Abstract: Various inserts, called shapers and spacers, are provided for controlling tissue engineered heart valve (TEHV) leaflet geometry during culture. These inserts will prevent TEHV leaflet retraction during culture, be able to control the leaflet geometry during culture, enable culturing TEHV leaflets with a larger coaptation area, control the height of the coaptation area, maintain TEHV leaflet curvatures, and/or enable possibilities to culture TEHV leaflets in open configuration.

Abstract: A solubilized notochordal cell matrix powder dissolved in a carrier solvent or formed as a gel is provided. The notochordal cell matrix powder originates from lyophilized and treated porcine nucleus pulposus tissue containing notochordal cells. The powder contains less than 20% of porcine nucleid acids, and the powder contains a substantially unchanged amount of porcine protein content compared to the originating porcine nucleus pulposus tissue. The solubilized notochordal cell matrix powder is capable of stimulating native or stem cells to proliferate and produce a significant increase inglycosaminoglycansand type-II collagen matrix. Embodiments of the invention can be used for the disc regenerative treatment of discogenic back and neck pain in an orthopaedic and/or pharmaceutical setting/approach.

Abstract: A power conversion and energy storage device is provided that includes port A, port B, port C, port D, an internal battery cell Bt1 having a negative pole connected to port C and a positive pole connected to port D, internal nodes N1 and internal node N2, an inductor L1 having a negative terminal connected node N1 and a positive terminal connected to node N2, a switch S1 configured to open or close an electrical connection between port A and the node N1, a switch S3 configured to open or close an electrical connection between port C and node N1, a switch S2 configured to open or close an electrical connection between port B and node N2, and a switch S4 configured to open or close an electrical connection between port D and node N2, where a modular battery unit is formed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a preform by means of an electrospinning process. The present invention also relates to the use of the present preform as a substrate for growing human or animal tissue thereon. The present invention furthermore relates to a method for growing human or animal tissue on a substrate, wherein the present preform is used as the substrate.

Abstract: A 3×3 multi-mode interference coupling device having a length L and a width W, a center input port between a pair of outer input ports, where each outer input port is displaced from the center input port by a distance W/3, and a center output port between a pair of outer output ports, where each outer output port is displaced from the center output port by a distance W/3, where the device is supports Cbar, Ccen, and a Cx coupling coefficients therein, when the outer input ports are equally excited with an input signal having a 180° phase difference, Ccen from each outer input port destructively interferes when the propagation length L is an integer number of L?/2, where the device outputs equal intensity laser modes from each outer output port when the propagation length is an integer multiple of L?/2.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying visual focus points of meeting participants uses an image capture device to generate a real-time graphical representation of a physical meeting space containing collocated meeting participants. Remote display devices display the real-time graphical representation of the physical meeting space. Each remote display device is associated with a remote meeting participant located at a remote location. A viewpoint monitoring mechanism determines a remote participant visual point of focus within the real-time graphical representation. A remote participant simulator located in the physical meeting space has a unique remote participant representation for each remote meeting participant and a remote participant visual point of focus indicator associated with each remote participant representation to simulate the remote participant visual point of focus.

Abstract: An improved fetal ST monitoring system and method is provided using an ECG monitoring system collecting a plurality of T/QRS segments of a fetus, and a data analysis computer system connected to the ECG monitoring system calculating from the plurality of T/QRS segments.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to an AC/DC converter comprising a first AC terminal for connection to a first AC circuit terminal, a neutral line terminal for connection to a neutral AC circuit terminal, a common node, a first AC side active bridge coupled between the first AC terminal and the common node, and a neutral voltage lift capacitor coupled between the neutral line terminal and the common node. The converter comprises first and second DC terminals, and a capacitor between the first and second terminals. A DC-side active bridge is coupled between the first and second terminals. An inductor is coupled between switchable nodes of the first AC side active bridge and the DC side active bridge. A controller is arranged to control the first AC side active bridge and the DC-side active bridge so to alternate voltage across the first AC terminal and the neutral line terminal.

Abstract: The extended commutation cell (ECC) is a four-port, four-switch cell that allows for bidirectional energy transport in two orthogonal directions throughout the cell. By cascading multiple cells, a multilevel converter can be constructed with a high number of levels. The voltage across each cell capacitor can be adjusted independently of the load, resulting in high flexibility in output levels. Improved fault tolerance is also provided.

