Abstract: A biopsy tool that performs a biopsy and a complete removal of a tumor or lesion in a single step. A hollow pointed needle having a cylindrical lumen has an inner tube mounted for rotation in the lumen. A slot is formed in the hollow needle in a sidewall of the needle and an opening having sharp peripheral edges is formed in the inner tube. A vacuum is applied to the lumen of the hollow needle to pull tissue into the slot during a biopsy procedure. Rotation of the inner tube shears off a slice of tissue and the vacuum pulls the slice of tissue to a remote collection point. Each rotation of the inner tube removes an additional slice of tissue so that an entire lesion or tumor is removed in a short period of time. The sliced tissue is undamaged and suitable for use as a biopsy sample for diagnostic purposes.

Abstract: Openings in a mammalian body made by any medical procedure or non-medical event are sealed with a bioabsorbable plug or sewn with a bioabsorbable suture. In one exemplary embodiment, the plug in dehydrated, unexpanded condition is pushed by a pushing device through the lumen of a needle until a first part of the plug is external to the opening and a second part is internal to the opening. The needle is then withdrawn while the position of the pushing device is maintained. The pushing device is then withdrawn, leaving the plug in sealing relation to the opening. The body's moisture causes the plug to expand to complete the sealing of the opening, or the expansion may be caused by exposure to air, light, or other stimulant. The opening may be formed in soft tissue, internal organs, or hard tissue. The plug seals the flow of liquid or gaseous biological fluids.

Abstract: A balloon angioplasty or stenting apparatus includes a guide wire, a balloon catheter ensleeving the guide wire, and a guide catheter ensleeving the balloon catheter. The balloon catheter has slots formed in it to define elongate members between the slots. A joint is formed at the proximal, distal, and mid-point of each elongate member. Displacing the proximal and distal joints toward and away from one another causes the respective middle joints to displace radially outwardly and inwardly, respectively. A mesh that captures emboli while allowing blood perfusion partially overlies the jointed members is opened and closed when the jointed members are opened and closed. A guide wire having an outer coil and an inner rod slideably received within it has jointed members formed in the outer coil. The mesh is opened and closed by axially retracting and advancing the inner rod with respect to the outer coil, respectively.

Abstract: A balloon angioplasty apparatus includes a guide wire, a balloon catheter, and a guide catheter. The balloon catheter has slots formed in it to define a plurality of elongate members between the slots. A joint is formed at the proximal, distal, and mid-point of each elongate member. Displacing the proximal and distal joints toward one another causes the respective middle joints to displace radially outwardly, and radial inward travel of the middle joints is caused by increasing the distance between the proximal and distal joints. A mesh that captures emboli overlies the jointed members and opens and closes with them. The guide catheter is used to close the joined members and the emboli-capturing mesh at the conclusion of the angioplasty procedure. In a second embodiment, the jointed members are formed in a delivery catheter. In a third embodiment, the jointed members are formed in a guide wire.

Abstract: A security code, for use as a PIN (personal identification number) in gaining access to a secure service, such as a banking application, is assigned by selecting natural language words from different sets of words of different parts of speech. For example one set may comprise adjectives, another participles, another nouns. The selected words are concatenated in a predetermined sequence, e.g. adjective-participle-noun, to provide a memorable phrase conforming to the grammer of the natural language. The code may be used via a speech recognition interface and via other channels.

Abstract: A balloon angioplasty or stenting apparatus includes a guide wire, a balloon catheter ensleeving the guide wire, and a guide catheter ensleeving the balloon catheter. The balloon catheter has slots formed in it to define elongate members between the slots. A joint is formed at the proximal, distal, and mid-point of each elongate member. Displacing the proximal and distal joints toward and away from one another causes the respective middle joints to displace radially outwardly and inwardly, respectively. A mesh that captures emboli while allowing blood perfusion partially overlies the jointed members is opened and closed when the jointed members are opened and closed. A guide wire having an outer coil and an inner rod slideably received within it has jointed members formed in the outer coil. The mesh is opened and closed by axially retracting and advancing the inner rod with respect to the outer coil, respectively.

