A centrifuge includes a vacuum pump machine configured of an auxiliary vacuum pump and an oil diffusion pump for exhausting gas inside a rotary chamber to outside, in which a rotor rotates at high speed. In the centrifuge, a thermistor for detecting a temperature of oil and an oil surface inside a boiler of the oil diffusion pump is provided inside the boiler, and power of a heater is adjusted with the temperature detected by the thermistor, so that a degree of vacuum inside the rotary chamber is stably reduced from atmospheric pressure to a high vacuum state. Besides, when the heater does not heat, a current is carried through the thermistor for self-heating, and it is determined from variation in a resistance value whether the oil exists or not at a position at which the thermistor 8 is placed.

A system for purifying non-potable water to make said water potable includes an intake pump for bringing the non-potable water into the system. At least one centrifugal separator separates the non-potable water into suspended solids, saline water and oil. At least one ozone contact chamber injects ozone into a water stream being injected into at least one of the at least one of the centrifugal separators. A series of progressive filtration components are used for progressively filtering the saline water from the at least one centrifugal separator. The salinization filters then desalinate the progressively filtered saline water.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus to identify at least one component from a plurality of components in a fluid mixture, the apparatus including a first input channel into which a first flow containing a plurality of components is introduced; a plurality of buffer input channels, into which additional flows of buffer solution are introduced, disposed on either side of the first input channel; wherein the first flow and the additional flows have a flow direction along a length of the apparatus; a detector apparatus which detects and identifies selected components of the plurality of components; a laser which emits a laser beam which damages or kills selected components of the plurality of components; and at least one channel disposed at the another end of the apparatus which is adapted to receive the first flow and the additional flows after operation of the laser on the selected components.

An apparatus for separating at least two discrete volumes of a composite liquid into components, comprising a valve design that facilitates loading and unloading of sets of blood bags. The valves comprise a jaw mounted on a shaft, the jaw being adapted to apply radio frequency energy to seal a tube, a stepper motor section, and at least two position sensors. The valve sections are mounted on an upper plate, and the stepper motor sections are mounted on a lower plate. A main radio frequency coil is selectively electrically coupled to each of the valves through a multiplexing switch.

The invention refers to a centrifuge for separating whole blood into its blood components and a method for extracting a highly enriched thrombocyte concentrate out of whole blood. For this purpose, the centrifuge comprises a closed loop and/or open-loop control unit as well as a drive unit coupled to the closed loop and/or open-loop control unit, a rotor (12) having at least two container receptacles (14a, 14b; 16a, 16) for removably holding containers (18, 20, 22, 24) being in fluid communication with each other, at least one sensor arranged between the container receptacles (14a, 14b; 16a, 16b) and coupled with the closed loop and/or open-loop control unit for detecting a separation layer. Herein, a motor/gear unit (30a, 30b, 32a, 32b) coupled to the closed loop and/or open-loop control unit is associated with each of the container receptacles (14a, 14b; 16a, 16b). Each of the motor/gear units is in operational contact through means (34) with each of the containers (18, 20, 22, 24) supported in the respective container receptacle (14a, 14b; 16a, 16b) such that a transfer and back-transfer of blood components between the containers (18, 20, 22, 24) is initiated.

The invention is a method of processing tarry or resinous liquids. Tarry liquids include wet scrubber liquids containing tars and chars derived from gasification, pyrolysis or drying of biomass. Resinous liquids include those derived from processing coniferous biomass. Tarry or resinous liquid is processed by a horizontal axis centrifuge having a discharge chamber containing a scraper to prevent centrifuge clogging or fouling. The removed tar and char can be used as solid fuel or recycled to the gasification or pyrolysis process. Polymers, for instance cationic polymers, can be added to the tarry or resin containing liquid prior to centrifugation to assist in solids/liquids separation. Removed resin can be recycled for further use. Tar, char or resin depleted wet scrubber liquid can be recycled for further use or more easily treated prior to disposal.

