Abstract: A stent is constructed using interconnected links having micro-mechanical latching mechanisms. The micro-mechanical latching elements allow relative rotational movement of interconnected links in one rotational direction but restrict relative rotational movement of the two links in the opposite direction. The micro-mechanical latch surface features are formed using micro-electronic mechanical systems (MEMS) manufacturing methods. The male surface of the latching components contains an array of ridges or protrusions, and the receiving surface contains a matching array of recesses. The array of ridges or protrusions and the corresponding recesses have uniformly dissimilar slopes that result in a substantially greater frictional force in one direction than in the opposite direction. The separation distance between the two surfaces is such that the male latch surface is engaged with the receiving surface recesses in the low stress “locked” state, preventing motion in the undesired direction.

Abstract: A ventricular assist device comprises a sheet of hydraulically actuated material that can be affixed to prescribed locations on the surface of the heart to assist areas of the heart that do not contract normally. The material is comprised of a network of contractible unit cells that individually contract when fluid is pumped into them. These unit cells are connected together in a network that causes the sheet to contract radially inward. This contraction causes the sheet to transmit forces to the heart to assist in its natural contraction. A sensing function coordinates the contraction of the sheet with the contraction of the heart. The change in shape of the device is accomplished by distributing pressurized fluid throughout the spaces of the device by way of a network of channels. When pressure is removed from the fluid system, it assumes a deenergized “rest” position in which it does not transmit any forces to the surface of the heart.

Abstract: The present invention provides for an isolated human EN-RAGE peptide. The present invention also provides for a method for determining whether a compound is capable of inhibiting the interaction of an EN-RAGE peptide with a RAGE peptide, which comprises: (a) admixing: (i) a RAGE peptide or an sRAGE peptide or a fragment of either thereof, (ii) an EN-RAGE peptide or a fragment thereof, and (iii) the compound; (b) measuring the level of interaction between the peptide of step (a) (i) and the peptide of step (a) (ii), and (c) comparing the amount of interaction measured in step (b) with the amount measured between the petpide of step (a)(i) and the peptide of step (a) (ii) in the absence of the compound, thereby determining whether the compound is capable of inhibiting the interaction of the EN-RAGE peptide with the RAGE peptide, wherein a reduction in the amount of interaction in the presence of the compound indicates that the compound is capable of inhibiting the interaction.

Abstract: In the disclosed method of manufacturing an implantable wireless sensor, a cavity is etched in one side of a first substrate. A conductive structure are formed on the base of the cavity. A second conductive structureare formed on a surface of a second substrate, and the two substrates are mutually imposed such that the two conductive plates and coils are disposed in opposed, spaced-apart relation. A laser is then used to cut away perimeter portions of the imposed substrates and simultaneously to heat bond the two substrates together such that the cavity in the first substrate is hermetically sealed.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method for inhibiting tumor invasion or metastasis in a subject which comprises administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a form of soluble Receptor for Advanced Glycation Endproducts (RAGE). The present invention also provides a method for evaluating the ability of an agent to inhibit tumor invasion in a local cellular environment which comprises: (a) admixing with cell culture media an effective amount of the agent; (b) contacting a tumor cell in cell culture with the media from step (a); (c) determining the amount of spreading of the tumor cell culture, and (d) comparing the amount of spreading of the tumor cell culture determined in step (c) with the amount determined in the absence of the agent, thus evaluating the ability of the agent to inhibit tumor invasion in the local cellular environment.

Abstract: The use of rapid cycle pressure swing adsorption having a cycle time of less than 30 s for increasing the hydrogen concentration in hydrogen-containing steams, from a hydrogen source, such as a stream reforming unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method to prevent accelerated atherosclerosis in a subject predisposed thereto which comprises administering to the subject a polypeptide derived from soluble receptor for advanced glycation endproduct in an amount effective to prevent accelerated atherosclerosis in the subject. The present invention also provides for a method to prevent a macrovessel disease in a subject predisposed thereto which comprises administering to the subject a polypeptide derived from soluble receptor for advanced glycation endproduct in an amount effective to prevent macrovessel disease in the subject.

Abstract: A wireless sensor for indicating a physical state within an environment includes a unitary housing defining a cavity. A structure located within the cavity of the housing has elements providing capacitance, the elements being arranged such that the distance and thereby the capacitance of the structure changes when a physical state of the environment changes. The structure has a resonant frequency based at least in part on the capacitance of the structure when in the presence of a fluctuating electromagnetic field. When the sensor is positioned within an environment and is subjected to a fluctuating electromagnetic field, the resonant frequency indicates the physical state of the environment.

Abstract: The progress of a endovascular cardiac repair can be monitored by inserting a pressure transducer sensor using a catheter into a chamber of the heart during endovascular repair and then using a small, hand-held read out device to measure pressure easily, safely, inexpensively and accurately. In one aspect a sensor is introduced into the body by the steps of folding or rolling the sensor into a cylinder, loading it into a catheter, and deploying into the heart chamber by allowing it to unroll or unfold, either by itself or facilitated by the incorporation of a super-elastic alloy component.

