1. A stent having in an unexpanded configuration, a generally tubular configuration and containing a longitudinal axis, said stent comprising:
a plurality of rings of radial strength portions, a radial strength portion connected to an adjacent radial strength portion by a flexible portion, each of said radial strength portions comprising a plurality of radial struts; and each said flexible portion comprising a plurality of flexible struts; wherein a flexible strut intersects with a radial strut at the midpoint of the radial strut, with said flexible strut and said radial strut generally parallel to each other at said intersection;
wherein in each ring of radial struts a pair of adjacent radial struts is placed about 90\xb0 out of phase with the pair of radial struts closest to it in an adjacent ring of radial struts; and
wherein a series of flexible struts extends end-to-end in a continuous spiral around the circumference of the stent.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-78. (Canceled)
79. A method for decreasing appetite andor reducing food intake in a person or other mammal comprising:
identifying a person or other mammal that can benefit from decreased appetite andor reduced food intake; and
administering to the person or other mammal a composition comprising hydroxycitric acid, chromium and gymnemic acid in an amount sufficient to decrease appetite andor reduce food intake in the person or other mammal.
80. A method as defined in claim 79, wherein the composition comprises hydroxycitric acid bound to calcium and potassium.
81. A method as defined in claim 79, wherein the hydroxycitric acid is derived from a plant of the genus Garcinia.
82. A method as defined in claim 81, wherein the plant is Garcinia cambogia.
83. A method as defined in claim 79, wherein the composition comprises niacin-bound chromium.
84. A method as defined in claim 83, wherein the composition comprises oxygen-coordinated niacin-bound chromium.
85. A method as defined in claim 79, wherein the gymnemic acid is derived from a plant of the genus Gymnema.
86. A method as defined in claim 85, wherein the plant is Gymnema sylvestre.
87. A method as defined in claim 79, wherein the step of administering comprises administering approximately 100 milligrams to approximately 5,000 milligrams of hydroxycitric acid, approximately 10 micrograms to approximately 1,000 micrograms of chromium, and approximately 10 milligrams to approximately 1,000 milligrams of gymnemic acid daily.
88. A method as defined in claim 87, wherein the step of administering comprises administering approximately 2,700 milligrams to approximately 2,800 milligrams of hydroxycitric acid, approximately 400 micrograms of chromium, and approximately 100 milligrams of gymnemic acid daily.
89. A method as defined in claim 79, wherein the step of administering comprises administering the composition daily in three substantially equally divided doses, approximately 30 to 60 minutes before meals.
90. A method as defined is claim 79, wherein the step of administering comprises administering the composition orally.
91-102. (Cancelled)