403results about How to "Potential damage" patented technology

Unique semi-circular papillary muscle and annulus bands are described that are useful for modifying the alignment of papillary muscles, a mitral valve annulus and / or a tricuspid valve annulus. Methods to effect the alignment are also described and an unique sizing device that can be used for such alignment is described.

A system for performing an end-to-side vascular anastomosis, including an anastomosis device, an application instrument and methods for performing a vascular anastomosis. The system is applicable for performing an anastomosis between a vascular graft and the ascending aorta in coronary artery bypass surgery, particularly in port-access CABG surgery. A first aspect of the invention includes a vascular anastomosis staple. A first configuration has two parts: an anchor member, forming the attachment with the target vessel wall and a coupling member, forming the attachment with the bypass graft vessel. The anastomosis is completed by inserting the coupling member, with the graft vessel attached, into the anchor member. A second configuration combines the functions of the anchor member and the coupling member into a one-piece anastomosis staple. A second aspect of the invention includes an anastomotic fitting, having an inner flange over which the graft vessel is everted and an outer flange which contacts the exterior surface of the target vessel. A tailored amount of compression applied by the inner and outer flanges grips the target vessel wall and creates a leak-proof seal between the graft vessel and the target vessel. A third aspect of the invention has a flange to which the graft vessel attaches, by everting the graft vessel over the flange, and a plurality of staple-like members which attach the flange and the everted end of the graft vessel to the wall of the target vessel to form the anastomosis

Methods relating to the singulation of dice from semiconductor wafers. Trenches or channels are formed in the bottom surface of a semiconductor wafer, corresponding in location to the wafer streets. The trenches may be formed by etching or through an initial laser cut. The wafer is then singulated along the streets with a laser preferably having a beam narrower than the trenches. Multiple, laterally spaced lasers may be used in combination during a single pass to perform simultaneous singulating cuts. Additional edge protection for integrated circuitry on the active surface of the semiconductor dice may be provided by forming trenches or channels along the streets in the active surface instead of the bottom surface, disposing protective material along the streets and within the trenches prior to singulation and cutting through the wafer, leaving protective material on the sidewalls of the channels.

The invention provides cell penetrating peptide-nucleic acid conjugates having the formula P-L-N, wherein P is a cell penetrating peptide, N is a nucleic acid, preferably an oligonucleotide and more preferably a siRNA, and L is a hydrophilic polymer, preferably a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based linker linking P and N together. Compositions, methods of use and methods for producing such conjugates are also disclosed.

A method of acidizing a subterranean formation with a diverting agent composed of a gelled or thickened viscoelastic foam or fluid generated from (i.) an amidoamine oxide gelling agent and (ii.) an acid or foam, water and / or brine. The gelled or thickened foam or fluid may be generated in-situ or introduced directly into the formation by mixing of the amidoamine oxide gelling agent and acid or foam, water and / or brine. As the acid spends, the acidizing fluid thickens. When the acid is further spent, the fluid viscosity declines eventually returning to a low viscosity state, allowing for easy cleanup. The process allows for selective acidizing of less permeable zones of the formation and more uniform stimulation of the hydrocarbon bearing formation.

A microactuated disk drive suspension for supporting a slider at a disk includes a load beam extending in a plane and having on a common axis a base section adapted for mounting to an actuator, a spring section and a beam section carrying a flexure and the slider thereon. The suspension has relatively movable proximate and distal portions on the common axis that are joined by a bending system cantilevered from the proximate portion and including a cantilevered bending motor opposed to the common axis and having a laterally bendable unsupported region. A cantilevered laterally bendable load assist structure defined by the suspension edges is provided arranged to block undue loading of the bending motor unsupported region.

