Author: claimsbot

1. A biomaterial suitable for use in surgery in a human patient, comprising:
a coherent layer of non-human collagenous tissue which has been subjected to glutaraldehyde tanning so as to comprise cross-linked collagen fibrils, and
a reinforcement of synthetic material embedded within the coherent layer, said synthetic material having structure features for promoting said embedding, said synthetic material having on average in situ more than 50 of said features per square centimeter.
2. A biomaterial as claimed in claim 1 having more than 100 of said features per square centimeter.
3. A biomaterial as claimed in claim 1 wherein the synthetic material is a fibre mesh and the features for promoting said embedding are the reticulations of the mesh.
4. A biomaterial as claimed in claim 3 wherein the mesh is embedded in the coherent layer such that the mesh structure is in a loose unstretched state.
5. A biomaterial as claimed in claim 3 wherein the fibre mesh is constructed from polyester yarn.
6. A biomaterial as claimed in claim 5 wherein the polyester yarn is augmented with polyurethane.
7. A biomaterial as claimed in claim 6 wherein the polyurethane is in the form of strands of the polyester dipped in polyurethane.
8. A biomaterial as claimed in claim 6 wherein the polyurethane is in the form of strands of polyurethane wound around strands of the polyester.
9. A biomaterial as claimed in claim 1 wherein the synthetic material is particulate in nature.
10. A biomaterial as claimed in claim 9 wherein said features are constituted by individual particles of that material.
11. A biomaterial as claimed in claim 1 wherein the biomaterial is formed in the shape of a tube.

