Abstract: A stapling device for forming multiple tissue plications without needing to reload the device between plications is described. The device includes staple and anvil housings that move toward and away from a tissue-capture position. A cartridge holder in the staple housing supports a cartridge with multiple groups of offset staple slots, where the slots in each group are circularly arrayed about a cartridge center axis. A staple driver in the staple housing carries a plurality of arms for engaging and ejecting the staples in a first group of staples in the cartridge, when a tissue fold is captured between the cartridge assembly and anvil in the anvil housing. When the staple driver is retracted, after a tissue plication is formed, the cartridge assembly and tissue drive are indexed to eject the next-up group of staples.

Abstract: Described herein are endoscopic staplers and methods used to apply one or more fasteners to body tissue. In one embodiment, a fastener-applying device, which is preferably a stapler, is passed transorally into the stomach to plicate stomach tissue by engaging tissue from inside the stomach and drawing it inwardly. In the disclosed embodiments, the tissue is drawn into a tissue chamber, causing sections of serosal tissue to be positioned facing one another. The disclosed staplers allow opposed sections of tissue to be moved into contact with another, and preferably deliver staples for maintaining contact between tissue sections at least until serosal bonds form. Each of these steps may be performed wholly from the inside of the stomach and thus can eliminate the need for any surgical or laparoscopic intervention, After one or more plications are formed, medical devices may optionally be coupled to the plication(s) for retention within the stomach.

Abstract: A machine for forming a two-stage wire tie around a pair of bars to bind the bars together. The machine comprises an arrangement for passing the wire in a loop around the bars and a twisting head for twisting the ends of the loop together. The twisting head comprises an arrangement for gripping the ends of the wire and a tie plate through which the ends of the wire pass, and the head is resiliently mounted relative to the bars so as to allow the tie plate to move through a predetermined amount of travel towards the bars, to thereby define the length of a first stage of the tie. The machine is adapted thereafter to release the ends of the wire and continue twisting these to form a second stage of the tie.

Abstract: An endoscopic stapler is disclosed. The stapler includes a staple member and an anvil member. The staple member may include a staple housing and the staple holder may include one or more staples. The anvil member may be spaced apart from the staple member and may configured to relatively move towards one another. A controller may be fluidly coupled to the staple member through a plurality of conduits. The controller may be configured to (a) direct a pressurized fluid to the staple member through a first conduit of the plurality of conduits to relatively move the staple member and the anvil member towards one another, and (b) direct the pressurize fluid through a second conduit of the plurality of conduits to eject one or more staples from the staple holder.

Abstract: A staple housing includes an array of staples each in a staple delivery position or “ready position” ready to be fired into target tissue. A staple driver is advanceable to drive the ready position staples from the staple head into the tissue using staple pushers. During use, the staples in the ready positions are simultaneously fired into the target tissue using the staple pushers, forming an array of staples in the target tissue. After the array has been fired, one or more feed mechanisms within the staple housing advance a second group of staples from one or more staple storage locations into the ready positions in preparation for firing of the second group of staples.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for these embodiments of the present invention, useful in manufacturing for example, includes a plurality of battery modules serially intercoupled together, each module including a housing with an anode connector and a cathode connector, each housing including a memory for storing a module identifier and wherein an anode connector of a first module is coupled to a cathode connector of a second module; and a processing system, coupled to each the module, for determining a plurality of positional attributes of each the module, one positional attribute associated with each the module of the plurality of modules, the processing system writing an ID into the memory of each particular module responsive to the associated positional attribute for the particular module.

Abstract: A staple housing includes an array of staples each in a staple delivery position or “ready position” ready to be fired into target tissue. A staple driver is advanceable to drive the ready-position staples from the staple head into the tissue using staple pushers. During use, the staples in the ready positions are simultaneously fired into the target tissue using the staple pushers, forming an array of staples in the target tissue. After the array has been fired, one or more feed mechanisms within the staple housing advance a second group of staples from one or more staple storage locations into the ready positions in preparation for firing of the second group of staples.

Abstract: A clear picture of who is speaking in a setting where there are multiple input sources (e.g., a conference room with multiple microphones) can be obtained by comparing input channels against each other. The data from each channel can not only be compared, but can also be organized into portions which logically correspond to statements by a user. These statements, along with information regarding who is speaking, can be presented in a user friendly format via an interactive timeline which can be updated in real time as new audio input data is received.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel tricyclic heterocycles of structural formula I which are inhibitors of the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme and which are useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme is involved, such as diabetes and particularly Type 2 diabetes. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme is involved.

