Abstract: Methods and apparatus of embodiments of the invention are adapted to treat tissue inside a patient's body. Aspects of the invention can be used in a wide variety of applications, but certain embodiments provide minimally invasive alternatives for treating atrial fibrillation by delivering a tissue-damaging agent to selected areas of the heart. One exemplary embodiment of the invention provides a method of treating cardiac arrhythmia. This method includes positioning a distal tissue-contacting portion of a body in surface contact with a tissue surface of cardiac tissue; detecting the surface contact between the tissue-contacting portion and the tissue surface; and thereafter, injecting a tissue-ablating agent into the cardiac tissue through the tissue-contacting portion of the body.

Abstract: Inverters are efficient array-internal threshold detectors or comparators in digital imaging systems which use time-to-threshold A/D conversion, particularly CMOS image sensor arrays. The inverters compare sensor outputs to implicit inverter thresholds, with inverter outputs switching on threshold crossings. The inverters can have constituent transistors of with minimum size. Alternatively, non-minimum transistor dimensions can be selected to obtain desired threshold levels. Other logic circuits can also act as threshold detectors.

Abstract: A hinge assembly comprises a first hinge half, a second hinge half, a spring, and a pin passing through the spring joining the first hinge half and the second hinge half. The spring in turn comprises a coil body, a first spring arm extending from the coil body having a first distal end portion, a second spring arm extending from the coil body having a second distal end portion, a first support extending from the first distal end portion towards the first hinge half and bearing on the first hinge half, and a second support extending from the second distal end portion towards the second hinge half and bearing on the second hinge half.

Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter in which a counter tracks the elapsed time since the beginning of a conversion cycle. Simultaneously, a reference analog signal such as a voltage ramp is generated. When the count reaches a stored digital number value, a sample-and-hold circuit is triggered and acquires the value of the reference analog signal. Multiple stored digital number values can be converted using multiple sample-and-hold and trigger circuits which share the counter and the reference analog signal. Such parallel digital-to-analog conversion is useful in many applications such as digital communications, image display, and shared parallel analog-to-digital conversion.

Abstract: The invention relates to antibacterial 3,5-diaminopiperidine-substituted aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. This invention also relates to a method of using such compounds in the treatment of bacterial infections in mammals, especially humans.

Abstract: A method for forming a vessel includes disposing an attachment portion of a bondable layer against at least a portion of an inner surface of a mold shaped to form a substantial enclosure. The bondable layer can include a fibrous material. A plastic material can be introduced into the mold. The mold can be rotated and the plastic material heated to cause the plastic material to conform to the mold to form a substantial enclosure, and embed into an exposed portion of the bondable layer or fibrous material in the mold to attach the bondable layer to the substantial enclosure. The substantial enclosure with the bondable layer is removed from the mold, and another item, such as a fiber with a resin matrix, is bonded to the bondable layer with the bondable layer forming an intermediate layer.

Abstract: A catheter retainer includes a spacer and an anchor that coact to maintain a catheter in a predetermined position within a mammary duct during a ductal lavage procedure. The spacer and the anchor operate together to resist angular or axial displacement of the catheter. A catheter retainer kit is disclosed as well.

Abstract: Differential measurements allow correction of fixed-pattern noise errors in digital imaging arrays which use time-to-threshold A/D conversion techniques. Two time-to-threshold measurements are made with the same sensor and threshold-detecting circuitry. The measurements are made in quick succession so that the amount of incident energy is substantially unchanged. However, the two measurements use differing initial sensor output levels or threshold levels. The difference between the two measurements then reflects the time required for each sensor output signal to change by an amount equal to the difference between the initial sensor output values or the threshold values. Repeatable noise terms are cancelled in the computed difference measurement.

Abstract: A breast stabilizing and positioning device comprises a torso band for enveloping and securement about the chest of a human female patient, a breast elevating module and a breast stabilizing ring. The torso band defines a through aperture sized to receive a human breast there through. The breast elevating module is attached to the torso band, and comprises a base framing the through aperture of the torso band and a plurality of flexible, elongate tabs extending radially from the base. The breast stabilizing ring is adapted for securement about the areolar region of a human breast and defines an opening sized to receive a human breast nipple there through. The breast stabilizing ring is adapted for removable engagement with the tabs of the breast elevating module. The present devices assist in performing diagnostic procedures such as ductal lavage, or a surgical procedure, such as removal of ducts from the breast nipple.

Abstract: A guide assembly for directing a medical instrument to a desired location in a patient is provided. The guide assembly comprises an arcuate guide support having a constant radius of curvature. The guide assembly further includes an introducer that has a hollow elongated sheath and a probe that is spaced from the introducer along the guide support. The longitudinal axes of the introducer and the probe intersect at a target location within the patient.

Abstract: A breast stabilizing and positioning device comprises a torso band for enveloping and securement about the chest of a human female patient, a breast elevating module and a breast stabilizing ring. The torso band defines a through aperture sized to receive a human breast therethrough. The breast elevating module is attached to the torso band, and comprises a base framing the through aperture of the torso band and a plurality of flexible, elongate tabs extending radially from the base. The breast stabilizing ring is adapted for securement about the areolar region of a human breast and defines an opening sized to receive a human breast nipple therethrough. The breast stabilizing ring is adapted for removable engagement with the tabs of the breast elevating module. The devices of the present invention conveniently and effectively hold a human breast in a stable position suitable for performing a diagnostic procedure, such as ductal lavage, or a surgical procedure, such as removal of ducts from the breast nipple.

