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A system and method are disclosed for removing a uterus using a fluid enclosure inserted in the peritoneal cavity of a patient so as to enclose the uterus. The fluid enclosure includes a distal open end surrounded by an adjustable loop, that can be tightened, a first proximal opening for inserting an electrosurgical instrument into the fluid enclosure, and a second proximal opening for inserting an endoscope. The loop is either a resilient band extending around the edge of the distal open end or a drawstring type of arrangement that can be tightened and released. The fluid enclosure is partially inserted into the peritoneal cavity of a patient in a deflated condition and then manipulated within the peritoneal cavity over the body and fundus of the uterus to the level of the uterocervical junction. The loop is tightened around the uterocervical junction, after which the enclosure is inflated using a conductive fluid. The loop forms a pressure seal against the uterocervical junction to contain the conductive fluid used to fill the fluid enclosure. Endoscopically inserted into the fluid enclosure is an electrosurgical instrument that is manipulated to vaporize and morcellate the fundus and body of the uterus. The fundus and body tissue that is vaporized and morcellated is then removed from the fluid enclosure through the shaft of the instrument, which includes a hollow interior that is connected to a suction pump The fundus and body are removed after the uterus has been disconnected from the tissue surrounding uterus.

A method is provided for treating a subject, including applying a current to a site of the subject selected from the list consisting of: a vagus nerve of the subject, an epicardial fat pad of the subject, a pulmonary vein of the subject, a carotid artery of the subject, a carotid sinus of the subject, a vena cava vein of the subject, and an internal jugular vein of the subject. The method also includes configuring the current so as to treat a condition of the subject selected from the list consisting of: an autoimmune disease, an autoimmune inflammatory disease, multiple sclerosis, encephalitis, myelitis, immune-mediated neuropathy, myositis, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, inclusion body myositis, inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, Guillain Barre syndrome, myasthenia gravis, inflammation of the nervous system, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus), rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, polyarteritis nodosa, Sjogren syndrome, mixed connective tissue disease, glomerulonephritis, thyroid autoimmune disease, sepsis, meningitis, a bacterial infection, a viral infection, a fungal infection, sarcoidosis, hepatitis, and portal vein hypertension.

Systems for drug delivery devices include a temperature control system and an identification system. A temperature control system configured to sense and control temperature of a cartridge containing a drug includes a heater, one or more temperature sensors, and a control unit. An identification system configured to identify a cartridge containing a drug includes a control unit and a tag sensor that is electrically coupled to the control unit, wherein the tag sensor is activated upon detecting a presence of the cartridge. A drug delivery device includes both the temperature control system and the identification system such that the control unit of the device may process the information of the drug that is received from the tag sensor of the identification system, and based on at least a portion of the processed information, determine and control the temperature of the drug within a cartridge.

In a lithographic projection apparatus, a liquid supply system maintains liquid in a space between a projection system of the lithographic projection apparatus and a substrate. A sensor positioned on a substrate table, which holds the substrate, is configured to be exposed to radiation when immersed in liquid (e.g., under the same conditions as the substrate will be exposed to radiation). By having a surface of an absorption element of the sensor, that is to be in contact with liquid, formed of one or fewer metal types, long life of the sensor may be obtained.

A system and method for the automatic diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea in a centralized hospital critical care monitoring system for the monitoring of a plurality of patients in at least one of a critical care, step down, and cardiac ward by telemetry. The system includes a central processor having a display, and a plurality of telemetry units for mounting with patients, each of the telemetry units has a plurality of sensors for connection with each patient, the telemetry unit is capable of the transmission of multiple signals derived from the sensors to the central processor, in one preferred embodiment the method comprising steps of programming the system to analyze the signals and to automatically identify the presence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea and to provide an indication of the identification.

An improved device for use in authorizing transactions, supplying information and performing applications is provided by the present invention, effectively implementing a secured individual and portable Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) terminal. The device uses a local processor and secure data storage in conjunction with a variety of sensors to perform authentication processes that establish an individuals identity and provide authority to perform a desired transaction. The sensors allow the device to directly scan biometric identifying information from an individual. A card swipe interface and a proximity antenna are provided to facilitate communication between the device and remote interface devices such as magnetic swipe card readers, smart card readers, infrared communications ports and proximity and long range radio scanners. In addition, the local processor, memory, display and user inputs allow the device to run applications such as those performed by a traditional computer, gaming device, personal data assistant and smart phone.

The invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising short single stranded oligonucleotides, of length of between 8 and 17 nucleobases which are complementary to human microRNAs. The short oligonucleotides are particularly effective at alleviating miRNA repression in vivo. It is found that the incorporation of high affinity nucleotide analogues into the oligonucleotides results in highly effective anti-microRNA molecules which appear to function via the formation of almost irreversible duplexes with the miRNA target, rather than RNA cleavage based mechanisms, such as mechanisms associated with RNaseH or RISC.

Methods and systems of operating a support structure and beam shaping mechanism in a manner that compensates for motion patterns exhibited by a patient, promotes comfort of the patient, and optimizes accuracy of delivery of radiotherapy to a targeted location within the patient. The support structure can be a treatment table or couch and the beam shaping mechanism can be a multi-leaf collimator (MLC), and/or an MLC-bank/-carriage. The control system can utilize algorithms for predicting tumor motion and loading condition on the table/couch during radiation therapy.

A filtration system is provided with hollow membrane filter elements operable to remove solids, particulate and colloidal matter from a process fluid. Acoustic, vibration and ultrasonic energy may be used to clean exterior portions of the hollow membrane filter elements to allow substantially continuous filtration of process fluids. The filtration system may be satisfactorily used with process fluids having a relatively high concentrations of solids, particulate and colloidal matter.

