Abstract: Described herein are methods, devices, and support structures for assembling optical fibers in catheter tips and facilitating alignment and structural support. A method for assembling a plurality of optical fibers and lenses in a support structure for an ablation catheter includes providing a support structure with a proximal end, a body, and a distal end, wherein the distal end includes a plurality of alignment orifices or slits. A plurality of optical fibers are threaded through the alignment orifices or slits, such that each optical fiber is threaded through a corresponding alignment orifice or slit. An adhesive material is applied at each alignment orifice or slit to secure the optical fibers, and the plurality of optical fibers are then cleaved at the distal end to remove portions of the fibers extending out of the distal end. Finally, a lens is attached to each of the ends of the plurality of optical fibers.

Abstract: A tire capable of showing a sufficient cooling effect on a tire side portion when a vehicle travels at a low speed. A pneumatic tire includes a projection group in a tire side portion. A gap is formed between a first projection and a second projection. A size of the gap in a tire radial direction is smaller than a size of each of the first projection and the second projection in the tire radial direction.

Abstract: Of layers configuring a bead core of a pneumatic tire, the width W0 of one of the layers including the greatest number of rows, the width W1, W2 of other of the layers located respectively innermost and outermost in the radial direction satisfy W1>W2 and W2?0.5×W0. The position of width W0 is inward in the radial direction of the center of the bead core. A carcass is folded and curved along the bead core and extends toward sidewalls where a folded back portion of the carcass contacts a body of the carcass. A rubber occupancy ratio in a closed region formed by the body and the folded back portion is 0.1% to 15%. The cross-sectional area S2 and hardness H2 of a filler outward of the carcass in the lateral direction, and the cross-sectional area S1 and the hardness H1 of the side reinforcing layer satisfy 0.12?(S2×H2)/(S1×H1)?0.50.

Abstract: A wheel for a racing bicycle including a rim with a rim body having a rim well and lateral rim flanks provided with rim flanges, the rim flanges showing bulges protruding inwardly, each defining an undercut at the pertaining rim flange. A tire with two circumferential tire beads is accommodated on the rim body between the rim flanges, the tire beads bearing against the inside of the rim flanges and entering the undercut at the bulges of the rim flanges. A tire retaining device is included which is disposed in the internal space between the tire and the rim well. The tire retaining device includes an insert member having a hollow space that extends between the tire beads and contains a radially outwardly peripheral wall and a radially inwardly peripheral wall, wherein at least the radially inwardly peripheral wall extends continuously across an inner axial width of the insert member.

Abstract: A hand piece for delivering energy from a laser to a target through a fiber tip includes an elongated handle having a proximal end and a distal end. An axial bore traverses the handle along a longitudinal axis thereof. A fiber tip holding mechanism is fixed within the axial bore of the handle and includes a forward section fixed with the handle, a spring, and a rear section that includes a hollow collet projecting forward therefrom that traverses the spring and the forward section. The forward section is slidable rearward towards the rear section to compress the spring in a rear position. The spring urges the forward section forward into a forward position. A chuck is fixed with the forward end of the fiber tip holding mechanism and includes a tapered sleeve and two or more oppositely tapered jaws.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for temperature modification of a patient, or selected regions thereof, including an induced state of hypothermia. The temperature modification is accomplished using an in-dwelling heat exchange catheter within which a fluid heat exchange medium circulates. A heat exchange cassette is attached to the circulatory conduits of the catheter, the heat exchange cassette being sized to engage a cavity within a control unit. The control unit includes a heater/cooler device for providing heated or cooled fluid to a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the fluid heat exchange medium circulating to the heat exchange catheter, a user input device, and a processor connected to receive input from various sensors around the body and the system. A temperature control scheme for ramping the body temperature up or down without overshoot is provided.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a plurality of main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of land portions that are partitioned by the plurality of main grooves; the plurality of land portions include at least one shoulder land portion arranged in outwardmost fashion in a tire width direction; the at least one shoulder land portion comprises a plurality of width grooves of groove width not less than 2 mm; and at least one of the plurality of width grooves extends as far as an outside end in the tire width direction of the at least one shoulder land portion and comprises, at a location toward the exterior in the tire width direction from a contact patch end, a wide portion at which groove width increases toward a groove bottom.

Abstract: Crown of a tire for a heavy vehicle that is desensitized to attacks. The tire (1) comprises tread (2) having a median degree of surface siping TLC, expressed in m/m2, equal to the ratio between the cumulative length LDC of the cuts (21), present in a median portion of tread of axial width WC, and the median area AC of the radially outer surface (23) of the tread (2), and protective reinforcement (4) comprising at least two protective layers (41, 42) that are formed of elastic metallic reinforcers and have a maximum breaking strength Rmax, expressed in daN/m, such that the median degree of surface siping TLC of tread (2) is at least equal to 5 m/m2 and a coupling ratio CC, equal to the ratio between the maximum breaking strength Rmax and the median degree of surface siping TLC, is at least equal to 18 000 daN.

Abstract: Medical and/or robotic devices, systems and methods can provide an indicator associated with each manipulator assembly of a multi-arm telerobotic or telesurgical system. The exemplary indicator comprises a multi-color light emitting diode (LED) mounted to a manipulator moving an associated surgical instrument, allowing the indicator to display any of a wide variety of signals. The invention may provide an additional user interface to facilitate communications between the telesurgical system and/or members of a telesurgical team.