Abstract: A dual action biopsy needle collects tissue from a lesion during forward and rearward reciprocations of the needle along its longitudinal axis of symmetry. A first cutting edge, formed by a beveled distal end of the needle, slices tissue during proximal-to-distal travel of the needle. A second cutting edge is provided by a transversely disposed slot formed in the needle near the first cutting edge. The second cutting edge slices tissue from a lesion during distal-to-proximal travel of the needle. In a first embodiment, the second cutting edge is coincident with an exterior surface of the needle. In a second embodiment, the second cutting edge is elevated with respect to the exterior surface and in a third embodiment the second cutting edge is recessed. Additional embodiments include a second slot, a channel, and a hinge for enabling pivotal movement of the second and third cutting edges.

Abstract: An identification code is assigned to a user by making a selection from a closed set of possible tokens. The selection is determined algorithmically by user identity data. The format of the identification code may comprise a sequence of natural language words chosen from closed sets and a separator character having a fixed value or a small range of possible values. The closed sets may be programmed in the recognition grammar of a speech interface to secure services such as banking.

Abstract: An apparatus used in balloon angioplasty and/or stenting in a first embodiment includes a guide wire, a balloon catheter that ensleeves the guide wire, and a guide catheter that ensleeves the balloon catheter. The balloon catheter has a plurality of longitudinally-extending, circumferentially spaced apart slots formed in it to define a plurality of elongate members between the slots. A joint is formed at the proximal, distal, and mid-point of each elongate member. Displacing the respective proximal and distal joints toward one another causes the respective middle joints to displace radially outwardly, and radial inward travel of the middle joints is caused by increasing the distance between the proximal and distal joints. A bead is formed in the distal end of the guide wire and retraction of the guide wire causes the bead to abut the distal end of the balloon catheter and displace it in a distal-to-proximal direction, opening the elongate, jointed members.

Abstract: An apparatus used in balloon angioplasty and/or stenting in a first embodiment includes a guide wire, a balloon catheter that ensleeves the guide wire, and a guide catheter that ensleeves the balloon catheter. The balloon catheter has a plurality of longitudinally-extending, circumferentially spaced apart slots formed in it to define a plurality of elongate members between the slots. A joint is formed at the proximal, distal, and mid-point of each elongate member. Displacing the respective proximal and distal joints toward one another causes the respective middle joints to displace radially outwardly, and radial inward travel of the middle joints is caused by increasing the distance between the proximal and distal joints. A bead is formed in the distal end of the guide wire and retraction of the guide wire causes the bead to abut the distal end of the balloon catheter and displace it in a distal-to-proximal direction, opening the elongate, jointed members.

Abstract: A bioabsorbable marker is placed in soft tissue such as breast tissue near a lesion during a biopsy procedure. If tests prove the lesion to be malignant, the marker indicates the location of the lesion and the marker is removed surgically together with the lesion. If tests prove the lesion to be benign, there is no need to surgically remove the marker due to its bioabsorbability. One or more markers may be carried in an elongate, flexible marker carrier that is ensheathed within an elongate, flexible outer sheath. The flexible outer sheath is slidingly introduced into the proximal end of a biopsy needle until its distal free end protrudes from a port formed in the distal end of the biopsy needle. Retraction of the outer sheath relative to the marker carrier then exposes the marker carrier. The markers exit the marker carrier under their own inherent bias or an auxiliary bias is employed to eject them from the marker carrier.

Abstract: Two discrete transmit/receive (T/R) channels are implemented in a single common T/R module package having the capability of providing combined functions, control and power conditioning while utilizing a single multi-cavity, multi-layer substrate comprised of high or low temperature cofired ceramic layers. The ceramic layers have outer surfaces including respective metallization patterns of ground planes and stripline conductors as well as feedthroughs or vertical vias formed therein for providing three dimensional routing of both shielded RF and DC power and logic control signals so as to configure, among other things, a pair of RF manifold signal couplers which are embedded in the substrate and which transition to a multi-pin blind mate press-on RF connector assembly at the front end of the package.

