Abstract: A surgical system comprising a stapling instrument and a staple cartridge including a plurality of independent circuits powered by the surgical instrument is disclosed.

Abstract: A steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle includes a bar extending from a first end to a second end, the bar defining a first groove and a second groove within an outer surface of the bar. The steer-by-wire steering system also includes an anti-rotation cartridge comprising a sleeve containing separate wear plates in which a plurality of ball bearings roll, wherein a first end of the sleeve contains a sleeve groove and window features, the inner surface of the sleeve containing V-shaped grooves in which the wear plates are disposed.

Abstract: A method for establishing signal and power communication between a surgical instrument and a staple cartridge is disclosed.

Abstract: This application discloses methods for assessing quantities of spherical or substantially spherical lipoprotein particles or portions thereof present in a biological sample based on the measurement of free cholesterol and/or phospholipid content in the lipoprotein particles. Methods of treating a subject at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and/or cardiodiabetes are also disclosed.

Abstract: This application describes a method for measuring the molar concentrations of lipoprotein particles and lipoprotein subclass particles in bodily fluid by Multipixel Capillary Isotachophoresis Laser Induced Fluorescence (MPCE-ITP-LIF) and compositional analysis of spherical lipoprotein particles. The ability to measure several kinds of lipoproteins and particles in one unified system provides a useful diagnostic tool for predicting the risk of developing metabolic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cardiodiabetes.

Abstract: The present invention provides blood based methods for assessing adolescent depression in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides blood based methods for predicting risk of acute coronary syndrome in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides blood based methods for predicting risk of acute coronary syndrome in a subject.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for assessing quantities of spherical or substantially spherical lipoprotein particles or portions thereof present in a biological sample based on the measurement of free cholesterol and/or phospholipid content in the lipoprotein particles. The invention also relates to the use of the assessed quantities of the lipoprotein particles or portions thereof to determine whether a subject is at increased risk for cardiovascular diseases and cardiodiabetes.

Abstract: The present invention provides blood based methods for predicting risk of acute coronary syndrome in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides blood based methods for predicting risk of acute coronary syndrome in a subject.

Abstract: A single handed squeeze lancet and methods for its use, where the single handed squeeze lancet comprises (a) a lancet, (b) a lancet-holder, (c) an internal housing for receiving and guiding the lancet-holder, (d) an external housing for receiving and guiding the internal housing, (e) a thumb-frame coupled to the external housing, and (f) a thumb-spring coupled to the thumb-frame and coupled to the lancet-holder. The device may further comprise a base-stand coupled to the thumb-frame.

Abstract: The present invention provides blood based methods for assessing adolescent depression in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides blood based methods for predicting risk of acute coronary syndrome in a subject.

Abstract: A TLD reader system has a laser diode that heats a thermoluminescent material causing a hemispherical photon emission that is collected by a ball lens. A filter ensures the ball lens receives and collects a predetermined transmittance value of the photons emitted within a predetermined range of wavelength. The ball lens sends the collected photons via a fiber-optic connection to a detection module. An infrared sensor senses the temperature and monitors the heating profile of the thermoluminescent material. A computer-controlled feedback loop maintains a constant output power from the laser diode.

Abstract: A thermoluminescent reader module having a hardened, durable construction has a casing which houses a filter, a ball lens and detection module. After a thermoluminscent material is heated by a laser diode, the ball lens collects the hemispherical photon emissions. The filter is positioned at the front of the casing to ensure the ball lens receives a predetermined transmittance value of the photons emitted from the thermoluminescent material within a predetermined range of wavelength. The ball lens sends the collected photons via a fiber-optic connection to the detection module. The detection module is connected to a CPU for purposes of processing the detected information. The filter, ball lens and detection module are securely attached and mounted within the interior of the casing.

Abstract: The present invention is in the fields of lipid metabolism and dietary supplementation and provides methods and compositions to improve heart health of a mammal by orally administering stearidonic acid and related compounds to the mammal. The improved heart health is evidenced by the enrichment of cardiac tissue with eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5, ?3) and docosapentaenoic acid (22:5, ?3) following the administration. Also provided are methods for promoting a stearidonic acid containing product by advertising its heart health benefits.

Abstract: A mixer is presented which utilizes a diode bridge having a first input signal imposed across two opposite nodes of the diode bridge and having a second input signal imposed across the other two nodes of the diode bridge. A set of variable impedance devices are included in the mixer to protect the diodes in the diode bridge from overload conditions. These variable impedance devices can be included in each leg of the diode bridge or can be included in the input leads to the loop. The variable impedance devices control the current through the diodes by having a low impedance under non-overload conditions and having a high impedance under overload conditions. A particularly simple choice of the variable impedance device is a FET which has its gate shorted to its source.

Abstract: A safety gate assembly includes a pair of gates guarding a pre-selected area, the gates being coupled together with cables and pulleys so that one of the gates is always closed to prevent someone from accidentally walking through the area and being injured. The gates are balanced to make movement thereof easy and self-biased to stably open and closed positions.

Abstract: A high speed AC/DC coupler has an optical circuit for DC coupling and an AC coupler circuit, both receiving a digital input signal and both providing outputs resulting from the input signal to the same point of a clipper circuit. The response characteristic of the AC coupler circuit is faster than that of the optical coupler circuit and the output impedance of the optical coupler circuit is of such a magnitude to permit the output of the AC coupler to overdrive the output of the optical coupler. The time constant of the AC coupler circuit is set so that the signal from the AC coupler is impressed on the clipper circuit and remains impressed at least until the slower optical coupler output is also applied to the clipper circuit. The circuit provides a faithful reproduction of essentially any length input pulse, delayed a minimal time.