Abstract: The present invention relates to the fields of medicine, cell biology, molecular biology and genetics. In particular, the present invention provides methods to isolate and purify microvesicles from cell culture supernatants and biological fluids. The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions of microvesicles to promote or enhance wound healing, stimulate tissue regeneration, remodel scarred tissue, modulate immune reactions, alter neoplastic cell growth and/or mobility, or alter normal cell growth and/or mobility. The present invention also provides compositions of microvesicles to be used as diagnostic reagents, and methods to prepare the compositions of microvesicles.

Abstract: Described herein are methods for producing and identifying characteristic (“crescent shaped”) regions indicative of an atherectomy plaque within a vessel, and systems and devices adapted to take advantage of this characteristic region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a urine specimen capture device comprising a capture bowl for collecting a urine specimen, a mounting frame for supporting the capture bowl within a toilet bowl, and an analytic device connected to the capture bowl to analyze a property of the urine specimen in the capture bowl.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a urine specimen capture device comprising a narrow slit disposed on a surface exposed to urine that retains a portion of the urine specimen.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a urine specimen capture device comprising a capture bowl to capture a urine specimen, a mounting frame connected to the capture bowl to support the capture bowl within a toilet bowl and one or more flush water capture flange for capturing flush water emitted from a toilet bowl rim during a toilet flush cycle and diverting the flush water to the capture bowl to rinse the capture bowl of the urine specimen.

Abstract: An atherectomy catheter includes an elongate flexible catheter body, a cutter near the distal end of the catheter body, a drive shaft connected to the cutter and extending within the catheter body, an imaging element near the distal end of the catheter body and an imaging shaft connected to the imaging element and extending within the catheter body. The cutter and the imaging element are mechanically isolated, and the drive shaft is configured to be axially translated relative to the imaging shaft and the catheter body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods, uses, systems and kits for laser-assisted delivery of at least one bioactive agent to a subject. Specifically, laser light is used to create channel(s) in tissue of the subject, and the bioactive agent (s) is applied to the opening of the channel(s). The bioactive agent may be a cell, such as a functional cell, including stem cells, protein, peptide, peptide fragment, nucleic acid, nucleotide fragment, gene, pharmaceutical compound, therapeutic compound, medicament, small molecule, aptamer, or any combination of the above. Delivery may be accomplished locally or systemically, and can be used to treat local or systemic conditions or disorders. Functional reconstitution and gene therapy is also possible with the present invention. Other uses include directing bioactive agent migration, stimulating endogenous stem cell circulation, treating biofilms, and regrowth of hair. Tissue explants are also incorporated in some embodiments.

Abstract: A hand-operated intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheter is described for flexed and rotational steering is described for improved catheter operation, control and less trauma on patients. The disclosed catheter assembly includes ultrasound transducers mounted upon a rotatable tip mounted on a distal end of a flexible elongate shaft. A set of steering lines are controlled by a steering actuator to articulate bidirectionally a distal segment of the catheter. Another steering actuator controls rotation of a torque member that, in turn is coupled to the rotatable tip. A user, through the steering actuators, affects repositioning the ultrasonic transducers by repositioning exposed control surfaces of the steering actuators lengthwise along the housing of the handle.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for using backscattered data and known parameters to characterize vascular tissue. Specifically, methods and devices for identifying information about the imaging element used to gather the backscattered data are provided in order to permit an operation console having a plurality of Virtual Histology classification trees to select the appropriate VH classification tree for analyzing data gathered using that imaging element. In order to select the appropriate VH database for analyzing data from a specific imaging catheter, it is advantageous to know information regarding the function and performance of the catheter, such as the operating frequency of the catheter and whether it is a rotational or phased-array catheter. The present invention provides a device and method for storing this information on the imaging catheter and communicating the information to the operation console.

Abstract: The foam tube for pipe insulations has an external surface and an internal surface. The internal surface is provided with an adhesively bonded layer of fibers. The fibers are a material having a melt temperature that is higher than that of the polymeric foam. The fibers are adhesively bonded to the internal surface such as to stand up from the internal surface. The fibers are substantially uniformly distributed over the internal surface providing a surface coverage of 2 to 20 percent. Further, the fibers have a linear density of 0.5 to 25 dtex and a length of 0.2 to 5 mm. With this fiber layer the polymeric foam tube has an improved thermal resistance and thermal conductivity.

Abstract: An apparatus that comprises material which have different thermal expansion coefficients, combined in such a way that the length of the drift region is variant, and self adjusting with temperature. The adjustment is such as to compensate for the length changes resulting from thermal expansion or contraction in other ion optical elements, such that ions of substantially equivalent mass to charge ratios maintain a constant flight time though the system. This allows for use of standard construction methods for the ion optical elements.