Ablation methods and instruments are disclosed for creating lesions in tissue, especially cardiac tissue for treatment of arrhythmias and the like. Percutaneous ablation instruments in the form of coaxial catheter bodies are disclosed having at least one central lumen therein and having one or more balloon structures at the distal end region of the instrument. The instruments include an energy emitting element which is independently positionable within the lumen of the instrument and adapted to project radiant energy through a transmissive region of a projection balloon to a target tissue site. The instrument can optionally include at least one expandable anchor balloon disposed about, or incorporated into an inner catheter body designed to be slid over a guidewire. This anchor balloon can serve to position the device within a lumen, such as a pulmonary vein. A projection balloon structure is also disclosed that can be slid over the first (anchor balloon) catheter body and inflated within the heart, to define a staging from which to project radiant energy. An ablative fluid can also be employed outside of the instrument (e.g., between the balloon and the target region) to ensure efficient transmission of the radiant energy when the instrument is deployed. In another aspect of the invention, generally applicable to a wide range of cardiac ablation instruments, mechanisms are disclosed for determining whether the instrument has been properly seated within the heart, e.g., whether the device is in contact with a pulmonary vein and / or the atrial surface, in order to form a lesion by heating, cooling or projecting energy. This contact-sensing feature can be implemented by an illumination source situated within the instrument and an optical detector that monitors the level of reflected light. Measurements of the reflected light (or wavelengths of the reflected light) can thus be used to determine whether contact has been achieved and whether such contact is continuous over a desired ablation path.

A method and structure alters an integrated circuit design having silicon over insulator (SOI) transistors. The method / structure prevents damage from charging during processing to the gate of SOI transistors by tracing electrical nets in the integrated circuit design, identifying SOI transistors that have a voltage differential between the source / drain and gate as potentially damaged SOI transistors (based on the tracing of the electrical nets), and connecting a shunt device across the source / drain and the gate of each of the potentially damaged SOI transistors. Alternatively, the method / structure provides for connecting compensating conductors through a series device.

The invention is directed to compounds of formula (I) wherein X is O or NH; R' is a hydrocarbon chain; R<3 >and R<4 >are hydrogen, OH or a monosaccharide; R<5 >is hydrogen or a monosaccharide; Q' is optionally present and may be a C1-10 hydrocarbon; X' is optionally present and may be O, S or NR<8>; and Q<3 >may be a hydrocarbon or hydrogen. The invention is also directed to the use of the compounds for treating cancer, infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases. The invention is also directed to syntheses of the compounds of formula (I).

Devices to enhance the reliability of optical networks and to reduce the cost of repair are disclosed in this invention. In particular, compact and inexpensive fiber optic union adapters with built-in protective isolation prevent the transfer of damage from one connectorized fiber optic cable to another. The fiber optic union includes a split sleeve with an interior channel and a fiber stub centrally located within the interior channel. The fiber stub makes direct optical contact with the cable endfaces to enable efficient optical transmission between interconnected cables while providing a low loss, low back reflection adiabatic transition between the waveguide cores of the two cables.

An electrical receptacle with an open corner region facilitates electrical connection between an electrical device positioned in the receptacle and a conduit, cable or like wiring that passes through the open corner region. The open corner region is defined by a side wall, top face and rear wall of the receptacle. The receptacle is particularly adapted for use with electrical devices that include a connector that aligns with the open corner region, e.g., an access point.

A process for recovering oil by injecting into a subterranean oil-bearing reservoir through one or more injection wells, an aqueous solution containing one or more amphoteric alkyl amido betaine surfactants that form a viscoelastic gel reducing interfacial tension and increasing the viscosity of the injection fluid simultaneously, displacing the solution into the reservoir, and recovering the oil from one or more production wells. These viscoelastic gels are tolerant to electrolytes and multivalent cations. They are shear reversible and adsorbed little onto the reservoir. Their viscosity is reduced when contacting certain hydrocarbons but remains high when contacting water or brine. This allows the fluid to preferentially penetrate the oil-bearing portions of the formation and resulting additional oil recovery. These viscoelastic surfactant gels are particularly suitable for use with reservoirs and brines characterized by medium to high temperatures, higher salinity, higher concentrations of divalent cations, and low formation porosities.