Abstract: The present invention provides a method of reducing the pathogen content of sewage sludge comprising (a) adding to the sludge an effective amount of a phosphorous-containing compound and (b) keeping the phosphorous-containing compound in contact with the sludge for a sufficient time to reduce the amount of pathogens present in the sludge by an amount equivalent to a logarithmic reduction of 2 or more.

Abstract: Dry powder inhalers for dispensing pharmaceutical grade formulations of inhalable dry powder include: an inhaler housing having a mouthpiece associated therewith; and a slidably extendable forward member that is movable between retracted and extended positions, held by the inhaler housing adjacent the mouthpiece. In the extended position, the forward member extends outward a distance beyond a forwardmost portion of the mouthpiece, and in the retracted position, a forwardmost portion of the forward member is positioned rearward of the forwardmost portion of the mouthpiece with an access portion of the mouthpiece accessible by a user.

Abstract: Included in a wireless communication network having a plurality of base stations capable of communicating with a plurality of mobile stations located in a coverage area of the network is a redundancy controller. The redundancy controller is capable of detecting a failure in one of the base stations. The redundancy controller is also capable of causing one of the other base stations to use a predetermined amount of its total communication capacity to communicate with mobile stations in a coverage area of the failed base station. The redundancy controller may select all base stations having coverage areas nearby to that of the failed base station and cause all those base stations to use an amount of their total communication capacity to communicate with mobile stations in the coverage area of the failed base station.

Abstract: An assembly having a dielectric frame which utilizes a plurality of segments, each segment having opposing first and second surfaces and first and second ends portions. Each of the first and second end portions has an end surface and a cutout extending from the end surface of the end portion along the length of the segment and from the first surface to the second surface. The segments of the frame are arranged in abutting relationship with the first surfaces of the segments aligned and the second surfaces of said segments aligned and with the end surface of a first end portion of a segment abutting the end surface of the second end portion of the adjacent segment. In this way, the cutouts of the first and second end portions of abutting segments form a keyway and a key is situated in the keyway so as to hold the abutting segments together. In accordance with the invention, certain of the segments are provided with recesses in the first surfaces of the segments adjacent the cutouts.

Abstract: Dry powder inhalers with a multi-dose dry powder package for dispensing pharmaceutical grade formulations of inhalable dry powder, include: (a) a blister package comprising a plurality of spaced apart sealed blisters thereon, each blister having a projecting ceiling and a floor defining a blister channel therebetween, the blister channel comprising a dry powder therein; (b) a movable blade cartridge holding a blade at a forward portion thereof; and (c) an extendable mouthpiece attached to the movable blade cartridge. In operation, a user pulls the mouthpiece outward and then pushes the mouthpiece inward to cause the blister package to advance to position a blister in a selected dispensing position in the inhaler and to cause the blade cartridge to move the blade across a blister ceiling held in the dispensing position in the inhaler to thereby open the blister held in the dispensing position.

Abstract: An intragastric balloon (1) for treating obesity, designed to be implanted in a patient's stomach to reduce the stomach volume, the balloon (1) being delimited by a surface envelope (3) and wherein at least one fraction (6, 7) of the surface envelop (3) is associated with a reinforcement (8), to form a reinforced portion designed to extract the balloon (1) out of the stomach by gripping the reinforced portion with an endoscopic extracting tool (2).

Abstract: A surgical band comprising a flexible strip (2) which is designed to be closed essentially at the two ends thereof in order to form a closed loop, the strip (2) comprising an annular compression chamber (7) having a volume that can be adjusted with the injection or removal of fluid. The aforementioned chamber (7) is defined by (i) an inner wall (8A) which is formed by a membrane and (ii) a dorsal wall (8B). The dorsal wall (8B) is formed by a bead comprising an inner face which is located opposite the chamber (7) and which is provided with at least one longitudinal slot. A surgical band which is intended to be implanted in the body of a patient around one or more biological organs such as to form a pouch or conduit which can alter the flow cross-section of the organ when clamped by the band.

Abstract: An expandable intragastric balloon comprising a first flexible pouch (2) comprising a port; a second pouch (20) which contains the first pouch (2) and which is equipped with a hole (21); and, a sealing member (4) which is hermetically fixed to the second pouch (20) and which is intended to seal the port and the hole (21). The first and second pouches (2, 20) are produced from different, non-compatible materials and are assembled with the aid of a fixing element (7). The fixing element is designed to ensure that the sealing member (4) is hermetically fixed to the first pouch (2) inside a passage (6) that is defined by a neck (5) which extends from the port, such that sufficient pressure is exerted on the neck (5) in order for same to be pinched between the sealing member (4) and the fixing element (7).

Abstract: An expandable intragastric balloon implantable in the stomach for the treatment of obesity, comprising an outer casing (2) which is sufficiently flexible to change from a reduced volume configuration to an expanded configuration, thereby imparting the balloon (1) with its functional shape. The balloon further comprises means (3) for forming the outer casing (2), which are structurally integrated into the balloon (1), but generally are separate from the outer casing (2). Once the balloon (1) has been implanted, the aforementioned forming means (3) can be actuated in order to: (i) exert a sufficient driving pressure on the outer casing (2) such as to force the deployment thereof, and (ii) occupy a sufficient volume inside the outer casing (2) in order to produce the deployment of the outer casing (2) from the reduced volume configuration to the expanded configuration thereof.

