Abstract: An end effector of a surgical stapling apparatus includes an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly. The anvil assembly has an anvil body that supports an anvil buttress. The anvil buttress includes a distal alignment band that extends distally beyond the anvil body. The cartridge assembly has a cartridge body that supports a cartridge buttress. The cartridge buttress includes a distal alignment band that extends distally beyond the cartridge body.

Abstract: An electrical delivery apparatus. The apparatus includes a plug assembly configured to be inserted into a receptacle apparatus of a vehicle to deliver electrical power to the vehicle. The apparatus includes a control means configured to, upon activation, deliver electrical power to the vehicle via an electrical line and the plug assembly, and, upon detection of at least one predetermined condition, automatically disconnect the electrical power from the electrical line and the plug assembly. The predetermined condition includes disconnection of the plug assembly from the receptacle apparatus.

Abstract: A stop member for use with a surgical stapling device includes a plurality of sections that are releasably coupled to each other. Each of the sections includes a coupling member that can be selectively coupled to a tool assembly of the surgical stapling device to limit an actuation stroke of a drive assembly of the stapling device. Sections of the stop member can be removed from the stop member to change the position of a stop surface of the stop member on the tool assembly to change the effective stroke length of the clamp member.

Abstract: A surgical device includes first and second curved gripping sleeves that can be secured to first and second curved jaws of the surgical device to allow the device to function as a grasper. The curved gripping sleeves include nonslip surfaces which are brought into juxtaposed alignment with each other when the surgical device is moved from an open position to a clamped position to clamp tissue between the nonslip surfaces of the gripping sleeves.

Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter has a first interface coupled to a second interface through one or more modulation circuits. The circuits include a first coupler connected to the first interface; a first waveguide with a first lead connected to the first coupler, a first end, and a first length running therebetween. The first lead and the first end are coupled by a first switch. The circuits also include: a second coupler connected to the first interface; a second waveguide having a second lead connected to the second coupler, a second end, and a second length running therebetween, the second lead and the second end coupled by a second switch along the second length; and an optical combiner connected to the ends of the waveguides. The second interface is connected to the optical combiner of the modulation circuits. Output from the second interface is an optical signal capable of carrying binary information.

Abstract: A trocar stabilization clamp includes a clamp body defining opposed ends. First and second clamp heads having respective first and second clamps are coupled to respective ends of the clamp body. At least a portion of the clamp body includes a flexible body section. The trocar stabilization clamp is configured to secure two trocars in place and inhibit movement of the trocars.

Abstract: A tool assembly includes an anvil and a cartridge assembly movable from an open position to a closed position, and a locking member movably supported on a distal portion of the cartridge assembly. The locking member is configured to move into a slot of the anvil as the anvil and cartridge assembly move toward the closed position to set a gap distance between the anvil and cartridge assembly.

Abstract: A tool assembly for use with a surgical stapling device includes structure on an anvil assembly and/or a cartridge assembly to obstruct blood from flowing through spaces in a staple line as the staple line is being formed by the stapling device. In aspects of the disclosure, the tool assembly includes protrusions to compress tissue adjacent to spaces in the staple line as the staple line is being formed and tissue is being cut.

Abstract: A surgical access assembly includes an elongated cannula member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, a balloon anchor coupled to the distal end portion of the elongated cannula member, a sleeve of the balloon anchor extending proximally along an outer surface of the elongated cannula member, a chamber defined between the sleeve of the balloon anchor and the outer surface of the elongated cannula member, and a first collar is coupled to the elongated cannula member. The first collar is slidable along the elongated cannula member and engageable with the sleeve of the balloon anchor.

Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter has a first interface coupled to a second interface through one or more modulation circuits. The circuits include a first coupler connected to the first interface; a first waveguide with a first lead connected to the first coupler, a first end, and a first length running therebetween. The first lead and the first end are coupled by a first switch. The circuits also include: a second coupler connected to the first interface; a second waveguide having a second lead connected to the second coupler, a second end, and a second length running therebetween, the second lead and the second end coupled by a second switch along the second length; and an optical combiner connected to the ends of the waveguides. The second interface is connected to the optical combiner of the modulation circuits. Output from the second interface is an optical signal capable of carrying binary information.

Abstract: An adjustable trocar assembly includes a housing configured to facilitate insertion of one or more surgical tools into a patient's body, and an elongated tubular member extending distally from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis. The elongated tubular member includes a channel configured to facilitate passage of surgical instruments through the elongated tubular member, an adjustable portion configured to facilitate axial movement of the elongated tubular member, a collar of fixed diameter; and a rim of fixed diameter equal to the diameter of the collar.