Abstract: An apparatus used in balloon angioplasty and/or stenting in a first embodiment includes a guide wire, a balloon catheter that ensleeves the guide wire, and a guide catheter that ensleeves the balloon catheter. The balloon catheter has a plurality of longitudinally-extending, circumferentially spaced apart slots formed in it to define a plurality of elongate members between the slots. A joint is formed at the proximal, distal, and mid-point of each elongate member. Displacing the respective proximal and distal joints toward one another causes the respective middle joints to displace radially outwardly, and radial inward travel of the middle joints is caused by increasing the distance between the proximal and distal joints. A bead is formed in the distal end of the guide wire and retraction of the guide wire causes the bead to abut the distal end of the balloon catheter and displace it in a distal-to-proximal direction, opening the elongate, jointed members.

Abstract: Two discrete transmit/receive (T/R) channels are implemented in a single common T/R module package having the capability of providing combined functions, control and power conditioning while utilizing a single multi-cavity, multi-layer substrate comprised of high temperature cofired ceramic (HTCC) layers. The ceramic layers have outer surfaces including respective metallization patterns of ground planes and stripline conductors as well as feedthroughs or vertical vias formed therein for providing three dimensional routing of both shielded RF and DC power and logic control signals so as to configure, among other things, a pair of RF manifold signal couplers which are embedded in the substrate and which transition to a multi-pin blind mate press-on RF connector assembly at the front end of the package.

Abstract: A transmit/receive (T/R) module adapted for use in a radar system. The module has a unified structure including a layered substrate on and in which two T/R channel circuits are integrated. The channel circuits make use of power distribution, channel controller, and RF signal routing circuitry, partly on a channel shared basis. In the RF routing circuitry, respective coupler elements are employed to combine RF receive signals for output to an RF receive manifold and to split an RF transmit signal from a transmit manifold into separate RF transmit signals for input to the T/R channel circuits.

Abstract: Two discrete transmit/receive (T/R) channels are implemented in a single common T/R module package having the capability of providing combined functions, control and power conditioning while utilizing a single multi-cavity, multi-layer substrate comprised of high temperature cofired ceramic (HTCC) layers. The ceramic layers have outer surfaces including respective metallization patterns of ground planes and stripline conductors as well as feedthroughs or vertical vias formed therein for providing three dimensional routing of both shielded RF and DC power and logic control signals so as to configure, among other things, a pair of RF manifold signal couplers which are embedded in the substrate and which transition to a multi-pin blind mate press-on RF connector assembly at the front end of the package.

Abstract: A transmit/receive (T/R) module adapted for use in a radar system. The module has a unified structure including a layered substrate on and in which two T/R channel circuits are integrated. The channel circuits make use of power distribution, channel controller, and RF signal routing circuitry, partly on a channel shared basis. In the RF routing circuitry, respective coupler elements are employed to combine RF receive signals for output to an RF receive manifold and to split an RF transmit signal from a transmit manifold into separate RF transmit signals for input to the T/R channel circuits.

Abstract: A modular building construction system having (a) a series of rectangular U-shaped in vertical cross-section modules, each having only two bearing walls opposite each other and joined by a floor panel and open on top, and (b) a series of rectangular tube-shaped in vertical cross-section modules, each having only two bearing walls opposite each other and joined by both a floor panel and a ceiling panel. The tube-shaped modules are used only on the top story, and the U-shaped modules are used generally as lower units. The modules on each level are installed end to end so as to form a continuous living space in the longitudinal direction and side by side so as to form a separate series of living spaces and double walls separating the living spaces in the transverse direction.

Abstract: A modular building construction system having (a) a series of rectangular U-shaped in vertical cross-section modules, each having only two bearing walls opposite each other and joined by a floor panel and open on top, and (b) a series of rectangular tube-shaped in vertical cross-section modules, each having only two bearing walls opposite each other and joined by both a floor panel and a ceiling panel. The tube-shaped modules are used only on the top story, and the U-shaped modules are used generally as lower units. The modules on each level are installed end to end so as to form a continuous living space in the longitudinal direction and side by side so as to form a separate series of living spaces and double walls separating the living spaces in the transverse direction.