Abstract: A surgical access device includes a cannula and a seal housing. The cannula has a cannula housing and a tubular member that extends from the cannula housing. The seal housing is coupled to the cannula housing. The seal housing has a base and a cover with an instrument seal located between the base and the cover. The cover has an upper cover portion and a lower cover portion with a port extending from the upper cover portion. The port is connectable to a source of vacuum. A chamber with projections and windows is defined in the upper cover portion and is configured to direct fluid towards the port.

Abstract: A three-prong grasper for laparoscopic procedures includes an elongate body having a sleeve with a distal portion, and an end effector supported on the distal portion. The end effector includes a first prong assembly with a first base member and a first prong member pivotally secured to the first base member, a second prong assembly with a second base member and a second prong member pivotally secured to the second base member, and a third prong assembly with a third base member and a third prong member pivotally secured to the third base member. The first, second, and third prong members move between an open configuration and a closed configuration. A method of grasping tissue also includes pivoting first, second, and/or third prong members relative to respective first, second, and third base members to cause the grasping of tissue.

Abstract: A surgical clip applier includes a handle assembly, an elongated shaft, a drive shaft, a cam pin, and an end effector. The cam pin is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the drive shaft. The end effector is disposed adjacent a distal end of the elongated shaft and includes a first jaw member and a second jaw member. The end effector is disposed in operative engagement with the drive shaft such that longitudinal translation of the drive shaft relative to the housing of the handle assembly causes the first jaw member to move toward the second jaw member. The first jaw member includes a first cam slot configured to slidingly receive the cam pin. The first cam slot defines a first portion having a first slope and a second portion having second slope.

Abstract: A surgical access assembly includes a housing, a tubular member, and a valve assembly. The tubular member extends from the housing. The valve assembly is positioned in the housing and includes a centering mechanism, a guard assembly disposed on a first side of the centering mechanism, and an instrument seal disposed on a second side of the centering mechanism. The instrument seal including petals that are arrange in an overlapping arrangement.

Abstract: Polymeric ligation clips and a clip applier for applying a polymeric ligation clip to tissue are disclosed herein. More particularly, the polymeric ligation clips include separate first and second beams that can be coupled to each other and are movable from a reduced diameter open position in which minimal strain is placed on the ligation clip to a clamped position and to a clip applier for delivering such a ligation clip to a surgical site.

Abstract: Systems and methods for use in facilitating application interface (API) interactions are disclosed. One exemplary method includes receiving, by a computing device, a primary API request from a client. The primary API request includes a plurality of parameters in association with a plurality of values. The computing device identifies relationships between the parameters and a plurality of interfaces, and generates a plurality of secondary requests based on the primary API request and the identified relationships. The computing device further transmits each of the plurality of secondary requests to the plurality of interfaces and receives a plurality of secondary responses from the plurality of interfaces. The computing device then generates a primary response based on the secondary responses and transmits the primary response to the client.

Abstract: A liquid distribution system for a crop sprayer includes a product tank configured to contain a liquid, a pump, and nozzles carried by a boom. The product tank has a fluid inlet, and at least one water quality sensor is configured to detect a water quality property of liquid entering the product tank through the fluid inlet. Methods of operating a crop sprayer include measuring a first water quality property of fresh water entering a product tank, measuring a second water quality property of rinsate formed from the fresh water within the product tank, removing the rinsate from the product tank, and if a difference between the second water quality property and the first water quality property is greater than a preselected threshold, forming a second rinsate in the product tank.

Abstract: Specimen retrieval bags, specimen retrieval devices, specimen retrieval systems, and specimen retrieval methods that are configured to facilitate the isolated removal of a tissue specimen from an internal body cavity such as, for example, during a minimally invasive surgical procedure.

Abstract: A surgical access assembly includes an instrument valve housing defining a cavity, and a seal assembly disposed within the cavity of the instrument valve housing. The seal assembly includes a flange seal member and a centering mechanism. The flange seal member includes an annular member, a flange portion extending from the annular member, and a seal portion supported by the annular member and defining an opening dimensioned to receive a surgical instrument in a sealing relation. The flange portion includes first and second arcuate portions adjustably engaging the instrument valve housing in a sealing relation. The first and second arcuate portions have a parabolic profile. The centering mechanism maintains the seal assembly centered within the cavity of the instrument valve housing.

Abstract: An evacuation adapter for use with a surgical access device includes a distal section selectively engageable with a proximal section. The distal section and the proximal section each include a base, an outer ring, and an inner ring. Each base defines a central opening. Each outer ring defines at least one opening. Each inner ring defines at least one opening. The outer ring of the proximal section includes a port. The proximal section is rotatable relative to the distal section between a first position where fluid is able to flow from the central opening of the distal section through the port, and a second position where fluid is blocked from flowing from the central opening of the distal section through the port.

Abstract: Access assemblies include an instrument valve housing and a valve assembly disposed within the cavity of the instrument valve housing. The valve assembly includes a guard assembly, a seal assembly disposed adjacent to the guard assembly, and a centering mechanism for maintaining the seal assembly and guard assembly centered within a cavity of the instrument valve. The guard assembly includes a support ring and a plurality of guard sections disposed distally of the support ring. The seal assembly includes a proximal seal member, an intermediate seal assembly, and a distal seal member, the intermediate seal assembly including a plurality of seal sections in a stacked configuration.