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 image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image bearing member to bear a toner image;
a transfer member to form a transfer nip between the image bearing member and the transfer member;
a transfer power source to output a transfer bias to the transfer nip, the transfer power source including a DC power source, an AC power source, a first switch to connect and disconnect the DC power source to the transfer nip, and a second switch to connect and disconnect the AC power source to the transfer nip; and
a controller to control the transfer power source to output the transfer bias,
wherein the controller controls the first and second switches to switch modes between a first mode and a second mode,
wherein in the first mode the controller turns on both the first switch and the second switch so that the transfer power source outputs the transfer bias including an AC component superimposed on a DC component,
wherein in the second mode the controller turns on the first switch and turns off the second switch so that the transfer power source outputs the transfer bias including only the DC component, and
wherein the controller turns off both the first and second switches so as to turn off application of the transfer bias to the transfer nip when no sheet passes through the transfer nip.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller turns off application of the transfer bias to the transfer nip within a time period from when a trailing edge of the sheet passes through the transfer nip to when a leading edge of a successive sheet enters the transfer nip.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the first mode the controller controls the transfer power source so that a polarity of the transfer bias is alternately inverted when the toner image is transferred to the sheet at the transfer nip.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second switch is interposed between the DC power source and the AC power source.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first switch is interposed between the DC power source and ground.
6. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image bearing member to bear a toner image;
a transfer member to form a transfer nip between the image bearing member and the transfer member;
a toner detector to detect a test toner image formed on the image bearing member;
a transfer power source to output a transfer bias to the transfer nip, the transfer power source including a DC power source, an AC power source, a first switch to connect and disconnect the DC power source to the transfer nip, and a second switch to connect and disconnect the AC power source to the transfer nip; and
a controller to control the transfer power source to output the transfer bias,
wherein the controller controls the first and second switches to switch modes between a first mode and a second mode,
wherein in the first mode the controller turns on both the first switch and the second switch so that the transfer power source outputs the transfer bias including an AC component superimposed on a DC component,
wherein in the second mode the controller turns on the first switch and turns off the second switch so that the transfer power source outputs the transfer bias including only the DC component, and
wherein the controller turns off both the first and second switches so as to turn off application of the transfer bias to the transfer nip when the test toner image passes through the transfer nip.
7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the toner detector detects the amount of toner of the test toner image formed on the image bearing member, and the controller adjusts image quality based on a detection result provided by the toner detector.
8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller turns off application of the transfer bias to the transfer nip within a time period from when a trailing edge of the sheet passes through the transfer nip to when a leading edge of a successive sheet enters the transfer nip.
9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein in the first mode the controller controls the transfer power source so that a polarity of the transfer bias is alternately inverted when the toner image is transferred to the sheet at the transfer nip.
10. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image bearing member to bear a toner image;
a transfer member to form a transfer nip between the image bearing member and the transfer member;
a transfer power source to output a transfer bias to the transfer nip, the transfer power source including a first DC power source, a second DC power source, an AC power source, a first switch to connect and disconnect the first DC power source to the transfer nip, and a second switch to connect and disconnect both of the second DC power source and the AC power source to the transfer nip; and
a controller to control the transfer power source to output the transfer bias,
wherein the controller controls the first and second switches to switch modes between a first mode and a second mode,
wherein in the first mode the controller turns off the first switch and turns on the second switch so that the transfer power source outputs the transfer bias including an AC component superimposed on a DC component supplied by the second DC power source,
wherein in the second mode the controller turns on the first switch and turns off the second switch so that the transfer power source outputs the transfer bias including only a DC component supplied by the first DC power source, and
wherein the controller turns off both the first and second switches so as to turn off application of the transfer bias to the transfer nip when no sheet passes through the transfer nip.
11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller turns off application of the transfer bias to the transfer nip within a time period from when a trailing edge of the sheet passes through the transfer nip to when a leading edge of a successive sheet enters the transfer nip.
12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein in the first mode the controller controls the transfer power source so that a polarity of the transfer bias is alternately inverted when the toner image is transferred to the sheet at the transfer nip.
13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a first branch including the first DC power source is in parallel with a second branch including both the second DC power source and the AC power source.
14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first DC power source is interposed between the first switch and ground.
15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein both the second DC power source and the AC power source are interposed between the second switch and ground.
16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the DC component of the bias that is output in the first mode and the DC component of the bias that is output in the second mode have the same polarity.
17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second switch is interposed between the DC power source and the AC power source.
18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first switch is interposed between the DC power source and ground.
19. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image bearing member to bear a toner image;
a transfer member to form a transfer nip between the image bearing member and the transfer member;
a toner detector to detect a test toner image formed on the image bearing member;
a transfer power source to output a transfer bias to the transfer nip, the transfer power source including a first DC power source, a second DC power source, an AC power source, a first switch to connect and disconnect the first DC power source to the transfer nip, and a second switch to connect and disconnect both of the second DC power source and the AC power source to the transfer nip; and
a controller to control the transfer power source to output the transfer bias,
wherein the controller controls the first and second switches to switch modes between a first mode and a second mode,
wherein in the first mode the controller turns off the first switch and turns on the second switch so that the transfer power source outputs the transfer bias including an AC component superimposed on a DC component supplied by the second DC power source,
wherein in the second mode the controller turns on the first switch and turns off the second switch so that the transfer power source outputs the transfer bias including only a DC component supplied by the first DC power source, and
wherein the controller turns off both the first and second switches so as to turn off application of the transfer nip when the test toner image passes through the transfer nip.
20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the toner detector detects the amount of toner of the test toner image formed on the image bearing member, and the controller adjusts image quality based on a detection result provided by the toner detector.
21. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the controller turns off application of the transfer bias to the transfer nip within a time period from when a trailing edge of the sheet passes through the transfer nip to when a leading edge of a successive sheet enters the transfer nip.
22. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein in the first mode the controller controls the transfer power source so that a polarity of the transfer bias is alternately inverted when the toner image is transferred to the sheet at the transfer nip.
23. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein a first branch including the first DC power source is in parallel with a second branch including both the second DC power source and the AC power source.
24. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the first DC power source is interposed between the first switch and ground.
25. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein both the second DC power source and the AC power source are interposed between the second switch and ground.
26. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the DC component of the bias that is output in the first mode and the DC component of the bias that is output in the second mode have the same polarity.

