Abstract: A catheter has at least a first transducer located in an interior of at least a first balloon, the first transducer configured to be operated at an operational frequency.

Abstract: Techniques are described for implementing a split-select-block (split-SEL) complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor (CIS) pixel physical architecture, such as for reducing noise in low-light application contexts. The split-SEL CIS pixel physical architecture can include a pixel block with one or more photodiodes. Above the photodiodes, there can be: a first oxide diffusion region with a reset block and a gain block disposed thereon; and a second oxide diffusion region with a select block disposed thereon. Below the photodiodes, there can be a third oxide diffusion region with a source follower (SF) block (e.g., a square-gate SF transistor) disposed thereon. A trace can be routed through the set of photodiodes to couple the source of the SF block with the select block. The architecture permits an appreciable increase in the physical gate length and/or other features.

Abstract: A tissue treatment catheter and system include a catheter shaft sized and shaped for delivery through a radial artery to a blood vessel of a patient. The catheter shaft has several lumens, including a guidewire lumen, a cable lumen, and one or more fluid lumens. A stiffening web extends from the guidewire lumen and is thicker than an outer wall of the catheter shaft. The tissue treatment catheter and system include an ultrasound transducer, a balloon surrounding the ultrasound transducer, and a single electrical cable electrically connected to the ultrasound transducer to deliver sufficient electrical energy during sonication to the transducer such that the transducer thermally induces modulation of neural fibers surrounding the blood vessel sufficient to improve a measurable physiological parameter corresponding to a diagnosed condition of the patient. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Described herein are acoustic-based tissue treatment systems, apparatuses, and methods for use therewith. Certain such apparatuses comprise a catheter sized and shaped for delivery through a radial artery including a catheter shaft having distal and proximal ends, a plurality of lumens extending longitudinally through the catheter shaft between the distal and proximal ends thereof, and an ultrasound transducer distally positioned relative to the distal end of the catheter shaft. A balloon may surround the ultrasound transducer and at least one of the plurality of lumens may be configured to provide a cooling fluid to the balloon at a pressure and flow rate sufficient to protect non-target tissue in the blood vessel wall from thermal injury.

Abstract: A medicament delivery device for dispensing discrete doses of medicament comprises: first and second medicament carriers each comprising said doses of medicament contained in a plurality of individual compartments spaced along a carrier strip and sealed by a sealing layer; first and second opening mechanisms each arranged to handle a respective one of the first and second medicament carriers and to open each compartment of the respective medicament carrier by separating the sealing layer from the carrier strip as the medicament carrier is advanced through the device; a take-up spool arranged to wind the separated sealing layers thereon such as to maintain the separated sealing layers in tension, each separated sealing layer having a path of travel between a respective one of the first and second opening mechanisms and the take-up spool; and a tension control element in contact with each of the separated sealing layers, wherein at least a part of the tension control element is arranged to be movable by a biasi

Abstract: A pixel circuit is disclosed. The pixel circuit includes a photodiode (PD), a transmission circuit, a reset circuit, a signal storage circuit and a buffer circuit. The transmission circuit is coupled between the PD and an ordinary floating diffusion (FD) node. The reset circuit is coupled to the ordinary FD node. The signal storage circuit is coupled to the ordinary FD node. The buffer circuit is coupled to the ordinary FD node. The signal storage circuit may store a PD signal on a specific node having a reduced leakage path in comparison with the ordinary FD node during a holding phase of the pixel circuit, wherein the holding phase is a time interval starting from a first time point at which the PD signal is stored on the specific node and ending at a second time point at which the pixel circuit is selected for performing a read-out operation.

Abstract: A manifold for a medicament delivery device configured to deliver discrete doses of medicament contained in a plurality of individual compartments spaced along a carrier strip and sealed by a sealing layer to form a medicament carrier, the manifold comprising: at least one opening mechanism comprising a release member arranged to engage between the carrier strip and the sealing layer of a medicament carrier so as to separate the sealing layer from the carrier strip and thereby open a compartment of the medicament carrier as it is advanced into an entrainment position; wherein the release member includes a surface configured to cover the opened compartment when in the entrainment position so as substantially to contain the medicament dose of said opened compartment.

Abstract: A device for releasing discrete doses of medicament carried in a plurality of spaced-apart compartments on a medicament carrier, each compartment being arranged in a carrier strip and sealed by a sealing layer, the device comprising: a release mechanism arranged to engage between the carrier strip and the sealing layer so as to unseal at least a portion of the compartment and expose the medicament dose contained therein, wherein the release mechanism preferably covers said exposed compartment in place of the sealing layer.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a front-end circuit, a signal storage circuit, and an output circuit. All of the front-end circuit, the signal storage circuit and the output circuit are coupled to a common floating diffusion (FD) node. The front-end circuit is arranged to generate pixel signals. The signal storage circuit is arranged to store the pixel signals generated by the front-end circuit, wherein when the pixel circuit is selected for performing a read-out operation, the pixel signals stored in the signal storage circuit are pulled up from original voltage levels to other voltage levels higher than the original voltage levels according to a voltage increment applied to a control voltage of the signal storage circuit. When the pixel circuit is selected for performing the read-out operation, the output circuit generates output signals on an output terminal according to voltage levels of the common FD node, respectively.

