Abstract: A treatment for bioprosthetic tissue used in implants or for assembled bioprosthetic heart valves to reduce in vivo calcification is disclosed. The method includes preconditioning, pre-stressing, or pre-damaging fixed bioprosthetic tissue in a manner that mimics the damage associated with post-implant use, while, and/or subsequently applying a calcification mitigant such as a capping agent or a linking agent to the damaged tissue. The capping agent suppresses the formation of binding sites in the tissue that are exposed or generated by the damage process (service stress) and otherwise would, upon implant, attract calcium, phosphate, immunogenic factors, or other precursors to calcification. The linking agent will act as an elastic reinforcement or shock-absorbing spring element in the tissue structure at the site of damage from the pre-stressing.

Abstract: A faucet including a spout having a passageway configured to receive water from a water source. An open chamber is coupled to the passageway. The open chamber extends from a first side of the spout to a second side of the spout. The second side is opposite the first side. A trough is disposed within the open chamber of the spout. The trough is configured to receive water from the passageway. A spillway is disposed within the open chamber of the spout. The spillway includes a crest coupled to the trough, the crest being configured to permit water in the trough to flow thereover. A chute wall is coupled to the crest, the chute wall being configured to receive water flowing over the crest. An outlet is defined by the chute wall at the second side of the spout, the outlet being configured to deliver water from the faucet.

Abstract: A method of treating a biological tissue that enables dry storage of said tissue is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises contacting the biological tissue with a non-aqueous treatment solution comprising a polyhydric alcohol and a C1-C3 alcohol and removing a portion of the treatment solution from the solution-treated biological tissue. Also disclosed is biological tissue prepared using the above process and prosthetic devices made with such tissue.

Abstract: A mask system includes a frame (20) adapted to attach headgear, a sealing arrangement (40) releasably connectable to the frame, and an elbow (70) provided to the sealing arrangement and adapted to be connected to an air delivery tube that delivers breathable gas to the patient. The sealing arrangement defines a breathing chamber and is adapted to form a seal with the patient's face. The sealing arrangement includes structure (50) to establish a positive connection with the frame and with the elbow.

Abstract: A gasket for concrete structures such as tunnel segments includes a gasket body having a bottom face configured to be positioned against a surface of an associated tunnel segment. First and second anchor members protrude from opposed side edges of the gasket adjacent the bottom face of the gasket. The anchor members are configured to attach the gasket to the tunnel segment during casting of a precast concrete member. The gasket body forms a groove in the concrete member and the anchor members form side channels in the groove. Should a defect be found in the original gasket, the gasket body can be removed from the groove of the concrete member relatively easily, even in the field, and a replacement gasket having corresponding anchor members can be snapped into the groove.

Abstract: Devices and methods for deploying self-cinching surgical clips. A device can access at least two layers of tissue or material from only one side of the tissue or material and puncture through the two layers of tissue or material. The various configurations of clips disclosed herein can be made of a superelastic material such as Nitinol, and have a constrained and a relaxed state, and no sharp edges or tips so as to reduce tissue irritation following deployment. The clip can be disposed within the housing of the delivery device and held in a constrained state until deployment wherein the clip assumes its relaxed state, where the ends of the clip can be brought into close approximation, thereby securing the layers of tissue or material together.

Abstract: Methods of integrity checking digitally displayed data in a display system having a display comprising a pixel array and a display system having a CPU configured to output data, a display screen comprising a pixel array with viewable and non-viewable areas, a GPU configured to receive the outputted data from the CPU and graphically render the information on the viewable area of the display screen, and a GIM engine configured to determine the integrity of drawn graphical information.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a heart valve using bioprosthetic tissue that exhibits reduced in vivo calcification. The method includes applying a calcification mitigant such as a capping agent or an antioxidant to the tissue to specifically inhibit oxidation in tissue. Also, the method can be used to inhibit oxidation in dehydrated tissue. The capping agent suppresses the formation of binding sites in the tissue that are exposed or generated by the oxidation and otherwise would, upon implant, attract calcium, phosphate, immunogenic factors, or other precursors to calcification. In one method, tissue leaflets in assembled bioprosthetic heart valves are pretreated with an aldehyde capping agent prior to dehydration and sterilization.

Abstract: Treatment of an aneurysm or other vascular defect can be facilitated or enhanced by a galvanic cell formed by an implantable medical device configured to be implanted at or within the aneurysm or other vascular defect. The implantable medical device can include a primary structure including an anodic metal and a cathodic metal. The anodic metal and the cathodic metal each form a fraction of a total surface area of the primary structure. A galvanic cell formed by the anodic metal and the cathodic metal is configured to induce a galvanic voltage within blood for a duration of time to promote thrombosis. The thickness of the anodic metal can be less than or equal to 5 ?m, for example, to provide galvanic activity for between 5 and 30 minutes.

Abstract: A device and method for deploying self-cinching surgical clips. The device accesses at least two layers of tissue or material from only one side of the tissue or material and punctures through the two layers of tissue or material. The various configurations of clips disclosed herein are made of a superelastic material such as Nitinol, and have a constrained and a relaxed state, and no sharp edges or tips so as to reduce tissue irritation following deployment. The clip is disposed within the housing of the delivery device and held in a constrained state by a tube assembly until deployment wherein the clip assumes its relaxed state, where the ends of the clip are brought into close approximation, thereby securing the layers of tissue or material together.