The invention is a decanter centrifuge for separating a first substance and a second substance with different densities, comprising a bowl rotating in use around a horizontal axis of rotation in a direction of rotation, said axis of rotation extending in a longitudinal direction of said bowl, a radial direction extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, a base plate provided at one longitudinal end of said bowl, said base plate having an internal side and an external side, an outlet opening provided in said base plate for discharge of one of said substances. A slide valve body is adapted for covering an adjustable part of the outlet opening to delimit an effective area of the outlet opening.

The present invention relates to a centrifuge and a method for cooling a centrifuge. The centrifuge according to the invention includes a cooling device which is improved in that its required installation space is reduced such that the centrifuge can be of a more compact design with the centrifugation capacity remaining unchanged, or the centrifugation capacity can be increased with the installation space remaining unchanged. Further, the number of components can be reduced and thus cost and assembly time can be saved.

A disposable blood separation set and a centrifugal blood processing system comprising a blood processing chamber adapted to be mounted on a rotor of a centrifuge; a frustro-conical cell separation chamber in fluid communication with the processing chamber, the cell separation chamber having an inlet, and outlet and a side tap outlet adjacent the inlet. The inlet may protrude into the cell separation chamber forming a circumferential well surrounding the protruding inlet. The side tap outlet may connect to the well. The set and system comprise means for selectively drawing fluid from either the outlet or the side tap outlet.

An apparatus and method to identify at least one component from a plurality of components in a fluid mixture, includes a first input channel containing the fluid mixture of components; at least one buffer input channel, into which at least one additional flow of buffer solution is introduced; a plurality of regions disposed at the other end of the apparatus, which are adapted to receive outputs of at least one selected component of the plurality of components, the selected component which is selectively removed from the first flow to one of the regions; a waste channel through which unselected components are removed from the first flow; a plurality of pumps connected to at least one reservoir, to control flow rates of the first flow and the additional flow(s); and a computer which controls a selection of one of the plurality of components from the fluid mixture.

In a decanter centrifuge a bowl is provided and rotates in use around a horizontal axis of rotation, a base plate provided at one longitudinal end of said bowl, the base plate having an internal side and an external side, an outlet opening provided in said base plate, the outlet opening extending through a first angular interval relative to the axis of rotation, and a wall projecting from the external side of said base plate, wherein the wall extends from the vicinity of the outlet opening towards a rim of the base plate, the wall extending through a second angular interval, the second angular interval being at least 30°, and the wall having in a radial plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation an inclination relative to the radial direction of at least 60°.

Method and Apparatus for predicting the volume of a component separated from a composite fluid by predicting the volume of the composite fluid from sensed pressure and predicting the volume of other separated components from sensed movement of the other components to collection bags.

A separation cone (30) is mounted into the interior chamber of a centrifugal separator rotor (10), which comprises a cover (14) releasably connected to a base (16), in order to provide a frusto-conical wall subdividing the chamber into upper and lower regions. This slows the passage of fluid from the upper to the lower region, which takes place via openings (24) and/or via a gap between the inner rim (32) of the cone (30) and the axial inlet tube (12). The separation cone (30) is connected to the cover (14) by a releasable snap fit arrangement, such as by deflectable tabs (38) around the periphery of the separation cone (30) engaging into a groove (15) around the interior surface adjacent a lower edge of the cover (14). This allows there to be a predetermined sequence of servicing operations and ensures that the separation cone (30) will reliably stay with the cover (14) when the cover is removed.

The invention describes a color-developing composition that contains at least three major components: (1) a leuco dye or a combination of leuco dyes, (2) an color-developer or a combination of color-developers that can form colored complexes with the leuco dyes, and (3) a desensitizer to temporarily remove the effect of the developer so the leuco dye appears in its colorless form. An optional binder may be included so that the composition may be applied to a substrate as an ink. The ink composition may be applied to synthetic polymeric substrates and other substrates that are incorporated into absorbent articles or personal care products.

Methods and apparatuses for activating colorant in selected regions of an article in which the colorant is incorporated are described. The colorant activation can create various desired visual aspects.

