Abstract: Methods and compositions for treating a tissue within a synovial joint in a patient in need of such treatment are provided. The methods and compositions involve inserting a drug depot through the synovial joint and attaching the drug depot to the inside of the synovial joint capsule so that the drug depot does not substantially interfere with movement of the joint, wherein said depot comprises a polymer and at least one pharmaceutical agent.

Abstract: A fluid cartridge for a printing device includes a housing including a floor, a chamber defined in the housing and configured to store an ink therein, a capillary medium disposed in the housing and in operative communication with the chamber, and a wick disposed at least partially in an opening of the floor, the wick including a portion extending a predetermined distance into the housing such that the wick portion contacts the capillary medium. The fluid cartridge further includes an enriched pigment-confining member established inside the housing such that the confining member physically contacts the floor and surrounds at least a portion of a periphery of the wick. The confining member is configured to i) block enriched ink from the wick, and/or ii) dilute the enriched ink prior to flowing through the wick.

Abstract: A socially interactive card game with a board game variant providing for competitive play-action between a plurality of players by which to provide creative submissions. The method of playing including providing a particular setting for a conversation between a male and a female, each of the players submitting a creative written statement concerning the conversation between the selected male and female nouns in the particular setting, and the guessing player guessing which player submitted each of the creative written statements. Points may be awarded to the players based upon whether or not the guessing player determined each player submission and the submission the guessing player chooses to be the best. The steps may be repeated until a predetermined number of points accumulated, rounds completed, or in a board game variant the playing piece being advanced from the start space to the finish space.

Abstract: Effective treatments of pain for extended periods of time are provided. Through the administration of an effective amount of immediate release clonidine and a sustained release clonidine at or near a target site, one can relieve pain caused by diverse sources, including but not limited to spinal disc herniation (i.e. sciatica), spondilothesis, stenosis, discogenic back pain and joint pain. When appropriate formulations are provided within biodegradable polymers, this relief can be continued for at least three days. In some embodiments, the relief can be for at least twenty-five days, at least fifty days, at least one hundred days, at least one hundred and thirty-five days or at least one hundred and eighty days or longer.

Abstract: Effective treatments of pain for extended periods of time are provided. Through the administration of an effective amount of clonidine and a steroid at or near a target site, one can relieve pain caused by diverse sources, including but not limited to spinal disc herniation (i.e. sciatica), spondilothesis, stenosis, discogenic back pain and joint pain. When appropriate formulations are provided within biodegradable polymers, this relief can be continued for at least three days. In some embodiments, the relief can be for at least twenty-five days, at least fifty days, at least one hundred days, at least one hundred and thirty-five days or at least one hundred and eighty days.

Abstract: Effective treatments of pain for extended periods of time are provided. Through the administration of an effective amount of clonidine and a gamma-aminobutyric acid compound at or near a target site, one can relieve pain caused by diverse sources, including but not limited to spinal disc herniation (i.e. sciatica), spondilothesis, stenosis, discogenic back pain and joint pain, as well as pain that is incidental to surgery. When appropriate formulations are provided within biodegradable polymers, this relief can be continued for at least three days. In some embodiments, the relief can be for at least twenty-five days, at least fifty days, at least one hundred days, at least one hundred and thirty-five days or at least one hundred and eighty days.

Abstract: Effective treatments of pain for extended periods of time are provided. Through the administration of an effective amount of immediate release bupivacaine or lidocaine and a sustained release clonidine at or near a target site, one can relieve pain caused by diverse sources, including but not limited to spinal disc herniation (i.e. sciatica), spondilothesis, stenosis, discogenic back pain and joint pain. When appropriate formulations are provided within biodegradable polymers, this relief can be continued for at least three days. In some embodiments, the relief can be for at least twenty-five days, at least fifty days, at least one hundred days, at least one hundred and thirty-five days or at least one hundred and eighty days or longer.

Abstract: Films containing microlayer structures are provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides an autoclavable film containing a first microlayer of a heat resistant polymer and a second microlayer of a flexible polymer attached to the first microlayer. Each of the first microlayer and the second microlayer has a thickness ranging between about 0.01 microns and about 10 microns.

Abstract: A fluid cartridge for a printing device includes a housing including a floor, a chamber defined in the housing and configured to store an ink therein, a capillary medium disposed in the housing and in operative communication with the chamber, and a wick disposed at least partially in an opening of the floor, the wick including a portion extending a predetermined distance into the housing such that the wick portion contacts the capillary medium. The fluid cartridge further includes an enriched pigment-confining member established inside the housing such that the confining member physically contacts the floor and surrounds at least a portion of a periphery of the wick. The confining member is configured to i) block enriched ink from the wick, and/or ii) dilute the enriched ink prior to flowing through the wick.

