Abstract: A pedicure spa, including a fluid retaining basin including a plurality of channels defined in a lower portion of the basin. A contour bulge is aligned between two channels on each side of the basin. There is also provided an impeller, the impeller operatively coupled to the basin and an enclosure removably coupled to the basin. The enclosure includes an upper region and a lower region, and defines a plurality of orifices in the upper region and the lower region, with the enclosure configured to enclose the impeller and direct fluid flow through the plurality of channels towards a foot region of the basin defined between a wall of the basin and the lower region of the enclosure.

Abstract: An implantable medical device includes a housing for the implantable device that is sized for implantation in a chest region of a patient and includes a housing electrode. A left ventricular lead port is connectable to a proximal end of a lead having first and second insulated conductors that extend from the proximal end of the lead to corresponding first and second electrodes near a distal end of the lead. An electrical impedance measurement circuit is electrically connected to the left ventricular lead port and the housing electrode. The circuit may inject current between the first lead electrode and the housing electrode, and measure a voltage potential, created by the current injection, between the second lead electrode and the housing electrode. The ratio of the measured voltage to injected current may be used for assessing pulmonary edema. The lead electrodes may be located in a left ventricular coronary vein.

Abstract: An implantable medical device includes a housing for the implantable device that is sized for implantation in a chest region of a patient and includes a housing electrode. A left ventricular lead port is connectable to a proximal end of a lead having first and second insulated conductors that extend from the proximal end of the lead to corresponding first and second electrodes near a distal end of the lead. An electrical impedance measurement circuit is electrically connected to the left ventricular lead port and the housing electrode. The circuit may inject current between the first lead electrode and the housing electrode, and measure a voltage potential, created by the current injection, between the second lead electrode and the housing electrode. The ratio of the measured voltage to injected current may be used for assessing pulmonary edema. The lead electrodes may be located in a left ventricular coronary vein.

Abstract: A silica xerogel, a process for making it, and a process for using it to reduce chill haze in beer includes incorporation in the xerogel of one or more alkali metals, optionally in combination with one or more alkaline earth metals. The pH of the xerogel is between 8.0 and 10.5, preferably between 8.5 and 10.0.

Abstract: An implantable medical device includes a voltage measurement circuit to measure a potential difference between implanted electrodes in a thorax of a living being, the potential difference resulting from an electrical P-wave cardiac signal. The implantable medical device also includes a processing unit to calculate a vector corresponding to the P-wave cardiac signal, the vector comprising a magnitude and a direction, and derived from measured potential differences and orientations defined by locations of the implanted electrodes. The implantable medical device further includes a monitoring unit to track a rotation of the vector corresponding to the P-wave cardiac signal. In various implementations, the monitoring unit may use the rotation to detect an inter-atrial block condition.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying and quantifying targets within a liquid medium. A raw sidescan sonar image is collected. A region of interest is separated from the image. An image transformation is performed using an extraction algorithm. Salient image characteristics are calculated. Spurious pixels are removed from the image to obtain an extracted region of interest. Particle analysis is performed on the extracted region of interest to generate a feature vector which is presented to a neural network for classification.

Abstract: The invention relates to a propeller and an apparatus to modify a propeller that provide new propeller performance characteristics. In a preferred embodiment, the propeller includes two blade sets wherein the blades in the sets of distinct geometries from the blades in the corresponding set(s). In another preferred embodiment, a propeller hub ring extender is selectively secured to at least one propeller hub.

Abstract: Changes in fluid volume in a thoracic region, such as the lung, are detected by internally injecting a current through the region, detecting an induced voltage on the skin of the patient, and calculating an impedance value. A method for performing such a measurement includes injecting an electrical current between first and second internal electrodes that are implanted in the body and that are positioned such that a portion of the injected current flows through at least a portion of the region. The method also includes measuring a voltage between first and second external electrodes attached to an external surface of the skin of the body. The measured voltage is induced by the injected current. The method also includes calculating an impedance by taking the ratio of the measured voltage and the injected current, wherein the calculated impedance is related to the volume of fluid in the region.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a physiological monitoring device which is configured to record signals that reflect blood flow and/or blood pressure, and which may also record ECG signals. In one embodiment, a portable monitoring device comprises a plurality of impedance electrodes configured to be coupled to a patient's body and to generate an AC current with an electrical field to detect local electrical impedance of a portion of the patient's body encompassed by the electrical field, the local electrical impedance being a surrogate measure of local blood flow of the portion of the patient's body. At least a portion of the portable monitoring device is configured to be insertable subcutaneously into the patient's body.

Abstract: A method of processing a handover request from a base station controller (BSC) of a GSM (Global System for Mobile communication)-type network. The method comprises the steps of passing a handover request with GSM-type parameters from a base station controller (BSC) through a Master Switching Center (MSC) of the GSM-type network to a UMTS core network (CN) and to a Radio Network Controller (RNC) of the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) network, translating the GSM-type parameters to UTRAN parameters in the Radio Network Controller (RNC), and allocating UTRAN resources in response to the translated parameters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring impedance for pathology assessment in a living being using convergent bioelectric lead fields is disclosed, including injecting a current between first and second electrodes implanted in a body of a living being, where the first and second electrodes define a first electric lead field oriented between the first and second electrodes. A potential difference is measured between third and fourth electrodes implanted in the body, where the potential difference results from the current injected between the first and second electrodes. The third and fourth electrodes define a second electric lead field oriented between the third and fourth electrodes. The first and second electric lead fields converge near an assessment site within the body, but are substantially separated otherwise. An impedance value is calculated based on the potential difference and the current injection, and is used to assess a pathology near the assessment site.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes a carriage mounted on a guide. The carriage provides a transverse movement to a printhead. The carriage includes an upper carriage component adjacent to a rear support wall of the ink jet printer and a lower carriage component mounted to the upper carriage component. A slider is disposed between the upper carriage and the rear support wall. The slider includes a rigid substrate with a hole or an eyelet forming a hole. A pin secured to the carriage engages the hole and allows the slider to rotate up to 360 degrees around the pin. The slider includes a fabric with extended fibers secured to the substrate or directly to the carriage in order to resist static charge accumulations and lower friction.

Abstract: A two-ply drink-through lid for a disposable drink cup comprising outer and inner nestable shells of thin plastic material held together by means of an edge configuration which also holds the lid to the rim on the cup. The shells have apertures formed therein which can be aligned or de-aligned by rotating the outer shell over the inner shell while the lid is on a cup. Rotation stops are provided by an arcuate recess in the inner shell and a detent in the outer shell which fits into the recess. Two-position and three-position lids are described.

Abstract: An elongate, malleable ablation probe including an elongate malleable body (38) and a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart electrodes (40) disposed at a distal end thereof. The electrodes (40) are separated one from another by insulative material. In one embodiment, a malleable insert is provided for insertion into a flexible longitudinal sleeve, the flexible longitudinal sleeve conforming to the shape of the malleable insert upon such insertion. In other embodiments, a malleable core is surrounded by a flexible body, the electrodes (40) being mounted to the body.

Abstract: Compositions and processes for preparing extrudable powder blends containing at least one vinyl chloride resin and a cellulosic material are provided. More specifically, compositions and processes for preparing extrudable free-flowing powder blends containing PVC and wood flour (WF) are also provided for preparing foamed or nonfoamed extrudates. The processes provided herein incorporate components which may contain up to a total of 25 weight percent water. Processes for preparing foamed extrudates are also provided wherein a cooling fluid is used to increase the expansion ratio of the foam. Finally provided are composites having an extrudable thermoplastic substrate and at least one capstock layer disposed thereon containing a PVC/WF composition.