Abstract: Described here are systems and methods for affecting tissue within a body to form a lesion. Some systems comprise tissue-affecting devices, devices that guide the advancement of the tissue-affecting elements to a target tissue region, devices that locate and secure tissue, and devices that help position the tissue-affecting devices along the target tissue. The methods described here comprise advancing a first tissue-affecting device to a first surface of a target tissue, advancing a second tissue-affecting device to a second surface of the target tissue, and positioning the first and second devices so that a lesion may be formed in the tissue between them. In some variations, the devices, systems, and methods described here are used to treat atrial fibrillation by ablating fibrillating tissue from an endocardial surface and an epicardial surface of a heart. Methods of closing, occluding, and/or removing the left atrial appendage are also described.

Abstract: A modular tent frame system includes a number of folding frame elements which permit the shelter to be rapidly deployed. The folding elements incorporate joints with self-resetting lock mechanisms. During set up they automatically lock the joints into place and once unlocked they reset to automatically lock the joints into place on the next setup.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a solenoid assisted valve including a split collar and a precision sealing valve seat surface with tight dimensional tolerances and substantial performance repeatability. In an illustrative example, the split collar may concentrically mate around a cylindrical bobbin. In some examples, the split collar may include ferromagnetic material alone or in combination with various thermoplastic materials. The placement of the split collar may be adjusted by manufacturing to fine tune placement of a magnetic pole and to customize valve performance, for example. The valve seat may include, for example, an orifice sealed with an elastic stopper. The valve seat may be configured, for example, with specific ratiometric dimensional relationships and flatness specifications. Various solenoid valves may allow manufacturers to tune the location of a solenoid generated magnetic pole, for example, to tailor the valve plunger performance for a wide variety of applications.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods relate to a pneumatic compression therapy device configured to suggest content to the patient based on a determined disease state, the content pertaining to suggested changes in lifestyle based on a standard of care. In an illustrative embodiment, the suggested changes may include modifications to treatment location, treatment time, diet, eating habits, or sleeping schedule. Various examples may further sample the patient's health and automatically adjust a treatment parameter within a predetermined parameter range based on a history of measured parameters, such as limb volume, for example. In coordination with the therapeutic treatment, the therapy device may deliver suggested content to guide the patient to make more healthful lifestyle choices to reduce recovery time and improve patient health outcomes.

Abstract: Methods are described herein for small molecule biochemical profiling of an individual subject for diagnosis of a disease or disorder, facilitating diagnosis of a disease or disorder, and/or identifying an increased risk of developing a disease or disorder in the individual subject. Aberrant levels of small molecules present in a sample from an individual subject are identified and diagnostic information relevant to the individual subject is obtained based on the identified aberrant levels. The obtained diagnostic information includes one or more of an identification of at least one biochemical pathway associated with the identified subset of the small molecules having aberrant levels, an identification at least one disease or disorder associated with the identified subset of the small molecules having aberrant levels, and an identification of at least one recommended follow up test associated with the identified subset of the small molecules having aberrant levels.

Abstract: A two-stroke engine comprises a first oiling system and a second oiling system. The first oiling system includes a low-pressure pump that distributes oil from a first oil tank to the two-stroke engine. The second oiling system includes a pump mechanically coupled to a crankshaft of the two-stroke engine, wherein the pump distributes oil from a second oil tank to an accessory at a pressure greater than the first oil pressure, wherein oil distributed to the accessory is returned to the second oil tank.

Abstract: A device and method for delivering a vascular device to a target site is provided that allows an orientation of the vascular device at the target site to be adjusted by a user. In general, the delivery device includes an outer tubular member, an intermediate tubular member within the outer tubular member, and an inner member that can move axially within the intermediate tubular member. Each of the members defines a proximal end and a distal end. The intermediate and outer tubular members are fixed at their respective proximal ends, but are not fixed at their distal ends. Thus, a torque applied to the proximal end of the intermediate tubular member is at least partially transmitted to the distal end of the intermediate tubular member, allowing the user to rotate an attached vascular device by rotating the proximal end of the intermediate tubular member.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to an optimizable cellular growth chamber, where growth conditions are optimized by adjusting gas pressures through a gas permeable membrane. In an illustrative example, an apparatus may provide a volume to contain growth medium and the cells under propagation, where the volume has limited but non-zero pneumatic communication with a pressure-controlled chamber via a gas-permeable membrane. Associated apparatus and methods are proposed to manage desired growth conditions via deliberate control of parameters, such as partial pressures, for example.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to an adaptable microenvironment for cellular and biological processing in a traceable, transportable unit. In an illustrative example, an apparatus consists of one or more portable cell tissue containment modules that may be removably interconnected to perform a processing step and/or transfer the stored medium to another module. Associated apparatus and methods are proposed to ensure non-contaminating mechanical or fluid communication between a plurality of modules or between a module and peripheral equipment, to limit process errors such as steps performed out of order, and to intrinsically manage identification of tissue samples with accompanying process data in a manner that decreases risk of mislabeling or otherwise mishandling a sample at all stages of the production and treatment process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for photon, ion or particle counting described that provides seven orders of magnitude of linear dynamic range (LDR) for a single detector. By explicitly considering the log-normal probability distribution in voltage transients as a function of the number of photons, ions or particles present, the binomial distribution of observed counts for a given threshold, the mean number of photons, ions or particles can be determined well beyond the conventional limit.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for efficiently mining multi-threshold measurements acquired using photon counting pixel-array detectors for spectral imaging and diffraction analyses. Images of X-ray intensity as a function of X-ray energy were recorded on a 6 megapixel X-ray photon counting array detector through linear fitting of the measured counts recorded as a function of counting threshold. An analytical model is disclosed for describing the probability density of detected voltage, utilizing fractional photon counting to account for edge/corner effects from voltage plumes that spread across multiple pixels. Three-parameter fits to the model were independently performed for each pixel in the array for X-ray scattering images acquired for 13.5 keV and 15.0 keV X-ray energies. From the established pixel responses, multi-threshold composite images produced from the sum of 13.5 keV and 15.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a pneumatic distribution system having pneumatic pump that exhausts into a common plenum that is in fluid communication with a plurality of flow controllers. In an illustrative embodiment, a system controller may coordinate the operation of the one or more pneumatic pumps and the plurality of flow controllers to provide air pressure control to a system of pneumatic chambers. In some embodiments, one of the plurality of flow controllers may be configured to provide fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere so as to permit a fluid path from a pneumatic chamber connected to another flow controller to the ambient atmosphere via both flow controllers and the common plenum. In an exemplary embodiment, the system controller may advantageously control the air pressures in a plurality of pneumatic chambers independently of one another using coordinated control of the pump and flow controllers.