Abstract: The present invention provides a collection device and kit for collecting an exudate from a mammary duct that terminates at a human breast nipple. The collection device comprises a hollow receptacle defining an interior volume and having an open aperture sized to circumscribe the nipple and defined by a rim. The collection device further includes an absorbent pad in the interior volume, which pad is positionable to contact the nipple when the receptacle is situated over the nipple. In order to keep the collection device in place, a pressure sensitive adhesive is also provided on the collection device.

Abstract: A drug delivery apparatus for dispensing predetermined volumes of drug, drug solution or other substances into an opening, such as a TMR channel in the human heart, or other laser treated area within the human body, the apparatus consisting of a bifurcated needle with a laser inlet for guiding a laser delivery means, such as an optical fiber or fiber bundle, to adjacent a surface of the human heart or other body structure for creating an opening, such as a TMR channel, or other laser treated area thereon. A drug inlet is for receiving the drug and transmitting the drug to the TMR channel or other laser treated area. Optionally, a piercing tip and/or suction device assists in positioning the apparatus adjacent the tissue to be treated. Drug is dispensed by manually or automatically actuating a piston or syringe element. A method of use is also disclosed.

Abstract: A machine used for digital counting which can provide multiple output counts. The machine is particularly useful in analog-to-digital (A/D) converters and in digital-to-analog (D/A) converters. The multiple output counts can change in different directions or in the same direction, and are generated using shared circuitry. The invention exploits properties of counting systems to allow A/D and D/A conversions in convenient digital number formats or in multiple different formats. The invention can be used in integrating converters to help eliminate errors such as comparator offset and dielectric absorption while converting and to increase the conversion rate.

Abstract: A machine for generating piece-wise non-linear reference waveforms at low cost, particularly in integrated circuit technologies. The reference waveform can be a distorted sinusoidal waveform such as a truncated sinusoid. Provided that local distortion is low enough in some waveform segments, for instance, in the transitions between saturation levels, parts of the waveform can be used as non-linear reference segments in data converters based on comparison of inputs. The distorted sinusoidal waveform can also be filtered to reduce distortion. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, suitable sinusoids with high or low distortion can be generated using an op-amp configured with a Wien Bridge providing positive feedback and a resistor bridge providing negative feedback. The invention differs from prior art Wien Bridge oscillators in having negative feedback gain that forces the op-amp output into saturation. One filter stage is provided by the positive feedback network itself.

Abstract: A machine or method used for reducing the implementation cost of digital filters that use multiplication operations. For each new input, a small look-up table of products is computed and stored. Weighting of the inputs when computing digital filter outputs can be accomplished using look-up table access, shifting, and addition. The invention can be used for constant filters or for adaptive filters. With constant filter coefficients, a small look-up table which exploits the properties of the various coefficient representations as a group is possible. With adaptive filters, a larger table may be needed, but can be used to reduce the multiplication cost of both filter output computation and filter adaptation. The invention is particularly useful in technologies where general multiplication is costly, such as field programmable gate arrays, application specific integrated circuits, and software running on general-purpose microprocessors.

Abstract: A machine used for digital counting which can provide multiple output counts. The machine is particularly useful in analog-to-digital (A/D) converters and in digital-to-analog (D/A) converters. The multiple output counts can change in different directions or in the same direction, and are generated using shared circuitry. The invention exploits properties of counting systems to allow A/D and D/A conversions in convenient digital number formats or in multiple different formats. The invention can be used in integrating converters to help eliminate errors such as comparator offset and dielectric absorption while converting and to increase the conversion rate.

Abstract: A machine used for multiplication which exploits the facts that cos(2&pgr;/3) is equal to minus one half and that the sum of cos(−2&pgr;/5) and cos(−4&pgr;/5) is also equal to minus one half. Low-cost multiplication by cos(2&pgr;/3) can be implemented with simple negation and shifting operations in three-point discrete Fourier transforms (DFTs) and in related three-point transforms. Low-cost multiplication of a multiplier input by both cos(−2&pgr;/5) and cos(−4&pgr;/5) can be implemented with a first multiplication of the multiplier input by one of the numbers to produce a first product, simple negation and shifting operations to obtain an intermediate result which is minus one half times the multiplier input, and subtraction of the first product from the intermediate result to obtain the second product.

Abstract: A machine used for analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion in which an analog input is compared to a piece-wise non-linear analog reference waveform. A digital count is recorded indicative of when the difference between the two becomes zero. Alternative mappings such a linear correspondence between analog input values and digital output values can be implemented via digital processing of each recorded count. The invention is particularly intended for use with sinusoidal reference waveforms to enable low-cost, high-precision A/D conversion at speeds much higher than are possible with piece-wise linear analog reference waveforms such as saw-tooth or triangle waveforms. The invention can be implemented with multiple A/D converters sharing a piece-wise non-linear analog reference waveform, with conversion cycles using increasing or decreasing waveform segments, and with compensation of comparator-induced errors.

Abstract: An apparatus for stimulating revascularization of myocardium tissue in the ventricular wall of a human heart is disclosed. The apparatus includes means for moving the distal end of an optical fiber element forwardly through the epicardium of the heart and into the myocardium and emitting relatively low power bursts of laser energy from the distal end to form stimulus injury zones that promote capillary growth and tissue revascularization. Each penetration of the optical fiber element may produce multiple stimulus zones spaced radially from or in line with the axis of the optical fiber element. Apparatus for moving the optical fiber element and controlling the laser emissions in a predetermined manner is also disclosed.