to the transducer coupling element and adapted for secure attachment to the short process of the incus ossicle of a patient middle ear. The ossicle fastener includes parallel separated first and second fastener clips. Each fastener clip has two opposing bendable legs adapted for forming an interior region for receiving the short process of the incus ossicle and a relieved opening between opposing leg ends displaceably providing access for the incus ossicle to the interior region. The fastener clips securely enclose the short process of the incus ossicle within the interior region. The first fastener clip is adapted for exerting a force to pull the ossicle fastener toward the short process of the incus ossicle.

Abstract: Approaches are described for fitting an implanted cochlear implant having electrode array contacts to an implanted patient. For multiple different fitting methods, each fitting method is assigned one or more electrode contacts such that each assigned electrode contact is assigned only one fitting method. For each fitting method, the assigned electrode contacts are fitted according to the fitting method and fitting values for non-assigned electrode contacts are interpolated. Then a fitting is performed for each electrode contact in the electrode array based on a weighted averaging of the fittings for the plurality of different fitting methods.

Abstract: A radiation and radiochemically sterilized, multi-component, fiber-reinforced composite, absorbable/disintegratable urinogenital stent, such as an endoureteral stent, with radiomodulated residence time in the biological site of 1 to 10 weeks depending on the high energy radiation dose used for sterilization.

Abstract: A method and device for isolating tissue cells from a liquid is provided for integrating a mixture of the tissue cells and the liquid into a vacuum stream and isolating again from the vacuum stream in a tissue collection container (13). The tissue cells are filtered out of the mixture by means of gravity and the remaining liquid is re-integrated into the vacuum stream. In order to further develop said method and device to improve the care of the tissue cells and to reduce the filtration time, the vacuum stream that is isolated from the mixture inside the tissue collection container (13) is temporarily interrupted in order to generate a pressure that also acts on the mixture. In terms of the device, the connection between the lower collection chamber (23) for the liquid and the upper vacuum chamber (25) is formed by a blockable bypass line (27).