1. A physical object comprising a substrate and a machine-readable code provided on the substrate, the physical object further comprising a material deposited on or incorporated in the substrate, wherein the material is alterable to change the machine-readable code.
2. The physical object of claim 1 wherein the material is photosensitive and alters with predetermined light excitation.
3. The physical object of claim 2 wherein the material changes at least one of color or color contrast when excited by the predetermined light.
4. The physical object of claim 3 wherein the predetermined light comprises at least one of ultraviolet or infrared.
5. The physical object of claim 1 wherein the machine-readable code comprises digital watermarking.
6. A method comprising:
providing a machine-readable code on an object; and
providing a mechanism on the object so that in response to an observation or reading of the machine-readable code, the mechanism changes the machine-readable code.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the mechanism comprises at least one of a photosensitive material or a thermochromatic material.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the observation comprises: i) exposing the object to at least one of an ultraviolet or infrared light, and ii) machine-reading the code.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the machine-readable code is printed on the object with ink that emits in response to at least one of infrared or ultraviolet light.
10. The method of claim 6, wherein the object comprises at least one of an identification document, check, product packaging, label or banknote.
11. An object comprising a machine-readable, steganographic code provided thereon, the object comprising a property so that in response to an observation of the code, the code is altered to evidence the observation.
12. The object of claim 11 wherein the property comprises a photochromatic ink.
13. The object of claim 11 wherein the property comprises a photosensitive material.
14. The object of claim 11 wherein the property comprises a thermochromatic material.
15. The object of claim 11 wherein the machine-readable, steganographic code comprises digital watermarking.
16. The object of claim 11 wherein the object comprises a document.
17. A method comprising:
obtaining an object including a machine-readable code;
reading the machine-readable code;
changing the machine-readable code in response to said act of reading.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the machine-readable code is steganographically hidden in the object.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the object represents audio or video.
20. The method of claim 17 wherein the object comprises a physical object.
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. An arteriovenous shunt comprising:
a. an arterial graft comprising a body, a lead end and a terminal end, wherein said lead end is operable for subcutaneous connection to an artery by anastomosis; and
b. a single lumen venous outflow catheter comprising an intake end and depositing end, wherein said depositing end is operable for insertion through a vein into the right atrium of the heart; and
C. a cuff comprising an inlet and an outlet, wherein:
i. said inlet is connected to said terminal end of said subcutaneous graft; and
ii. said outlet is connected to said intake end of said venous outflow catheter.
2. The arteriovenous shunt of claim 1 wherein said subcutaneous graft is made of a biocompatible flexible material.
3. The arteriovenous shunt of claim 2, wherein said biocompatible flexible material is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or polyurethane.
4. The arteriovenous shunt of claim 1, wherein said arterial graft has a diameter from about 2 mm to about 8 mm and a length from about 20 cm to about 60 cm.
5. The arteriovenous shunt of claim 4, wherein said arterial graft has a diameter of from about 6 mm to about 8 mm and a length of about 40 cm.
6. The arteriovenous shunt of claim 1, wherein said artery is the brachial, axillary, femoral or external iliac artery.
7. The arteriovenous shunt of claim 1, wherein said cuff is Teflon or Dacron.
8. The arteriovenous shunt of claim 1, wherein said venous outflow catheter has a diameter from about 1 mm to about 7 mm and a length of from about 20 cm to about 80 cm.
9. The arteriovenous shunt of claim 1, wherein said venous outflow catheter has a diameter from about 5 mm to about 7 mm and a length of from about 40 cm to about 60 cm.
10. The arteriovenous shunt of claim 1, wherein said venous outflow catheter is made of polyurethane or silicone.
11. The arteriovenous shunt of claim 1, wherein said vein is the cephalic, axillary, jugular, femoral or external iliac vein.
12. The arteriovenous shunt of claim 1, wherein said venous outflow catheter has a diameter of about 1 mm smaller than the subcutaneous graft.
13. A system for performing hemodialysis on a patient comprising:
a. an arteriovenous shunt comprising:
i. an arterial graft comprising a body, a lead end and a terminal end, wherein said lead end is operable for subcutaneous connection to an artery by anastomosis; and
ii. a single lumen venous outflow catheter comprising an intake end and depositing end, wherein said depositing end is operable for insertion through a vein into the right atrium of the heart; and
ii. a cuff comprising an inlet and an outlet, wherein:
1. said inlet is connected to said terminal end of said subcutaneous graft; and
2. said outlet is connected to said intake end of said venous outflow catheter; and
b. a hemodialysis apparatus.
14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said venous outflow catheter has a diameter of about 1 mm smaller than said subcutaneous graft.
15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said artery is the brachial, axillary, femoral or external iliac artery.
16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said vein is the cephalic, axillary, jugular, femoral or external iliac vein.
17. A method of performing hemodialysis on a patient comprising:
a. inserting an arteriovenous shunt into a patient, wherein said arteriovenous shunt comprises:
i. an arterial graft comprising a body, a lead end and a terminal end, wherein said lead end is operable for subcutaneous connection to an artery by anastomosis; and
ii. a single lumen venous outflow catheter comprising an intake end and depositing end, wherein said depositing end is operable for insertion through a vein into the right atrium of the heart; and
iii. a cuff comprising an inlet and an outlet, wherein:
1. said inlet is connected to said terminal end of said subcutaneous graft; and
2. said outlet is connected to said intake end of said venous outflow catheter;
b. connecting said arterial graft to a hemodialysis apparatus;
c. collecting blood from the patient through said subcutaneous graft;
d. passing said blood through the hemodialysis apparatus;
e. collecting purified blood from hemodialysis apparatus; and
f. transmitting said purified blood through said cuff into said venous outflow catheter.
18. The method according to claim 16 wherein said venous outflow catheter has a diameter of about 1 mm smaller than said subcutaneous graft.
19. The method according to claim 16, wherein said artery is the brachial, axillary, or femoral, external iliac artery.
20. The method according to claim 16, wherein said vein is the axillary, jugular, femoral or external iliac vein.