Abstract: A static gasket and method of construction thereof is provided. The gasket includes a functional layer constructed of one type of metal having an opening bounded by an inner periphery an outer periphery. The gasket further includes a carrier layer constructed of a different metal than the functional layer. The carrier layer has an opening bounded by an inner periphery configured to receive the outer periphery of the functional layer in a line-to-line or loose fit. The functional layer is configured in substantially coplanar relation with the carrier layer with a first portion of the outer periphery of the functional layer being welded to a radially aligned first portion of the inner periphery of the carrier layer. A second portion of the outer periphery of the functional layer remains detached from a radially aligned second portion of the inner periphery of the carrier layer.

Abstract: A method and system for media navigation. A descriptor hierarchy may be accessed. The descriptor hierarchy may include at least one category list. One or more media descriptors may be accessed for a plurality of media items. The plurality of media items may be accessible from a plurality of sources. The one or more media descriptors may be mapped to the at least one category list. The navigation may be processed through a user interface to enable selection of the plurality of media items from the plurality of sources.

Abstract: Techniques for increasing the safety of medical device programming using general purpose hardware, such as a general purpose personal computer, are described. In some embodiments, a system includes an intermediate computing device comprising an applications module. Information from the applications module, such as instructions for an implantable medical device (IMD), may be presented to a user via a user input terminal that is separate from the intermediate computing device. A user may interact with the user input terminal to select an instruction from the applications module, and the intermediate computing device may transmit the selected instruction to the IMD. In some embodiments, the intermediate computing device comprises a web server and the user input terminal comprises a web browser configured to access the web server. In other embodiments, the intermediate computing device comprises a client server and the user input terminal comprises a client.

Abstract: Devices for palliating gastrointestinal strictures using rapid exchange type enteral stent placement catheters. The catheter may include an inner member and an outer member, with the two members being slidable with respect to one another. In various device embodiments, a ramp for directing a guidewire out from within the catheter is provided using portions of the outer member or a shaped mandrel. The inner member may take a number of forms, including a tubular distal portion, a skived or integrally attached elongate midsection, and a proximal portion. A mandrel can be used in a portion proximal of the guidewire ramp, with the mandrel taking one of several disclosed forms.

Abstract: A multiple stage tool for use with plunger lift is disclosed. The disclosed device can be removably positioned at a desired position in a well's tubing, thus providing an upper limit for the travel distance of a first plunger. Subsequent well tubing partitions can be established with the introduction of subsequent plungers followed by the disclosed device.

Abstract: Techniques for increasing the safety of medical device programming using general purpose hardware, such as a general purpose personal computer, are described. Some embodiments include a watchdog module that is serviced by the general purpose hardware, a mediator module that monitors programming instructions from the general purpose hardware, and/or a safe mode input that may be activated by a user. In some embodiments, a system comprises an implantable medical device, an intermediate device, a computing device that communicates with the implantable medical device via the intermediate device. The intermediate device may provide any one or more of the safety measures described above. In some embodiments, the intermediate device is dedicated hardware, and critical programming functions are provided by the intermediate device, rather than the general purpose hardware.

Abstract: An afocal monolithic optical element formed of a shallow cylinder of optical material (glass, polymer, etc.) with fast aspheric surfaces, nominally confocal paraboloids, configured on the front and back surfaces. The front surface is substantially planar, and this lends itself to deposition of multi-layer stacks of thin dielectric and metal films to create a filter for rejecting out-of-band light. However, an aspheric section (for example, a paraboloid) can either be ground into a small area of this surface (for a Cassegrain-type telescope) or attached to the planar surface (for a Gregorian-type telescope). This aspheric section of the surface is then silvered to create the telescope's secondary mirror. The rear surface of the cylinder is figured into a steep, convex asphere (again, a paraboloid in the examples), and also made reflective to form the telescope's primary mirror.

Abstract: Methods for identifying individuals who are not yet diabetic (pre-diabetic), but who are at significant risk of developing diabetes, such as type 2 diabetes, are disclosed herein. Methods are also provided for the identification of diabetic subjects. Also disclosed are methods for identifying individuals with diabetic complications. The methods include the identification of an overall glycosylation profile of proteins in a biological fluid, such as saliva, urine, or serum. In some examples, the methods include determining the amount of one or more protein in a biological fluid or determining the glycosylation pattern of one or more proteins in a biological fluid.

Abstract: Communication sessions between an external device and an implantable medical device are established by the initiating device periodically transmitted bursts of energy and with the device that is the target of the bursts periodically sniffing for the transmitted bursts of energy. A silent period between bursts may be established and the sniff interval is chosen to avoid repetitively sniffing during the silent period. The length of the bursts may be chosen to reduce the delay in establishing the communications and/or to reduce the power consumption. The implantable medical device may use multiple modes of operation where in some modes the implantable medical device sniffs and in another mode the implantable medical device transmits bursts. The sniff interval for the implantable medical device may vary depending upon the mode. The burst length may vary depending upon whether the external device or the implantable device is transmitting the bursts.