Methods to produce pH-sensitive microparticles that have an active agent dispersed in a polymer matrix have certain advantages over microcapsules with an active agent encapsulated in an interior compartment/core inside of a polymer wall. The current invention relates to pH-sensitive microparticles that have a corrosion-detecting or corrosion-inhibiting active agent or active agents dispersed within a polymer matrix of the microparticles. The pH-sensitive microparticles can be used in various coating compositions on metal objects for corrosion detecting and/or inhibiting.

An object of the present invention is to provide a water dispersion paper having quick water dispersion property and high strength (printability) and whose paper surface pH is 6 to 8 (neutral range), and also to provide a water dispersion coated paper designed to ensure quick water dispersion property and prevent discoloration over time. A water dispersion paper made of wood pulp and/or non-wood pulp, wherein said water dispersion paper is characterized in that purified pulp containing α-cellulose by 88 percent by weight or more accounts for 15 to 95 percent by weight of all pulp, as well as a water dispersion coated paper having a water-soluble coating layer on said water dispersion paper.

Disclosed are a polysiloxane-modified polyhydroxy polyurethane resin characterized by being derived from a reaction between a 5-membered cyclic carbonate polysiloxane compound represented by the below-described formula (1) and an amine compound, and its production process; and a resin composition, thermal recording medium, imitation leather, thermoplastic polyolefin resin skin material, weather strip material, and weather strip, all of which make use of the resin. wherein A means

A method for enabling D2T2 printing onto non-D2T2 printable substrates uses a diffusible primer material provided on a dye-sheet or ribbon. The primer comprises a polymer, a release agent and a plasticizer. The release agent and the plasticizer are diffused into the substrate, while the polymer remains on the dye-sheet or ribbon. Printing of the primer onto the PC substrate is controlled via a computer image program corresponding to a colored image. This computer image program also controls the printing of the colored image at the primed locations. Accordingly, image-wise treatment of a plastic material via the primer selectively renders the PC substrate surface D2T2 printable at the point of personalization, providing for a 100% PC full card body having the colored image.

The present invention relates to a web substrate comprising an activatable colorant and at least one deformed region. A first activated color region is produced in the web substrate upon exposure to a first external stimulus and a second activated color region is produced within the first activated color region upon exposure to a second external stimulus. The second activated color region coincides with the deformed region.

A gasification-liquefaction disposal method, system and equipment for MSW are disclosed. The method involves the MSW pretreatment of dehydrating and separating, thus reducing water and inorganic substance content of the waste. Then, the MSW is introduced into a plasma gasifier (23) by a carbon dioxide air-sealed feeding device (13) and gasified therein to obtain hydrogen-rich syngas. The hydrogen-rich syngas is then cooled, deacidified, dedusted and separated to obtain carbon dioxide. Then, the hydrogen-rich syngas is catalyzed to produce methanol product in a methanol synthesis reactor (52). The separated carbon dioxide is sent back to a carbonation reaction chamber (2007) of a gasification system to perform carbonation reaction with calcium oxide, thereby releasing heat to provide assistant heat energy for gasification and avoiding greenhouse gas from being discharged into environment. Exhaust gas is returned to the plasma gasifier (23) for remelting treatment, thus forming a closed-loop circulation production system and realizing the disposal of the MSW with zero discharge and no pollution, thereby avoiding dioxin pollution and converting the MSW to chemical raw materials and fuel needed by mankind. The method, system and equipment are suitable for harmless and recycling disposal of MSW, industrial high polymer waste, composting waste and waste in waste sorting sites.

A method and an apparatus is disclosed that uses a gas lift tubing arrangement to produce synthetic hydrocarbon related products. Using the Fischer Tropsch process as an example, the tubing is packed with a suitable catalyst and then hydrogen and carbon monoxide are injected into the top of the tubing in a fashion similar to a gas lift process. As the gases travel past the catalyst, synthetic hydrocarbons are formed and heat is rejected. The synthetic hydrocarbons and water flow out of the bottom of the tubing and travel up the annulus to the surface. In some embodiments, this process is carried out in a producing well or a in producing riser. In a producing well or a producing riser, the production from the well which flows up the annulus cools the synthetic hydrocarbon derived products. In additional and alternate embodiments, this process can be used in non-flowing wells.

