Abstract: A method of manufacturing including: (a) a first vapor deposition step comprising vapor depositing a first porous glass body of a glass former and a doping constituent onto a substrate; (b) a cleaning step after the first vapor deposition step, the cleaning step comprising exposing the first porous glass body to a cleaning gas at a cleaning temperature for a cleaning period of time, the cleaning gas (i) removing a metal or metal oxide from the first porous glass body, (ii) changing an oxidation state of a metal or metal oxide within the first porous glass body, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii); and (c) a second vapor deposition step after the cleaning step, the second vapor deposition step comprising vapor depositing a second porous glass body of the glass former onto the first porous glass body resulting in a porous preform for an optical fiber.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in manufacturing a component of an implantable medical device comprises a fixture comprising a first fixture member having a plurality of semi-circular recesses in a lower surface thereof, and a second fixture member having a plurality of semi-circular recesses in an upper surface thereof, the first and second fixture members being configured to be selectively fastened together via a plurality of fasteners, wherein in an assembled state of the fixture, each of the semi-circular recesses of the first fixture member lower surface is aligned with an opposing semi-circular recess in the second fixture member upper surface to define a plurality of workpiece openings each dimensioned to receive and secure a respective work piece to be machined to the fixture.

Abstract: A stent delivery system includes an outer shaft and an inner shaft extending at least partially within a lumen of the outer shaft. The inner shaft includes a stent receiving region, and a distal tip coupled to a distal end of the inner shaft. The distal tip includes a plurality of hooks positioned adjacent a proximal edge of the distal tip. A stent is disposed along the stent receiving region, and includes a first end region, a second end region, and one or more tethers coupled to the first end region of the stent. The one or more tethers are configured to engage with the plurality of hooks, thereby coupling the stent and the distal tip. The one of the one or more tethers may be configured to be actuated by a user to move the stent between a first, pre-deployed configuration and a second, deployed configuration.

Abstract: Various aspects of the present disclosure may be directed toward apparatuses, systems, and methods that include a medical device including an elongate body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and three mutually perpendicular planes. The medical device may include a first steering line and a second steering line and a first stiffening material and a second stiffening material. The first stiffening material and the second stiffening material may be configured to maintain planarity of deflection of at least the distal portion of the elongate body.

Abstract: A method for determining an occupant class for a vehicle seat includes obtaining, via first and second seat weight sensors, first and second seat weight indications for the vehicle seat. The first seat weight sensor is located on the lateral side of the vehicle seat at a front location on the vehicle seat. The second seat weight sensor is located on the lateral side of the vehicle seat at a rear location on the vehicle seat. The method also includes obtaining a vehicle acceleration value from a vehicle acceleration sensor. The method also includes determining a raw weight on the vehicle seat as twice the sum of the first and second seat weight indications, and determining a filtered weight based on the raw weight. The method further includes determining the occupant class based on the filtered weight in response to the vehicle acceleration value being less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: Stents and/or endoluminal implants for extending across two non-adherent structures/tissues. An illustrative stent may comprise an elongated tubular body having a scaffolding forming a plurality of cells and a coating disposed over an outer surface of the elongated tubular body. The coating may comprise a first micro-porous layer and a macro-porous layer including a plurality of loops disposed over the micro-porous layer.

Abstract: An apposition device having a first elongate element movably coupled with a second elongate element. The second elongate element is deployable distal to the structures to be apposed, in a position transverse to the first elongate element. The first elongate element may be pulled to pull the second elongate element to move the structures into apposition. A third element may be positioned proximal to the structures to hold the structures in apposition. The third element may be a ratcheting element fixable in place with respect to the first elongate element. The apposition device may be deployed with a fine gauge needle. The second elongate element may be deployed from a side port in the needle facilitating deployment, and/or movement of the second elongate element with respect to the first elongate element and into a deployment configuration. Such arrangement may allow control of the first elongate element independent of the needle.

Abstract: Various aspects of the present disclosure may be directed toward apparatuses, systems, and methods that include a medical device including an elongate body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and three mutually perpendicular planes. The medical device may include a first steering line and a second steering line and a first stiffening material and a second stiffening material. The first stiffening material and the second stiffening material may be configured to maintain planarity of deflection of at least the distal portion of the elongate body.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treating a stricture, for example along the biliary and/or pancreatic tract, are disclosed. An example system may include a handle having a base having a distal end region and a proximal end region. A length adjustment member may be coupled to the handle. A length actuator may be coupled to the distal end region of the handle. A catheter shaft may be coupled to the handle. A steering mechanism may be coupled to the handle. The steering mechanism may include an elongate steering member having a first end region coupled to the handle, a first body region extending along the catheter shaft, a loop region extending about the catheter shaft, a second body region extending along the catheter shaft, and a second end region coupled to the handle.

Abstract: A system and methods are described herein for preheating a preform in a preheater furnace and then transferring the preheated preform to a consolidation furnace for chemical treatment and sintering the preform into a clear glass which can be drawn into optical fiber. In addition, the preheater furnace is described herein which is configured to heat the preform per a predetermined heat-profile until the preform is uniformly heated to a temperature above 1000° C.

