Transurethral needle ablation system with needle position indicator

In general, the invention provides a transurethral ablation device for indicating whether the ablation needle or needles are deployed or retracted during transurethral prostate treatment. The device includes a needle position sensor and a needle position indicator. The needle position sensor can directly or indirectly determine the position of the needle. The needle position indicator can be located at the distal end of the catheter from which the needle is extended, or within the handle. The needle position indicator can be located on the handle, on the ablation energy generator or on an associated user interface. The needle position indicators can be audible indicators such as audible advisories, warnings, or alarms, or visual indicators such as lights, colored lights, flashing lights, graphical images or text messages.

Surgical instrument

A bipolar electrosurgical instrument comprises a handle (5), a body (1) joined to the handle, and a jaw assembly (12) joined to the body and arranged such that manipulation of the handle allows the opposed jaws of the jaw assembly to be opened and closed with respect to one another. A first of said opposed jaws (14) has at least a first coagulating electrode, and the other of said opposed jaws (13) has at least a second coagulating electrode and a cutting electrode (16) separated from the second coagulating electrode by an insulating member (17). The instrument is manipulated at the surgical site such that the jaws of the jaw assembly (12) are open with respect to one another, with the cutting electrode (16) and at least one of the first and second coagulating electrodes contacting tissue at the surgical site. A radio frequency electrosurgical signal is supplied between the cutting electrode and the at least one coagulating electrode, and the electrosurgical instrument is moved while maintaining the jaws (13, 14) in their open position so as to cut tissue at the surgical site.

Erodible vessel sealing device without chemical or biological degradation

The present invention provides a dissolvable medical sealing device (3, 4; 6, 7; 9) for closing a wound in vessel. A sealing device (3, 4, 6, 7, 9) according to the invention is made of a material that dissolves by means of physical processes, rather than by means of chemical or biological processes. Such a sealing device (3, 4; 6, 7; 9) can be made of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, copolymers containing ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol or polyvinyl pyrolidone, or any combinations thereof.

Electrosurgical instrument and method of use

Embodiments of the invention provide an electrosurgical jaw structure comprising first and second opposing jaws one or both of which include 3D variable resistance bodies. The jaw structure can be part of the working end of a surgical instrument. In one embodiment, the jaws can comprise first and second energy-delivery jaw surfaces having first and second 3D variable resistance bodies, with the jaw surface configured to be coupled to an Rf source. The 3D variable resistance bodies can define different temperature-resistance curves. The 3D bodies can be configured to control ohmic heating of tissue by modulating the delivery of Rf energy to tissue. Jaw structures having the 3D bodies can be used to engage and produce high strength tissue welds in targeted tissue including tissue volumes having varying tissue types. Such jaw structures can be configured to simultaneously apply different energy levels to each tissue type within the tissue volume.

OLEDs utilizing multidentate ligand systems

An organic light emitting device is provided. The device has an anode, a cathode, and an organic layer disposed between the anode and the cathode. The organic layer comprises an emissive material having a transition metal and two or three bidentate ligands, which may be photoactive ligands. The bidentate photoactive ligands may be bound to the transition metal through a carbon-metal bond and a nitrogen-metal bond to form a cyclometallated ring. The organic layer may have the formula LXa-(L)bM, wherein X is a linking group that links two or more ligand L and M is a metal.

External infusion device with remote programming, bolus estimator and/or vibration alarm capabilities

An infusion system for infusing a liquid into a body includes an external infusion device and a remote commander. The external infusion device includes a housing, a receiver, a processor and an indication device. The receiver is coupled to the housing and for receiving remotely generated commands. The processor is coupled to the housing and the receiver to receive remotely generated commands and to control the external infusion device in accordance with the commands. The indication device indicates when a command has been received and indicates when the command is being utilized to control the external infusion device so that the external infusion device is capable of being concealed from view when being remotely commanded. The remote commander includes a commander housing, a keypad for transmitting commands, and a transmitter for transmitting commands to the receiver of the external infusion device.

System and method of information filtering using measures of affinity of a relationship

A system, apparatus, and method are directed towards enabling information filtering using measures of an affinity of a relationship between subscribers of an online portal system. The affinity of a relationship may be determined based, in part, on the tracking of various online behaviors of and between subscribers of the portal system. Any of a variety of behaviors may be tracked, including message communications between subscribers, participation in instant messaging groups, purchases, activities, categories, and so forth. Such behaviors may be employed to determine a level of trust (or affinity) between subscribers of the portal system. This affinity measurement may be used to filter various information, including, but not limited to, product recommendations, ratings, polling queries, advertising, social network communications, personal ads, search results, and the like. Moreover, this affinity measurement may also be employed to perform message spam detection.

Automatic infusion system based on an adaptive patient model

Present invention is a system of blood glucose monitoring and intensive insulin therapy in a ICU for strict maintenance of normoglycemia which reduces intensive care and hospital mortality and morbidity of critically ill adult patients. The findings of present study also reveal factors determining insulin doses needed to maintain normoglycemia as well as the impact of insulin dose versus blood glucose level on the observed outcome benefits have been established. The invention provides a control system that adapts the flow of the insulin infusion based on insulin requirement calculated by blood glucose levels and clinical parameters such as history of diabetes, Body Mass Index, blood glucose level on admission, reason of ICU admission, time in the ICU, type and severity of illness, caloric intake, obesity, drugs affecting insulin sensitivity). This automated insulin monitoring systems significantly reduces the workload and human resource management problems for intensive insulin therapy in patients in the ICU.

Nanolaminate film atomic layer deposition method

An atomic layer deposition method to deposit an oxide nanolaminate thin film is provided. The method employs a nitrate ligand in a first precursor as an oxidizer for a second precursor to form the oxide nanolaminates. Using a hafnium nitrate precursor and an aluminum precursor, the method is well suited for the deposition of a high k hafnium oxide/aluminum oxide nanolaminate dielectric for gate dielectric or capacitor dielectric applications on a hydrogen-terminated silicon surface.

DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PATIENT INFUSION

A method for transcutaneously delivering fluid to a patient including providing at least one disposable infusion pump, wherein the pump includes a housing adapted to be mounted on a patient's skin, a transcutaneous patient access tool for extending through the housing and providing transcutaneous access to the patient, a reservoir prefilled with a therapeutic fluid, a dispenser for causing fluid from the reservoir to flow to the transcutaneous patient access tool, a processor connected to the dispenser and programmed to cause a flow of fluid from the reservoir to the transcutaneous patient access tool based on flow instructions, and a wireless receiver connected to the processor for receiving flow instructions from a remote controller and for delivering the flow instructions to the processor.