Abstract: An improvement to a thrombectomy apparatus for breaking up thrombus or other obstructive material in a lumen of a vascular graft or vessel having a wire and flexible sheath relatively movable, wherein the wire is sinuous in configuration and assumes its sinuous configuration when in the deployed configuration and has a straighter configuration in the first configuration. The wire is operatively connected to a motor for rotation of the wire to enable peaks of the sinuous wire to contact a wall of the lumen to break up the thrombus or other obstructive material. The improvement to the thrombectomy apparatus comprises the wire being formed of an inner core formed by a plurality of twisted wires and an outer wire wound directly around the inner core, wherein a distal portion of the outer wire extends distal of the inner core and progressively tapers towards a distal end to form a tapered region.

Abstract: Medical instruments and methods of using the instruments are described. In some embodiments, a medical instrument includes a housing, a stylet having a portion in the housing, and a cannula having a portion in the housing. The stylet has a portion in the housing and is movable between a first extended position and a first retracted position. The stylet is configured to rotate when moved from the first retracted position to the first extended position. The cannula coaxially receives the stylet and is movable between a second extended position and a second retracted position.

Abstract: Systems and methods manage configurations for multiple OSS components. A method starts by receiving a high level configuration that includes multiple high level configuration items. The high level configuration is translated to a low level configuration, the low level configuration including multiple low level configuration items. The low level configuration is translated to at least one OSS component specific configuration and sent to the OSS component.

Abstract: Disclosed is a nucleotide sequence encoding an effective portion of a class A starch branching enzyme (SBE) obtainable from potato plants, or a functional equivalent thereof, together with, inter alia, a corresponding polypeptide, a method of altering the characteristics of a plant, a plant having altered characteristics; and starch, particularly starch obtained from a potato plant, having novel properties.

Abstract: A medical instrument includes a housing, a stylet having a portion in the housing, a cannula coaxially receiving the stylet and having a portion in the housing, and a member coupled to the housing. The stylet and the cannula are movable between an extended position and a retracted position. The member, e.g., a lever, is configured to move the stylet and the cannula from the extended position to the retracted position.

Abstract: A medical instrument includes a gripping section having a first portion having a first composition, and a second portion over a selected portion of the first portion. The second portion has a second composition different than the first composition.

Abstract: An improvement to a thrombectomy apparatus for breaking up thrombus or other obstructive material in a lumen of a vascular graft or vessel having a wire and flexible sheath relatively movable, wherein the wire is sinuous in configuration and assumes its sinuous configuration when in the deployed configuration and has a straighter configuration in the first configuration. The wire is operatively connected to a motor for rotation of the wire to enable peaks of the sinuous wire to contact a wall of the lumen to break up the thrombus or other obstructive material. The improvement to the thrombectomy apparatus comprises the wire being formed of an inner core formed by a plurality of twisted wires and an outer wire wound directly around the inner core, wherein a distal portion of the outer wire extends distal of the inner core and progressively tapers towards a distal end to form a tapered region.

Abstract: Disclosed is a nucleotide sequence encoding an effective portion of a class A starch branching enzyme (SBE) obtainable from potato plants, or a functional equivalent thereof, together with, inter alia, a corresponding polypeptide, a method of altering the characteristics of a plant, a plant having altered characteristics; and starch, particularly starch obtained from a potato plant, having novel properties.

Abstract: A method for preparing a milk-based composition comprising a homopolysaccharide is provided whereby a mixture comprising milk and fermentable sugar is fermented with a homopolysaccharide-producing microorganism under anaerobic conditions, without regulating the pH, and the fermentation is stopped before the pH of the mixture drops below pH 5.5. Food products comprising such compositions are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing altered starch from transformed potato plants or their progeny, comprising extracting starch from a potato plant, at least the tubers of which comprise at least an effective portion of a starch branching enzyme (SBE) cDNA sequence operably linked in the antisense orientation to a suitable promoter, such that the level of SBE activity is limited to less than 0.8 units per gram tuber. Also disclosed are potato plants comprising altered starch in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a combination of a baseball cap, a sound generator and a three dimensional image of an object having a distinctive sound. A lower case is fastened to the baseball hat with snap fasteners and an upper case is formed in the shape of the image being recorded and played by the sound generator. The application discusses examples of attachments to the cap consisting of an auto scoop, a three barrel carburetor, a boat and a helicopter.

Abstract: Synchronous array logic circuitry and a system for automatically laying out such circuitry for the fabrication of integrated circuits are described. The synchronous array logic circuitry includes as many cells as necessary to perform the desired functions with each cell including a transistor array for evaluating a Boolean function and supplying the result to a storage element through a multiplexer. The storage element latches the output signal and supplies it to other transistor arrays and/or other cells. The transistor array includes serially connected transistors for performing AND functions and parallel connected transistors for performing OR functions. The multiplexer operates under control of a test signal to configure the storage elements serially, thereby enabling complete testability of all cells.

Abstract: A position control system, for use in positioning relative to a subsea well a subsea vehicle or a re-entry tool having thrusters, including a Doppler sonar system connected to the vehicle and operable for generating a Doppler pulse train signal having a pulse rate substantially proportional to the Doppler frequency produced by a change in the spatial position of the vehicle along a predetermined linear coordinate, whereby the occurrence of each pulse signal in the Doppler pulse train signal corresponds substantially to a predetermined linear distance, velocity measurement means coupled to the Doppler pulse train signal and operable for converting it into an equivalent velocity amplitude, a pulse generator operable for producing a predetermined number of pulse signals equivalent to a certain linear distance along the coordinate, up/down counter means operable for counting up from one signal and down from another signal, connection means operable for connecting the up/down counter means to the Doppler pulse tra