1. A subject table for a mammography apparatus, comprising:
a table body having a slot extending completely therethrough and adapted to receive an X-ray film cassette;
a locking mechanism disposed in said slot and adapted to interact with an X-ray film cassette in said slot;
said locking mechanism comprising a first detent and a second detent, at least one of said first and second detents being spring-loaded to urge said first and second detents tightly against narrow sides of an X-ray film cassette in said slot, and a first arm spring-loaded in a longitudinal direction of said first arm and having an end carrying said first detent, said first arm being displaceable along said longitudinal direction of said first arm, and said second detent being displaceable perpendicularly to said longitudinal direction of said first arm, and a second arm, spring-loaded in a longitudinal direction of said second arm, to which said second detent is attached, said first and second arms being axially aligned, and said first arm having a free end opposite the end at which said first detent is carried and said second arm having a free end opposite said end at which said second detent is carried; and
a first gear wheel rotatable around a first shaft and a second gear wheel rotatable around a second shaft, said first and second gear wheels being disposed in a common plane and meshing with each other, said first gear wheel rotatably and eccentrically engaging said free end of said first arm and said second gear wheel rotatably engaging said free end of said second arm to respectively spring-tension said first and second arms along said respective longitudinal directions.
2. A subject table as claimed in claim 1 wherein said slot has a bottom, and wherein said locking mechanism is disposed below said bottom of said slot with only said detents projecting above said bottom of said slot.

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

1-16. (canceled)
17. An MRI system for evaluating an aneurysm in vivo, comprising: at least one implantable RF resonator configured and sized to reside in an intracranial aneurysm sac in a patient, wherein the at least one RF resonator has a resonant frequency corresponding to an operating frequency associated with magnetic field strength of an MRI scanner system; a body coil in communication with an RF excitation source associated with the MRI scanner system, the body coil disposed on the patient the body coil being configured to inductively couple with the at least one RF resonator to transmit RF excitation pulses comprising low flip angle pulses, from the RF excitation source inside of and proximate the at least one RF resonator; and a surface coil in communication with the MRI scanner system and the at least one RF resonator, wherein, in operation, the at least one RF resonator picks up local MR signal data and cooperates with the surface coil to amplify local signal data from the RF resonator.
18. An embolic vascular occlusion device, comprising: a microcoil configured and sized for implantation in an aneurysm sac; and at least one MEMS pressure sensor held by the microcoil.
19. A method of obtaining image data to guide filling an aneurysm sac with embolic material, comprising: obtaining MRI signal data from an internal implantable RF resonator disposed proximate an aneurysm sac; and filling the sac with a selected embolic material using the obtained MRI signal data.
20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the obtaining step is carried out in substantially real time during the filling step so that the sac can be filled to a desired level without unduly over or under filling the sac space.
21. A method of obtaining image data to guide filling an aneurysm sac with embolic material, comprising: obtaining MRI signal data from an intra-body RF antenna disposed proximate an aneurysm sac; and filling the sac with a selected embolic material using the obtained MRI signal data.
22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising implanting an RF resonator in the aneurysm sac.
23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the obtaining step is carried out using the RF antenna and the RF resonator during the filling step.
24. A method according to claim 21, wherein the filling step comprises at least one of the following: introducing embolic liquid into the sac; and introducing at least one coil into the sac.
25. A method according to claim 22, wherein the intra-body antenna is a guidewire or catheter that is spaced apart from the RF resonator, and wherein the RF resonator is non-active during implantation.
26. A method of monitoring the status of an aneurysm, comprising: obtaining MRI signal data from an internal implanted RF resonator disposed in an aneurysm sac to provide images of the aneurysm sac with sufficient detail to allow a clinician to visualize in the MRI image, the presence or absence of at least one of the following: thrombosis, scarring, recanalization, anatomical or structural changes in the sac and blood flow into the sac.
27. A method of using MRI signal data to guide placement of embolic material in an aneurysm sac, comprising: introducing a catheter holding a detachable RF resonator coil into a patient; and obtaining MRI signal data in substantially real-time from the internal RF resonator coil proximate an aneurysm sac in the patient.
28. A method according to claim 27, further comprising detaching the RF resonator coil from the catheter and implanting the RF resonator coil in the aneurysm sac.
29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the obtaining step is carried out before the detaching step.
30. A method according to claim 28, wherein the obtaining step is carried out before and after the detaching step.
31. A method according to claim 28, wherein the obtaining step is carried out after the detaching step.
32. A method of using MRI signal data to guide placement of embolic material in an aneurysm sac, comprising: obtaining MRI signal data in substantially real-time from an RF antenna proximate an aneurysm sac in the patient; and introducing embolic material into the aneurysm sac based on images generated from the obtaining step.
33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the introducing step comprises implanting an RF resonator coil into the aneurysm sac.
34. A method according to claim 32, wherein the introducing step comprises introducing liquid embolic material into the aneurysm sac.