Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a face with a striking surface configured for striking a ball and a channel extending across a portion of the sole. The channel may be recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and have a depth of recession from the adjacent surfaces of the sole. The channel may have a cross-sectional profile that is asymmetric with a front wall and a rear wall where the front wall is longer than the rear wall. The channel may also have a center thickness that is different than a thickness at the heel and toe sides.

Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a face with a striking surface configured for striking a ball where the face has multiple thickness regions. The face has a center region, an upper region, a lower region, a toe region, and a heel region. The upper and lower regions have a ramped thickness extending from a center region to an upper and lower edge of the face. The heel and toe regions have a constant face thickness and have a thickness less than the other regions. Additionally, the club head body has a flange where the face is welded to the club head body. The flange has a thickness that is greater than the thickness of the heel and toe regions of the face.

Abstract: An apparatus includes first and second elongate members having first and second stapling surfaces and being configured to releasably couple together. A clamp member is movable from a first position to a second position to approximate the stapling surfaces for clamping tissue. A latch member is transitionable from an unlatched state to a latched state to releasably retain the clamp member in the second position. A firing assembly is actuatable from a home position to fire staples into the clamped tissue. The latch member is transitionable from the unlatched state to the latched state when the clamp member is in the second position while the firing assembly is in the home position. The latch member is inhibited from transitioning from the unlatched state to the latched state when the clamp member is in the second position while the firing assembly is displaced from the home position.

Abstract: A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and a shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween. The surgical clip applier can include a variety of features to facilitate use of the device, including features to prevent misalignment of the jaws and clip therebetween, features to protect the jaws, and features to ensure proper closure of the jaws and clip therebetween.

Abstract: A method of suturing a trocar path incision in a tissue of a patient with an obturator includes inserting the obturator through the tissue such that a shaft of the obturator extends through a tissue opening about the trocar path incision and a distal tip of the obturator is positioned within a cavity of the patient. The method also includes directing the suture via a suturing feature with the obturator inserted through the tissue in order to direct the suture relative to the tissue. Furthermore, the method includes closing the tissue opening about the trocar path incision with the suture.

Abstract: A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and a shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween. The surgical clip applier can include a variety of features to facilitate use of the device, including features to prevent misalignment of the jaws and clip therebetween, features to protect the jaws, and features to ensure proper closure of the jaws and clip therebetween.

Abstract: A method of suturing a trocar path incision in a tissue of a patient with an obturator includes inserting the obturator through the tissue such that a shaft of the obturator extends through a tissue opening about the trocar path incision and a distal tip of the obturator is positioned within a cavity of the patient. The method also includes directing the suture via a suturing feature with the obturator inserted through the tissue in order to direct the suture relative to the tissue. Furthermore, the method includes closing the tissue opening about the trocar path incision with the suture.

Abstract: A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and a shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween. The surgical clip applier can include a variety of features to facilitate use of the device, including features to prevent misalignment of the jaws and clip therebetween, features to protect the jaws, and features to ensure proper closure of the jaws and clip therebetween.

Abstract: Electronic reading devices provide readers with text on a display, and enhancements to their functionality and efficiency are discussed herein. Text is provided to the reader in an enhanced contrast mode that highlights the active word and line of the text as well as words of interest in the text so as to improve the functionality of the electronic reading device itself as a provider of textual content.

Abstract: A trocar assembly includes a cannula assembly, an obturator assembly, and a catch arm. The cannula assembly has a housing, a cannula, and a working channel defining a longitudinal axis from a proximal opening to a distal opening. The obturator assembly includes a proximal head, a distal tip, and a shaft extending therebetween. The catch arm is selectively moveable from a retracted position to a first and second deployed positions and is configured to releasably capture a suture thread. In the retracted position, the catch arm is positioned radially inward from the first deployed position. In the first deployed position, the catch arm is positioned radially outward from the retracted position. In addition, the catch arm is configured to be moved a predetermined distance from the first deployed position to the second deployed position and release the captured suture thread therefrom.

Abstract: A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and an elongate shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween.

Abstract: A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and a shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween. The surgical clip applier can include a variety of features to facilitate use of the device, including features to prevent misalignment of the jaws and clip therebetween, features to protect the jaws, and features to ensure proper closure of the jaws and clip therebetween.

Abstract: A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and a shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween. The surgical clip applier can include a variety of features to facilitate use of the device, including features to prevent misalignment of the jaws and clip therebetween, features to protect the jaws, and features to ensure proper closure of the jaws and clip therebetween.

Abstract: A trocar assembly includes a cannula assembly, an obturator assembly, and a catch arm. The cannula assembly has a housing, a cannula, and a working channel defining a longitudinal axis from a proximal opening to a distal opening. The obturator assembly includes a proximal head, a distal tip, and a shaft extending therebetween. The catch arm is selectively moveable from a retracted position to a first and second deployed positions and is configured to releasably capture a suture thread. In the retracted position, the catch arm is positioned radially inward from the first deployed position. In the first deployed position, the catch arm is positioned radially outward from the retracted position. In addition, the catch arm is configured to be moved a predetermined distance from the first deployed position to the second deployed position and release the captured suture thread therefrom.

Abstract: A method of suturing a trocar path incision in a tissue of a patient with an obturator includes inserting the obturator through the tissue such that a shaft of the obturator extends through a tissue opening about the trocar path incision and a distal tip of the obturator is positioned within a cavity of the patient. The method also includes directing the suture via a suturing feature with the obturator inserted through the tissue in order to direct the suture relative to the tissue. Furthermore, the method includes closing the tissue opening about the trocar path incision with the suture.

Abstract: An image of an eye is obtained via a camera. A multi-step filter is applied to the image for multiple iterations. Applying the multi-step filter includes, for each iteration, performing one or more pixel merge operations on the image. The pixel merge operations are controlled based on one or more input parameters to control whether or not the iteration classifies pixels of the image as corresponding to a feature of the eye. The one or more input parameters vary from at least one iteration to another. The iterations each output a provisional output, in which some pixels of the image are deemed as corresponding to the feature of the eye. The provisional outputs provide diverse definitions of the eye feature, and may be combined in various ways to yield a refined output, in which some pixels of the image are deemed as corresponding to the feature of the eye.

Abstract: Electronic reading devices provide readers with text on a display, and enhancements to their functionality and efficiency are discussed herein. Text is provided to the reader in an enhanced contrast mode that highlights the active word and line of the text as well as words of interest in the text so as to improve the functionality of the electronic reading device itself as a provider of textual content.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fracturing unit for hydraulic fracturing having an engine and a fracturing pump connected to the engine through a variable speed torque converter. Also disclosed is a hydraulic fracturing system using multiple fracturing units which are sized similar to ISO containers. A hydraulic fracturing system may also force flow back water, produced water, or fresh water through a heat exchanger so that heat from the fracturing engines can be transferred to these liquids in order to vaporize them. A force cooled fractioning unit then can accept the vapor/steam in order to condense the various components and produce distilled water for re-use in the fracturing process or for release into the environment.

Abstract: A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and an elongate shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween.

Abstract: A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and an elongate shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween.