Author: claimsbot

1. A method comprising:
(a) obtaining one or more signals indicative of electrical functioning of a patient’s heart, and one or more signals indicative of mechanical functioning of the patient’s heart;
(b) determining the patient’s myocardial electrical stability by determining a degree of electrical alternans based on the one or more signals indicative of electrical functioning of the patient’s heart, and determining the patient’s myocardial mechanical stability by determining at least three degrees of mechanical alternans using a plurality of thresholds based on the one or more signals indicative of mechanical functioning of the patient’s heart;
(c) determining a myocardial electro-mechanical stability score based on the patient’s myocardial electrical stability and myocardial mechanical stability;
(d) determining whether the patient is at risk of an adverse cardiac event based on the myocardial electro-mechanical stability score;
(e) when the patient is at risk of an adverse cardiac event, triggering a response that is specific to both the myocardial electrical stability and the myocardial mechanical stability of the patient;
(f) using an algorithm to determine whether the patient’s myocardium is more electrically unstable or mechanically unstable;
(g) if the patient’s myocardium is more electrically unstable than mechanically unstable, treating the electrical instability first, wherein treating the electrical instability first comprises using a treatment specific to the electrical instability before using a treatment specific to the mechanical instability; and
(h) if the patient’s myocardium is less electrically unstable than mechanically unstable, treating the mechanical instability first, wherein treating the mechanical instability first comprises using a treatment specific to the mechanical instability before using a treatment specific to the electrical instability.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) includes using an algorithm to determine the myocardial electro-mechanical stability score, where the algorithm treats myocardial electrical stability and myocardial mechanical stability as being independent risk factors.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) includes using an algorithm to determine the myocardial electro-mechanical stability score, where the algorithm treats myocardial electrical stability and myocardial mechanical stability as being dependent risk factors.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the patient’s myocardial ischemic burden; and wherein step (c) comprises determining the myocardial electro-mechanical stability score also based on the patient’s myocardial ischemic burden.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises triggering a response that is specific to both the degree of electrical alternans and the degree of mechanical alternans.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein triggering a response that is specific to both the degree of electrical alternans and the degree of mechanical alternans comprises selecting from at least two different responses when the patient is at risk of an adverse cardiac event.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the responses comprise delivering types of cardiac therapy.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the responses comprise notifying types of cardiac specialists or other caregivers.
9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions that when executed on a processor of an implantable medical device (IMD) having cardiac pacing capabilities cause the IMD to:
(a) obtain one or more signals indicative of electrical functioning of a patient’s heart, and one or more signals indicative of mechanical functioning of the patient’s heart;
(b) determine the patient’s myocardial electrical stability by determining a degree of electrical alternans based on the one or more signals indicative of electrical functioning of the patient’s heart, and determine the patient’s myocardial mechanical stability by determining at least three degrees of mechanical alternans using a plurality of thresholds based on the one or more signals indicative of mechanical functioning of the patient’s heart;
(c) determine a myocardial electro-mechanical stability score based on the patient’s myocardial electrical stability and myocardial mechanical stability;
(d) determine whether the patient is at risk of an adverse cardiac event based on the myocardial electro-mechanical stability score;
(e) when the patient is at risk of an adverse cardiac event, trigger a response that is specific to both the myocardial electrical stability and the myocardial mechanical stability of the patient, wherein the IMD uses an algorithm to determine whether the patient’s myocardium is more electrically unstable or mechanically unstable;
(g) if the patient’s myocardium is more electrically unstable than mechanically unstable, treat the electrical instability first, wherein treating the electrical instability first comprises using a treatment specific to the electrical instability before using a treatment specific to the mechanical instability; and
(h) if the patient’s myocardium is less electrically unstable than mechanically unstable, treat the mechanical instability first, wherein treating the mechanical instability first comprises using a treatment specific to the mechanical instability before using a treatment specific to the electrical instability.
10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the IMD uses an algorithm to determine the myocardial electro-mechanical stability score, where the algorithm treats myocardial electrical stability and myocardial mechanical stability as being independent risk factors.
11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more signals indicative of electrical functioning of the patient’s heart include an intra cardiac electrogram signal and the one or more signals indicative of mechanical functioning of the patient’s heart include a pressure signal.
12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more signals indicative of electrical functioning of the patient’s heart include intra cardiac electrogram signal, and the one or more further signals indicative of mechanical functioning of the patient’s heart include at least one of the following:
a signal representative of ventricular pressure obtained from a pressure transducer within a ventricle;
a signal representative of contraction strength obtained from an accelerometer;
a signal representative of blood flow rate obtained from a blood flow transducer;
a signal representative of heart sounds obtained from a microphone or an accelerometer that responds to acoustic vibrations transmitted through body fluids;
a signal representative of blood volume obtained using an impedance measuring circuit;
a signal representative of pulse pressure obtained using a photo-plethysmography sensor; and
a signal representative of venous oxygen saturation obtained using an SVO2 sensor.
13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions select from at least two different responses, wherein:
the responses involve different types of cardiac therapy,
at least a first response is specific to the myocardial electrical stability of the patient, and
at least a second response is specific to the myocardial mechanical stability of the patient.
14. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions select from at least two different responses, wherein:
the responses involve notifying different types of caregivers,
at least a first response comprises notifying a first caregiver specializing in treating a condition indicated by myocardial electrical instability, and
at least a second response comprises notifying a second, different caregiver specializing in treating a condition indicated by myocardial mechanical instability.
15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein at least an electro-physiologist is notified if the myocardial electrical stability of the patient indicates that the patient is at an increased risk of arrhythmia, and
at least a heart failure specialist is notified if the myocardial mechanical stability of the patient indicates that the patient is at an increased risk of an acute heart failure exacerbation.
16. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the response is specific to both the degree of electrical alternans and the degree of mechanical alternans.
17. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instruction further cause the processor to:
trigger a first response if electrical alternans are present but mechanical alternans are not present;
trigger a second response, that is different from the first response, if mechanical alternans are present but electrical alternans are not present; and
trigger a third response if both electrical and mechanical alternans are present.
18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first, second and third responses involve delivering types of cardiac therapy.
19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first, second and third responses involve notifying types of caregivers.
20. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instruction further cause the processor to:
monitor the patient’s myocardial ischemic burden based on the one or more signals indicative of electrical functioning of the patient’s heart; and
monitor the patient’s risk of an adverse cardiac event based on the myocardial ischemic burden and the myocardial electro-mechanical stability score.
21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the instruction further cause the processor to: (d) trigger a response when the patient is at risk of an adverse cardiac event, where the response is based on the myocardial ischemic burden and the myocardial electro-mechanical stability score.
22. A method for determining a patient’s myocardial electro-mechanical stability, comprising:
(a) obtaining one or more signals indicative of electrical functioning of a patient’s heart, and one or more signals indicative of mechanical functioning of the patient’s heart;
(b) determining the patient’s myocardial index of electrical stability by determining a degree of electrical alternans based on the one or more signals indicative of electrical functioning of the patient’s heart;
(c) determining the patient’s myocardial index of mechanical stability by determining at least three degrees of mechanical alternans using a plurality of thresholds based on the one or more signals indicative of mechanical functioning of the patient’s heart;
(d) using an algorithm to determine a myocardial electro-mechanical stability score by combining the patient’s myocardial index of electrical stability and the patient’s index of myocardial mechanical stability;
(e) determining whether the patient is at risk of an adverse cardiac event based on the myocardial electro-mechanical stability score;
(f) when the patient is at risk of an adverse cardiac event, triggering a response that is specific to both the myocardial electrical stability and the myocardial mechanical stability of the patient
(g) using an algorithm to determine whether the patient’s myocardium is more electrically unstable or mechanically unstable;
(h) if the patient’s myocardium is more electrically unstable than mechanically unstable, treating the electrical instability first, wherein treating the electrical instability first comprises using a treatment specific to the electrical instability before using a treatment specific to the mechanical instability; and
(i) if the patient’s myocardium is less electrically unstable than mechanically unstable, treating the mechanical instability first, wherein treating the mechanical instability first comprises using a treatment specific to the mechanical instability before using a treatment specific to the electrical instability.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein step (d), where the algorithm treats myocardial electrical stability and myocardial mechanical stability as being independent risk factors and the patient’s myocardial index of electrical stability and the patient’s index of myocardial mechanical stability are added.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein the myocardial electro-mechanical stability score is indicative of the patient’s risk of an arrhythmia and an acute heart failure exacerbation.
25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
(e) triggering a response, wherein the response improves the patient’s myocardial electrical stability without adversely affecting the patient’s myocardial mechanical stability.
26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
(e) triggering a response, wherein the response improves the patient’s myocardial mechanical stability without adversely affecting the patient’s electrical mechanical stability.

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. A magnetoresistance effect device comprising:
a fixed ferromagnetism layer including an Ru layer positioned on a substrate side and a CoFeB layer formed onto said Ru layer,
a free ferromagnetism layer including CoFeB, and
a barrier layer including crystal magnesium oxide sandwiched by said fixed ferromagnetism layer and said free ferromagnetism layer,
wherein said CoFeB layer in said fixed ferromagnetism layer is positioned on a barrier layer side so as to be in contact with said barrier layer, a layer of said crystal magnesium oxide in the barrier layer is formed so as to have a single structure or high orientation polycrystal structure having no grain boundary in a thickness direction, and said CoFeB in which an amount (b: atomic %) of addition of boron (B) satisfies a condition of 21%\u2266b\u226623% is used for said free ferromagnetism layer.
2. The magnetoresistance effect device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said barrier layer contains only said crystal magnesium oxide.
3. A magnetoresistance effect device comprising:
a fixed ferromagnetism layer including an Ru layer positioned on a substrate side and a CoFeB layer formed onto said Ru layer,
a free ferromagnetism layer including CoNiFeB, and
a barrier layer including crystal magnesium oxide sandwiched by said fixed ferromagnetism layer and said free ferromagnetism layer,
wherein said CoFeB layer in said fixed ferromagnetism layer is positioned on a barrier layer side so as to be in contact with said barrier layer, a layer of said crystal magnesium oxide is formed so as to have a single structure or high orientation polycrystal structure having no grain boundary in a thickness direction, and said CoNiFeB in which an amount (a: atomic %) of addition of nickel (Ni) satisfies a condition of 5%\u2266b\u226617% is used for said free ferromagnetism layer.
4. The magnetoresistance effect device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said barrier layer contains only said crystal magnesium oxide.

1. A method, including constraints, and databases, for designing components of electrical mechanisms, comprising the steps of:
(a) comparing different specifications based on polyhedral geometry;
(b) designing serial electrical mechanisms;
(c) designing parallel electrical mechanisms;
(d) designing a 4-bar linkage with rest states;
(i) defining energy in each global configuration (1 dimensional);
(ii) assigning a portion of energy to each epair in its local configuration;
(iii) designing epairs;

(e) designing stepper mechanism with rest states; and
(f) As above, wherein the configuration is N-dimensional to specify energy.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein optimization is performed using standard sized magnets such that a wide variety of constraints can be incorporated in the formulations of ELECTRICAL MECHANISMS wherein, maximum and minimum limits on equivalent strengths or the kernel itself.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one constraint is applied such that total magnetic material used in the mechanism may be limited due to exemplarily space constraints.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one constraint is applied such that the rate of change of equivalent strengths andor the kernel, due to manufacturing limitations.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one constraint is applied such that several equivalent strengths can be set equal to each other to simplify manufacturing, since fewer sizes of magnets have to be fabricated.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one constraint is applied such that maximum change in the field as the mechanism moves may be limited to enhance material stability by limiting demagnetizing fields.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one constraint is applied such that there are limits to the internal magnetic forces at different configurations in the mechanism, as it moves.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, the stableunstable states are specified at various positions, along with the maximum holding force, and the magnetics are designed to yield these states.
9. An apparatus for designing components of electrical mechanisms, comprising:
(a) a first component having at least one electromagnetic elements; and
(b) a second component having at least one electromagnetic elements and movably coupled to the first component,
wherein the second component is adapted to move with respect to the first component in a cyclical manner; and the at least one electromagnetic elements of the first component are adapted to interact with the at least one electromagnetic elements of the second component during each of one or more cycles of motion of the second component with respect to the first component such that, when a constant force profile applied to move the second component with respect to the first component, the speed of motion increases and decreases at least one time during each cycle of motion due to different levels of electromagnetic interaction between the electromagnetic elements within each cycle of motion.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a 4-bar linkage that is a double rocker device, with a revolute joint enhanced with magnets such that the magnetic force or torque exerted by said magnets at said joint is not uniform over the cycle of motion of the device.
11. The apparatus according to claim 9, which is a chirp generator device, with a revolute joint enhanced with magnets such that the magnetic force or torque exerted by said magnets at said joint varies in a sinusoidal fashion, with increasing frequency over a cycle of motion of the device.
12. The apparatus according to claim 9, which is a vibration enhancer, with a revolute joint enhanced with magnets such that the magnetic force or torque exerted by said magnets at said joint varies in a sinusoidal fashion, with increasing frequency over a cycle of motion of the device.
13. The apparatus according to claim 9, which is a sinusoidal output converter, with a revolute joint enhanced with magnets such that the magnetic force or torque exerted by said magnets at said joint varies in a sinusoidal fashion, with increasing frequency over a cycle of motion of the device.
14. The apparatus according to claim 9, which is an IC engine flywheel, with a revolute joint enhanced with magnets such that the magnetic force or torque exerted by said magnets at said joint varies in a sinusoidal fashion, with increasing frequency over a cycle of motion of the device.
15. The apparatus according to claim 9, which is a 4 bar linkage, with a revolute joint enhanced with magnets such that the magnetic force or torque exerted by said magnets at said joint varies in a sinusoidal fashion, with increasing frequency over a cycle of motion of the device.
16. The apparatus according to claim 9, which is a magnetic carom, with a revolute joint enhanced with magnets such that the magnetic force or torque exerted by said magnets at said joint varies in a sinusoidal fashion, with increasing frequency over a cycle of motion of the device.
17. The apparatus according to claim 9, comprising irregularly shaped magnets that are attached to different parts of the mechanism to provide customizable tangential forces in different configurations.
18. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the magnets are designed based on integral equations involving continuous andor discrete variables, under a variety of constraints.
19. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the total force applied is non-constant so as to result in non-constant acceleration that is achieved by using internal electromagnetic forces.
20. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a portion of the applied force is provided by the internal structure of the mechanism to provide a non-constant acceleration even if the applied external force is constant.
21. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a Prismatic active EMEC has the strength of the pole pieces increases and decreases in a sinusoidal fashion with position with irregular spacing.
22. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the total force F12 changes as the links where the two magnets are attached slide relative to each other, due to change in elemental force which in turn is due to the change in the distance between two elemental current densities.
23. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the kernel is computed by finite-element methods, given the shape and properties of M1.
24. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus can design slider-crack mechanisms that can present oscillatory forces to the load, even when driven by a constant force.
25. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, when attached to an IC engine, results in the engine producing a position and speed independent smooth torque with zero ripples.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed:

1. A hand-operated pruner for trimming vegetation, said pruner comprising:
a main body formed of rigid material and providing a blade mounting portion at a forward end thereof, a finger grip lever mounting portion at a rearward end thereof distal said blade mounting portion, a hand grip portion extending rearwardly from said blade mounting portion between said blade mounting portion and said finger grip lever mounting portion, and a linkage receiving cavity extending through said hand grip portion at least from said lever mounting portion to said blade mounting portion, said hand grip portion providing an exterior palm engaging surface configured to enable a user performing a vegetation cutting operation to engage a palm of his or her hand therewith;
a pair of cooperating cutting members including at least one cutting blade;
said cutting members each being mounted to said blade mounting portion of said main body for relative movement with respect to one another between an open position in which said cutting members are spaced apart from one another to enable vegetation to be positioned therebetween and a closed position in which said cutting members are adjacent one another, said cutting members cooperating with one another to sever vegetation positioned therebetween as said cutting members move from their open position toward and into their closed position to thereby perform said vegetation cutting operation;
a finger grip lever formed of rigid material and pivotably mounted at a rearward end thereof to said finger grip lever mounting portion of said main body so as to extend forwardly therefrom and terminate in a free end, said finger grip lever being pivotable toward and away from said main body between a non-actuated position in which said lever forms a relatively larger angle with said main body, and an actuated position in which said lever forms a relatively smaller angle with said main body, said finger grip lever and said main body being constructed and arranged such that when a palm of a gripping hand of a user is engaged with said palm engaging surface between said blade mounting portion and said finger grip lever mounting portion, a plurality of fingers of the gripping hand are positioned on the finger grip lever such that when the user moves the finger grip lever from its non-actuated position toward and into its actuated position, an index finger of the user is positioned at or near the free forward end of the finger grip lever;
a linkage structure extending through said linkage receiving cavity of said main body and operatively interconnecting said finger grip lever with at least one of said cutting members such that pivotal movement of said finger grip lever from its non-actuated position toward and into its actuated position causes relative movement between said cutting members toward and into their closed position; and
spring structure biasing said finger grip lever toward and into its non-actuated position and biasing said cutting members relative to one another toward and into their open position.
2. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 1, further comprising a releasable lock carried on said main body and movable between (a) a locked position wherein said lock retains said cutting members in their closed position and retains said finger grip lever in the actuated position thereof against the biasing of said spring structure and (b) an unlocked position wherein said cutting members are movable between said open and closed positions and said finger grip lever is movable between said actuated position and said non-actuated position.
3. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 2, wherein said cutting blade is fixedly mounted to said main body and wherein the other cutting member is pivotally mounted to the blade mounting portion of the handle.
4. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 3, wherein the other cutting member is a second cutting blade.
5. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 3, wherein the other cutting member is an anvil.
6. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 2, wherein said cutting blade is pivotally mounted to said main body and wherein the other cutting member is fixedly mounted to the blade mounting portion of the handle.
7. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 6, wherein the other cutting member is an anvil.
8. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 6, wherein the other cutting member is a second cutting blade.
9. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 2, wherein said cutting blade is pivotally mounted to said main body and wherein the other cutting member is pivotally mounted to the blade mounting portion of the handle.
10. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 9, wherein the other cutting member is an anvil.
11. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 9, wherein the other cutting member is a second cutting blade.
12. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 2, wherein both said cutting members are mounted within a forward end of said linkage receiving cavity, said linkage receiving cavity including an opening constructed and arranged to allow vegetation to be positioned between the cutting members in their open position.
13. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 12, wherein said cutting blade is fixedly mounted and wherein the other cutting member is movably mounted in said linkage receiving cavity.
14. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 13, wherein the other cutting member is an anvil.
15. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 14, wherein said anvil is directly connected to said linkage structure.
16. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 13, wherein the aforesaid cutting blade is a first cutting blade and wherein the other cutting member is a second cutting blade.
17. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 16, wherein said second cutting blade is mounted to said linkage structure.
18. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 13, further comprising a blade carrier removably mounted to said main body for movement between engaged and disengaged positions with respect thereto, said cutting blade being removably mounted on said blade carrier so that when the blade is mounted on the blade carrier and the blade carrier is engaged with said main body, said blade is positioned in the linkage receiving cavity as aforesaid and such that when said blade carrier is disengaged from said main body, said blade can be removed from said blade carrier and replaced with a new blade.
19. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 12, wherein said cutting blade is movably mounted and wherein the other cutting member is fixedly mounted in said linkage receiving cavity.
20. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 19, wherein said other cutting member is an anvil.
21. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 20, wherein said blade is directly connected to said linkage structure.
22. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 12, wherein said cutting blade is movably mounted and wherein the other cutting member is movably mounted in said linkage receiving cavity.
23. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 22, wherein said other cutting member is an anvil.
24. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 22, wherein said other cover member is a second cutting blade.
25. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 2, wherein said main body and said finger grip lever are each of one-piece integral construction
26. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 25, wherein said main body and said finger grip lever are each constructed of a molded plastic material.
27. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 2, wherein said cutting blade is removably mounted to said blade mounting portion so that said cutting blade can be removed therefrom and replaced with a new blade.
28. A hand-operated pruner as recited in claim 2, wherein both of said cutting members are cutting blades and wherein each cutting blade is removably mounted to said blade mounting portion so that each said cutting blade can be removed therefrom and replaced with a new blade.