Abstract: This present disclosure provides systems and methods relating to neuromodulation. In particular, the present disclosure provides systems and methods for identifying optimized temporal patterns of spinal cord simulation (SCS) for minimizing variability in patient responses to SCS. The systems and methods of neuromodulation disclosed herein facilitate the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with various disease states and clinical indications.

Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, one end of a first lug groove opens to an edge of an inner second land on the ground contact edge side, and at the other end terminates within the inner second land. One end of the second lug groove opens to the edge of the inner second land on a equatorial plane edge side, and the other end terminates within the inner second land. The first and second lug grooves are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction. In a region on the outer side in the width direction, a circumferential main groove on the equatorial plane side defining the outer second land has a bent shape with an amplitude in a lateral direction, and includes an acute angle bend bending at an edge on the equatorial plane side. The outside second land includes a lug groove opening to a position facing the bend.

Abstract: A method that includes configuring a first and a second identification band with unique serial numbers, each of said bands being connected to a signal cable attached to a sensor is provided. The first identification band is securely fixed to a first location on the patient and the second identification band is securely fixed to a second location on the patient. The first and second identification bands are connected with a bridging band. The signal cable is connected to a diagnostic test monitoring system and the patient's oxygen saturation is monitored. The first and second identification bands are configured to evidence tampering when removed.

Abstract: Optical fibers for delivering laser energy inside the body are often tasked with traversing tortuous routes in accessing the target tissue or pathology, e.g. ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy. A common failure in such applications, known in the field as ‘fiber burn through’, has been known to injure patients and is a major cause of damage to ureteroscopes. Where irregular output that is produced at the start of a lasing interval passes through a fiber that is at or near the optical minimum bend limit, fail safe polymer claddings are damaged and can no longer contain even regular laser output in tight deflection. The invention disclosed provides a solution to premature fiber failure and collateral damage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus irradiates a surface with at least one pulsed light beam emitted from an emission surface of an optical element. The at least one pulsed light beam comprises a plurality of pulses having a temporal pulsewidth in a range between about 0.1 millisecond and about 150 seconds. The at least one pulsed light beam has a beam cross-sectional area at the emission surface greater than about 2 cm2 and a time-averaged irradiance in a range between about 1 mW/cm2 and about 100W/cm2.

Abstract: A stabilizer system for supporting a medical device includes a platform and a stabilizer body positioned on the platform and being slidably translatable about the platform. The platform includes a translation actuator configured to engage with a receiving member of the stabilizer body. Actuation of the translation actuator passes a force to the receiving member of the stabilizer body and causes the stabilizer body to translate relative to the platform. The stabilizer body includes a base and one or more support wings extending from the base to support a medical device. A straddle actuator is coupled to a support wing and is configured to engage with the medical device. Actuation of the straddle actuator passes a force to the medical device and causes at least a portion of the medical device to translate relative to the stabilizer body.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for increasing the amplitude of accommodation and/or changing the refractive power and/or enabling the removal of the clear or cataractous lens material of a natural crystalline lens is provided. Generally, the system comprises a laser, optics for delivering the laser beam and a control system for delivering the laser beam to the lens in a particular pattern. There is further provided apparatus for determining the shape and position of the lens with respect to the laser. There is yet further provided a method and system for delivering a laser beam in the lens of the eye in a predetermined shot pattern.

Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion 2 comprising at least a first main groove 3 and a second main groove 4 extending continuously in a tire circumferential direction. The first main groove 3 comprises a first oblique portion 11 inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction and a second oblique portion 12 connected with the first oblique portion and inclined in an opposite direction to the first oblique portion 11. The second main groove 4 comprises a third oblique portion 13 inclined in a same direction as the first oblique portion 11 with respect to the tire circumferential direction, a fourth oblique portion 14 inclined in an opposite direction to the third oblique portion 13, and a longitudinal groove portion 15 disposed between the third and fourth oblique portions 13 and 14 so that they are not directly connected and extending along the tire circumferential direction.

Abstract: A system for supporting and aligning a patient during a color alteration procedure includes a laser system that delivers a laser in a first direction. A control computer may be adjacent the laser system for controlling the laser system. The control computer system may include a user interface in a first plane substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The system may include a patient support structure having a patient support surface extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and configured to be adjustable to set a patient position or alignment relative to the laser system. Coarse adjustment hardware may be configured to cause automated and/or manual adjustments to the patient support surface in the first direction. Fine adjustment hardware may be configured to cause automated fine adjustments to the patient support surface in the first direction based on instructions received from the control computer.

Abstract: A method is provided for treating a targeted area of ocular tissue in a tissue-sparing manner comprising use of two or more therapeutic modalities, including thermal radiation source (such as an CW infrared fiber laser), operative in a wavelength range that has a high absorption in water, and photochemical collagen cross-linking (CXL), together with one or more specific system improvements, such as pen-operative feedback measurements for tailoring of the therapeutic modalities, an ocular tissue surface thermal control/cooling mechanism and a source of deuterated water/riboflavin solution in a delivery system targeting ocular tissue in the presence of the ultraviolet radiation. Additional methods of rapid cross-linking (RXL), are provided that enables cross-linking (CXL) therapy to be combined with thermal therapy.

Abstract: A tapered sleeve is provided that includes a lubricating coating on an inner surface. An implant (e.g., a pre-filled silicon breast implant) is introduced into a large end of the sleeve and extruded into a surgical pocket of minimal access incision size through a small-sized end of the apparatus.