Abstract: A replaceable inside out flow filter element comprises an annular filter media structure; an upper end cap attached one end of the media structure; a lower end cap attached to an opposed end of the media structure, with an inner annular bypass mounting sidewall formed on the lower end cap; a bypass valve assembly secured to the inner annular bypass mounting sidewall and configured to communicate with the radial inner side of the annular filter media structure; and an annular bypass shield tube coupled to the bypass mounting sidewall and extending above the bypass valve assembly toward the upper end cap, wherein the inner annular bypass mounting sidewall and the annular bypass shield tube combine with the radial inner side of the media structure to define an annular particulate receiving area that extends about at least ½ of the length of the media structure from the lower end cap.

Abstract: A method of treating the surface of a medical device with a biomolecule comprising the steps of: providing a polyolefin substrate forming a medical device; cleaning the polyolefin substrate; exposing the polyolefin substrate to a reactive gas containing acrylic acid and to plasma energy to yield a plasma-deposited polyacrylic acid coating on the polyolefin substrate; and attaching a biomolecule, such as heparin, to the polyolefin substrate following formation of the plasma-deposited polyacrylic acid coating on the polyolefin substrate.

Abstract: A open top railcar comprises a body on pair of spaced trucks, and a top chord extending the length of the side and the width of the end of the railcar, wherein the top chord includes an inwardly sloped top surface configured to discharge lading toward the interior of the railcar through gravity. The railcar further includes corner cap members that have inwardly sloped top surfaces configured to discharge lading toward the interior of the railcar through gravity. The railcar has a plurality of discharge chutes including a plurality of doors operated through a pneumatic door operating system and a manual door operating override for each door. The railcar also includes a nonmetallic touch pad housing provided with a plurality of touch plates for operating selective doors.

Abstract: The above objects are achieved with a compact neuro-otologic testing device and method of utilizing the same according to the present invention. The device according to the present invention provides an image producing laser with a right hand, servo controlled galvanometric based XY interface. The high quality closed loop servo control system that can drive the target (i.e. the laser image) in excess of 1,000,000 degrees/second2 and at velocities in excess of 12000 degrees/second. The bandwidth of the XY interface is greater than 400 Hz, providing high image reproducibility. The repeatability and position accuracy of the target is +?3 arc-seconds and the field of range of the XY interface are about 60 degrees (i.e. about 60 degrees horizontal and 60 degrees vertical).

Abstract: Several techniques are disclosed for isolating either heart or breath rate data from a photoplethysmograph, which is a time domain signal such as from a pulse oximeter. The techniques involve the use of filtering in the frequency domain, after a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) has been conducted on a given photoplethysmograph also references as a given set of discrete time-domain data. The filtering may be applied to an identified fundamental frequency and one or more harmonics for heart related parameters. The filter may be truncated to the frequency data set and further applied multiple times to improve roll off. After filtering, an Inverse FFT (IFFT) is used to reconstruct the time-domain signal, except with undesirable frequency content eliminated or reduced. Calculation or measurement of parameters is then conducted on this reconstructed time-domain signal.

Abstract: According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, a continuous pour concrete slip dowel is disclosed configured for use across a joint between adjacent concrete slabs. The continuous pour concrete slip dowel of the invention includes a slip sleeve configured to be positioned within a first concrete slab, and a main dowel rod having i) a first rod end portion configured to be received within the slip sleeve, ii) a second opposed rod end configured to be received within a second concrete slab which is adjacent the first slab and spaced from the first slab by a intervening joint, and iii) an intermediate coupling rod portion connecting the first rod end with the second rod end, wherein the coupling rod portion defines an offset therein whereby the coupling rod portion is configured to extend around the joint.

Abstract: A glass production line comprising a cutting table, a tempering furnace having a loading station that includes a changeable set of uniquely identifiable work-piece storage loading locations adjacent the loading station with each storage loading location receiving a work-piece therein for subsequent furnace processing, wherein a subset of the uniquely identifiable work-piece storage loading locations is moved away from the loading station when it is emptied of furnace work-pieces and a new sub-set of uniquely identifiable work-piece storage loading locations is moveable adjacent the loading station to provide the changeable set of uniquely identifiable work-piece storage loading locations adjacent the loading station, and a dynamic optimizer coupled to the furnace for dynamically scheduling furnace layouts for glass work-pieces to be tempered, wherein the dynamic furnace optimizer is adapted to schedule work-pieces from uniquely identifiable work-piece storage loading locations not currently adjacent the unloa

Abstract: A complex including a polymer and a surfactant formed by polymerizing a monomer mixture containing: (A) acid functional monomers at least partially neutralized with one or more amines according to one or more of formulas (I) through (IV): R1—NR2R3??(I) R1—N+R2R3R7X???(II) R4—C(O)—NR5—R6—NR2R3??(III) R4—C(O)—NR5—R6—N+R2R3R7X???(IV) wherein R1 and R4 are independently a C8-C24 group; R2, R3 and R5 are independently H or a C1-C6 group, or where R2 and R3 combine to form an anelled ring of from 4 to 12 carbon atoms in length optionally containing hetero atoms; R6 is C1-C24 group, R7 is H or a C1-C12 group, and X is a halide, a sulfate or a sulfonate; (B) one or more cationic monomers; and optionally (C) one or more other monomers.

