Abstract: The present disclosure provides a pump for supporting heart function, that includes a housing with a rotor disposed within the housing and spaced from an internal surface of the housing to define a clearance therebetween. An impeller is coupled to the rotor for propelling blood from a first inlet to an outlet of the housing along a primary blood flow path. The housing includes a second inlet fluidly coupled to the clearance between the rotor and the housing to define a secondary flow path through the clearance. The blood flowing through the secondary flow path continuously flushes the space between the rotor and the housing to minimize the formation and/or growth of blood clots and/or to remove heat generated by the pump.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for supporting cardiac function. One system comprises an implantable intracardiac device comprising a motor and a pump, an external energy source and a transmitting resonator comprising a magnetic coil and configured to receive a first level of power from the external energy source and transmit a second level of power through an outer skin surface of the patient. The system further comprises a receiving resonator configured for implantation within the patient, comprising a magnetic coil and configured to transmit a third level of power to the motor within the implanted device. The third level of power is at least 40% of the first level of power, thereby ensuring that the pump will continuously pump blood through the heart at a sufficient rate regardless of any changes in the system, such as power loss due to transmission inefficiencies and/or changes in the relative positions between the transmitting and receiving coils.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for supporting cardiac function. One system comprises an implantable intracardiac device comprising a motor and a pump, a transmitting resonator comprising a magnetic coil and configured to transmit a first level of power through an outer skin surface of the patient and a receiving resonator configured for implantation within the patient, comprising a magnetic coil and configured to transmit a second level of power to the motor within the implanted device. A controller is coupled to the transmitting resonator and configured to control the resonators and other parameters in the system such that the second level of power remains at or above a threshold level, thereby ensuring that the pump will continuously pump blood through the heart at a sufficient rate regardless of any changes in the system, such as power loss due to transmission inefficiencies and/or changes in the relative positions between the transmitting and receiving coils.

Abstract: A system includes a testing instrument to hold a test card having multiple cuvettes radially spaced about a point on the card. A rotatable mount is supported in relation the point on the card when the card is held in the testing system. Optics are supported on the rotatable mount to provide radiation to the multiple cuvettes.

Abstract: A multiple layer test card includes a waste channel to receive biological waste from an area of the test card utilized for testing biological samples. Multiple compartments in a waste layer of the card are separated from each other by a rib in the waste layer. A first compartment is positioned to receive biological waste from the waste channel. A pass is coupled between each adjacent set of compartments to pass biological waste and air between compartments. A vent in a last compartment provides an air exit from the card.

Abstract: An LED connector half (500) mates with a wire connector half (300) to connect a light strip (100) comprising LEDs (115) to a pair of wires. The LED half includes a hinged top (700) with an opening (705) to admit an end LED on the strip when the top is closed, securing the strip to the connector half without blocking the LED. The wire half secures a pair of wires (315) to terminals (305) in a housing (310). The wire half is inserted into the LED half, connecting the Electrodes and terminals. The halves are held together by a tongue (320) and socket (800). In another aspect, a connector (1100) joins two light strips by capturing the LEDs at the ends of the strips in openings (1110) and clamping conductive electrodes (1140) against the strips by closing a lid (1105) against the body, without obscuring LED light output.

Abstract: A disposable blood analysis cartridge may include a sample collection reservoir, an absorbance measurement channel, and an optical light scattering measurement channel. One or more valves may be disposed between the sample collection reservoir and the absorbance measurement channel and/or the optical light scattering measurement channel. A negative pressure may be applied to the cartridge to pull sample from the sample collection reservoir through the one or more valves and into the absorbance measurement channel and/or the optical light scattering measurement channel. Once the sample is pulled into the absorbance measurement channel and/or the optical light scattering measurement channel, the one or more valves may be closed. With the one or more valves closed, and in some cases, a pusher fluid may be provided to push the fluid sample to other regions of the disposable fluid blood analysis cartridge.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a personalized advertisement for a good or service for display to a user is described. The system includes a communications device operated by the user; a virtual person database comprising information about the user; and a search engine useful for finding advertisements of interest to the user and generating personalized advertisements for display on the communications device.

Abstract: A two-step method for loading a fluid sample into a disposable fluid analysis cartridge is described. First, capillary action may be used to initially draw a sample through a sample introduction port and into a sample collection reservoir provided in the fluid analysis cartridge. Once the fluid sample has been drawn into the sample collection reservoir by capillary action, a negative pressure may be applied to the cartridge to pull the sample from the sample collection reservoir and into a sample loading channel. A valve may be disposed between the sample collection reservoir and the sample loading channel to prevent backflow of sample into the sample collection reservoir and to retain sample in the sample loading channel.

