Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of providing takeoff runway information. The method includes determining an aircraft's position on an airfield by a global positioning system (“GPS”) receiver in the aircraft and retrieving takeoff runway data from a database based on the aircraft's position as determined by the GPS receiver. Apparatus for practicing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, implantable or insertable medical devices are provided, which contain at least one region of polymeric material. The at least one region of polymeric material contains at least one polymer selected from the following (a) at least one polymer that contains a polyol chain having charged groups along its length, (b) at least one polymer that contains a polyol chain having biodegradable polymer side chains along its length and (c) a combination thereof.

Abstract: An implantable or insertable medical device which comprises (a) a therapeutic agent and (b) a polymeric release region that controls the release of the therapeutic agent upon administration to a patient. The polymeric release region comprises a radiation-crosslinked polymer, and the polymeric release region is crosslinked with a radiation dose of at least 10,000 rads. The radiation-crosslinked polymer can be, for example, a radiation-crosslinked methylene-containing polymer. The polymeric release region can be, for example, (a) a carrier region that comprises the therapeutic agent or (b) a barrier region that is disposed over a therapeutic-agent-containing region that comprises the therapeutic agent. The present invention is further directed to methods of forming such medical devices, methods of releasing a therapeutic agent within a patient using such medical devices, and methods of modulating the release of a therapeutic agent from such medical devices.

Abstract: Implantable or insertable medical devices are described. The medical devices comprise (a) a therapeutic agent and (b) a polymeric release region that controls the release of the therapeutic agent upon administration to a patient. The polymer release region comprises a graft copolymer, which further comprises a main chain and a plurality of side chains. One of (a) the main chain and (b) the side chains corresponds to a rubbery phase within the release region at ambient temperatures, while the other corresponds to a hard phase within the release layer at ambient temperatures. Typically, the graft copolymer will comprise one glass transition temperature below ambient temperature and another second glass transition temperature above ambient temperature. Also described are methods for forming the above graft copolymers, methods for administering a therapeutic agent to a patient using the above implantable or insertable medical devices, as well as methods for making the above devices.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, medical devices are provided, which contain (a) a substrate and (b) a polymeric region disposed over the substrate which contains at least one block copolymer. The block copolymer, in turn, contains at least two polymer blocks which phase separate into two or more immiscible phase domains within the polymeric region. Moreover, a bioactive species is covalently attached to at least one of the polymer blocks. By attaching the bioactive species selectively to at least one polymer block, self-assembled clusters of the bioactive species are created as the blocks phase separate into immiscible phase domains.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, implantable or insertable medical devices are provided, which contain one or more polymeric regions, which in turn contain at least one block copolymer. The block copolymer includes (a) at least one high Tg (glass transition temperature) polymer block that contains at least one high Tg vinyl ether monomer and (b) at least one low Tg polymer block that contains at least one low Tg vinyl ether monomer.

Abstract: An implantable or insertable medical device which comprises (a) a therapeutic agent and (b) a polymeric release region that controls the release of the therapeutic agent upon administration to a patient. The polymeric release region comprises a radiation-crosslinked polymer, and the polymeric release region is crosslinked with a radiation dose of at least 10,000 rads. The radiation-crosslinked polymer can be, for example, a radiation-crosslinked methylene-containing polymer. The polymeric release region can be, for example, (a) a carrier region that comprises the therapeutic agent or (b) a barrier region that is disposed over a therapeutic-agent-containing region that comprises the therapeutic agent. The present invention is further directed to methods of forming such medical devices, methods of releasing a therapeutic agent within a patient using such medical devices, and methods of modulating the release of a therapeutic agent from such medical devices.

Abstract: An implantable or insertable medical device which comprises (a) a therapeutic agent and (b) a polymeric release region that controls the release of the therapeutic agent upon administration to a patient. The polymeric release region comprises a radiation-crosslinked polymer, and the polymeric release region is crosslinked with a radiation dose of at least 10,000 rads. The radiation-crosslinked polymer can be, for example, a radiation-crosslinked methylene-containing polymer. The polymeric release region can be, for example, (a) a carrier region that comprises the therapeutic agent or (b) a barrier region that is disposed over a therapeutic-agent-containing region that comprises the therapeutic agent. The present invention is further directed to methods of forming such medical devices, methods of releasing a therapeutic agent within a patient using such medical devices, and methods of modulating the release of a therapeutic agent from such medical devices.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to medical devices, and more specifically to medical devices that are at least partially insertable or implantable into the body of a patient. The medical devices generally comprise (a) a therapeutic agent, more typically, a high-molecular-weight therapeutic agent, and (b) at least one polymeric layer, which typically acts to control the release of the therapeutic agent from the medical device. Also disclosed herein are methods of making such medical devices.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel implantable or insertable medical devices that provide release of a therapeutic agent. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a therapeutic-agent-releasing medical device is provided, which comprises: (a) an implantable or insertable medical device; (b) a release layer disposed over at least a portion of the implantable or insertable medical device, and (c) a therapeutic agent. The release layer regulates the rate of release of the therapeutic agent from the medical device upon implantation or insertion of the device into a patient. The release layer comprises (i) a first polymer comprising one or more polymer chains that form one or more polymer phase domains when the first polymer is in a pure solid-state form; and (ii) a second polymer comprising two or more polymer chains that form two or more phase domains when the second polymer is in a pure solid-state form.