Abstract: A valve can include a solenoid coil, a plunger having a core configured to respond to a magnetic field generated by the solenoid coil, and a valve disc. The valve disc can be positioned at a head of the core and configured to cushion impact when the valve is closed. A projection can be positioned and configured to cushion impact when the valve is opened. The valve can be used in an air bed system in fluid connection between an air pump and an inflatable air chamber of a mattress.

Abstract: An apparatus can include a housing defining a housing interior, an air pump positioned in the housing interior, and a plurality of resilient connectors connecting the air pump to the housing with the resilient connectors in tension so as to reduce transmission of vibration from the air pump to the housing during operation of the air pump.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to nutating a piston drive linkage oriented around a longitudinal axis in response to the rotation of a drive shaft about a drive axis of rotation, said longitudinal axis being offset and canted with respect to said drive axis of rotation. In an illustrative example, the piston drive linkage may be formed as an umbrella shape with multiple arm members extending radially from the longitudinal axis. The distal ends of each of the radial arm members may attach to a stationary piston crank. The nutating motion of the piston drive linkage may impart a substantially linear motion profile substantially parallel to the drive axis of rotation. A shaft extending along the longitudinal axis from the piston linkage may advantageously freely insert into and rotate within a receptacle of a spinner body being rotated around the drive axis of rotation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for photon, ion or particle counting described that provides seven orders of magnitude of linear dynamic range (LDR) for a single detector. By explicitly considering the log-normal probability distribution in voltage transients as a function of the number of photons, ions or particles present, the binomial distribution of observed counts for a given threshold, the mean number of photons, ions or particles can be determined well beyond the conventional limit.

Abstract: A beam-scanning optical design is described for achieving up to kHz frame-rate optical imaging on multiple simultaneous data acquisition channels. In one embodiment, two fast-scan resonant mirrors direct the optical beam on a circuitous trajectory through the field of view, with the trajectory repeat-time given by the least common multiplier of the mirror periods. Dicing the raw time-domain data into sub-trajectories combined with model-based image reconstruction (MBIR) 3D in-painting algorithms allows for effective frame-rates much higher than the repeat time of the Lissajous trajectory. Because sub-trajectory and full-trajectory imaging are different methods of analyzing the same data, both high-frame rate images with relatively low resolution and low frame rate images with high resolution are simultaneously acquired.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to nutating a piston drive linkage oriented around a longitudinal wobble axis in response to the rotation of a drive shaft about a drive axis, said wobble axis being offset and canted with respect to said drive axis. In an illustrative example, the piston drive linkage may be formed as a wobble plate extending radially from the wobble axis. Near a periphery, the wobble plate may attach to a plurality of stationary piston cranks. The nutating motion of the piston drive linkage may impart a substantially linear motion profile substantially parallel to the drive axis of rotation. A bearing oriented around the wobble axis may advantageously be freely inserted into and removed from an aperture in the wobble plate. An inner race of the bearing may freely rotate about the wobble axis in response to rotation about the drive axis.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to nutating a piston drive linkage oriented around a longitudinal axis in response to the rotation of a drive shaft about a drive axis, said longitudinal axis being offset and canted with respect to said drive axis. In an illustrative example, the piston drive linkage may be formed as a wobble plate extending radially from the longitudinal axis. Near a periphery, the wobble plate may attach to a plurality of stationary piston cranks. The nutating motion of the piston drive linkage may impart a substantially linear motion profile substantially parallel to the drive axis of rotation. A bearing oriented around the longitudinal axis may advantageously be freely inserted into and removed from an aperture in the wobble plate. An inner race of the bearing may freely rotate about the longitudinal axis in response to rotation about the drive axis.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a Self-Validating System (SVS) which includes an Electronic Self-Validating Module (ESVM) that may be employed within a medical device, operable to receive and to transmit wireless transmissions to and from a personal electronic mobile device, the mobile device executing a Self-Validating Medical Device Remote Control (SVMDRC) application, also known as the mobile app, operable to control the ESVM, the mobile device and the ESVM further executing a pre-determined sequence of instructions at a pre-determined frequency, operable to perform a set of safety (validation) checks on the mobile device, and the ESVM. In an illustrative example, changes (updates) to the mobile device's operating system, the app, or the hardware on the mobile device may be detected by the mobile device, and may advantageously re-validate the mobile device automatically.