Abstract: Fluorescently marked targets bind to a substrate 230 synthesized with polymer sequences at known locations. The targets are detected by exposing selected regions of the substrate 230 to light from a light source 100 and detecting the photons from the light fluoresced therefrom, and repeating the steps of exposure and detection until the substrate 230 is completely examined. The resulting data can be used to determine binding affinity of the targets to specific polymer sequences.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an improved method for using an intraoperative imaging system. The method includes acquiring an image using an intraoperative imaging system, labeling the image by associating the image with a label, and storing the image and the label.

Abstract: A system and method for an improved surgical workflow development includes creating and editing a modifiable module used to direct a medical procedure through a sequence of images and functions included in the module. A plurality of users may review and/or evaluate the module to determine what, if any, edits to the module are required. Evaluations of the module may include a research evaluation, a cadaver evaluation or a clinical evaluation. A scripting tool may be used to create or edit the module, where the scripting tool includes a computer programming software application. The module may be stored on a computer-readable memory accessible by a plurality of computers and/or display devices connected to a network. In this way, the system and method provide for rapid dynamic development of surgical workflows contained in modules.

Abstract: A method for measuring pressure within a heart includes the steps of: (1) providing a passive wireless pressure sensor having a characteristic impedance and a deflectable surface, the characteristic impedance changing in response to deflection of the deflectable surface; (2) inserting the sensor to a location within the body of a patient at which the sensor can detect pressure within the heart; (3) affixing the sensor relative to the heart; (4) interrogating the sensor with an electromagnetic field; (5) receiving a signal from the sensor corresponding to a sensed pressure; and (6) leaving the sensor in situ so that future pressure measurements can be made.

Abstract: A process for producing cumene is provided which comprises the step of contacting benzene and propylene under at least partial liquid phase alkylating conditions with a particulate molecular sieve alkylation catalyst, wherein the particles of said alkylation catalyst have a surface to volume ratio of about 80 to less than 200 inch?1.

Abstract: Scoring a board configuration for a territory board game is often not straightforward and yet there is a desire to determine such scores quickly and accurately. For example, in the game of GO, determining the score at the end of the game involves assessing whether stones on the board are alive or dead which is a difficult judgment. Given a board configuration, the game is played by a scoring system to obtain a terminal board configuration. This is repeated to obtain a plurality of terminal board configurations from which an assessment can be made as to how likely each board position is to be won by a particular player at the end of the game. The scoring system obtains the terminal board configurations by playing random moves or by making a biased sampling of moves. The biased sampling is made using an evaluation function or in any suitable way. In the game of GO, seki positions are quickly and easily identified.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of inhibiting the binding of a ?-sheet fibril to RAGE on the surface of a cell which comprises contacting the cell with a binding inhibiting amount of a compound capable of inhibiting binding of the ?-sheet fibril to RAGE so as to thereby inhibit binding of the ?-sheet fibril to RAGE. In one embodiment the ?-sheet fibril is amyloid fibril. In one embodiment, the compound is sRAGE or a fragment thereof. In another embodiment, the compound is an anti-RAGE antibody or portion thereof. This invention provides the above method wherein the inhibition of binding of the ?-sheet fibril to RAGE has the consequences of decreasing the load of ?-sheet fibril in the tissue, inhibiting fibril-induced programmed cell death, inhibiting fibril-induced cell stress. This invention also provides methods of determining whether a compound inhibits binding of a ?-sheet fibril to RAGE on the surface of a cell.

Abstract: We describe an apparatus for learning to predict moves in games such as chess, Go and the like, from historical game records. We obtain a probability distribution over legal moves in a given board configuration. This enables us to provide an automated game playing system, a training tool for players and a move selector/sorter for input to a game tree search system. We use a pattern extraction system to select patterns from historical game records. Our learning algorithm learns a distribution over the values of a move given a board position based on local pattern context. In another embodiment we use an Independent Bernoulli model whereby we assume each moved is played independently of other available moves.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining cardiac parameters within the body of a patient includes a wireless sensor positioned in the patient's pulmonary artery. An external RF telemetry device communicates wirelessly with the sensor and interrogates the sensor to determine changes in pressure in the pulmonary artery over time. The peak pressure difference is determined. Then, assuming zero blood flow velocity at the time of valve opening and at the time of valve closing, a velocity-time function is determined. The velocity-time function is used to determine a velocity-time integral. The velocity-time integral is then used to determine cardiac stroke volume. The cardiac stroke volume is multiplied times the heartbeat rate to determine cardiac output. The cardiac output can be monitored over time to determine continuous cardiac output.

Abstract: An implant assembly for releasing into a vessel at an implant location includes an intracorporeal device and an anchor. The anchor comprises a pair of resiliently deformable loops operatively associated with the intracorporeal device, both of the loops extending toward the same side of a plane defined by the intracorporeal device. The deformable loops have a relaxed state and a deformed state. When the deformable loops are in a relaxed state, the implant assembly has a major dimension in a direction out of the plane that is greater than the diameter of a vessel at the implant location. The loops are deformable to permit insertion of the implant assembly into the vessel. The tendency of the loops to return to their relaxed state exerts a force on a wall of the vessel that imposes the intracorporeal device against an opposite wall of the vessel.