Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulation device provides a stimulation therapy or an atrial ablation recommendation responsive to detection of atrial flutter of a heart. The device includes a sensing circuit that senses electrical activity of a heart and generates electrical signals representing electrical activity of the heart, an arrhythmia detector that detects atrial flutter of the heart, and a data processor that measures cardiac data responsive to the electrical signals. A therapy control responsive to the detection of atrial flutter recommends atrial ablation of the heart when the cardiac data satisfies a predetermined criteria and atrial flutter suppression when the cardiac data fails to satisfy the predetermined criteria. The device may further include a pulse generator that provides stimulation therapy to at least one atrium to terminate the atrial flutter.

Abstract: Various embodiments can permit electrode configurations that are used in implantable devices to be automatically changed. In some embodiments, configurations that are used to ascertain capture (ventricular and/or atrial) can be automatically changed by a stimulation device and then automatically configured for use. Various parameters associated with the electrical configurations can be automatically calibrated so that a stimulation device's automatic capture feature can continue to function notwithstanding the fact that an electrode configuration change has taken place.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for programming a rate-responsive pacemaker or other implantable cardiac stimulation device capable of rate-responsive pacing. In one embodiment, an external programmer is configured to allow a physician to program the pacemaker with a smooth curvilinear rate-responsive pacing function having whatever shape the physician deems optimal for the patient, rather than being limited to generating a linear or bi-linear rate-responsive pacing functions as with many conventional techniques. The rate-responsive pacing function may specify, for example, pacing rates as a function of orthostatic sensor values, activity sensor values, minute ventilation sensor values, vasovagal syncope sensor values or paced depolarization integral sensor values. If several sensors are provided in the pacemaker, smooth rate-responsive pacing functions may be separately generated for use with each sensor.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulation device controls dynamic atrial overdrive pacing based, in part, on sensor indicated rate. In one example, the stimulation device adjusts an overdrive pacing rate based on the sensor indicated rate by periodically decreasing the overdrive pacing rate by a programmed rate decrement whenever a difference between the current overdrive pacing rate and the sensor indicated rate falls outside predetermined acceptable range while the sensor indicated rate is decreasing. The overdrive pacing rate is decreased in this manner until a) the overdrive pacing rate falls below the base rate, rest rate or the sensor indicated rate or until b) an event triggers an increase in the overdrive pacing rate, such as the appearance of intrinsic breakthrough heart beats. The overdrive pacing rate is not decreased if the sensor indicated rate is increasing or stable.

Abstract: An implantable, multi-chamber cardiac stimulation device and method automatically adjust inter-chamber stimulation delays whenever stimulation rate is changed according to a patient's metabolic need. Inter-chamber stimulation delays include inter-atrial delays, inter-ventricular delays, and atrio-ventricular delays. Inter-chamber stimulation delays are defined according to whether the event which triggers the start of the delay is an intrinsic sensed event or the delivery of a stimulation pulse. Adjustment to inter-chamber stimulation delays is made as a function of the stimulation rate changes. By providing automatically adjustable inter-chamber stimulation delays optimal synchronization of heart chamber contractions may be maintained at all stimulation rates.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for collecting enhanced diagnostic information specifically pertaining to overdrive pacing within an implantable cardiac stimulation device and for processing and displaying the enhanced diagnostic information using an external programmer. The enhanced diagnostic information includes one or more of overdrive pacing efficacy, overdrive pacing percentage, overdrive pacing/heart rate histogram data, longest recovery duration, atrial event data, minimum/maximum/average of the overdrive pacing rate, number of paced beats at maximum rate, duration of recovery time from maximum rate, intrinsic rate breakthrough histogram data, and number of rate increases. By tracking and displaying the enhanced diagnostic information, a physician can thereby more effectively and reliably program overdrive pacing control parameters to achieve optimal overdrive pacing performance.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulation device and associated method set an atrial capture detection window by verifying that inter-atrial conduction is intact, and then measuring the inter-atrial conduction time. The measured inter-atrial conduction time may then be used for setting the atrial capture detection window. Capture verification of a stimulated atrial site is then implemented by detecting a conducted depolarization at another atrial site or in the opposite atrial chamber. A signal received during an atrial capture detection window is compared to a depolarization signal threshold or to a depolarization signal template in order to verify detection of a conducted depolarization signal as evidence of capture at the stimulated site. By sensing depolarization signal away from the stimulated site, the negative effects of lead polarization normally encountered when detecting an evoked response are avoided.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for holding a mold assembly and molding an optical lens using the same. In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for holding a mold assembly, wherein the mold assembly includes a front mold, a back mold and a strip wrapping around the edges of the front mold and back mold to form a sleeve. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a top part, a bottom part, and a middle part connecting the top part and the bottom part, the middle part including a base and a holder coupled to the base. The second portion has a top part, a bottom part, and a middle part connecting the top part and the bottom part, the middle part including a base and a holder coupled to the base.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for holding a mold assembly and molding an optical lens using the same. In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for holding a mold assembly, wherein the mold assembly includes a front mold, a back mold and a strip wrapping around the edges of the front mold and back mold to form a sleeve. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a top part, a bottom part, and a middle part connecting the top part and the bottom part, the middle part including a base and a holder coupled to the base. The second portion has a top part, a bottom part, and a middle part connecting the top part and the bottom part, the middle part including a base and a holder coupled to the base.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for holding a mold assembly and molding an optical lens using the same. In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for holding a mold assembly, wherein the mold assembly includes a front mold, a back mold and a strip wrapping around the edges of the front mold and back mold to form a sleeve. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a top part, a bottom part, and a middle part connecting the top part and the bottom part, the middle part including a base and a holder coupled to the base. The second portion has a top part, a bottom part, and a middle part connecting the top part and the bottom part, the middle part including a base and a holder coupled to the base.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for holding a mold assembly and molding an optical lens using the same. In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for holding a mold assembly, wherein the mold assembly includes a front mold, a back mold and a strip wrapping around the edges of the front mold and back mold to form a sleeve. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a top part, a bottom part, and a middle part connecting the top part and the bottom part, the middle part including a base and a holder coupled to the base. The second portion has a top part, a bottom part, and a middle part connecting the top part and the bottom part, the middle part including a base and a holder coupled to the base.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for holding a mold assembly and molding an optical lens using the same. In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for holding a mold assembly, wherein the mold assembly includes a front mold, a back mold and a strip wrapping around the edges of the front mold and back mold to form a sleeve. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a top part, a bottom part, and a middle part connecting the top part and the bottom part, the middle part including a base and a holder coupled to the base. The second portion has a top part, a bottom part, and a middle part connecting the top part and the bottom part, the middle part including a base and a holder coupled to the base.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a lentiviral vector system that can be used for episomal replication of a desired gene. The vector system contains a first vector containing a lentiviral gag gene encoding a lentiviral gag protein, a second vector containing an env gene encoding a functional envelope protein, and a lentiviral pol gene encoding a lentiviral pol protein. The pol protein is at least integrase, but that the integrase has been modified so that it is not capable of integration. This pol gene can be on the first or second vectors or on a third vector. The lentiviral gag and pol and the envelope protein are not on a single vector, and these vectors do not contain nucleotides to effectively package lentiviral RNA. The system also contains another vector having a nucleic acid sequence encoding a target molecule operably linked to a component of an episomal replicon and a lentiviral packaging sequence.