Abstract: A system includes a testing instrument to hold a test card having multiple cuvettes radially spaced about a point on the card. A rotatable mount is supported in relation the point on the card when the card is held in the testing system. Optics are supported on the rotatable mount to provide radiation to the multiple cuvettes.

Abstract: A multiple layer test card includes a waste channel to receive biological waste from an area of the test card utilized for testing biological samples. Multiple compartments in a waste layer of the card are separated from each other by a rib in the waste layer. A first compartment is positioned to receive biological waste from the waste channel. A pass is coupled between each adjacent set of compartments to pass biological waste and air between compartments. A vent in a last compartment provides an air exit from the card.

Abstract: A disposable blood analysis cartridge may include a sample collection reservoir, an absorbance measurement channel, and an optical light scattering measurement channel. One or more valves may be disposed between the sample collection reservoir and the absorbance measurement channel and/or the optical light scattering measurement channel. A negative pressure may be applied to the cartridge to pull sample from the sample collection reservoir through the one or more valves and into the absorbance measurement channel and/or the optical light scattering measurement channel. Once the sample is pulled into the absorbance measurement channel and/or the optical light scattering measurement channel, the one or more valves may be closed. With the one or more valves closed, and in some cases, a pusher fluid may be provided to push the fluid sample to other regions of the disposable fluid blood analysis cartridge.

Abstract: A disposable blood analysis cartridge may include a sample collection reservoir, an absorbance measurement channel, and an optical light scattering measurement channel. One or more valves may be disposed between the sample collection reservoir and the absorbance measurement channel and/or the optical light scattering measurement channel. A negative pressure may be applied to the cartridge to pull sample from the sample collection reservoir through the one or more valves and into the absorbance measurement channel and/or the optical light scattering measurement channel. Once the sample is pulled into the absorbance measurement channel and/or the optical light scattering measurement channel, the one or more valves may be closed. With the one or more valves closed, and in some cases, a pusher fluid may be provided to push the fluid sample to other regions of the disposable fluid blood analysis cartridge.

Abstract: A disposable blood analysis cartridge may include a sample collection reservoir, an absorbance measurement channel, and an optical light scattering measurement channel. One or more valves may be disposed between the sample collection reservoir and the absorbance measurement channel and/or the optical light scattering measurement channel. A negative pressure may be applied to the cartridge to pull sample from the sample collection reservoir through the one or more valves and into the absorbance measurement channel and/or the optical light scattering measurement channel. Once the sample is pulled into the absorbance measurement channel and/or the optical light scattering measurement channel, the one or more valves may be closed. With the one or more valves closed, and in some cases, a pusher fluid may be provided to push the fluid sample to other regions of the disposable fluid blood analysis cartridge.

Abstract: A two-step method for loading a fluid sample into a disposable fluid analysis cartridge is described. First, capillary action may be used to initially draw a sample through a sample introduction port and into a sample collection reservoir provided in the fluid analysis cartridge. Once the fluid sample has been drawn into the sample collection reservoir by capillary action, a negative pressure may be applied to the cartridge to pull the sample from the sample collection reservoir and into a sample loading channel.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for electronically trapping a selected digital color image pixel. A plurality of pixels that surround the selected pixel are identified, a colorant value of each of the surrounding pixels is compared with a corresponding colorant value of the selected pixel, one of the surrounding pixels is identified to control trapping of the selected pixel, and the selected pixel is trapped based on a relationship between a colorant value of the selected pixel and a corresponding colorant value of the identified controlling pixel.

Abstract: A health care operating system (10) includes multiple health care center objects (44). Smart devices (42) are coupled to the health care center objects (44) and include body internal control circuits (64, 70, 134). A database (20) stores information related to the health care center objects (44). A server (18) is coupled to the database (20). Multiple controllers (46, 156, 158, 314, 320, 353, 360) are coupled to the server (18) and write and/or read the information to and from the smart devices (42) utilizing electromagnetic induction. A health care center network (10) also includes the health care center objects (44) and the smart devices (42). The smart devices (42) inductively transmit identification signals. The database (20) stores the information. The controllers (46, 156, 158, 314, 320, 353, 360) within multiple facilities (172, 174, 342, 344, 346, 348, 350) communicate with the server (18) in response to the identification signals.