A method and an apparatus is disclosed that uses a gas lift tubing arrangement to produce synthetic hydrocarbon related products. Using the Fischer Tropsch process as an example, the tubing is packed with a suitable catalyst and then hydrogen and carbon monoxide are injected into the top of the tubing in a fashion similar to a gas lift process. As the gases travel past the catalyst, synthetic hydrocarbons are formed and heat is rejected. The synthetic hydrocarbons and water flow out of the bottom of the tubing and travel up the annulus to the surface. In some embodiments, this process is carried out in a producing well or a in producing riser. In a producing well or a producing riser, the production from the well which flows up the annulus cools the synthetic hydrocarbon derived products. In additional and alternate embodiments, this process can be used in non-flowing wells.

A process for the synthesis of methanol, comprising the steps of reforming a hydrocarbon source obtaining a make-up gas feed (101), feeding said make up gas to a synthesis loop (L), converting said make up gas to methanol (108) in a substantially isothermal catalytic environment, wherein said catalytic environment comprises a plurality of isothermal catalytic beds (11, 12, 21) preferably arranged in series, and at least a portion of make-up gas (101) is mixed with recycle gas (112) from the loop (L), obtaining a gaseous mixture of fresh gas and recycle gas, and at least a portion of said gaseous mixture is directed between two consecutive catalytic beds acting as a quench gas. A related plant is also disclosed.

In designing supersonic aircrafts, a method of designing a natural laminar flow wing is provided which reduces friction drag by delaying boundary layer transition under flight conditions of actual aircrafts. A target Cp distribution on wing upper surface, suited to natural laminarization in which boundary layer transition is delayed rearward in desired Reynolds number states, is defined by a functional type having as coefficients parameters depending on each spanwise station, a sensitivity analysis employing a transition analysis method is applied to the parameters, and a search is performed for the optimum combination of parameters to delay transition rearward.

A system for intelligent monitoring and management of an electrical system is disclosed. The system includes a data acquisition component, a power analytics server and a client terminal. The data acquisition component acquires real-time data output from the electrical system. The power analytics server is comprised of a real-time energy pricing engine, virtual system modeling engine, an analytics engine, a machine learning engine and a schematic user interface creator engine. The real-time energy pricing engine generates real-time utility power pricing data. The virtual system modeling engine generates predicted data output for the electrical system. The analytics engine monitors real-time data output and predicted data output of the electrical system. The machine learning engine stores acid processes patterns observed from the real-time data output and the predicted data output to forecast an aspect of the electrical system.

A computer-implemented method for simulating flow and acoustic interaction of a fluid with a porous medium includes simulating activity of a fluid in a first volume adjoining a second occupied by a porous medium, the activity of the fluid in the first volume being simulated so as to model movement of elements within the first volume and using a first model having a first set of parameters, simulating activity of the fluid in the second volume occupied by the porous medium, the activity in the second volume being simulated so as to model movement of elements within the second volume and using a second model having a second set of parameters and differing from the first model in a way that accounts for flow and acoustic properties of the porous medium, and simulating movement of elements between the first volume and the second volume at an interface between the first volume and the second volume.

A design system for generating a power equipment proposal for a particular location, comprises an insolation database, a load database, and a processing system. The insolation database comprises insolation values associated with a plurality of geographic data points. The load database associates appropriate power equipment with load requirements. The processing system generates at least one power equipment proposal based on load requirements generated from the insolation database based on the insolation values associated with a geographic data point closest to the particular location and solar power equipment appropriately selected from the load database based on the load requirements generated from the insolation database.