Abstract: Methods and systems for switching electrode configurations for measuring the transthoracic impedance of patient are described. Various embodiments provide stimulation devices and methods that can automatically adapt to different minute ventilation electrode configurations. This, in turn, permits minute ventilation functionality to continue, e.g. rate-responsive pacing, in spite of the fact that an electrode configuration has changed. Accordingly, minute ventilation functionality can automatically continue in a adaptive manner when a previously-available electrode configuration is no longer available for minute ventilation functionality.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a lens using two molds that interconnect together so that their respective interior surfaces form the negative image of the lens to be cast therein. The molds are preferably made of plastic. A monomer fills the volume formed by the interior surfaces of the molds and is cured or polymerized to form a lens having desired dimensions and characteristics. It is noted that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to ascertain quickly the subject matter of the technical disclosure. The abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b).

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulation device and associated method to verify capture of a stimulated atrial site by detecting a conducted depolarization at another atrial site or in the opposite atrial chamber. A signal received during an atrial capture detection window is compared to a depolarization signal threshold or to a depolarization signal template in order to verify detection of a conducted depolarization signal as evidence of capture at the stimulated site. By sensing depolarization signal away from the stimulated site, the negative effects of lead polarization normally encountered when detecting an evoked response are avoided.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulation device and method perform reliable, automatic capture verification during bipolar stimulation by eliminating capture verification during a cardiac cycle in which anodal stimulation is detected. Anodal stimulation is detected by the absence of a delay between the bipolar stimulation pulse and an evoked response sensed at the electrode functioning as the anode during stimulation. Automatic capture verification during bipolar stimulation is recommended only if anodal stimulation is not detected at a working stimulation output. During automatic capture verification, if anodal stimulation is detected, a capture threshold test is performed. A change in anodal stimulation threshold indicates a change in capture threshold. Thus, periodic anodal stimulation threshold tests are also performed to predict when a change in capture threshold has occurred.

Abstract: A container including a top piece, a bottom piece and a joining region. The top piece includes a tubular side wall formed from a first material, a dome covering one end of the tubular side wall of the top piece, and a hinged interconnection formed between the dome and the tubular side wall of the top piece. The bottom piece includes a tubular side wall formed from a second material. The joining region is formed between the top piece and the bottom piece for joining the top piece to the bottom piece.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing multi-chamber anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) in response to a tachycardia that is of particular use in an implantable cardiac stimulation device. The expected benefits of such a multi-chamber ATP include improved hemodynamic performance and the ability to terminate the tachycardia sooner. Embodiments of the present invention use an intrinsic chamber activation sequence and associated interchamber time delays, preferably automatically detected during a period of time when a pathologic tachycardia is not present, to treat a pathologic tachycardia should it occur. Such a device monitors two or more chambers of the patient's heart, i.e., the controlled chambers, and in the event a tachycardia is detected, the device determines the chamber which originated the tachycardia.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac device returns activations of corresponding right and left chambers of a heart to inter-chamber synchrony. A sensing circuit senses intracardiac signals representing right and left chamber ventricular electrical activity. A detector determines if a predetermined characteristic of the electrogram signals indicates dissociation of the corresponding right and left chambers. If dissociation is indicated, a pulse generator stimulates at least one of the corresponding chambers to restore inter-chamber synchrony.