Abstract: A method is provided for modulating the rate of release of a therapeutic agent from a release region, which constitutes at least a portion of an implantable or insertable medical device and which controls the rate at which the therapeutic is released from the medical device. The method comprises: (a) providing a release region that comprises (i) a therapeutic agent and (ii) polymer composition comprising two or more immiscible phases; and (b) modulating the rate of release of the therapeutic agent by changing the volume that is occupied by at least one of the immiscible polymer phases relative to the total volume of the release region that is formed. The release region can be, for example, a carrier layer, which comprises the therapeutic agent, or a barrier layer, which is disposed over a region that contains the therapeutic agent.

Abstract: A method of coating a medical device is provided. The method includes interfacing a therapeutic with a supercritical fluid and transferring the therapeutic from the supercritical fluid that has been interfaced with the therapeutic to the medical device. An article of manufacture is also provided. The article of manufacture includes a medical device having a releasable therapeutic on one of its surfaces, the medical device manufactured by placing the medical device in a coating chamber and exposing the medical device to a supercritical fluid carrying a therapeutic.

Abstract: A polyurethane casting tape with controlled tack is disclosed. The tackiness of the polyurethane is controlled by the addition of combinations of Kurrol salts, potassium metaphosphate and a sodium salt.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved optically readable disk having an optically readable portion arranged on said disk so as to be readable by an optical reading unit and a magnetically readable and writable portion arranged on said disk so as to be both readable and writable by a magnetic read/write unit. The magnetically readable and writable portion of the disk preferably includes data or information recorded thereon defining a desired playback parameter and/or sequence for the data or information optically recorded on the optically readable portion of the disk. Also disclosed is an improved optical disk playback apparatus comprising a drive unit for rotatably driving an optical disk, an optical reading unit operatively arranged for reading data optically recorded on said disk as said disk is rotated and a magnetic read/write unit operatively arranged for both magnetically reading data from and magnetically writing data to a magnetically readable and writable portion of said disk as said disk is rotated.

Abstract: It has been determined that the glass transition temperature of polyesters can be increased by incorporating certain imide-containing diacid monomers therein. This invention specifically discloses a copolyester which is comprised of repeat units which are derived from (a) a diol component and (b) a diacid component which is comprised of (1) from about 1 to about 15 mole percent of at least one imide-containing diacid monomer having the structural formula: ##STR1## wherein R represents an alkylene group, a substituted alkylene group, an arylene group, or a substituted arylene group, and (2) from about 85 to about 99 mole percent terephthalic acid or a diester thereof. N,N'-bis(1,3-methylene) cyclohexane bis-(trimellitimide) is a highly preferred imide-containing diacid monomer which can be utilized in making the polyesters of this invention.

Abstract: A metal forming tool having a reciprocal ram carrying tubular beam to which is attached a metal plate upon which workpiece holders are mounted, the tubular beam having a pivotal support to allow the tool to be pivoted between a vertical position in which the ram reciprocates vertically and a horizontal position in which the ram reciprocates horizontally. The workpiece holders are independently and detachably secured to the work platform by means located behind the workpiece holders on a line parallel to the line of movement of the ram, so that the tool performs both press and bending functions, and also workpieces with severe or multiple bends can be formed or straightened without excess obstruction by the securing means.

Abstract: A tool holder bracket is provided having a pair of parallel legs connected by a web which offsets the legs. One leg of the tool holder has a pair of anchor pins with enlarged heads for securing the bracket to a work support platform by inserting the anchor pins through keyhole-shaped openings and locking the bracket to the platform by engaging the heads under the platform. A pin is inserted through the other leg of the tool holder and an aligned opening in the platform to attach a tool to the bracket between the leg and the platform surface.