Abstract: The disclosure lies in the field of regenerative medicine and relates to an implant having a matrix material, and a method for manufacturing an implant having matrix material. The disclosure further relates to a crimped implant.

Abstract: An optical interconnect device is provided that includes a first vertical cavity of surface emitting laser (VCSEL), connected in parallel with a second VCSEL, an optical coupler that is configured to direct the light output from the first VCSEL and the second VCSEL to a single optical fiber, where a common connection of each VCSEL is controlled using a MOSFET/inverter, where in normal operation only one of the first VCSEL or the second VCSEL is enabled, where a common connection of each VCSEL is not directly connected to a ground, and a microcontroller that is configured to switch output from the first VCSEL to the second VCSEL in the event of failure by the first VCSEL, where a failure of the first VCSEL does not result a communication in link failure.

Abstract: A supramolecular polymer blend includes a thermoplastic elastomer functionalized with at least one bis-urea moiety and a functional component which is functionalized with at least one bis-urea moiety which is present in an amount of 0.5-40 wt % based on the total mass of the polymer blend. The functional component is selected from polyalkylene glycol, betaine, polysaccharide, zwitterion, polyol or taurine and derivatives thereof. Implants including the polymer blend and a process to manufacture the implants are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for treating biological cells in an object, the device comprising: —a single winding coil element; —an electrical generator connected to the single winding coil element, the single winding being configured to be positioned essentially around the object; wherein the electrical generator is configured to discharge into the single winding coil element so that the single winding coil element generates a short duration pulsed electromagnetic field by magnetic induction in the single winding coil element, the electromagnetic field having a field strength that is sufficiently high to affect, preferably increase the permeability of cell membranes and/or intracellular membranes of the biological cells contained in the object when in operation the object is placed inside the single winding coil element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a surgical robot for performing surgery of the minimally invasive type, comprising an instrument manipulator having a manipulator front end, which is provided with an instrument receiver for receiving therein a surgical instrument, and manipulating means for, at least in use, manipulating the manipulator front end with respect to a patient body. The manipulator front end further comprises a container for receiving therein the surgical instrument. The invention further relates to an instrument manipulator, a combination of an operating table and a surgical robot, and a master-slave operating system.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor body, the method comprising: forming a mixture of an organic semiconducting material and a binder material; causing the semiconducting material to at least partially solidify; and causing the binder material to crystallize in such a way as to cause the semiconducting material to at least partially segregate from the binder material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a detection unit comprising detection means for detecting the occurrence of an event. The detection unit further comprises processing means for controlling the operation of the detection unit and communication means for transmitting and receiving activation signals for interacting with further detection units. The processing means are designed for placing the detection unit into active mode upon receipt of an incoming activation signal, and furthermore for transmitting, in the active mode, an outgoing activation signal to at least one of said further detection units upon detection of an event and placing the detection unit into passive mode. The invention further relates to a detection system comprising a multitude of detection units as described and to a method for controlling a detection unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a preform by means of an electrospinning process. The present invention also relates to the use of the present preform as a substrate for growing human or animal tissue thereon. The present invention furthermore relates to a method for growing human or animal tissue on a substrate, wherein the present preform is used as the substrate.

Abstract: A system for generating a control signal comprises a data propagator (9) for propagating acoustic sensor array data relating to a set of acoustic measurements at a set of sensor positions covering an aperture towards a set of propagated positions to obtain propagated data relating to the set of propagated positions. A control signal generator (2) is arranged for generating a control signal based on the propagated data. The control signal generator (2) comprises a data analyzer (1) for analyzing the propagated data in a spatial frequency domain. The data propagator (9) is arranged for propagating the sensor array data in real-time and the control signal generator (2) is arranged for generating the control signal in real-time.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a sensor array positioned and arranged to detect an acoustic wave from a movable part of the lithographic apparatus, a controller, the controller having a controller input connected to the sensor array so as to receive a sensor array output signal, and a controller output connected to at least one actuator arranged to act on the movable part, the controller being arranged to: calculate a movement of the movable part from the sensor array output signal, and drive via the controller output the at least one actuator in response to the calculated movement.

Abstract: Growth of GaP and III-V GaP alloys in the wurtzite crystal structure by vapor phase epitaxy (VPE) is provided. Such material has a direct band gap and is therefore much more useful for optoelectronic devices than conventional GaP and GaP alloys having the zincblende crystal structure and having an indirect band gap.