Methods are provided herein for: calculating cell growth rates in various environments and genetic backgrounds; calculating the order of substrate utilization from a defined growth medium; calculating metabolic flux reorganization in various environments and at various growth rates; and calculating the maximum metabolic rate and optimal metabolite concentrations and enzyme activities by applying a computational optimization method to a kinetic model of a metabolic pathway. The optimization methods use intracellular molecular crowding parameters and/or well as kinetic rates to assist in modeling metabolic activity.

In a method for simulating temperature and electrical characteristics within an circuit, a temperature of at least one volume within the circuit as a function of a resistance within the at least one volume is repeatedly calculated and the resistance as a function of the temperature is repeatedly calculated until the temperature is within a predetermined tolerance of a previous temperature result and until the resistance is within a predetermined tolerance of a previous resistance result. Once the temperature is within a predetermined tolerance of the previous temperature result and the resistance is within a predetermined tolerance of the previous resistance, then an output indicative of the temperature is generated.

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for using transactional memory hardware to accelerate virtualization or emulation. State isolation can be facilitated by providing isolated private state on transactional memory hardware and storing the stack of a host that is performing an emulation in the isolated private state. Memory accesses performed by a central processing unit can be monitored by software to detect that a guest being emulated has made a self modification to its own code sequence. Transactional memory hardware can be used to facilitate dispatch table updates in multithreaded environments by taking advantage of the atomic commit feature. An emulator is provided that uses a dispatch table stored in main memory to convert a guest program counter into a host program counter. The dispatch table is accessed to see if the dispatch table contains a particular host program counter for a particular guest program counter.

According to one aspect, an apparatus for computing a solution to a power flow problem for an electrical power system comprising a plurality of buses. The apparatus includes (a) at least one processor comprising a plurality of cores; and (b) memory coupled to the at least one processor for storing an admittance matrix for the power system, real power and reactive power for each bus, and an initial complex voltage for each bus; (c) wherein the at least one processor is configured to: (i) perform a Jacobi power flow calculation for each bus to determine the complex voltage for each bus, the Jacobi power flow calculation using the admittance matrix, the real power and reactive power for each bus, and the initial complex voltage for each bus as inputs, wherein at least two Jacobi power flow calculations are performed concurrently on the plurality of cores; (ii) calculate a power mismatch at each bus based on the complex voltages; and (iii) determine whether the Jacobi power flow calculations have converged based on the power mismatch and repeat (i) to (iii) if the Jacobi power flow calculations have not converged.

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for simulating realistic movement of user equipment in an LTE network are disclosed. According to one method, a logical topology of a long term evolution (LTE) access network is defined that includes defining connections between one or more eNodeBs (eNBs). A physical topology of the LTE access network is defined that includes defining locations of the eNBs and sectors, where the physical network topology is mapped to the logical network topology. One or more problem areas are defined within the physical network topology, where the one or more problem areas include locations where signal quality is degraded. One or more paths are defined through the physical network topology. A traffic profile for a user equipment (UE) device is defined. A plurality of messages is generated for simulating the movement of a UE device along a path through the physical network topology.

A multilayer printed wiring board including a first interlayer resin insulation layer, a first conductive circuit formed on the first interlayer resin insulation layer, a second interlayer resin insulation layer formed on the first interlayer resin insulation layer and the first conductive circuit and having an opening portion exposing a portion of the first conductive circuit, a second conductive circuit formed on the second interlayer resin insulation layer, a via conductor formed in the opening portion of the second interlayer resin insulation layer and connecting the first conductive circuit and the second conductive circuit, and a coating layer having a metal layer and a coating film and formed between the first conductive circuit and the second interlayer resin insulation layer. The metal layer is formed on the surface of the first conductive circuit and the coating film is formed on the metal layer.

A nanoprinthead including an array of nanotip cantilevers, where each nanotip cantilever includes a nanotip at an end of a cantilever, and a method for forming the nanoprinthead. Each nanotip may be individually addressable through use of an array of piezoelectric actuators. Embodiments for forming a nanoprinthead including an array of nanotip cantilevers can include an etching process from a material such as a silicon wafer, or the formation of a metal or dielectric nanotip cantilever over a substrate. The nanoprinthead may operate to provide uses for technologies such as dip-pen nanolithography, nanomachining, and nanoscratching, among others.

