Abstract: A blood treatment system with pressure sensors may be configured to control blood flow to and from the patient and use readings of the pressure sensors to determine a change in a pressure drop across a flow restriction in the blood circuit to estimate a condition of the machine or the patient, or outputting data responsive to the estimation. Further embodiments employ measurement of pressure drop to detect abnormal viscosity or viscosity variations in order to detect possible infection.

Abstract: Contaminate-sequestering coatings including a network of hydrolyzed silane compounds including a plurality of thiol functional groups, a plurality of fluorinated functionalities, or both are provided. The contaminate-sequestering coatings may sequester one or more per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), heavy metals, biological species or any combination thereof. Methods of functionalizing a substrate surface with contaminate-sequestering functionalities that sequester one or more PFAS, heavy metals, or both are also provided. Methods of removing contaminants from contaminate-containing liquids, and devices including the contaminate-sequestering coatings are also provided.

Abstract: An arrangement for switching broadband ISDN (B-ISDN) packets is disclosed. The arrangement comprises a broadband packet switch connected to B-ISDN customers and to a narrowband switch via an interface unit. B-ISDN control packets are connected by the broadband packet switch to the narrowband switch which transmits them to a control unit. The control unit responds to control messages by controlling the broadband packet switch to selectively interconnect B-ISDN customers and by controlling the broadband packet switch, the interface means and the narrowband switch to selectively interconnect B-ISDN and narrowband customers.

Abstract: A network architecture of the sort-then-expand type for routing packets including destination information is disclosed. The network includes a distribution stage comprising a plurality of input sorts units, an intermediate stage comprising a plurality of intermediate sort units and an output stage comprising a plurality of output switches. The input sort units each distribute a plurality of packets to the intermediate sort units such that each intermediate sort unit receives approximately the same number of packets destined for each output switch as the other intermediate sort units. Each intermediate sort unit identifies packet groups for a common output switch and connects the groups to the destination output switch. Each destination output switch merges the received groups of packets and distributes them to output ports.

Abstract: A switching system including a number of switching modules each having a plurality of access ports. Incoming and outgoing packet channels are extended between each switching module and an inter-module packet switch. Each of the switching modules includes both a packet switching unit and a circuit switching unit for switching information to and from the access ports. Each switching module further includes a control unit that controls the switching units and that generates inter-module control packets, and a communication interface that transmits inter-module control packets generated by the control unit on the incoming packet channel to the inter-module packet switch. The communication interface also transmits inter-module control packets received on the outgoing packet channel from the inter-module packet switch to the control unit.

Abstract: A switching system including a number of switching modules each having a plurality of access ports. Incoming and outgoing packet channels are extended between each switching module and an inter-module packet switch. Each switching module includes a packet switching unit that transmits user information packets, received from the access ports, via the incoming packet channel to the inter-module packet switch, and switches user information packets, received via the outgoing packet channel from the inter-module packet switch, to the access ports for inter-module packet-switched communication. The intermodule packet switch concurrently packet switches user information packets, received on a number of the incoming packet channels, via multiple independent paths to a number of the outgoing packet channels.

Abstract: A communication method and digital multi-customer data interface for interconnecting a number of customer terminals to a main packet switching network of a local area data transport system that provides data communication services such as interactive video text service between data service vendors and customers. The digital multi-customer interface utilizes a main processor, control circuit, and multi-customer protocol controller to implement the protocol functions for the communication of packets and control information over individual serial transmission paths. The multi-customer protocol controller comprises a control processor and a formatter circuit for synchronously communicating packets for a plurality of customer terminals via customer line units and customer lines. The control processor performs byte-to-packet and packet-to-byte functions between the main processor and the formatter circuit.

Abstract: A communication method and digital multi-customer data interface for interconnecting a number of customer terminals to a main packet switching network of a local area data transport system that provides data communication services such as interactive video text service between data service vendors and customers. The digital multi-customer interface utilizes a main processor, control circuit, and multi-customer protocol controller to implement the protocol functions for the communication of packets and control information over individual serial transmission paths. The multi-customer protocol controller comprises a control processor and a formatter circuit for synchronously communicating packets for a plurality of customer terminals via customer line units and customer lines. The control processor performs byte-to-packet and packet-to-byte functions between the main processor and the formatter circuit.