Abstract: A surgical instrument comprises a body, shaft, and end effector. The shaft couples the end effector and body together. The end effector comprises an anvil and lower jaw configured to receive a surgical staple cartridge. The anvil is configured to pivot toward and away from the staple cartridge and lower jaw. The shaft assembly comprises a knife member configured to longitudinally translate to thereby substantially simultaneously cut clamped tissue and staple the severed tissue. The end effector may comprise lockout features configure to prevent longitudinal translation of the knife member. The end effector or staple cartridge may comprise lockout bypass features configured to prevent lockout of the knife member. These lockout bypass features may operate to permit longitudinal translation of the knife member once or multiple times. The end effector may comprise features configured to ensure proper alignment of the anvil relative to the staple cartridge.

Abstract: A system and method of notifying a remote client of a sensor triggering event and providing data related to the sensor triggering event to the remote client. The method has the steps of receiving a first notification signal indicating that a sensor has been triggered; identifying a data recording device associated with the triggered sensor wherein the data recording device records video data; identifying a client device designated to receive the video data when the sensor has been triggered; transmitting to the client device a second notification signal indicating that the sensor has been triggered; receiving an acknowledgement signal from the client device; and transmitting the video data to the client device.

Abstract: A system and method of notifying a remote client of a sensor triggering event and providing data related to the sensor triggering event to the remote client. The method has the steps of receiving a first notification signal indicating that a sensor has been triggered; identifying a data recording device associated with the triggered sensor wherein the data recording device records video data; identifying a client device designated to receive the video data when the sensor has been triggered; transmitting to the client device a second notification signal indicating that the sensor has been triggered; receiving an acknowledgement signal from the client device; and transmitting the video data to the client device.

Abstract: This invention relates to a molded object prepared from a copolyester having an inherent viscosity of 0.4 to 1.1 dL/g,wherein the acid component comprises repeat units from 90 to 40 mole % terephthalic acid and from 10 to 60 mole % of one or more additional dibasic acids selected from the group consisting of isophthalic acid, cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, diphenyldicarboxylic acid, and stilbenedicarboxylic acid;wherein the glycol component comprises repeat units from 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol.

Abstract: Novel poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates), such as poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), and blends of these with other polymers are disclosed. A novel process for producing these poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) is also disclosed which entails polymerizing one or more .beta.-substituted-.beta.-propiolactone(s) under polymerization conditions in the substantial absence of water in the presence of an anionic initiator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing copolyesters which involves two steps. The first step is a diol interchange step, and the second step is a polycondensation step. More specifically, the process involves (I) reacting in the presence of a polycondensation catalyst a dihydroxy terephthalate-containing compound having the formula: ##STR1## wherein n is 1 to 10 and at least 99% of the endgroups are ethylene glycol moieties; and 0.01 to 10 moles, based on moles of the dihydroxy terephthalate-containing compound, of a diol, and (II) polycondensing the reaction product of Step (I) to form a copolyester while excess diol is removed until desired molecular weight is obtained. This process does not include a transesterification of a dialkyl ester reaction or an esterification reaction which are usually used to produce copolyesters. Moreover, this process allows for polyethylene terephthalate and copolyesters prepared therefrom to be produced on an integrated production line.