All The Claims

1. A device comprising:
a first coupler ring, comprising a first plurality of pins on a first side, a first plurality of pin openings on a second side, opposite of the first side, and a first vessel opening having a first diameter;
a second coupler ring, comprising a second plurality of pins on a third side, a second plurality of pin openings on a fourth side, opposite the third side, and a second vessel opening having a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is the same as the first diameter; and
a tube, coupled between the first and second vessel openings, wherein the tube comprises an artificial material and graduated markings along a portion of the tube.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the graduated markings comprise a first line at least partially encircling the tube and a second line encircling the tube, wherein the first line indicates a distance from the first vessel opening to the first line and the second line indicates the first diameter.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the tube comprises:
a first band in a first color; and
a second band in a second color, wherein the second color is different from the first color, the first color indicates a length of the tube, and the second color indicates the first diameter.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the artificial material comprises at least a polymer based material.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the artificial material comprises at least a woven material.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the tube comprises a first coating on a first portion of an inner surface of the tube, wherein the first coating comprises a first drug.
7. The device of claim 6 wherein the tube comprises a second coating on a second portion of the inner surface of the tube, and the second coating comprises a second drug, different from the first drug.
8. The device of claim 1 further comprising:
a first jaw assembly holding the first coupler ring; and
a second jaw assembly holding the second coupler ring.
9. A vessel extender kit comprising a container, comprising a plurality of vessel extenders, wherein a first vessel extender comprises a first coupler ring having a first vessel opening, a second coupler ring having a second vessel opening, and a first tube, coupled between the first and second vessel openings,
a second vessel extender comprises a third coupler ring having a third vessel opening, a fourth coupler ring having a fourth vessel opening, and a second tube, coupled between the third and fourth vessel openings, wherein the first tube has a different length than the second tube.
10. The vessel extender kit of claim 9 wherein the first tube is treated with a cryoprotectant solution.
11. The vessel extender kit of claim 9 wherein diameters of the first and second vessel openings are the same.
12. The vessel extender kit of claim 9 wherein a diameter of the first vessel opening is different from a diameter of the third vessel opening.
13. The vessel extender kit of claim 9 wherein the container comprises a base member, a recloseable lid, and a tray that fits in the base member, the tray having a first cavity to hold the first vessel extender and a second cavity to hold the second vessel extender.
14. The vessel extender kit of claim 13 wherein in the tray, adjacent to the first cavity is a first label and adjacent to the second cavity is a second label, different from the first label.
15. The vessel extender kit of claim 14 wherein the first label indicates a length of the first vessel extender and the second label indicates a length of the second vessel extender.
16. The vessel extender kit of claim 14 wherein the first label indicates a diameter of the first vessel extender and the first label has the shape of a circle.
17. The vessel extender kit of claim 9 further comprising at least one of an irreversible high temperature indicator or an irreversible low temperature indicator attached to a surface of the container.
18. The vessel extender kit of claim 9 wherein the first tube comprises a natural material.
19. The vessel extender kit of claim 18 wherein the natural material comprises a human allograft.
20. The vessel extender kit of claim 18 wherein the natural material comprises a xenograft.
21. The vessel extender kit of claim 18 wherein the natural material comprises a freeze-dried human tissue.
22. A method comprising:
providing a first coupler ring having a first vessel opening and a second coupler ring having a second vessel opening;
providing a tube having a first end and a second end, wherein the tube comprises an artificial material;
attaching the first end of the tube to the first coupler ring;
attaching the second end of the tube to the second coupler ring; and
sealing the tube, first coupler ring, and second coupler ring in a package.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the package comprises a label attached to an exterior surface of the package, wherein the label comprises information indicating a length of the tube and diameters of the first and second vessel openings.
24. The method of claim 22 wherein before sealing the tube, first coupler ring, and second coupler ring in the package, the method further comprises attaching a first jaw assembly to the first coupler ring, and attaching a second jaw assembly to the second coupler ring.
25. A package to preserve the sterility of contents in the package wherein the contents comprise a vessel extender comprising:
a first coupler ring, comprising a first plurality of pins on a first side, a first plurality of pin openings on a second side, opposite of the first side, and a first vessel opening having a first diameter;
a second coupler ring, comprising a second plurality of pins on a third side, a second plurality of pin openings on a fourth side, opposite the third side, and a second vessel opening having a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is the same as the first diameter; and
a tube, coupled between the first and second vessel openings, wherein the tube comprises a natural material.