Abstract: A pixel circuit is disclosed. The pixel circuit includes a photodiode (PD), a transmission circuit, a reset circuit, a signal storage circuit and a buffer circuit. The transmission circuit is coupled between the PD and an ordinary floating diffusion (FD) node. The reset circuit is coupled to the ordinary FD node. The signal storage circuit is coupled to the ordinary FD node. The buffer circuit is coupled to the signal storage circuit. The signal storage circuit may store a PD signal on a specific node having a reduced leakage path in comparison with the ordinary FD node during a holding phase of the pixel circuit, wherein the holding phase is a time interval starting from a first time point at which the PD signal is stored on the specific node and ending at a second time point at which the pixel circuit is selected for performing a read-out operation.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a front-end circuit, a signal storage circuit, and an output circuit. The signal storage circuit is coupled to the front-end circuit, and the output circuit is coupled to the signal storage circuit. The front-end circuit is arranged to generate pixel signals. The signal storage circuit is arranged to store the pixel signals generated by the front-end circuit, wherein when the pixel circuit is selected for performing a read-out operation, the pixel signals stored in the signal storage circuit are pulled up from original voltage levels to other voltage levels higher than the original voltage levels according to a voltage increment applied to a control voltage. When the pixel circuit is selected for performing the read-out operation, the output circuit generates output signals on an output terminal according to the other voltage levels, respectively.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a front-end circuit, a signal storage circuit, and an output circuit. All of the front-end circuit, the signal storage circuit and the output circuit are coupled to a common floating diffusion (FD) node. The front-end circuit is arranged to generate pixel signals. The signal storage circuit is arranged to store the pixel signals generated by the front-end circuit, wherein when the pixel circuit is selected for performing a read-out operation, the pixel signals stored in the signal storage circuit are pulled up from original voltage levels to other voltage levels higher than the original voltage levels according to a voltage increment applied to a control voltage of the signal storage circuit. When the pixel circuit is selected for performing the read-out operation, the output circuit generates output signals on an output terminal according to voltage levels of the common FD node, respectively.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a catheter for use in cardiac mapping and/or ablation. The catheter may include an elongate catheter shaft having a distal ablation electrode region capable of ablating tissue. An electrode assembly may be coupled to the distal ablation electrode region. The electrode assembly may include a flexible circuit having one or more electrodes disposed thereon.

Abstract: A pixel circuit is disclosed. The pixel circuit includes a photodiode (PD), a transmission circuit, a reset circuit, a signal storage circuit and a buffer circuit. The transmission circuit is coupled between the PD and an ordinary floating diffusion (FD) node. The reset circuit is coupled to the ordinary FD node. The signal storage circuit is coupled to the ordinary FD node. The buffer circuit is coupled to the ordinary FD node. The signal storage circuit may store a PD signal on a specific node having a reduced leakage path in comparison with the ordinary FD node during a holding phase of the pixel circuit, wherein the holding phase is a time interval starting from a first time point at which the PD signal is stored on the specific node and ending at a second time point at which the pixel circuit is selected for performing a read-out operation.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a catheter for use in cardiac mapping and/or ablation. The catheter may include an elongate catheter shaft having a distal ablation electrode region capable of ablating tissue. An electrode assembly may be coupled to the distal ablation electrode region. The electrode assembly may include a flexible circuit having one or more electrodes disposed thereon.

Abstract: A pixel circuit is disclosed. The pixel circuit includes a photodiode (PD), a transmission circuit, a reset circuit, a signal storage circuit and a buffer circuit. The transmission circuit is coupled between the PD and an ordinary floating diffusion (FD) node. The reset circuit is coupled to the ordinary FD node. The signal storage circuit is coupled to the ordinary FD node. The buffer circuit is coupled to the signal storage circuit. The signal storage circuit may store a PD signal on a specific node having a reduced leakage path in comparison with the ordinary FD node during a holding phase of the pixel circuit, wherein the holding phase is a time interval starting from a first time point at which the PD signal is stored on the specific node and ending at a second time point at which the pixel circuit is selected for performing a read-out operation.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a front-end circuit, a signal storage circuit, and an output circuit. The signal storage circuit is coupled to the front-end circuit, and the output circuit is coupled to the signal storage circuit. The front-end circuit is arranged to generate pixel signals. The signal storage circuit is arranged to store the pixel signals generated by the front-end circuit, wherein when the pixel circuit is selected for performing a read-out operation, the pixel signals stored in the signal storage circuit are pulled up from original voltage levels to other voltage levels higher than the original voltage levels according to a voltage increment applied to a control voltage. When the pixel circuit is selected for performing the read-out operation, the output circuit generates output signals on an output terminal according to the other voltage levels, respectively.

Abstract: A pixel structure of an image sensor is provided and includes following units. A crystalline layer of a first doping type is formed on a substrate. A photodiode region is formed in the crystalline layer. A gate of a source follower transistor is formed on a top surface of the crystalline layer. A reset gate is formed on the top surface of the crystalline layer. A doped region of a second doping type is formed in the crystalline layer and formed between the reset gate and the gate of the source follower. The first doping type is different from the second doping type, and the photodiode region is connected to the doped region under the top surface of the crystalline layer as an anti-blooming path.

Abstract: A pixel structure of an image sensor is provided and includes following units. A crystalline layer of a first doping type is formed on a substrate. A photodiode region is formed in the crystalline layer. A gate of a source follower transistor is formed on a top surface of the crystalline layer. A reset gate is formed on the top surface of the crystalline layer. A doped region of a second doping type is formed in the crystalline layer and formed between the reset gate and the gate of the source follower. The first doping type is different from the second doping type, and the photodiode region is connected to the doped region under the top surface of the crystalline layer as an anti-blooming path.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of operating an image sensor. A first integration is performed on a first photodiode of a pixel circuit to obtain at least one first image signal. A second integration is performed on a second photodiode of the pixel circuit to obtain a second image signal, the first photodiode having a photodiode area larger than the second photodiode. A third integration is performed by collecting blooming charge overflowing from the first photodiode to obtain an overflow image signal. The first integration has longest integration time and the third integration has shortest integration time among the first integration, the second integration and the third integration.