Abstract: A treatment for bioprosthetic tissue used in implants or for assembled bioprosthetic heart valves to reduce in vivo calcification. The method includes applying a calcification mitigant such as a capping agent or an antioxidant to the tissue to specifically inhibit oxidation in tissue. Also, the method can be used to inhibit oxidation in dehydrated tissue. The capping agent suppresses the formation of binding sites in the tissue that are exposed or generated by the oxidation and otherwise would, upon implant, attract calcium, phosphate, immunogenic factors, or other precursors to calcification. In one method, tissue leaflets in assembled bioprosthetic heart valves are pretreated with an aldehyde capping agent prior to dehydration and sterilization.

Abstract: A metal static gasket and method of construction thereof is provided. The gasket includes at least one metal layer. The at least one metal layer has opposite sides with at least one through opening extending through the opposite sides configured to register with an opening to be sealed and at least one raised annular seal bead extending at least in part about the at least one through opening. At least one protrusion extends outwardly from at least one of the sides, wherein the at least one protrusion prevents complete flattening of the at least one seal bead. The at least one protrusion has a plurality of discrete layers of metal deposited on one another via an additive manufacture process, wherein the protrusion is formed having a hollow region extending therein.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a tone differential between a given segment of a document and a larger segment of the document. The tone differential may be based on comparison of a first tone associated with the given segment and a second tone associated with the larger segment. The tone differential is indicative of the variance between the tone of the given segment and the tone of the larger segment.

Abstract: A medical device, configured to perform an endovascular therapy, e.g., thrombectomy, can comprise an elongate manipulation member and an intervention member. The intervention member can comprise a proximal end portion and a mesh. The proximal end portion can be coupled with the distal end portion of the elongate manipulation member. The mesh can have a plurality of cells and, be compressible to a collapsed configuration for delivery to an endovascular treatment site through a catheter, and be self-expandable from the collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration. At least a portion of the mesh, from a first location to a second location along the mesh, can be configured such that an amount of cell deformation in response to longitudinally directed tensile forces decreases by less than 5% or increases in a distal direction along the portion of the mesh.

Abstract: Disclosed prosthetic valves can comprise a sewing ring configured to secure the valve to an implantation site. Some disclosed valves comprise a resiliently collapsible frame having a neutral configuration and a collapsed deployment configuration. Some disclosed frames can self-expand to the neutral configuration when released from the collapsed deployment configuration. Collapsing a disclosed valve can provide convenient access to the sewing ring, such as for securing the valve to the implantation site, as well as for the insertion of the valve through relatively small surgical incisions.

Abstract: A medical device, configured to perform an endovascular therapy, e.g., thrombectomy, can comprise an elongate manipulation member and an intervention member. The intervention member can comprise a proximal end portion and a mesh. The proximal end portion can be coupled with the distal end portion of the elongate manipulation member. The mesh can have a plurality of cells and, be compressible to a collapsed configuration for delivery to an endovascular treatment site through a catheter, and be self-expandable from the collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration. At least a portion of the mesh, from a first location to a second location along the mesh, can be configured such that an amount of cell deformation in response to longitudinally directed tensile forces decreases by less than 5% or increases in a distal direction along the portion of the mesh.

Abstract: A metal static gasket and method of construction thereof is provided. The gasket includes at least one metal layer. The at least one metal layer has opposite sides with at least one through opening extending through the opposite sides configured to register with an opening to be sealed and at least one raised annular seal bead extending at least in part about the at least one through opening. At least one protrusion extends outwardly from at least one of the sides, wherein the at least one protrusion prevents complete flattening of the at least one seal bead. The at least one protrusion has a plurality of discrete layers of metal deposited on one another via an additive manufacture process, wherein the protrusion is formed having a hollow region extending therein.

Abstract: A treatment for bioprosthetic tissue used in implants or for assembled bioprosthetic heart valves to reduce in vivo calcification is disclosed. The method includes preconditioning, pre-stressing, or pre-damaging fixed bioprosthetic tissue in a manner that mimics the damage associated with post-implant use, while, and/or subsequently applying a calcification mitigant such as a capping agent or a linking agent to the damaged tissue. The capping agent suppresses the formation of binding sites in the tissue that are exposed or generated by the damage process (service stress) and otherwise would, upon implant, attract calcium, phosphate, immunogenic factors, or other precursors to calcification. The linking agent will act as an elastic reinforcement or shock-absorbing spring element in the tissue structure at the site of damage from the pre-stressing.

Abstract: Disclosed prosthetic valves can comprise a sewing ring configured to secure the valve to an implantation site. Some disclosed valves comprise a resiliently collapsible frame having a neutral configuration and a collapsed deployment configuration. Some disclosed frames can self-expand to the neutral configuration when released from the collapsed deployment configuration. Collapsing a disclosed valve can provide convenient access to the sewing ring, such as for securing the valve to the implantation site, as well as for the insertion of the valve through relatively small surgical incisions. Examples of delivery systems and methods for deploying the valves exhibit reduced patient trauma.

Abstract: A bioprosthetic tissue having a reduced propensity to calcify in vivo, the bioprosthetic tissue. The bioprosthetic tissue comprises an aldehyde cross-linked and stressed bioprosthetic tissue comprising exposed calcium, phosphate or immunogenic binding sites that have been reacted with a calcification mitigant. The bioprosthetic tissue has a reduced propensity to calcify in vivo as compared to aldehyde cross-linked bioprosthetic tissue that has not been stressed and reacted with the calcification mitigant.