Abstract: A time of flight (TOF) analysis device such as a TOF spectrometer is disclosed which includes a torch and sample introduction system for supplying a beam of ions to an orthogonal accelerator. The orthogonal accelerator deflects ions in the beam sideways to an ion reflector and then to a detector. The spectrometer includes a time to digital conversion circuit and an integrated transient recorder. The detector can include a series of dynodes and the voltage between dynodes can be varied in order to maintain a constant voltage between an ion sensitive surface and the last of the dynodes. A second ion mirror may be used for reflecting some of the ions towards the detector. The orthogonal accelerator is configured and powered to provide spatial focussing according to a predetermined condition. The spectrometer may also include vertical focussing for focussing the beam back to a size commensurate with the size of the detector after the beam has been focussed by beam forming optics.

Abstract: Disclosed is both a method and composition for providing a coated low density foam. The coated low density foam includes a low density foam substrate coated with mixture comprising a prepolymer, a monomer, a catalyst and a graft initiator. The coating is grafted onto a low density foam substrate to provide the low density foam substrate protection from abrasions, tears, scratches, ozone and UV light, while maintaining the flexibility of the foam substrate.

Abstract: A snowplow blade safety light assembly attachment for providing highly visible lighting on snowplow blades. The snowplow blade safety light assembly attachment includes a fastening assembly being adapted to securely attach to a top edge of a snowplow blade; and also includes an elongate flexible support member being securely mounted to the fastening assembly; and further includes a protective member being securely mounted upon the fastening assembly for shielding a lower portion of the elongate flexible support member; and also includes a light-emitting assembly securely mounted to the elongate flexible support member and being adapted to connect to a power source of a prime mover.

Abstract: A catalyst system comprising certain bimetallic metallocenes and an alumoxane is provided together with a process for the preparation of high molecular weight ethylene-alpha olefin elastomers and ethylene-alpha-olefin nonconjugated diolefin elastomers wherein the requisite monomers are polymerized in the presence of the bimetallic metallocene/alumoxane catalyst system.

Abstract: A catalyst system comprising certain bimetallic metallocenes and an alumoxane is provided together with a process for the preparation of high molecular weight ethylene-alpha olefin elastomers and ethylene-alpha-olefin nonconjugated diolefin elastomers wherein the requisite monomers are polymerized in the presence of the bimetallic metallocene/alumoxane catalyst system.

Abstract: A table bender controller employing a computerized display screen with the computer therefor being programmed to take keyed-in entry of customer provided bar shape specifications, whether entered by the machine operator at the machine location or from corresponding specification input data downloaded from a remote location input terminal, which specifications are in terms of a finished dimension of the bent bar profile along with the diameter of the bar to be bent and the bend degrees and directions of bend to produce the required shape, all of which either after key-in or downloading is called up in graphical display on the screen in a visual profile corresponding to that to be bent with appropriate machine and bar set instructions for producing such shape, including bending sequence, dimensions, gage marks, pin sizes and ram location for each of the component bends in the sequence.

Abstract: A mass spectrometry system comprises a source of ions for analysis, an ion storage device for separating the source ions as a function of their different mass-to-charge ratios, means for dissociating the separated source ions in order to generate daughter ions and an ion mirror for analyzing the daughter ions as a function of the mass-to-charge ratios. The mass spectrometry system has particular utility in the analysis of large molecules contained in biological and biochemical samples.

Abstract: An ion-storage device has an electrode structure for subjecting ions in a defined region along a path P to an electrostatic retarding field.The electrostatic retarding field is in the form of an electrostatic quadrupole field. Ions enter the defined region at a position P.sub.1 on the path and they exit the defined region at a position P.sub.2, having travelled a distance x.sub.T. Ions are subjected to the electrostatic retarding field during an initial part only of a preset time interval and the velocity of each ion during that part of the preset time interval is related linearly to its separation x from the exit position P.sub.2 by the expression, ##EQU1## where m is the mass of the ion, q is its charge and k is a constant. Ions having the same mass-to-charge ratio (m/q) all exit the field region at the same time during the remaining part of the preset time interval.

Abstract: An ion mirror for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer comprises a monopole electrode structure which operates at d.c. voltage. This electrode structure defines a field region in which an incident ion experiences an electrostatic reflecting force having a magnitude proportional to the separation of the ion from where it entered the field region or from where the ion exits the field region, if the latter separation is smaller. The ion occupies the field region for a time interval related to its mass but not its energy.