Abstract: Methods of and devices for palliating gastrointestinal strictures using rapid exchange type enteral stent placement catheters. The catheter may include an inner member and an outer member, with the two members being slidable with respect to one another. In various device embodiments, a ramp for directing a guidewire out from within the catheter is provided using portions of the outer member or a shaped mandrel. The inner member may take a number of forms, including a tubular distal portion, a skived or integrally attached elongate midsection, and a proximal portion. A mandrel can be used in a portion proximal of the guidewire ramp, with the mandrel taking one of several disclosed forms.

Abstract: It has been discovered that a dynamic mixed media package with a mechanism for dynamic modification/update provides a media experience to users that exceeds the experience offered by individual media files. A dynamic mixed media package accommodates various types of media and allows for additional media and modifications of existing media. Additional media includes media generated by consumers, such as media derived from a seed media. A seed media is marked and assembled with supplemental media into a package. The seed media is marked to allow performance of various operations, such as identification of the seed media during the lifetime of the package and attribution when the seed media is incorporated into consumer generated derivative media.

Abstract: Multiple information is extracted from an unknown recording and information associated therewith. Associated information includes the filename, if the recording is a computer file in, e.g., MP3 format, or table of contents (TOC) data, if the recording is on a removable medium, such as a compact disc. At least one and preferably several algorithmically determined fingerprints are extracted from the recording using one or more fingerprint extraction methods. The information extracted is compared with corresponding information in a database maintained for reference recordings. Identification starts with the most accurate and efficient method available, e.g., using a hash ID, a unique ID or text. Fingerprint matching is used to confirm other matches and validation is performed by comparing the duration of the unknown and a possibly matching reference recording.

Abstract: Multiple information is extracted from an unknown recording and information associated therewith. Associated information includes the filename, if the recording is a computer file in, e.g., MP3 format, or table of contents (TOC) data, if the recording is on a removable medium, such as a compact disc. At least one and preferably several algorithmically determined fingerprints are extracted from the recording using one or more fingerprint extraction methods. The information extracted is compared with corresponding information in a database maintained for reference recordings. Identification starts with the most accurate and efficient method available, e.g., using a hash ID, a unique ID or text. Fingerprint matching is used to confirm other matches and validation is performed by comparing the duration of the unknown and a possibly matching reference recording.

Abstract: A method and system for media navigation. A descriptor hierarchy may be accessed. The descriptor hierarchy may include at least one category list. One or more media descriptors may be accessed for a plurality of media items. The plurality of media items may be accessible from a plurality of sources. The one or more media descriptors may be mapped to the at least one category list. The navigation may be processed through a user interface to enable selection of the plurality of media items from the plurality of sources.

Abstract: This disclosure provides an intracellular fragment of natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPRA), referred to herein as soluble natriuretic peptide receptor-related fragment (sNRF). It is shown herein that sNRF causes NP resistance. Based on these observations, methods of treating a cardiovascular disorder by inhibiting the activity of sNRF are disclosed. Assays are provided that use sNRF to screen agents for their ability to increase the biological activity of an NPR, for example agents that increase the sensitivity of NPR for NPs (such as atrial natriuretic peptide, ANP), or that decrease growth factor deleterious effects, or combinations thereof. Also provided are agents identified using the disclosed assays, and methods of using the agents, for example to treat or diagnose a cardiovascular disorder, such as heart failure.

Abstract: An emergency eyewash unit includes a pair of water discharge ports oriented to produce a pair of upwardly directed, diverging water streams for inside-out flush flow of contaminants from a person's eyes. These eyewash streams can be combined with a plurality of smaller upwardly directed facewash streams for flushing contaminants from a person's face. The eyewash and/or facewash streams are produced by an eyewash body adapted for rotatable mounting onto a water supply conduit, with a locking clip normally preventing undesired rotational disassembly. The eyewash body may be used in combination with an overhead emergency shower which, in one preferred form, includes a shower spray head carrying multiple flow control and flow shaper elements to produce a substantially uniformly dispersed shower spray pattern.

Abstract: An inflatable air tube includes a sleeve member arranged concentrically about the upper end portion of the air tube to define a receptacle chamber for receiving a quantity of bulk explosive blasting powder, thereby to add weight to the air tube for positioning and stabilizing the same in the bulk explosive powder during the depositing of the powder into a blasting hole drilled into the ground. According to the method of the present invention, a plurality of accurate blasting patterns may be provided in the blasting powder column by timing the manual or mechanical insertion of the air tubes into the bulk blasting powder relative to the rate of supply of the powder from a source thereof.

Abstract: A medical balloon for attachment to a catheter tube, and method of making the balloon. The balloon comprises a plurality of co-extruded and coextensive layers of different polymeric materials (20A, 20B) at least one of which is a base structural layer (20B) and the other of which (20A) is formed of polyethylene and copolymers thereof or of SELAR. The base structural layer is thicker than the other layer.

Abstract: Example embodiments of a media synchronization system and method for synthesizing a presentation of a multimedia event are generally described herein. In some example embodiments, the media synchronization system includes a media ingestion module to access a plurality of media clips received from a plurality of client devices, a media analysis module to determine a temporal relation between a first media clip from the plurality of media clips and a second media clip from the plurality of media clips, and a content creation module to align the first media clip and the second media clip based on the temporal relation, and to combine the first media clip and the second media clip to generate the presentation.