Abstract: A surgical access device includes an elongate tubular member with a proximal region and a distal region. A passage extends through the elongate tubular member. The surgical access device also includes a balloon anchor with an expandable portion. A first portion of the balloon anchor extends proximally along the outer surface of the tubular member. The surgical access device also has a valve assembly disposed in the proximal region of the elongate tubular member that is fluidly coupled to the balloon anchor. A disc is slidably disposed on the elongate tubular member and includes a first blade with a first sharpened edge that is configured to penetrate the first portion of the balloon anchor. The first blade is transitionable between a retracted position and an extended position.

Abstract: A cartridge assembly for a surgical stapling device includes a staple cartridge that includes a staple array that has a configuration to minimize blood leakage through a staple line formed by the staple cartridge.

Abstract: A tool assembly for use with a surgical stapling device includes structure on an anvil assembly and/or a cartridge assembly to obstruct blood from flowing through spaces in a staple line as the staple line is being formed by the stapling device. In aspects of the disclosure, the tool assembly includes protrusions to compress tissue adjacent to spaces in the staple line as the staple line is being formed and tissue is being cut.

Abstract: A tool assembly includes an anvil and a cartridge assembly movable from an open position to a closed position, and a locking member movably supported on a distal portion of the cartridge assembly. The locking member is configured to move into a slot of the anvil as the anvil and cartridge assembly move toward the closed position to set a gap distance between the anvil and cartridge assembly.

Abstract: Methods and systems for computed tomography provide advances in efficiency. The methods operating within the parallel-beam geometry, rather than a divergent beam geometry, for the majority of the operations. In back projection methods perform digital image coordinate transformations on selected intermediate-images, the parameters of one or more coordinate transformations being chosen such that Fourier spectral support of the intermediate-image is modified so that a region of interest has an increased extent along one or more coordinate direction and the aggregates of the intermediate-images can be represented with a desired accuracy by sparse samples.

Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter has a first interface coupled to a second interface through one or more modulation circuits. The circuits include a first coupler connected to the first interface; a first waveguide with a first lead connected to the first coupler, a first end, and a first length running therebetween. The first lead and the first end are coupled by a first switch. The circuits also include: a second coupler connected to the first interface; a second waveguide having a second lead connected to the second coupler, a second end, and a second length running therebetween, the second lead and the second end coupled by a second switch along the second length; and an optical combiner connected to the ends of the waveguides. The second interface is connected to the optical combiner of the modulation circuits. Output from the second interface is an optical signal capable of carrying binary information.

Abstract: The ability to rapidly identify symmetry and anti-symmetry is an essential attribute of intelligence. Symmetry perception is a central process in human vision and may be key to human 3D visualization. While previous work in understanding neuron symmetry perception has concentrated on the neuron as an integrator, the invention provides the coincidence detecting property of the spiking neuron can be used to reveal symmetry density in spatial data. A synchronized symmetry-identifying spiking artificial neural network enables layering and feedback in the network. The network of the invention can identify symmetry density between sets of data and present a digital logic implementation demonstrating an 8×8 leaky-integrate-and-fire symmetry detector in a field-programmable gate array. The efficiency of spiking neural networks can be harnessed to rapidly identify symmetry in spatial data with applications in image processing, 3D computer vision, and robotics.

Abstract: Cold storage unit apparatuses designed for high energy efficiency are provided, which may include: a refrigeration system; a box enclosing an interior space, the box formed by a plurality of insulated sides; an entry into the interior space including a plurality of openable barriers facilitating preventing entry of heat or moisture into the interior space; and a power system connected to the refrigeration system, the power system facilitating independent operation of the refrigeration system when not connected to a power grid, and further facilitating a net energy use of zero from a power grid when connected to a power grid. Cold storage units may further include systems for using the refrigerant of the refrigeration system to defrost one or more components of the cold storage unit, and for using the refrigerant to facilitate maintaining a desired internal temperature of the interior space of the cold storage unit.

Abstract: A method is described for on-demand creation of a database service. In response to receiving indication that the database service is to be created, an automated process is initiated, including instantiating a quantity of database servers. The database servers include a first subset of at least one of the database servers designated to handle read queries only, and a second subset of at least one of the database servers designated to handle write queries. The process includes determining a quantity and size of load-balancing proxies to instantiate for supporting the database server instance, and instantiating the determined quantity of load-balancing proxies of the determined size. At least one of the load-balancing proxies is a proxy configured to receive database queries and perform query routing among the first subset and the second subset, where one criterion for the query routing is whether a given query is a read or write query.