Disclosed herein are expandable introducer sheaths and methods of making and using the same. The sheaths minimize trauma to a patient's vasculature by allowing for temporary expansion of a portion of the sheath to accommodate passage of a delivery system for a cardiovascular device, then return to a non-expanded state after the passage of the device. The sheath includes an elongated annular member through which the cardiovascular device and its delivery system pass. In an embodiment, the annular inner member can be formed by coextruding a first and second material. The first material includes a fold, and the second material radially spaces the different parts of the fold from each other during fabrication and provides support for maintaining the tubular structure. The second material is removed once the coextrusion process is complete.

A method is described for forming a plurality of articles. The method includes creasing a tag substrate between first and second ends to form a first fold, wherein a first bent portion is defined between the first end and the first fold; lifting the first bent portion away from the central span to initiate elastomer to flow under the first bent portion; disposing the elastomer on at least a portion of a central span of the tag substrate; and bonding the elastomer to the tag substrate at a first connection zone, wherein a first elastomer portion extends along a rear surface of the first bent portion and a second elastomer portion extends along a front surface of the first bent portion.

A method includes dispensing a first set of lanes, that each comprise a tow of fiber-reinforced material, at a first angle such that the lanes are placed side-by-side with respect to each other, forming a first layer of a multi-lane tow. The method further includes applying a film directly in contact with multi-lane tow that resists shear forces applied to the multi-lane tow, transporting the multi-lane tow to a mandrel, and compacting the multi-lane tow via a Ply-By-Ply (PBP) machine disposed at the mandrel. The method further comprises removing the film from the multi-lane tow.

Welded headgear sections can be produced by using a weld tool having pins protruding from a weld region contact surface to deliver high-frequency electromagnetic energy to a weld region defined by overlapping top and bottom headgear straps. The pins fully penetrate the top strap and at least partially penetrate the bottom strap. The pins concentrate the electromagnetic energy to achieve a weld joint of acceptable weld strength and aesthetic appeal.

Load Plan Generator (LPG) is a BIAPPS utility for generating ODI load plans based on desired subset of fact tables for loading BIAPPS Data Warehouse. The tool simplifies the configurations process by minimizing the manual steps and configurations and provides a guided list of configurations steps and checklists. The load plan components can include different sets of load plans that will be stitched together by the load plan generator to create one load plan for loading chosen fact groups in the warehouse sourcing from different transaction systems.

Disclosed is a real-time method for detecting copper and silver in water in parts per billion. Total silver is detected by adding a nitric acid solution to the sample; after the silver is digested, adding a buffer solution comprising water, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate and EDTA to the sample; adding an indicator comprising Cadion 2B, EtOH, and Triton X-100 to the sample; then reading the absorbance of the sample after light with an approximate target peak of 515 nm is sent through the sample; and determining the silver concentration by comparing the absorbance of the sample to the absorbances of known silver standards. Total copper is detected by adding a nitric acid solution to the sample; after the copper is digested, adding a buffer/indicator solution to the sample, where the solution comprises water, sodium citrate dihydrate, hydroxal amine hydrochloride and bathocuproine disulfonate; after one minute, reading the absorbance of the sample after light with an approximate target peak of 480 nm is sent through the sample; and determining the copper concentration by comparing the absorbance of the sample to the absorbances of known copper standards. A monitoring device for determining the level of copper or silver in a sample implements the disclosed methods.

Liner having an induction heat sealable layer for sealing to a rim of a container, and a pull tab for ease of removal of the liner from the container rim. An insert is disposed between multilayer upper and lower components, has a heat bondable polyolefin layer that is thermally laminated to polyolefin layers of the upper and lower components, forming a pull tab between the integrated polyolefin layers. The resulting composite resists delamination and can be formed in a single thermal lamination step, avoiding the multiple lamination steps, associated high equipment costs, and complex layer constructions of the prior art.

A prosthetic tissue valve and a method of treating the prosthetic tissue valve are provided. The method includes: decreasing a temperature of a chamber carrying the prosthetic tissue valve from a first preset temperature to a second preset temperature in a first cooling rate; decreasing the temperature of the chamber carrying the prosthetic tissue valve from the second preset temperature to a third preset temperature in a second cooling rate; and performing a drying process to the prosthetic tissue valve. The second preset temperature is a critical crystallization temperature and is greater than a crystallization temperature of the prosthetic tissue valve. The third preset temperature is lower than the crystallization temperature of the prosthetic tissue valve, and the second cooling rate is greater than the first cooling rate.

A method for assembling an induction heating device includes the steps of interposing at least one ferrite bar between a coil assembly and a support plate, and snap engaging a central polymeric fastening element on the support plate. At least one end of the ferrite bar is inserted in a radial seat of the central polymeric fastening element. The coil assembly is snap engaged with the central polymeric fastening element in order to sandwich the ferrite bars between the support plate and the coil assembly.

This invention relates to a polymer composition that is particularly suitable for use in the manufacture of thermoformed articles, which can be biodegraded in industrial composting. This invention also relates to a process for the production of the said composition and articles obtained thereby.