A method for perfusing a biocompatible material graft with a perfusion liquid includes the steps of: introducing the graft (100) in a perfusion chamber (2), arranging a transfer chamber (3) partly filled with the perfusion liquid (101), coupling in a tight manner the perfusion chamber (2) and the transfer chamber (3) for establishing a fluid communication between them, lowering the pressure in the transfer chamber (3) for transferring therein part of the air existing in the perfusion chamber (2), increasing the pressure within the transfer chamber (3) for injecting in the perfusion chamber (2) the perfusion liquid (101) existing in the transfer chamber (3). A perfusion kit includes a perfusion chamber (2) apt to contain a graft (100) to be perfused with a liquid (101) and a transfer chamber (3) apt to contain a liquid (101) to be perfused, the perfusion chamber (2) being connectable in a tight manner with the transfer chamber (3) for allowing a fluid exchange between the two chambers (2, 3) and inhibiting a fluid exchange between the two chambers (2, 3) and the external environment.

A solution-processed organic electronic structural element has an improved electrode layer. Located between the active organic layer and the electrode layer there is either an interface or an interlayer containing a cesium salt.

A method of manufacturing a silver miniwire film is provided, wherein the film exhibits a reduced sheet resistance.

Methods for formation of silicon carbide on substrate are provided. Atomic layer deposition methods of forming silicon carbide are described in which a first reactant gas of the formula SinHaXb wherein n=1-5, a+b=2n+2, a>0, and X=F, Cl, Br, I; and a second reactant gas of the formula MR3-bYb, wherein R is a hydrocarbon containing substituent, Y is a halide, hydride or other ligand and b=1-3 are sequentially deposited on a substrate and then exposed to a plasma. The process can be repeated multiple times to deposit a plurality of silicon carbide layers.

A method including depositing an alloying layer along a sidewall of an opening and in direct contact with a seed layer, the alloying layer includes a crystalline structure that cannot serve as a seed for plating a conductive material, exposing the opening to an electroplating solution including the conductive material, the conductive material is not present in the alloying layer, applying an electrical potential to a cathode causing the conductive material to deposit from the electroplating solution onto the cathode exposed at the bottom of the opening and causing the opening to fill with the conductive material, the cathode includes an exposed portion of the seed layer and excludes the alloying layer, and forming a first intermetallic compound along an intersection between the alloying layer and the conductive material, the first intermetallic compound is formed as a precipitate within a solid solution of the alloying layer and the conductive material.

An intracorporeal autonomous active medical device having a capsule body and a base. The capsule body includes a body portion and a lid portion, and the capsule body contains therein electronic circuitry containing the active elements of the autonomous medical device, and a power supply. The capsule body also includes a fastening system on an exterior surface of the capsule body that is configured to correspond with a fastening mechanism on the base configured to be anchored to a tissue wall. The fastening mechanism provides selective engagement between the capsule body and the base.

A retractable screw-type stimulation or defibrillation intracardiac lead is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the lead comprises a flexible hollow sheath (12) having at its distal end a lead head (10) and a connector (66) at its proximal end. The connector comprises a pin (62) connected to a lead head electrode (18). The lead head comprises a tubular body (28), at least one electrode (18, 20) for stimulation or defibrillation, a moving element translationally and rotationally moving within the tubular body in a helical motion, an anchoring screw (24) axially moving with respect to the tubular body, and a deployment mechanism (22) to deploy the anchoring screw out of the tubular body (28). The lead is a co-radial type, and the moving element (26) secured to the anchoring screw is connected to the tubular body (28) by a helical guide (46) and a coupling finger (56) protruding between two successive turns of the helical guide (46) for transforming a rotary movement imparted to the lead body in a deployment or retraction movement of the moving element (26). The helical guide (46) is resiliently compressible, with a free end (52) with a flat area (54) facing a flange (38) in vis-à-vis, so as to pinch the coupling finger (56) and to perform the function of a clutch limiting the torque transmitted to the anchoring screw by the rotation of the lead body, even in case of continuation of this rotation.

