Abstract: A delivery system for deploying a medical device, such as a stent, at increasing deployment speed is described. The system comprises a catheter comprising a catheter shaft, a retractable sheath slidably mounted on the catheter shaft, and the device in a compressed state sandwiched between the shaft and sheath. A control handle is included with a housing and knobs for a user to apply a rotary or other force to retract the sheath. The sheath is attached to a slider that is mounted on a slide rod and attached to a drive belt. A take up pulley is provided in the housing and connected to the belt input knob, so that the pulley turns when the knob is turned. The belt is attached to the pulley so that the drive is wound onto the rotating pulley. As the belt winds upon the pulley, the overall outside diameter of the pulley increases, thereby increasing the deployment speed.

Abstract: A dielectric ceramic composition in a multilayer ceramic capacitor having a composition of formula: ((CaO)t(SrO)1-t(ZrO2)v(TiO2)1-s-x-y-zAsExGyHz wherein: A is a transition metal oxide; E is an oxide of a group III or IV element; G is an oxide of a group II element; H is an oxide of a lanthanide; t is 0.50 to 0.90; v is 0.8 to 1.0; s is 0.0001 to 0.08; x is 0 to 0.08; y is 0 to 0.20; and z is 0 to 0.20.

Abstract: A capacitor with conductive layers arranged in parallel relationship. The conductive layers have nickel alloyed or add mixed with a refractory metal in an amount sufficient to raise the melting temperature of said conductive layer at least 1° C. above the melting temperature of nickel. A dielectric layers is between the conductive layers. Alternating layers of said conductive layers are in electrical contact with external terminations of opposing polarity.

Abstract: A capacitor with conductive layers arranged in parallel relationship. The conductive layers have nickel alloyed with a refractory metal in an amount sufficient to raise the melting temperature of said conductive layer at least 1° C. above the melting temperature of nickel. A dielectric layers is between the conductive layers. Alternating layers of said conductive layers are in electrical contact with external terminations of opposing polarity.

Abstract: A stent delivery system includes an inner tubular member on which a stent is loaded, an outer jacket extending over said inner tubular member, the retraction of which causes deployment of the stent, and a handle adapted to move the jacket relative to the inner tubular member. The constructions of the inner tubular member and outer jacket and the handle provide increased control of the relative movement of the outer jacket relative to the inner tubular member, and prevention of premature release of the stent from the deployment instrument, and greater control over stent deployment among other advantages.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is directed to an illumination device. The illumination device includes a light emitting diode that emits a radiation pattern, wherein a maximum luminous intensity of the radiation pattern is displaced relative to a center axis of the light emitting diode. The illumination device may also include a number of light guides positioned to be illuminated by the light emitting diode. The invention utilizes the “batwing” radiation pattern of a light emitting diode to effectively illuminate a number of light guides with a single light emitting diode. Each light guide is offset from a center axis of the light emitting diode to capture light that is annularly displaced. This offset positioning of the light guides allows the light guides to effectively capture light from the light emitting diode where light intensity is greatest.

Abstract: A multi-layer capacitor with reduced ESL and internal electrodes for same. The multi-layer capacitor has a monolithic capacitor body with first polarity external electrodes and second polarity external electrodes on an exterior of the body. A first internal electrode has first diverging lead-out electrodes in electrical contact with the first polarity external electrodes. A second internal electrode has second diverging lead-out electrodes in electrical contact with the second polarity external electrodes. The first internal electrode and the second internal electrode are in parallel spaced-apart relationship with a dielectric there between.

Abstract: An application server that establishes a peer-to-peer connection with a mobile terminal over a data packet network for the purpose of allowing the mobile terminal to request and receive data associated with the application server. In one embodiment, the mobile terminal is a cellular telephone, and the application server is a server that executes a real estate listings information retrieval program to allow the mobile terminal to request and receive real estate records in real time over a TCP/IP based network. The application server includes an application program that assigns a thread to each connection and assigns a state in a state-machine for each thread. The application program executes a state-machine for each thread based on the state of each thread in response to information requests from the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A multi-layer capacitor with reduced ESL and internal electrodes for same. The multi-layer capacitor has a monolithic capacitor body with first polarity external electrodes and second polarity external electrodes on an exterior of the body. A first internal electrode has first diverging lead-out electrodes in electrical contact with the first polarity external electrodes. A second internal electrode has second diverging lead-out electrodes in electrical contact with the second polarity external electrodes. The first internal electrode and the second internal electrode are in parallel spaced-apart relationship with a dielectric there between.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is directed to an illumination device. The illumination device includes a light emitting diode that emits a radiation pattern, wherein a maximum luminous intensity of the radiation pattern is displaced relative to a center axis of the light emitting diode. The illumination device may also include a number of light guides positioned to be illuminated by the light emitting diode. The invention utilizes the “batwing” radiation pattern of a light emitting diode to effectively illuminate a number of light guides with a single light emitting diode. Each light guide is offset from a center axis of the light emitting diode to capture light that is annularly displaced. This offset positioning of the light guides allows the light guides to effectively capture light from the light emitting diode where light intensity is greatest.

Abstract: A swimming pool water treatment system for removing iron from feed water, with the system including a large storage/reaction vessel to which a branch injection/filtration circuit is coupled. An alkali metal hypochlorite is injected into water flowing through the injection/filtration circuit and delivered to the storage/reaction vessel to permit precipitation of the iron oxide. A bank of parallelly coupled filters are provided in the branch filtration circuit upstream from the hypochlorite injection site for removal of insoluble iron precipitated from the treated water within the storage/reaction vessel. The branch injection/filtration circuit further incorporates an ozone injector valve where a flow of ozone is continuously introduced to water flowing through the branch injection/filtration circuit. The storage/reaction vessel is sized sufficiently large so as to permit an adequate contact dwell time for formation of the insoluble iron precipitate.