26. The device of claim 25 wherein the natural material comprises a human vein or a human artery.
27. The device of claim 25 wherein the natural material comprises a human allograft.
28. The device of claim 25 wherein the natural material comprises a xenograft.
29. The device of claim 25 wherein the natural material comprises a freeze-dried human tissue.
30. The device of claim 25 further comprising:
a first jaw assembly holding the first coupler ring; and
a second jaw assembly holding the second coupler ring.
31. The package of claim 25 further comprising at least one of an irreversible high temperature indicator or an irreversible low temperature indicator attached to a surface of the package.
32. A device comprising:
a first coupler ring;
a second coupler ring;
a tube, comprising a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first coupler ring is coupled to the first opening, the second coupler ring is coupled to the second opening, and the tube is made from a natural material; and
a first marking, visible from an outside of the tube, indicating a length of the tube.
33. The device of claim 32 further comprising a second marking indicating a date of manufacture of the device.
34. The device of claim 32 further comprising a stent within a lumen of the tube.
35. The device of claim 32 further comprising:
a first jaw assembly holding the first coupler ring; and
a second jaw assembly holding the second coupler ring.
36. The device of claim 32 wherein the tube has been treated with a cryoprotectant solution.

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 single seal for the sealing of a rotary shaft extending through a wall, said seal being mounted on the wall by means of a flange (12), to seal off a chamber inside the wall against the shaft and towards the exterior, comprising an outer sealing ring (1) and an inner sealing ring (2,2\u2032), said sealing rings being in sliding and sealing contact with each other, the outer sealing ring (1) being fastened to the flange (12), characterised in that the inner sealing ring (2,2\u2032) is arranged to seal against said shaft and is connected to an axially extending member (5,5\u2032; 8), said member (5,5\u2032; 8) in turn being fastened with and rotating with the shaft (22), and extending through the wall and the flange (12), wherein the axially extending member (5,5\u2032; 8) is resilient and provides a force acting in a direction to increase the contact between the sealing rings (1; 2,2\u2032) and a torque acting in a direction to drive the inner sealing ring (2,2\u2032) together with said shaft (22).
2. A single seal according to claim 1, characterised in that the resilient member is a slitted sleeve (5,5\u2032).
3. A single seal according to claim 2, characterised in that the sleeve (5,5\u2032) comprises circular segments (13,13\u2032) connected to each other by means of lands (14, 14\u2032) of sleeve material, and in that the lands (14,14\u2032) are alternately located so that the sleeve (5,5\u2032) may be extended elastically.
4. A single seal according to claim 3, characterised in that there are two lands (14,14\u2032) between each segment, the lands being located opposite each other at 180 in one pair with 90 to the lands in alternate pairs.
5. A single seal according to claim 3, characterised by a number of lands (14, 14\u2032) evenly distributed around the circumference and alternately in every second pair.
6. A single seal according to claim 3, characterised in that the number of segments (13,13\u2032) is in the range of 1-10, preferably 6.
7. A single seal according to claim 2, characterised in that the sleeve (5,5\u2032) is connected to the inner sealing ring (2) by means of a lug (15,15\u2032) at the edge of the sleeve, said lug (15, 15\u2032) engaging a recess in the inner sealing ring (2).
8. A single seal according to claim 2, characterised in that the sleeve (5,5\u2032) is connected to the shaft by means of a stop screw (4).
9. A single seal according to claim 1, characterised in that the resilient member comprises a coil spring (8).
10. A single seal according to claim 9, characterised in that the inner end of the coil spring (8) is attached to the inner sealing ring (2\u2032), which is provided with an internal groove following the pitch of the spring, said spring (8) being threaded in the groove and ending with a straight axially directed part (19) engaging a recess in the sealing ring (2\u2032), and the outer end of the coil spring (8) is attached to an outer retaining ring (17), which is provided with an internal groove following the pitch of the spring, the spring (8) being threaded in the groove and ending with a straight axially directed part engaging a recess in the retaining ring (17).