Abstract: Please cancel the previous Abstract and insert the following new Abstract. The invention relates to an expandable intragastric balloon, for implantation into the stomach of a patient, to reduce the volume thereof for the treatment of obesity. Said balloon is provided with at least one first flexible pouch, capable of shifting from a folded position to an expanded position by introducing an inflation fluid into the first pouch, said expanded position giving a functional form to the balloon. Said balloon is characterized in that it comprises a ballasting means, for making said balloon substantially heavy to improve the positioning thereof in the stomach.

Abstract: Dry powder blister packages include sealed blisters with a piezoelectric active layer that flexes to vibrate the dry powder in a blister to facilitate active dispersion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a scheduling unit adapted to aggregate data units from a plurality of input ports to a common output port according to a service sequence. The service sequence identifies which particular input port must be served for a particular service slot. A scheduling unit according to the present invention features optimized jitter and queue occupancy figures. This is achieved by allotting a number of service slots to each input port in proportion to its service share, next by determining for each input port a corresponding number of candidate positions uniformly spaced over the service sequence, finally by resolving any contention between the so-determined candidate positions. A service slot is assigned first and foremost to the input port which has the highest number of candidate positions considered while determining the service sequence yet not assigned to any service slot, next which gets the highest service share.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for frequency synchronization in a non-hierarchical network. In one example, the method includes receiving, by a node in a wireless non-hierarchical network, frequency synchronization messages from other nodes. The method calculates an average frequency based on the frequency synchronization messages, calculates a control frequency based on the average frequency, and sets an oscillator of the node to the control frequency.

Abstract: Dry powder blister packages include sealed blisters with a piezoelectric active layer that flexes to vibrate the dry powder in a blister to facilitate active dispersion.

Abstract: A nasogastric tube insertion system comprises a nasogastric tube, a guide element, and an inserter element. The inserter element has a slim, elongate main body, a handle attached to the body, and an anatomically curved insertion section. The guide element comprises a swallowable weight attached to a cord, string, monofilament line, tube, or other similar line. The swallowable weight may be ablative in the presence of stomach fluids or may be deflated to allow the guide element to be removed while the nasogastric tube remains in place. The inserter element is inserted through the patient's nasal passages and optionally into the oropharynx. The weight is released and the patient swallows it into the stomach. The guide element is threaded through the guide element retaining structure, and the nasogastric tube is safely inserted along the guide element into the patient's stomach.

Abstract: A nasogastric tube insertion system comprises a nasogastric tube, a guide element, and an inserter element. The inserter element has a slim, elongate main body, a handle attached to the body, and an anatomically curved insertion section. The guide element comprises a swallowable weight attached to a cord, string, monofilament line, or other similar line. The nasogastric tube may be a nasogastric feeding tube and comprises a tube having one or more interior bores or lumina and a guide element capture structure. In use, the swallowable weight is placed onto the end of the inserter element. The inserter element is inserted through the patient's nasal passages and optionally into the oropharynx. The weight is released and the patient swallows it into the stomach. The guide element is threaded through the guide element retaining structure, and the nasogastric tube is safely inserted along the guide element into the patient's stomach. The tube and guide element are removed together when no longer needed.

Abstract: An approach for providing self-service call plan application development is disclosed. A graphical system includes a computing system that is configured to cause a graphical user interface (GUI) to be present for automated creation of an application for controlling call flow logic. The application supports a predefined feature set. Additionally, the system includes a database that is coupled to the server and configured to store the application. The server is further configured to determine whether the application is valid and to initiate deployment of the application. The deployment may be performed on a real-time basis.

Abstract: A nasogastric tube insertion system comprises a nasogastric tube, a guide element, and an inserter element. The inserter element has a slim, elongate main body, a handle attached to the body, and an anatomically curved insertion section. The guide element comprises a swallowable weight attached to a cord, string, monofilament line, or other similar line. The nasogastric tube comprises a tube having one or more interior bores or lumina and a guide element capture structure. In use, the swallowable weight is placed onto the end of the inserter element. The inserter element is inserted through the patient's nasal passages and optionally into the oropharynx. The weight is released and the patient swallows it into the stomach. The guide element is threaded through the guide element retaining structure, and the nasogastric tube is safely inserted along the guide element into the patient's stomach. The tube and guide element are removed together when no longer needed.

Abstract: An assembly having a dielectric frame which utilizes a plurality of segments, each segment having opposing first and second surfaces and first and second ends portions. Each of the first and second end portions has an end surface and a cutout extending from the end surface of the end portion along the length of the segment and from the first surface to the second surface. The segments of the frame are arranged in abutting relationship with the first surfaces of the segments aligned and the second surfaces of said segments aligned and with the end surface of a first end portion of a segment abutting the end surface of the second end portion of the adjacent segment. In this way, the cutouts of the first and second end portions of abutting segments form a keyway and a key is situated in the keyway so as to hold the abutting segments together. In accordance with the invention, certain of the segments are provided with recesses in the first surfaces of the segments adjacent the cutouts.

Abstract: A system and method of facilitating centralized and standardized remote ratings of subjects in clinical trial studies includes providing training to raters located at one or more central rating sites such that the raters are trained to apply substantially similar criteria in determining whether a candidate is a qualified subject for the clinical trial and/or in the actual assessment, or information collection, phase of the clinical trail. By having centralized, consistently trained raters that are independent of clinical trial investigators, inter-rater reliability is enhanced and potential bias is reduced, thus increasing the effectiveness of the clinical trial results by providing more qualified subjects and more accurate results.