Abstract: The present invention provides a puncturing system for withdrawing body fluid. The puncturing system comprises a disposable puncturing unit, which includes a needle element for piercing into skin and a puncturing depth reference element with a skin contact area. The system includes a puncturing instrument which has a puncturing drive, wherein the puncturing drive is coupled by a coupling mechanism to the puncturing unit for driving the needle element to a puncturing depth, the puncturing depth being determined by the distance in the piercing direction between the skin contact area and the position of the tip of the needle at a reversal point of the puncturing movement. The puncturing depth reference element is connected to the needle element such that the puncturing depth reference element moves with the needle element during at least part of the puncturing movement.

Abstract: An implant, in particular an intraluminal endoprosthesis, having an implant body (2, 4) containing an aluminum compound, preferably an aluminum alloy and/or aluminum oxide. Improved biocompatibility of the implant is achieved in that at least the part of the surface of the implant body (2, 4) which is formed by the aluminum compound has a first layer (6) which contains an aluminum phosphate. Furthermore, a cost-effective method for producing such an implant is described.

Abstract: The present invention provides a puncturing system for withdrawing body fluid. The puncturing system comprises a disposable puncturing unit, which includes a needle element for piercing into skin and a puncturing depth reference element with a skin contact area. The system includes a puncturing instrument which has a puncturing drive, wherein the puncturing drive is coupled by a coupling mechanism to the puncturing unit for driving the needle element to a puncturing depth, the puncturing depth being determined by the distance in the piercing direction between the skin contact area and the position of the tip of the needle at a reversal point of the puncturing movement. The puncturing depth reference element is connected to the needle element such that the puncturing depth reference element moves with the needle element during at least part of the puncturing movement.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed towards devices for sensing a concentration of chemical constituents in body fluid such as interstitial fluid, including but not limited to glucose. The devices also relates to systems for measuring and reporting the concentration of body fluid constituents at time intervals shorter than the physiological response time, thereby providing effectively continuous concentration measurements. The device according to the present invention comprises a probe, a reservoir with perfusion fluid connected to an inlet of the probe, at least one test zones which comprise a reagent, to react with the analyte to produce a detectable change, a reader unit which reads test zones wetted with fluid containing the analyte, where the reader unit produces signals according to the concentration of the analyte in the fluid; and a processing unit for processing the signals and the concentration of the analyte.

Abstract: A micromechanical pipetting device comprising an integrally built pipetting module which has an inlet/outlet which may be connected to a removable pipetting tip or integrally built with a pipetting tip. The pipetting module comprises a micromechanical structure which is integrally built on a silicon wafer.

Abstract: The invention concerns the field of slip casting for producing green compacts. The disadvantage of state-of-the art slip casting is among others the need for removing the water through porous molds, the resulting shrinkage and the tendency of the green compact to form shrinkage cracks. These disadvantages are eliminated by internally coagulating by compression the double layer of solid slip particles, so that the green compact may be solidified without the need for removing the water.