11. A single seal according to claim 9, characterised in that the inner end of the coil spring (8) is attached to the inner sealing ring (2\u2032) by means of a retaining ring (18), which is provided with an internal groove following the pitch of the spring, the spring (8) being threaded in the groove and ending with a straight axially directed part (9) engaging a recess (19) in the retaining ring (18), and the outer end of the coil spring (8) is attached to an outer retaining ring (17), which is provided with an internal groove following the pitch of the spring, the spring (8) being threaded in the groove and ending with a straight axially directed part (10) engaging a recess (7) in the retaining ring (17).
12. A single seal according to claim 9, characterised in that the outer retaining ring (17) is connected to the shaft by means of a stop screw (2).
13. A single seal according to claim 1, characterised in that the outer sealing ring (1) is brought against the flange (12) with a first further seal (11) therebetween, and the inner sealing ring (2,2\u2032) is brought against the shaft (22) with a second further seal (3) therebetween.
14. A single seal according to claim 13, characterised in that the sealing (3) between the inner retaining ring (19) and the shaft (22) is a lip seal.
15. A single seal according to claim 1, characterised in that the resilient member is manufactured from a rolled metal sheet.
16. A single seal according to claim 1, characterised in that the sealing rings (1; 2,2\u2032) are manufactured from silicon carbide with a diamond coating on the contact surfaces.
17. A method for manufacturing a resilient sleeve, characterised by the steps of: laser cutting the shape of the intended sleeve (5\u2032) including slits (6\u2032) from a rolled metal sheet, roller bending the cut-out piece into the final circular shape, and welding the axial edges together.

We claim:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an application server component that communicates to one or more mobile stations, of a plurality of mobile stations, one or more updates of one or more statuses of respective one or more mobile stations of the plurality of mobile stations;
wherein the plurality of mobile stations comprise a first mobile station and a second mobile station, wherein the one or more updates of the one or more statuses of the respective one or more mobile stations comprise an update of a status of the first mobile station;
wherein the application server component communicates the update of the status of the first mobile station to the second mobile station to indicate to the second mobile station whether the first mobile station is available for participation in a call with the second mobile station.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the update of the status of the first mobile station comprises a first update of the status of the first mobile station;
wherein the first mobile station comprises a status-change component, wherein a user of the first mobile station employs the status-change component to communicate a change in the status of the first mobile station to the application server component;
wherein based on the change in the status of the first mobile station, the application server component communicates a second update of the status of the first mobile station to the second mobile station.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the update of the status of the first mobile station indicates to the second mobile station that the first mobile station is available for participation in the call with the second mobile station, the apparatus further comprising:
a telecommunications network component;
wherein upon an involvement by the first mobile station in a call with a third mobile station of the plurality of mobile stations, the telecommunications network component communicates to the application server component the involvement of the first mobile station in the call with the third mobile station.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the update of the status of the first mobile station comprises a first update of the status of the first mobile station, wherein the second mobile station comprises a buddy list that is administered by a user of the second mobile station, wherein the buddy list comprises an indication of the first mobile station;
wherein the one or more updates of the one or more statuses of the respective one or more mobile stations comprise a second update of the status of the first mobile station;
wherein based on the involvement of the first mobile station in the call with the third mobile station the application server component communicates to the second mobile station the second update of the status of the first mobile station;
wherein the second update of the status of the first mobile station indicates to the second mobile station that the first mobile station is unavailable for participation in a call with the second mobile station.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein upon completion of the call with the third mobile station, the telecommunications network component communicates to the application server component the completion of the call with the third mobile station;
wherein the one or more updates of the one or more statuses of the respective one or more mobile stations comprise a third update of the status of the first mobile station;
wherein based on the completion of the call with the third mobile station the application server component communicates to the second mobile station the third update of the status of the first mobile station;
wherein the third update of the status of the first mobile station indicates to the second mobile station that the first mobile station is available for participation in a call with the second mobile station.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second mobile station comprises a buddy list that is administered by a user of the second mobile station, wherein the buddy list comprises an indication of the first mobile station;
wherein the application server component employs the buddy list to monitor the status of the first mobile station;
wherein the application server component employs the buddy list to generate the update of the status of the first mobile station.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first mobile station notifies the application server component upon a change in the status of the first mobile station.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a telecommunications network component, wherein the application server component communicates the update of the status of the first mobile station to the second mobile station through the telecommunications network component.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the telecommunications network component notifies the application server component upon a change in the status of the first mobile station.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the telecommunications network component comprises a user profile database, wherein the user profile database comprises a buddy list that is administered by a user of the second mobile station, wherein the buddy list comprises an indication of the first mobile station;
wherein the application server component employs the buddy list to monitor the status of the first mobile station;
wherein the application server component employs the buddy list to generate the update of the status of the first mobile station.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the buddy list comprises an indication of the first mobile station and one or more additional mobile stations of the plurality of mobile stations, wherein the one or more updates of the one or more statuses of the respective one or more mobile stations comprise one or more updates of one or more statuses of the one or more additional mobile stations, respectively;
wherein the application server component employs the buddy list to monitor the one or more statuses of the one or more additional mobile stations, respectively;
wherein the application server component employs the buddy list to generate the one or more updates of the one or more statuses of the one or more additional mobile stations, respectively.