Abstract: An elongate medical device is adapted to provide adjustable flexibility. The elongate medical device includes an inner coil having one or more inner coil filars extending in a first direction, and an outer coil having one or more outer filars extending in a second direction. A hypotube extends proximally from the inner coil and the outer coil. A cable extends through the inner coil and through the hypotube, where a distal end of the cable, a distal end of the inner coil and a distal end of the outer coil are all secured together at a distal end of the elongate medical device, such that applying a tensile force to the cable, relative to the hypotube, causes the inner coil and outer coil in combination to increase in stiffness.

Abstract: A medical device, comprising a shaft, wherein the shaft has a corrugated body, and wherein the corrugated body includes a plurality of hoops extending around a circumference of the shaft, a plurality of indentations, wherein the plurality of indentations extend around a portion of the circumference of the shaft and define a reduced-diameter portion of the shaft relative to a diameter of the plurality of hoops, and wherein each of the plurality of hoops is spaced apart from an adjacent hoop of the plurality of hoops by at least one of the plurality of indentations, and a plurality of nodes, wherein each node extends between and connects adjacent hoops of the plurality of hoops, and wherein each of the plurality of nodes is radially offset relative to adjacent nodes along a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

Abstract: A system and methods are described herein for preheating a preform in a preheater furnace and then transferring the preheated preform to a consolidation furnace for chemical treatment and sintering the preform into a clear glass which can be drawn into optical fiber. In addition, the preheater furnace is described herein which is configured to heat the preform per a predetermined heat-profile until the preform is uniformly heated to a temperature above 1000° C.

Abstract: A medical device including a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, first and second articulation wires coupled to the handle, and an articulation member at a distal end of the shaft, wherein the articulation member includes a central longitudinal axis within a first bending plane. The first and second articulation wires lie within the first bending plane, the articulation member includes a plurality of links arranged about the central longitudinal axis, a first link of the plurality of links is attached to an adjacent, second link of the plurality of links via a first pair of hinges, and a first hinge from the first pair of hinges is arranged on a first side the first bending plane, and a second hinge from the first pair of hinges is located on a second side of the bending plane, opposite the first side.

Abstract: A vehicle safety system implements a method for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a frontal collision. The method includes determining a passive safety crash mode classification in response to crash signals received in response to the occurrence of a crash event. The method also includes determining an active safety crash mode classification in response to active safety signals received prior to the occurrence of the crash event. The method also includes determining an active safety confidence factor for the active safety crash mode classification. The method also includes determining the weighted crash mode classification as being the active crash mode classification in response to the active safety confidence factor exceeding a predetermined confidence value. The method further includes determining the weighted crash mode classification as being the passive crash mode classification in response to the active safety confidence factor not exceeding the predetermined confidence value.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of managing construction of a steel building frame is disclosed, including defining a part database including beams, columns, and components of a full moment collar assembly, storing historical pricing data for the parts in the part database, and creating a station layout for a steel fabrication facility and receiving digital. The method further includes receiving digital models of a plurality of buildings, each including a steel frame having beams and columns connected by full moment collar assemblies, and parsing the received digital models to generate a list of parts in the plurality of buildings a defined in the part database. The method further includes generating routes and stages for the beams, the columns, and the components of the full moment collar assemblies through the stations of the steel fabrication facility, and modifying the digital model of at least one of the plurality of buildings to improve efficiency of the generated routes and stages.

Abstract: An electrophysiology catheter comprising a tubular shaft, the shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion having a distal end and a deflection region, the shaft defining a longitudinal axis and including an outer tubular jacket, and articulation member disposed within the jacket in the deflection region, the articulation member comprising a plurality of longitudinally-arranged tubular segments, a plurality of first connecting segments, and a plurality of second connecting segments, wherein adjacent tubular segments are joined by respective ones of the first and second connecting segments, and wherein all of the first and second connecting segments are disposed in a first plane extending through the longitudinal axis. A first reinforcing member and a second reinforcing member extend through the plurality of first and second connecting segments, respectively.

Abstract: A vehicle safety system implements a method for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a frontal collision. The method includes determining a passive safety crash mode classification in response to crash signals received in response to the occurrence of a crash event. The method also includes determining an active safety crash mode classification in response to active safety signals received prior to the occurrence of the crash event. The method also includes determining an active safety confidence factor for the active safety crash mode classification. The method also includes determining the weighted crash mode classification as being the active crash mode classification in response to the active safety confidence factor exceeding a predetermined confidence value. The method further includes determining the weighted crash mode classification as being the passive crash mode classification in response to the active safety confidence factor not exceeding the predetermined confidence value.

Abstract: A method for controlling an actuatable restraining device includes sensing a plurality of crash event indications in response to a crash event. The method also includes classifying the crash event in response to comparing the sensed crash event indications against one another to identify an oblique moving deformable barrier crash event. The method further includes controlling deployment timing of the actuatable restraining device in response to the classification of the crash event.

Abstract: Various aspects of the present disclosure may be directed toward apparatuses, systems, and methods that include a medical device including an elongate body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and three mutually perpendicular planes. The medical device may include a first steering line and a second steering line and a first stiffening material and a second stiffening material. The first stiffening material and the second stiffening material may be configured to maintain planarity of deflection of at least the distal portion of the elongate body.