Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods that employ a pump to assist or support blood flow. An apparatus for pumping blood may include a pump housing having an outer wall disposed about a longitudinal pump axis, and having an upstream end and a downstream end; a blood flow straightener having a plurality of fins and positioned in the upstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of fins; a diffuser having a plurality of diffuser fins and positioned in the downstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of diffuser fins; and an impeller positioned between the blood flow straightener and the diffuser, and including a plurality of impeller blades. The apparatus may further include a pump drive configured to impart a rotational motion to the impeller by applying a magnetic field.

Abstract: A system for assisting a circulation of blood inside a body of a patient includes a pump including: a housing having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; an inducer positioned in the upstream portion of the housing, the inducer including one or more helically-wound inducer blades to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the pump; an impeller positioned downstream of the inducer in the housing, the impeller including one or more impeller blades to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the pump; and a diffuser positioned in the downstream portion of the housing, to direct blood through at least one aperture in a circumference of the housing.

Abstract: A system for assisting a circulation of blood inside a body of a patient includes a pump including: a housing having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; an inducer positioned in the upstream portion of the housing, the inducer including one or more helically-wound inducer blades to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the pump; an impeller positioned downstream of the inducer in the housing, the impeller including one or more impeller blades to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the pump; and a diffuser positioned in the downstream portion of the housing, to direct blood through at least one aperture in a circumference of the housing.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods that employ a pump to assist or support blood flow. An apparatus for pumping blood may include a pump housing having an outer wall disposed about a longitudinal pump axis, and having an upstream end and a downstream end; a blood flow straightener having a plurality of fins and positioned in the upstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of fins; a diffuser having a plurality of diffuser fins and positioned in the downstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of diffuser fins; and an impeller positioned between the blood flow straightener and the diffuser, and including a plurality of impeller blades. The apparatus may further include a pump drive configured to impart a rotational motion to the impeller by applying a magnetic field.

Abstract: A system for assisting a circulation of blood inside a body of a patient includes a pump including: a housing having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; an inducer positioned in the upstream portion of the housing, the inducer including one or more helically-wound inducer blades to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the pump; an impeller positioned downstream of the inducer in the housing, the impeller including one or more impeller blades to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the pump; and a diffuser positioned in the downstream portion of the housing, to direct blood through at least one aperture in a circumference of the housing.

Abstract: A system for assisting a circulation of blood inside a body of a patient includes a pump including: a housing having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; an inducer positioned in the upstream portion of the housing, the inducer including one or more helically-wound inducer blades to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the pump; an impeller positioned downstream of the inducer in the housing, the impeller including one or more impeller blades to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the pump; and a diffuser positioned in the downstream portion of the housing, to direct blood through at least one aperture in a circumference of the housing.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods that employ a pump to assist or support blood flow. An apparatus for pumping blood may include a pump housing having an outer wall disposed about a longitudinal pump axis, and having an upstream end and a downstream end; a blood flow straightener having a plurality of fins and positioned in the upstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of fins; a diffuser having a plurality of diffuser fins and positioned in the downstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of diffuser fins; and an impeller positioned between the blood flow straightener and the diffuser, and including a plurality of impeller blades. The apparatus may further include a pump drive configured to impart a rotational motion to the impeller by applying a magnetic field.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods that employ a pump to assist or support blood flow. An apparatus for pumping blood may include a pump housing having an outer wall disposed about a longitudinal pump axis, and having an upstream end and a downstream end; a blood flow straightener having a plurality of fins and positioned in the upstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of fins; a diffuser having a plurality of diffuser fins and positioned in the downstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of diffuser fins; and an impeller positioned between the blood flow straightener and the diffuser, and including a plurality of impeller blades. The apparatus may further include a pump drive configured to impart a rotational motion to the impeller by applying a magnetic field.

Abstract: A system for assisting a circulation of blood inside a body of a patient includes a pump including: a housing having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; an inducer positioned in the upstream portion of the housing, the inducer including one or more helically-wound inducer blades to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the pump; an impeller positioned downstream of the inducer in the housing, the impeller including one or more impeller blades to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the pump; and a diffuser positioned in the downstream portion of the housing, to direct blood through at least one aperture in a circumference of the housing.

Abstract: A system for assisting a circulation of blood inside a body of a patient includes a pump including: a housing having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; an inducer positioned in the upstream portion of the housing, the inducer including one or more helically-wound inducer blades to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the pump; an impeller positioned downstream of the inducer in the housing, the impeller including one or more impeller blades to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the pump; and a diffuser positioned in the downstream portion of the housing, to direct blood through at least one aperture in a circumference of the housing.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods that employ a pump to assist or support blood flow. An apparatus for pumping blood may include a pump housing having an outer wall disposed about a longitudinal pump axis, and having an upstream end and a downstream end; a blood flow straightener having a plurality of fins and positioned in the upstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of fins; a diffuser having a plurality of diffuser fins and positioned in the downstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of diffuser fins; and an impeller positioned between the blood flow straightener and the diffuser, and including a plurality of impeller blades. The apparatus may further include a pump drive configured to impart a rotational motion to the impeller by applying a magnetic field.