12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the call comprises a first call, wherein the telecommunications network component comprises a user profile database, wherein the user profile database comprises a reverse-buddy list of the second mobile station;
wherein the reverse-buddy list comprises a list of one or more mobile stations of the plurality of mobile stations that administer a buddy list that comprises an indication of the second mobile station;
wherein the one or more updates of the one or more statuses of the respective one or more mobile stations comprise an update of a status of the second mobile station;
wherein the application server component communicates the update of the status of the second mobile station to the one or more mobile stations, that administer the buddy list that comprises the indication of the second mobile station, to indicate whether the first mobile station is available for participation in a second call.
13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the telecommunications network component comprises a user profile database, wherein the user profile database comprises a buddy list that is administered by a user of the second mobile station, wherein the buddy list comprises an indication of the first mobile station;
wherein upon receipt by the application server component of a call request from the second mobile station to the first mobile station the application server component translates the call request from the indication of the first mobile station to a termination address of the first mobile station.
14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the telecommunications network component comprises a session control component and a user profile database, wherein upon a change in the status of the first mobile station, the session control component retrieves a profile of the first mobile station from the user profile database;
wherein the session control component employs the profile to determine permissions for the first mobile station.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mobile stations comprises a plurality of mobile telephones, wherein the first mobile station comprises a first mobile telephone of the plurality of mobile telephones, wherein the second mobile station comprises a second mobile telephone of the plurality of mobile telephones.
16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the call comprises any one or more of voice communication, data communication, and messaging.
17. A method, comprising the steps of:
monitoring one or more statuses of respective one or more mobile telephones of a plurality of mobile telephones, wherein the plurality of mobile telephones comprise a first mobile telephone and a second mobile telephone; and
communicating to the first mobile telephone an update of a status, of the one or more statuses, of the second mobile telephone.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of monitoring the one or more statuses of the respective one or more mobile telephones of the plurality of mobile telephones comprises the steps of:
detecting by a telecommunications network component the one or more statuses of the respective one or more mobile telephones; and
storing the one or more statuses of the respective one or more mobile telephones in a user profile database.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of communicating to the first mobile telephone the update of the status of the second mobile telephone comprises the steps of:
accessing a buddy list of the first mobile telephone that comprises an indication of the one or more mobile telephones;
retrieving the one or more statuses of the respective one or more mobile telephones; and
communicating to the first mobile telephone an update of the one or more statuses of the respective one or more mobile telephones.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of communicating to the first mobile telephone the update of the status of the second mobile telephone comprises the steps of:
receiving from the second mobile telephone an indication of a change in the status of the second mobile telephone; and
sending the indication to the first mobile telephone.
21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:
sending the indication to one or more mobile telephones of the plurality of mobile telephones that administer a buddy list that comprises an indication of the second mobile telephone.
22. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:
translating a call request made by the first mobile telephone to initiate a call with a third mobile telephone of the plurality of mobile telephones from an indication of the third mobile telephone to a termination address that corresponds to the third mobile telephone; and
connecting the first mobile telephone with the termination address for mobile communication with the third mobile telephone.
23. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of communicating to the first mobile telephone the update of the status of the second mobile telephone comprises the step of:
notifying a telecommunications network component of a busy status of the second mobile telephone to alert one or more mobile telephones of the plurality of mobile telephones that the second mobile telephone is unavailable for mobile communication.
24. An article, comprising:
one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media;
means in the one or more media for monitoring one or more statuses of respective one or more mobile telephones of a plurality of mobile telephones, wherein the plurality of mobile telephones comprise a first mobile telephone and a second mobile telephone; and
means in the one or more media for communicating to the first mobile telephone an update of a status, of the one or more statuses, of the second mobile telephone.