The portable, wearable, proximal Alzheimer's disease treatment invention is based upon creating an RF field of particular frequencies and intensities that are applied to the patient's head. To accomplish the aforementioned disease treatment functionality, a system was invented comprising a network of antennas connected to an RF generator via a feedline connector. The invention also provides methods for using measurements to monitor and manage the effectiveness of an ongoing disease treatment regimen, and databases which contain information about measurements, variables, and their relationships to clinical outcome.

An electrode assembly that includes an electrically conductive layer, a first impedance reduction system, and a second impedance reduction system. The electrically conductive layer forms an electrode portion of the electrode assembly and a first surface to be placed adjacent a person's skin. The first impedance reduction system is configured to dispense a first amount of an electrically conductive gel onto the first surface of the electrically conductive layer in response to a first activation signal. The second impedance reduction system is configured to dispense a second amount of the electrically conductive gel onto the first surface of the electrically conductive layer in response to a second activation signal.

Cells that are in the process division are vulnerable to damage by AC electric fields that have specific frequency and field strength characteristics. The selective destruction of rapidly dividing cells can therefore be accomplished by imposing an AC electric field in a target region for extended periods of time at particular frequencies with particular filed strengths. Some of the cells that divide while the field is applied will be damaged, but the cells that do not divide will not be harmed. This selectively damages rapidly dividing cells like bacteria, but does not harm normal cells that are not dividing. Since the vulnerability of the dividing cells is strongly related to the alignment between the long axis of the dividing cells and the lines of force of the electric field, improved results can be obtained when the field is sequentially imposed in different directions.

A component for a laser tool, the component comprising: a tubular body defining an internal channel and an aperture; and a window disposed across the aperture and bonded to the tubular body around the aperture, wherein the window is diamond, and wherein the tubular body comprises a material having a coefficient of linear thermal expansion α of 14×10−6 K−1 or less at 20° C. and a thermal conductivity of 60 Wm−1K−1 or more at 20° C.

The system for displaying muscle force data includes a wearable patch and a remote visual display. The wearable patch carries electrodes suitable for sensing electromyographic signals on the skin of the patient. The patch carries circuitry which converts the detected electromyographic signal to a digital output which can be transmitted to the remote visual display. The circuitry relies on filtering to produce a usable digital signal at very low power consumption. The transmitted signal can be used to drive a variety of visual displays, including a conventional hand-held personal communicators and entertainment devices which had been programmed to suitably process the visual display.

One or more temporal stimulation parameters of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) are selected to substantially modulate one or more target physiological functions without substantially modulating one or more non-target physiological functions. In one embodiment, a stimulation duty cycle is selected such that VNS is delivered to the cervical vagus nerve trunk to modulate a cardiovascular function without causing laryngeal muscle contractions.

An implantable medical device lead having a flow measurement sensor mounted thereon is provided with a capsule mounted proximate to the sensor. The capsule is used to house electrical circuitry corresponding to the sensor in order to prevent impedance on conductors of the lead, which gradually decreases over chronic periods, from directly affecting signal transmission between the sensor and the electrical circuitry. The electrical circuitry includes a charge amplifier used for processing signals from the sensor. In some cases, the amplifier can be initially calibrated and periodically tuned so as to have consistent functioning with the sensor over chronic periods.

An airway of a patient is protected from intrusion of contaminants by monitoring muscles of the patient to detect an attempted cough or swallow, and applying an electrical stimulus to the neck of the patient, varying amplitude and/or frequency over time, the applied electrical stimulus operates to promote an efficacious cough or swallow. The electrical stimulus induces a voltage within a range of greater than zero volts and less than 20 volts, and the frequency have patterned changes between at least about 4 Hz to not more than about 30 Hz. The monitoring is carried out by an electronic device, and the patient may indicate to the electronic device that a swallow or cough is impending.