A system and method for the automatic diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea in a centralized hospital critical care monitoring system for the monitoring of a plurality of patients in at least one of a critical care, step down, and cardiac ward by telemetry. The system includes a central processor having a display, and a plurality of telemetry unit for mounting with patients, each of the telemetry units has a plurality of sensors for connection with each patient, the telemetry unit is capable of the transmission of multiple signals derived from the sensors to the central processor, in one preferred embodiment the method comprising steps of programming the system to analyze the signals and to automatically identify the presence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea and to provide an indication of the identification.

The present invention is directed generally to systems, devices and methods for direct delivery of agents, e.g., pharmaceutical agents, to target spinal and neuronal anatomies, e.g., the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), for the treatment of various disorders, particularly pain and pain related disorders, such as chronic itch, sensory disorders, multiple sclerosis, post-herpetic neuralgia and the like. The system, devices and methods of the invention encompass the agents to be delivered to the target anatomy alone or in combination with electrical stimulation. The delivery device and systems and methods as disclosed herein place the distal end of the delivery element, which comprises at least one agent delivery structure, and optionally at least one electrode, in close proximity, or in contact with or next to the target spinal anatomy, e.g., DRG. A variety of agents can be delivered using the device, including sodium channel blockers, biologics, neuroinflammatory modulators, toxins etc., to selectively neuromodulate the neurons. Agent delivery and/or electrical stimulation can be automated and/or can be controlled automatically or by a pre-determined program, or by a patient control pump (PCA).

Examples of a rail-mounted robotic inventory system are provided. The system includes a rail-mounted robot having an electronic tag reader configured to receive electronic tag data from electronic tags associated with inventory items. The system can include a navigation module configured to direct the rail-mounted robot along a rail through an inventory area, detect obstacles, and determine a position of the rail-mounted robot within the inventory area. The system can include an inventory identification module configured to receive the electronic tag data from the rail-mounted robot and identify and/or locate the inventory items in the inventory area based at least partly on the electronic tag data.

A corrosion protective coating composition, applied over a metal surface, contains frangible microcapsules which rupture and release fluid upon impact or other stress likely to damage the coating. The fluid, from the microcapsules, contains a film forming component to cover the damaged area of the coating and a corrosion inhibitor for the metal surface.

The present invention relates to trans-capsularly administering into a diseased joint a high specificity antagonist selected from the group consisting of: i) an inhibitor of a pro-inflammatory interleukin; ii) an inhibitor of TNF-α synthesis; iii) an inhibitor of membrane-bound TNF-α; iv) an inhibitor of a natural receptor of TNF-α; v) an inhibitor of NO synthase,

• • vi) an inhibitor of PLA₂ enzyme; vii) an anti-proliferative agent; viii) an anti-oxidant; ix) an apoptosis inhibitor selected from the group consisting of EPO mimetic peptides, EPO mimetibodies, IGF-I, IGF-II, and caspase inhibitors, and x) an inhibitor of MMPs; and xi) an inhibitor of p38 kinase.

The present invention enhances the effectiveness of treatment of support tissue structures. Generally, such tissue structures support organs and hold the organs in their proper position for appropriate functioning. When such tissue structures become weak, hyper-elastic, and/or excessively lengthy, the organs of are no longer supported in their proper position. This often leads to physical manifestations such as incontinence, hernias, and the like. Remedies often involve thermal treatment of the support tissue structures, such as thermally inducted controlled shrinkage, contraction, or stiffening of the support tissue structure. To enhance such thermal treatment and diminish the possibility of undesirable heating and damage to nearby tissue surfaces, vasoconstrictive agents are used.

A card shuffler and method in which recovery from a card jam can be performed. Sensors detect a jam and a program directs jam recovery.

The present invention relates to an improved opening end closure which is adapted for interconnection to a beverage container to prevent premature rupturing and detachment of the tear panel from the center panel. More specifically, the present invention includes an improved cent bead, an enlarged score origination loop, and a pull tab with a cut-out portion with one leg longer than the other leg for selectively orienting the direction of force created on the tear panel away from the hinge portion of the tear panel.

A videoconferencing system has a videoconferencing unit that use portable devices as peripherals for the system. The portable devices obtain near-end audio and send the audio to the videoconferencing unit via a wireless connection. In turn, the videoconferencing unit sends the near-end audio from the loudest portable device along with near-end video to the far-end. The portable devices can control the videoconferencing unit and can initially establish the videoconference by connecting with the far-end and then transferring operations to the videoconferencing unit. To deal with acoustic coupling between the unit's loudspeaker and the portable device's microphone, the unit uses an echo canceller that is compensated for differences in the clocks used in the A/D and D/A converters of the loudspeaker and microphone.

A chassis clings to a ship hull or other ferrous surface by a magnet that moves toward or away from the surface to adjust the magnet air gap and thus the attractive force. The magnet(s) can be the only clinging force or used with other sources such as a suction chamber or fluid jet drive. An internal magnet on a crank mechanism can pivot around a wheel rotation axis inside a wheel body having a non-ferrous traction surface or tire. The magnet gap is least at an angle perpendicular to the surface on which the wheel rests, and larger at an angle oblique to that, for varying the attractive force to two or more levels. The vehicle can be an autonomous hull maintenance device with sensors, controllers and actuators to sense, measure and clean away fouling.

A network monitoring system and method processes captured message data to create a plurality of categories, provides summary data corresponding to each category, and displays the categorized summary data. The categories preferably include an identification of the source node and destination node of each message, and the summary data includes the amount of traffic communicated between each pair of nodes. The display of this summary data includes a graphic display that provides a visual indication of each pair and the volume of traffic between the nodes of the pair.