Abstract: A patient transport apparatus including a patient litter and a litter support apparatus for supporting the patient litter from a ground surface. The litter support apparatus includes a litter support frame including a pair of litter supports spaced a distance apart to define a loading gap for receiving the patient litter therethrough. A handle system is coupled to the pair of litter supports and includes a handle assembly that is positionable between a closed configuration and an open configuration. The handle assembly extends across the loading gap defined between the pair of litter supports in the closed configuration and is positioned away from the loading gap in the open configuration.

Abstract: A clip applier includes an end effector that is adapted to releasably engage a clip cartridge. The end effector includes spring arms that are deflectable outwardly to receive and retain the clip cartridge within the end effector. The clip applier includes an outer tube that is movable from an advanced position encompassing the end effector to prevent separation of the clip cartridge from the end effector, to a retracted position spaced proximally of the spring arms. In the retracted position, the spring arms can deflect outwardly from the clip cartridge to disengage the clip cartridge from the end effector.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a class of compounds including a ligand moiety that specifically binds to a cell surface asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR). The cell surface ASGPR binding compounds can trigger the receptor to internalize into the cell a bound compound. The ligand moieties of this disclosure can be linked to a variety of moieties of interest without impacting the specific binding to, and function of, the cell surface receptor ASGPR. Also provided are compounds that are conjugates of the ligand moieties linked to a biomolecule, such as an antibody, which conjugates can harness cellular pathways to remove specific proteins of interest from the cell surface or from the extracellular milieu. Also provided herein methods of using the conjugates to target a polypeptide of interest for sequestration and/or lysosomal degradation.

Abstract: Polymeric ligation clips and a clip applier for applying a polymeric ligation clip to tissue are disclosed herein. More particularly, the polymeric ligation clips include separate first and second beams that can be coupled to each other and are movable from a reduced diameter open position in which minimal strain is placed on the ligation clip to a clamped position and to a clip applier for delivering such a ligation clip to a surgical site.

Abstract: A system and method for operating a game of chance. A gaming system includes a primary game display and secondary game display with the secondary game display mapped with prize blocks arranged in a grid that may generally mimic a primary game grid. The prize blocks can be represented as characters, articles, numeral values, symbols and the like. Each prize block is assigned a prize value and a health value. When the health value of a prize block is exhausted based on primary game outcomes, the prize block is destroyed and removed awarding its corresponding prize value. New prize blocks fill the void left by removed prize blocks or the void remains as a space without any assigned prize value. A bonus trigger model also serves to reduce “cold streaks” during which players may lose interest.

Abstract: The present application provides a carton for enclosing one or more products. The carton includes a pair of side walls, a top wall or a bottom wall, an end wall, and a tear away section extending across the pair of sidewalls, the top wall or the bottom wall, and the end wall in a number of perforations and a number of slits. The tear away section defines a notch on the end wall at the intersection of one of the pair of sidewalls.

Abstract: A purse string suture instrument includes an end effector with first and second jaws disposed at a distal portion of an elongate tubular shaft. The first and second jaws are pivotably coupled to each other and to the elongate tubular shaft. The first and second jaws are spaced apart and define a gap therebetween. First and second pluralities of teeth extend perpendicularly from the first and second jaws respectively, and the first plurality of teeth is longitudinally offset from the second plurality of teeth. The first and second jaws are transitionable between open and approximated configurations. The approximated configuration is adapted to clamp tissue in the gap between the first and second jaws, thereby displacing sections of tissue outwardly between the first and second pluralities of teeth.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a class of compounds including a ligand moiety that specifically binds to a cell surface receptor, such as a mannose-6-phosphate receptor (M6PR) or a cell surface asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR). The cell surface M6PR or ASGPR binding compounds can trigger the receptor to internalize into the cell abound compound. The ligand moieties of this disclosure can be linked to a variety of moieties of interest without impacting the specific binding to, and function of, the cell surface receptor, e.g., M6PR or ASGPR. Also provided are compounds that are conjugates of the ligand moieties linked to a biomolecule, such as an antibody, which conjugates can harness cellular pathways to remove specific proteins of interest from the cell surface or from the extracellular milieu. Also provided are methods of using the conjugates to target a polypeptide of interest for sequestration and/or lysosomal degradation.

Abstract: An electrode assembly for use with an electrosurgical instrument includes a base portion, a return lead adapted to be electrically coupled to a return terminal of an electrosurgical generator, an electrical insulator supported on a distal portion of the return lead, a tensioning mechanism, and an active lead adapted to be electrically coupled to an active terminal of the electrosurgical generator. The tensioning mechanism includes a slider slidably disposed in the base portion, a rotation rod threadably coupled to the slider, and a spring proximally biasing the slider. The active lead having a first end portion securely fixed to the base portion and a second end portion slidably coupled to the rotation rod of the tensioning mechanism. A portion of the active lead extends around the electrical insulator. Rotation of the rotation rod causes axial displacement of the second end portion of the active lead to tension the active lead about the electrical insulator.