Abstract: A system for assisting a circulation of blood inside a body of a patient includes a pump including: a housing having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; an inducer positioned in the upstream portion of the housing, the inducer including one or more helically-wound inducer blades to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the pump; an impeller positioned downstream of the inducer in the housing, the impeller including one or more impeller blades to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the pump; and a diffuser positioned in the downstream portion of the housing, to direct blood through at least one aperture in a circumference of the housing.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods that employ a pump to assist or support blood flow. An apparatus for pumping blood may include a pump housing having an outer wall disposed about a longitudinal pump axis, and having an upstream end and a downstream end; a blood flow straightener having a plurality of fins and positioned in the upstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of fins; a diffuser having a plurality of diffuser fins and positioned in the downstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of diffuser fins; and an impeller positioned between the blood flow straightener and the diffuser, and including a plurality of impeller blades. The apparatus may further include a pump drive configured to impart a rotational motion to the impeller by applying a magnetic field.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods that employ a pump to assist or support blood flow. An apparatus for pumping blood may include a pump housing having an outer wall disposed about a longitudinal pump axis, and having an upstream end and a downstream end; a blood flow straightener having a plurality of fins and positioned in the upstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of fins; a diffuser having a plurality of diffuser fins and positioned in the downstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of diffuser fins; and an impeller positioned between the blood flow straightener and the diffuser, and including a plurality of impeller blades. The apparatus may further include a pump drive configured to impart a rotational motion to the impeller by applying a magnetic field.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods that employ a pump to assist or support blood flow. An apparatus for pumping blood may include a pump housing having an outer wall disposed about a longitudinal pump axis, and having an upstream end and a downstream end; a blood flow straightener having a plurality of fins and positioned in the upstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of fins; a diffuser having a plurality of diffuser fins and positioned in the downstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of diffuser fins; and an impeller positioned between the blood flow straightener and the diffuser, and including a plurality of impeller blades. The apparatus may further include a pump drive configured to impart a rotational motion to the impeller by applying a magnetic field.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods that employ a pump to assist or support blood flow. An apparatus for pumping blood may include a pump housing having an outer wall disposed about a longitudinal pump axis, and having an upstream end and a downstream end; a blood flow straightener having a plurality of fins and positioned in the upstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of fins; a diffuser having a plurality of diffuser fins and positioned in the downstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of diffuser fins; and an impeller positioned between the blood flow straightener and the diffuser, and including a plurality of impeller blades. The apparatus may further include a pump drive configured to impart a rotational motion to the impeller by applying a magnetic field.

Abstract: Embodiments are presented for executing an online game. One method includes an operation for creating an animation on a game board that is associated with a player. The animation includes a non-player character that delivers an invitation to start a master mission having quests. If the player accepts, an application from the player is received to start the master mission, the application including the selection of a specialty from a plurality of specialties available for the master mission. The method further includes an operation for delivering a quest reward after completing at least one of the quests from the plurality of quests, where the quest reward includes a wearable status item for an avatar of the player in the game board. In addition, a master reward is delivered after the completion of the master mission. The master reward includes the ability to perform game operations associated with the specialty.

Abstract: Techniques for fabricating nanowire/microwire-based solar cells are provided. In one, a method for fabricating a solar cell is provided. The method includes the following steps. A doped substrate is provided. A monolayer of spheres is deposited onto the substrate. The spheres include nanospheres, microspheres or a combination thereof. The spheres are trimmed to introduce space between individual spheres in the monolayer. The trimmed spheres are used as a mask to pattern wires in the substrate. The wires include nanowires, microwires or a combination thereof. A doped emitter layer is formed on the patterned wires. A top contact electrode is deposited over the emitter layer. A bottom contact electrode is deposited on a side of the substrate opposite the wires.

Abstract: In a reverse osmosis desalination plant a number of membranes (34, 36, 38, 40) are arranged end-to-end in a cylindrical outer casing (42). Each membrane comprises a sleeve, a permeate pipe (56) passing centrally through the sleeve, a plurality of leaves of permeable material (54) wound around the pipe and contained within the sleeve and an apertured plate (10, 58) at each end of the sleeve. According to the invention the flow distributor plate (10) at the inlet end of each membrane is a flow distributor and has a plurality of bores (30.1, 30.2 etc) through it from a front face (12) to a rear face (14). The front face (12) has a recessed area (20) which is set back from the remainder (22) of the front face (12). The entrances to at least some of the bores (30.1, 30.2 etc) are within the recessed area (20).

Abstract: Embodiments are presented for executing an online game. One method includes an operation for creating an animation on a game board that is associated with a player. The animation includes a non-player character that delivers an invitation to start a master mission having quests. If the player accepts, an application from the player is received to start the master mission, the application including the selection of a specialty from a plurality of specialties available for the master mission. The method further includes an operation for delivering a quest reward after completing at least one of the quests from the plurality of quests, where the quest reward includes a wearable status item for an avatar of the player in the game board. In addition, a master reward is delivered after the completion of the master mission. The master reward includes the ability to perform game operations associated with the specialty.