Abstract: A fluid cartridge for a printing device includes a housing having a base and a first and second chamber. A wall extends outwardly from and substantially normal to the base and is configured to separate the housing, thereby forming the first and second chambers. An air/ink exchange port is defined in a bottom portion of the wall and adjacent to the base. A longitudinal air flow-restricting member is disposed adjacent the air/ink exchange port and on the base, and extends outwardly predetermined distance into one of the first or second chambers.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an ink cartridge comprises an outer housing that defines an interior space adapted to contain ink and an air vent adapted to enable air to pass into and out of the interior space and a dividing wall provided within the interior space, the dividing wall separating the interior space into a first chamber and a second chamber, the dividing wall defining a passage through which air within the first chamber can pass into the second chamber and out of the cartridge through the air vent when the air within the first chamber expands.

Abstract: A CT system includes a rotatable gantry having an opening for receiving a subject to be scanned, a rotatable gantry having an opening for receiving a subject to be scanned, an x-ray source configured to project x-rays having multiple energies toward the subject, and a generator configured to energize the x-ray source to a first voltage and configured to energize the x-ray source to a second voltage, the first voltage distinct from the second voltage. The system further includes a controller configured to cause the generator to energize the x-ray source to the first voltage for a first duration, acquire imaging data for at least one view during at least the first duration, after the first duration, cause the generator to energize the x-ray source to the second voltage for a second duration, and acquire imaging data for two or more views during at least the second duration.

Abstract: A method for performing BIS correction includes scanning an object with a computed tomography (CT) system to obtain data, reconstructing an image using the obtained data, and using the image to perform BIS correction.

Abstract: The disclosed bracket has bottom and side walls configured to define an open top channel sized to removably receive with limited side clearance a toll transducer until resting against the bottom wall. An opening or break in one of the side walls exposes the operative face of the transducer. A tab formed off a bracket wall is used to secure the bracket to a vehicle, typically a motorcycle, with the operative face of the transponder positioned forwardly. The positioned transponder can sense a toll charging signal from an authorizing toll collecting transmitter. A successful signal connection with a cash rich transponder will thus provide payment of the needed vehicle toll. The vehicle operator need not hold or handle the transponder during toll payments, making this arrangement particularly advantageous for use on motorcycles, where two hand motorcycle operations might be preferred.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing an image of an object with a multi-slice imaging apparatus having a row of detectors are provided. The method includes generating a first partial image using projection data acquired at a first imaging position in a step-and-shoot imaging mode, generating a second partial image using projection data acquired at a second imaging position, and combining the partial images to form a final image.

Abstract: A fluid container includes a body having a depth extending between a base interior surface and an opening of the fluid container. The fluid container also includes a capillary material compression structure having an extension depth extending from the opening to a capillary material where the capillary material compression structure is in contact with the capillary material, and the ratio of the extension depth to the depth is 0.35 or greater.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for locally enhancing image data represented as pixels having CT numbers is provided. The image data includes bony structures, and the method comprises segmenting pixels within the image data into areas based on the pixel's CT number. A first area represents a combination of soft tissue and lower density bones and a second area represents higher density bones. A subset of pixels is identified within the first area representative of the lower density bones. An enhancement is applied to the subset of pixels within the first area and to the second area to create an enhanced dataset, and a locally enhanced image is generated based on the image data and the enhanced dataset.

Abstract: Drug depot delivery devices and methods are provided for delivering one or more drug depots to one or more sites beneath the skin of a patient with or without repositioning the cannula. The device has a cannula capable of insertion to the site beneath the skin of the patient and one or more side port openings for delivering a drug depot. The side port openings are spaced a distance from the blunt tip, which will allow the user to implant at a set distance from a nerve. The device may also include an electronic monitor for detecting the proximity of the tip of the cannula to a nerve. In some embodiments, a method of delivering a drug depot is provided by detecting the nerve and delivering the drug depot at or near the nerve.

Abstract: A system for detection of linear underground anomalies passing under surface roads comprises an electromagnetic (EM) gradiometer mounted on a vehicle trailer. A transmitter is mounted to the front bumper of a car or vehicle towing the trailer and provides carrier synchronization information to the EM-gradiometer. An opportunistic radio station can be used as an illuminator. The transmitter or ground wave from an opportunistic radio station directs radio waves down into the ground where objects like linear underground anomalies and their equipment will produce reflections and scattered waves. These reflections will have phase angles and magnitudes that can be interpreted for characterizing information about the linear underground anomalies. Each EM-gradiometer measurement is tagged with GPS location information and then stored in a database. Subsequent passes over the same roadways and tracks are compared (change detection) to the earlier stored data.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for treating a tissue within a synovial joint in a patient in need of such treatment are provided. The methods and compositions involve inserting a drug depot through the synovial joint and attaching the drug depot to the inside of the synovial joint capsule so that the drug depot does not substantially interfere with movement of the joint, wherein said depot comprises a polymer and at least one pharmaceutical agent.