Abstract: Medical devices and methods for manufacturing medical devices. An example manufacturing method includes providing a metallic tubular member having a inner surface with a metal oxide layer disposed thereon, mechanically scoring and/or removing a portion of the metal oxide layer to create a bonding zone along the inner surface, and soldering an additional metallic structural element to the bonding zone.

Abstract: A method of carrying out activity based costing in a professional practice, such as a healthcare practice or hospital is provided. The costs of activities involving an operator are calculated based on the time the operators should be expected to spend on a task, and the cost overhead, particularly the payment, of the operator. This is achieved using a Pre-Determined Motion Time System such as the MOST® system. This allows the inherent profitability of a business operation to be established independent of the current employees, so that the profitability of the business processes themselves can be ascertained.

Abstract: A variable bandwidth signal multiplexer and demultiplexer. Aspects of the multiplexer may include a uniform bandwidth multiplexer with a composite signal output and a plurality of first bandwidth communication signal inputs. The first bandwidth signal inputs may be individually coupled to filters spanning a preselected bandwidth. A first external signal connection may couple to a first one of the first bandwidth communication signal inputs, while a first power divider may couple to a second external signal connection. The first power divider may include a first split output coupled to a second one of the first bandwidth communication signal inputs. The first power divider may also include a second split output coupled to a third one of the first bandwidth communication signal inputs. Aspects of the present invention also provide a demultiplexer that may generally correspond to various aspects of the multiplexer.

Abstract: A system and method for increasing the performance of a satellite communication system by using a multivariate analysis approach to optimize the pointing of the boresight of a satellite-mounted antenna. Optimizing the pointing of the boresight of the antenna minimizes sidelobe generation, and thus Co-Channel Interference (CCI) in geographic areas served by the system. By minimizing CCI, the overall system performance of the communication system is optimized. To optimize the pointing of the boresight of the antenna, the overall performance of the satellite communication system is determined, and the boresight of the antenna is iteratively repointed in the direction of increasing system performance until the optimized boresight pointing is determined. Alternatively, the frequency re-use plan of the satellite communication system may be analyzed to determine a high density cell region and the boresight may be pointed to the high density cell region.

Abstract: An appliance is provided for connecting the water-tight cap of an endoscope or bronchoscope to the proximal body of the endoscope or bronchoscope, respectively. In one version of the invention, one end of the appliance is connected to the “S” connector of the proximal body of the endoscope, as described in detail herein. In another version of the invention, one end of the appliance is wrapped around the proximal body of the endoscope, as described in detail herein. The invention also includes methods of operating the appliance.

Abstract: An automated Triage Administrator system that links data for prescription requests, prescription refill requests, medical history requests and a patient's prescription history in a data base. The system allows pharmacies and physicians access to the desired medical information by fax or internet protocols. The system also provides all newly issued and current prescriptions to be joined into one “Super Prescription” for convenient distribution.

Abstract: An improved aircraft flight management system (FMS) based on a layered subsystem architecture, residing on a computing platform and including an operator interface subsystem, a communications subsystem, a flight management subsystem, and a database management subsystem, wherein the architecture is predicated on the enforcement of subsystem-dependency rules wherein a given subsystem is allowed to depend only upon another subsystem in the same or lower hierarchical layer.