Abstract: Expandable intraluminal stents are provided as well their method of manufacture. These stents are made of metal, the metal characterized by a desired porosity, with a drug compressed into the pores of the stent. The stents are formed by subjecting one or more powdered metals in a die cavity to a pressure treatment followed by a heat treatment. The metal may be cast directly in a stent-like form or cast into sheets or tubes from which the inventive stents are produced. The so-formed porous metal stent is then loaded with one or more drugs.

Abstract: A smart card package includes two on-board batteries for providing uninterrupted power to a programmed, volatile memory unit. The first battery is a non-rechargeable battery with sufficient capacity to provide power to the volatile on-board memory during an initial storage period between programming the memory and deployment of the smart card. This initial storage period may be, for example, approximately two years. The second battery is a rechargeable battery that will be charged by the host device in which the smart card is deployed. The second, rechargeable battery can provide power to the volatile memory throughout the life of the card, after the first, non-rechargeable battery is dead. Specifically, the second, rechargeable battery can provide power to the non-volatile memory when needed during, for example, any subsequent storage period or during movement of the smart card between host devices.