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 is:

1. A method for inhibiting the growth or proliferation of a colon neoplasia in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject an agent that decreases the amount of a polypeptide present in or produced by the colon neoplasia, said polypeptide selected from among: ColoUp1, ColoUp2, ColoUp3, ColoUp4, ColoUp5, ColoUp6, ColoUp7 and ColoUp8.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is an siRNA probe that hybridizes to an MRNA encoding a polypeptide selected from among: ColoUp 1, ColoUp2, ColoUp3, ColoUp4, ColoUp5, ColoUp6, ColoUp7 and ColoUp8.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the siRNA probe hybridizes to a nucleic acid selected from among: SEQ ID Nos. 4, 5 and 7-12.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is an antisense probe that hybridizes to a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide selected from among: ColoUp1, ColoUp2, ColoUp3, ColoUp4, ColoUp5, ColoUp6, ColoUp7 and ColoUp8.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the antisense probe hybridizes to a nucleic acid selected from among: SEQ ID Nos. 4, 5 and 7-12.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is a nucleic acid vector that causes the production of a siRNA or an antisense probe that hybridizes to a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide selected from among: ColoUp1, ColoUp2, ColoUp3, ColoUp4, ColoUp5, ColoUp6, ColoUp7 and ColoUp8.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the siRNA or antisense probe hybridizes to a nucleic acid selected from among: SEQ ID Nos. 4, 5 and 7-12.
8. A method for inhibiting the growth or proliferation of a cell of a colon neoplasia in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject an agent that binds to and antagonizes a polypeptide selected from among: ColoUp1, ColoUp2, ColoUp3, ColoUp4, ColoUp5, ColoUp6, ColoUp7 and ColoUp8.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the agent is an antibody that binds to a polypeptide selected from among ColoUp1, ColoUp2, ColoUp3, ColoUp4, ColoUp5, ColoUp6, ColoUp7 and ColoUp8.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the polypeptide is selected from among: SEQ ID Nos. 1-3, 13, 14 and 16-21.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the antibody comprises a monoclonal antibody.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the antibody comprises a polyclonal antibody.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the antibody comprises a single chain antibody.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein the antibody comprises a humanized antibody.
15. The method of claim 8, wherein the agent is a small molecule that binds to a polypeptide selected from among: SEQ ID Nos. 1-3, 13, 14 and 16-21.
16. A therapeutic agent that is targeted to a colon neoplasia, the agent comprising a targeting moiety and an active moiety, wherein the targeting moiety binds to a polypeptide selected from among ColoUp1, ColoUp2, ColoUp3, ColoUp4, ColoUp5, ColoUp6, ColoUp7 and ColoUp8 and wherein the active moiety facilitates the killing or growth inhibition of a cell of a colon neoplasia.
17. The therapeutic agent of claim 16, wherein the targeting moiety comprises an antibody.
18. The therapeutic agent of claim 17, wherein the antibody binds to a polypeptide selected from among SEQ ID Nos. 1-3, 13, 14 and 16-21.
19. The therapeutic agent of claim 18, wherein the antibody is selected from among: a monoclonal antibody, a polyclonal antibody, a single chain antibody.
20. The therapeutic agent of claim 18, wherein the antibody is a humanized antibody.
21. The therapeutic agent of claim 16, wherein the active moiety sensitizes the cell to a chemotherapeutic agent or radiation.
22. A method of identifying a candidate agent for treating colon cancer, the method comprising: identifying a candidate agent that binds to andor inhibits an activity of a polypeptide selected from among: ColoUp1, ColoUp2, ColoUp3, ColoUp4, ColoUp5, ColoUp6, ColoUp7 and ColoUp8.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising testing the candidate agent for antineoplastic effects on a cell of a colon neoplasia or a cell of a cell line derived from a colon neoplasia.
24. The method of claim 22, further comprising testing the candidate agent for antineoplastic effects on a mouse xenograft comprising cells of a human colon cancer or cells of a cell line derived from a colon cancer cell line.
25. The method of claim 22, wherein the candidate agent is a siRNA probe or an antisense probe.
26. The method of claim 22, wherein the candidate agent is an antibody.
27. The method of claim 22, wherein the candidate agent is a small molecule.