Abstract: An overcharge protection device (OPD) is provided that may be used alone, or in combination with conventional charging protection systems, to protect a battery pack from the occurrence of a potentially damaging overcharging event. The OPD is designed to be coupled to, and interposed between, the terminals of the battery pack. During normal system operation, the OPD has no effect on the operation of the charging system or the battery pack. During an overcharging event, if overcharging is not prevented by another conventional system, the OPD of the invention creates a short across the terminals of the battery pack causing a battery pack fuse designed to provide battery pack short circuit protection to blow, thereby interrupting the current path from the charger to the battery pack and preventing the battery pack from being overcharged.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for managing electronic documents. In particular, embodiments of the present invention are focussed on managing ingestion of documents into an information system, such as ingestion of documents generated by a device having scanning functionality. Embodiments include devices, software (defined by computer executable code), carrier media, and methodologies. In overview, a document is received from an ingestion source, such as a Multi Function Device (MFD) having a scanner. For example, the document is a scanned into an electronic form from a paper form. This electronic form is subjected to additional processing thereby to implement a predefined security protocol prior to the document (or a modified version thereof) being released into an information system.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for managing electronic documents. In particular, embodiments of the present invention are focussed on managing ingestion of documents into an information system, such as ingestion of documents generated by a device having scanning functionality. Embodiments include devices, software (defined by computer executable code), carrier media, and methodologies. In overview, a document is received from an ingestion source, such as a Multi Function Device (MFD) having a scanner. For example, the document is a scanned into an electronic form from a paper form. This electronic form is subjected to additional processing thereby to implement a predefined security protocol prior to the document (or a modified version thereof) being released into an information system.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for managing electronic documents. In particular, embodiments of the present invention are focussed on managing ingestion of documents into an information system, such as ingestion of documents generated by a device having scanning functionality. Embodiments include devices, software (defined by computer executable code), carrier media, and methodologies. In overview, a document is received from an ingestion source, such as a Multi Function Device (MFD) having a scanner. For example, the document is a scanned into an electronic form from a paper form. This electronic form is subjected to additional processing thereby to implement a predefined security protocol prior to the document (or a modified version thereof) being released into an information system.

Abstract: This application describes an overtube device that gives diagnostic and/or therapeutic access to body cavities using natural orifices of the body. The overtube includes an elongate flexible body having a distal portion deflectable in response to activation of a control cable. Proximal features of the overtube include an insufflations port and seals for minimizing loss of insufflations pressure around the shafts of instruments passed through the tube. In some embodiments, retractor elements are including on the distal portion of the overtube.

Abstract: A furnace damper control system including a furnace having at least one opening through which electromagnetic radiation from within the furnace may be sensed, an exhaust duct capable of receiving an exhaust gas stream emerging from the furnace, and a controllable damper capable of adjusting the pressure in the exhaust duct. A sensor is capable of sensing electromagnetic radiation through one or more of the openings of the furnace and generating a sensor signal corresponding to the electromagnetic radiation, and a processor is capable of processing the sensor signal and generating a monitoring signal responsive to a parameter of the electromagnetic radiation indicative of furnace emissions. A controller is capable of controlling the damper responsive to the monitoring signal indicative of the furnace emissions.

Abstract: A device and method for remodeling or partitioning a body cavity, hollow organ or tissue tract includes graspers operable to engage two or more sections of tissue within a body cavity and to draw the engaged tissue between a first and second members of a tissue remodeling tool. The two or more pinches of tissue are held in complete or partial alignment with one another as staples or other fasteners are driven t9hrough the pinches, thus forming a four-layer tissue plication. Over time, adhesions formed between the opposed serosal layers create strong bonds that can facilitate retention of the plication over extended durations, despite the forces imparted on them by stomach movement. A cut or cut-out may be formed in the plication during or separate from the stapling step to promote edge-to-edge healing effects that will enhance tissue knitting/adhesion.

Abstract: An improvement in a stapling device and method designed to capture a tissue fold between first and second members in the device to staple and cut the fold to form a stapled tissue plication with a hole therein. The improvement includes an engagement assembly in the first member movable from a retracted position in the first member to an extended position in the second member, and releasably attached to second member, an anchor assembly that includes the anchor, wherein (i) movement of the engagement assembly from the retracted to extended position, through a tissue fold captured in the device, is operable to engage the anchor assembly, and (ii) movement of the engagement assembly, with the anchor assembly engaged therewith, to its retracted position, is effective to pull at least a portion of the assembly through the hole in the stapled tissue plication.

Abstract: A furnace damper control system and method thereof including a furnace having at least one opening through which electromagnetic radiation from within the furnace may be sensed, an exhaust duct capable of receiving an exhaust gas stream emerging from the furnace, and a controllable damper capable of adjusting the pressure in the exhaust duct. A sensor is capable of sensing electromagnetic radiation through one or more of the openings of the furnace and generating a sensor signal corresponding to the electromagnetic radiation, and a processor is capable of processing the sensor signal and generating a monitoring signal responsive to a parameter of the electromagnetic radiation indicative of furnace emissions. A controller is capable of controlling the damper responsive to the monitoring signal indicative of the furnace emissions.

Abstract: Vapour absorption refrigeration is carried out by condensing, in a condensing stage (98), a refrigerant in vapour form to obtain condensed refrigerant, being passed into an expansion/evaporation stage (16) in which it is subjected to heat transfer with a higher temperature medium (29) such that at least some of the refrigerant evaporates. Vapourised refrigerant passes from the evaporation stage into an absorption stage (30) in which some of it is absorbed, at a first pressure, into an absorbent, thereby to obtain partially refrigerant-enriched absorbent. This absorbent is contacted, in a compression absorption stage (58) at a second pressure greater than the first pressure, with vapourised refrigerant, rendering refrigerant-enriched absorbent which is passed from the compression absorption stage into a refrigerant regeneration stage (62), in which refrigerant in vapour form is recovered, rendering refrigerant-depleted absorbent.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel tricyclic heterocycles of structural formula I which are inhibitors of the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme and which are useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme is involved, such as diabetes and particularly Type 2 diabetes. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme is involved.