Abstract: Critical needs for MRI patient instruction, testing, comfort, motion control, and speech communication are provided for better imaging which leads to more effective medical care. An MRI Digital Video Projection System is disclosed which provides better quality display to the patient to better inform, instruct, test, and comfort the patient plus the potential to stimulate the brain with microsecond onset times to better diagnose brain function. An MRI Motion Tracker and Patient Augmented Visual Feedback System enables monitoring patient body part motion, providing real time feedback to the patient and/or technician to substantially improve diagnostic yield of scanning sessions, particularly for children and mentally challenged individuals. An MR Forward Predictive Noise Canceling Microphone System removes the intense MRI acoustic noise improving patient communication, patient safety and enabling coding of speech output. These systems can be used individually but maximum benefit is from providing all three.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method of soil working is provided for performing one or more of soil fracture, soil excavation and soil treatment. The method comprises the steps of: supplying a source of pressurized gas; supplying a source of fluidized material; positioning a nozzle adjacent the soil; directing a stream of the pressurized gas through the nozzle at the soil being worked; and entraining a stream of fluidized material in the gas stream prior to the stream reaching the soil.

Abstract: A nozzle that produces an outlet velocity air, or other fluid jet, is provided with safety passages which achieve the safety requirement of automatically reducing the local exit pressure “dead end” limit to 30 psig or less when the nozzle outlet is partially or completely obstructed. The safety passages do not reduce the effectiveness of the normal function of the air, or other fluid, jet through the provision of a check valve to block undesirable reverse flow in the safety passage(s) thus avoiding ambient fluid flow to the nozzle exit that degrades the nozzle's normal operating air, or other fluid, jet. This is especially useful for supersonic air gun nozzles which have been adapted to digging in the ground, and other purposes, but it is also useful for sonic and subsonic nozzles that are used for other purposes such as cleaning, and other applications.

Abstract: The integrated medical apparatus includes an operator handle end and a multi-prong grasping member positioned within and movable relative to a grasper lumen that extends from the handle end, wherein the grasping prongs are moved between an open and closed position by relative axial movement between the prongs of the grasping member and the grasper lumen. The medical apparatus includes a contractible snare and a plurality of axially moveable snare pushing arms. At least two of the snare pushing arms include a snare holding and release mechanism, wherein the snare pushing arms are configured to advance the snare in an open, encircling position to a final deployed position where the snare can be released through the activation of the holding and release mechanism of the pushing arms, and finally tightened in a conventional fashion, such as pulling on an end of the snare at the handle end.

Abstract: Creating and executing real-time psychological experiments with sub-millisecond time precision uses a Hierarchical Experiment Spreadsheet (HES) providing a hierarchical data structure and interface. The user adds/modifies experiment levels in a spreadsheet multilevel table representation. New objects and properties are added while maintaining the hierarchical structure of the experiment and prohibiting user corruption of the experiments hierarchical structure. A Time Event Queue Manager (TEQM) provides precision timing using event pre-release synchronization, compensating for timing errors produced by the personal computer operating system and enabling sub-millisecond time precision.

Abstract: A system and operational method that supplies visual stimuli to each subject in the form of a virtual environment in which at least the objects of interest have a three dimensional wire frame or mesh frame of a number of polygons that is surrounded with at least one skin or surface; wherein the visual stimuli is presented in a test session to the subject on a display device including an eye tracking sub-system that can effectively track the subject's gaze direction and focus on the display device throughout the test session; wherein unique colors are assigned to the mesh frame and/or an eye tracking skin of each object of interest whereby the system can evaluate the obtained eye tracking data and assign attention data to specific objects of interest resulting in object specific attention data.

Abstract: Processes are provided for preparing a substrate coated with a biomolecule, comprising: a) providing a substrate; b) coating the substrate with a polysiloxane, typically by exposing the substrate to a reactive gas containing siloxane functional groups and to plasma energy to yield a plasma-deposited polysiloxane surface on the substrate; c) rendering the polysiloxane surface amino functional; and d) contacting the amino-functional polysiloxane surface with a biomolecule under conditions effective to attach the biomolecule to the substrate. The coated substrate may be a medical device that demonstrates an ability to maintain gas permeability when in contact with blood or blood components, compared to a substantially identical medical device that has not been coated with a biomolecule using this process.

Abstract: A hydraulic filter includes a canister extending along the longitudinal axis. A closed end cap is at one end of the canister for closing one end thereof. A removable filter element is contained within the canister and a modular one-piece input end cap is at an end of the canister. The one-piece input end cap includes a hydraulic input chamber and a hydraulic output chamber which can be positioned in any one of three mutually perpendicular directions. The one-piece input end cap also allows for sensors to be positioned in any one of three mutually perpendicular directions. In addition, the one-piece input end cap can be utilized in base-ported or top-ported configurations while also allowing for side-to-side or side-to-end configurations.

Abstract: A plywood comprising plys of Paulowina wood combined with plys of other hardwoods. The resulting Paulowina based plywood panels are lightweight, approximately 40% lighter than ordinary plywood. This reduction in weight when used for construction of Recreational vehicles (RV's), Campers, Tractor-trailer box sides, Ocean Shipping boxes, Crates, and Steamer trunks will reduce associated fuel consumption by reducing the overall weight of the cargo, and can lower employee related injury. The resulting Paulowina based plywood panels will reduce work place injury (lower back pain, herniated disks, hernia, etc.) resulting in lower healthcare premiums for both employees and employers. The shipping industry that supply cargo shipping boxes also demand that a lightweight construction material be used for goods that are sent by air cargo, land cargo, rail, and sea cargo in order to conserve energy and the Paulowina based plywood panels are well suited for these applications.