Abstract: An apparatus and associated method provides for the application of a cell treatment agent, such as genetic material or drugs to be inserted within the cells of a patient in vivo. The apparatus may be a catheter arrangement with various embodiments for applying heat to a patient's cells in vivo in order to improve transfection efficiency or application efficiency. Laser beams may be applied directly to the cells. Alternately, the cells may be heated by electrical heating, chemical heating, radio frequency heating, microwave heating, infrared heating, ultrasound heating, or indirect laser heating. Further, the treatment agent may be heated prior to its application to the patient such that the treatment agent heats the cells of the patient.

Abstract: A mechanical assembly is operable as a variable speed transmission. The output shaft has a rotational force at speeds variable from an input applied to an input shaft. The mechanical assembly is a transmission device using a "positive traction" effect with a differential using a speed control (control shaft or hydraulic device) of relatively small controlling power to control transmission of power from the input shaft to the output shaft. Planetary gearing at a two-to-one ratio is used to convert the speed and direction supplied by the speed control to the output axle. The power input is applied to a differential carrier by a shaft mounted opposite of and collinear to the output axle. This eliminates the ring gear and pinion normally required. The carrier of a planetary gearing is used for speed control and is connected to the control shaft by a one-to-one ratio.

Abstract: An improved thermionic electric converter uses a wire grid cathode to provide a larger surface area for electrons to boil off. Alternately or additionally, the larger electron emission surface area can be achieved by using a curved electron emission surface. A laser provides quantum interference to electrons just before they reach the anode, thereby lowering their energy levels such that they more readily are captured by the anode. The arrangement provides improved conversion efficiency and reduced electron scatter.

Abstract: A pumped fiber laser including turns of optical fiber defining a wound pack, wherein the optical fiber includes a core, a cladding around the core and a concentric layer of a porous glass matrix material, such as sol-gel, around the cladding. The fiber laser further includes a pumping laser, preferably in the form of a semiconductor laser bar, having lasing regions each being operable to generate light, and a wedge device for directing the light from the lasing regions into the side of the optical fiber at a plurality of different turns thereof, respectively.

Abstract: The protection device according to the invention comprises a primary and a secondary coil facing each other. Current flow through the primary coil induces magnetic fields which repel each other, so that the two coils are jerked apart and a missile is projected towards an approaching projectile. The projecting device is triggered by a sensing device.By offsetting the magnetic fields of the primary and secondary coil, the angle between the direction of acceleration of the missile and the coil plane may be changed, as required.Preferably, the primary coil comprises several offset coil elements, which can be activated separately, in groups or all together, as desired.

Abstract: A system and method removes material from the wall of a passage, such as a vein or artery, in a patient's body with a series of bristles that are rotated. The bristles are part of a sweep catheter having a proximal end and a distal end with a tip thereon. Bristles next to the tip extend out from the distal end a shorter distance than the bristles further from the tip. The bristles, which have smaller bristles or sub-bristles thereon, are inclined away from the tip as they extend out from the distal end of the sweep catheter. The bristles push removed materials away from the tip and towards a suction channel of a guide catheter whereby the materials are removed.

Abstract: Data validation uses redundant storage of the data on two-layer magnetic tapes. A method and system provide data recording and reading on such magnetic tapes with a high degree of protection from errors and/or fraudulent behavior. The two-layer tape includes a first layer with a high coercive field positioned on a support and a second magnetic layer with a lower coercive field covering the first layer. Synchronous recording is done on the two layers so that all data is recorded on the second layer and some of the date is recorded on the first layer. Data on the second layer is validated upon reading by reading the data in the first layer after erasure of the second layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tool for drilling oil, gas or geothermic wells. The tool includes two main members, a hollow shaft (1) and a blind tool body (2) more elongate than conventional tool bodies; the two main members are spherically connected to each other by means of a ball joint (4,5). The ball joint is located at the very bottom of the blind portion of the tool body which carries a stabilizer (19) at the other end. The tool is also provided, between the hollow shaft and the tool body, with an appropriate transmission system (6, 7, 8, 9, 11), which is spaced apart from the ball joint and situated between the latter and the stabilizer. The essential advantage of the tool lies in the relative position of the ball joint and the stabilizer, the positioning conferring on the tool a favorable dynamic behavior, without risk of buttressing. Field of application: drilling of oil wells, gas wells and geothermic wells.

Abstract: Inter-related devices and methods to increase sort productivity, provide for the ready integration of shipment data into a central computer system, permit centralized management and control over multiple autonomous sort operations, and integrate materials handling of the sorted shipments into the sort process. The devices and methods provide the foundation for an integrated shipment and information processing system without the complexity of automated equipment or the limitations of manual operations. The semi-automated integrated sort system has an array of chutes that flow shipments into containers or bins. The entrance to each chute is blocked by a computer-controlled gate. Detectors are placed in the chutes to detect shipments and monitor container/bin status. The chute gates, sensors, and other sort-related apparatus are connected to a computer. Automated or semi-automated data entry equipment connected to the computer provides the necessary data input.

Abstract: A method of decomposition into one component {f.sub.1 }, called the total absorption component, and one component {f.sub.k } called the diffused component of energy spectra {t.sub.i } for N image elements i of a scintigraphic image. The method of decomposition includes the steps of:a) sampling the energy in the form of P samples j;b) recording the values t.sub.i (j) of each spectrum {t.sub.i };c) constructing the table Y of the t.sub.i' (j) values;d) determining the base of specific vectors {v.sub.q } (q=0, 1, 2, . . . , P-1) that are specific orthogonal vectors of the matrix Y, classified by order of decreasing values;e) determining the K fundamental spectra {f.sub.k } in the space generated by the Q (Q.ltoreq.P) first specific vectors {v.sub.q } by applying appropriate constraints to the coefficients b.sub.kq defined by: ##EQU1## f) projecting the image element spectra {t.sub.i } onto the base of the fundamental spectra {f.sub.k } to obtain the decomposition sought.

Abstract: A catheter uses a steerable outer catheter with an inner catheter rotatable and extendable with respect to the outer catheter. The outer catheter may be positioned within a patient's heart and a portion of the outer catheter may provide movement like that of a windshield wiper by manipulation of a spring. By combining the windshield wiper type movement with the extension and rotation of the inner catheter relative to the outer catheter, a large area within a patient's heart may be readily mapped for conduction tissue and be subjected to laser ablation if appropriate. Various configurations provide flexibility in relatively positioning of windows used to apply laser energy and ring electrodes used to sense conduction tissue. Various anchoring techniques are described.

Abstract: An improved thermionic electric converter uses a wire grid cathode to provide a larger surface area for electrons to boil off. Alternately or additionally, the larger electron emission surface area can be achieved by using a curved electron emission surface. A laser provides quantum interference to electrons just before they reach the anode, thereby lowering their energy levels such that they more readily are captured by the anode. The arrangement provides improved conversion efficiency and reduced electron scatter.

Abstract: A metal electrode disposed on a surface of an oxide superconductor and forming electric contact with the oxide superconductor wherein at least a portion of the metal electrode is in contact with a side surface of the oxide superconductor which is perpendicular to the surface on which the metal electrode is disposed.

Abstract: A system and method for percutaneous myocardial revascularization uses laser energy emitted from the distal end of a catheter. A technique for controlling beam direction allows the creation of channels in a patient's heart tissue with the channels having different orientations relative to the distal end. An arrangement provides for the creation of a plurality of channels at one time by simultaneous application of a plurality of beams of laser energy. A navigation arrangement uses two non-coplanar magnetic sensing coils in the distal end of the catheter cooperating with three sets of three magnetic field generating external coils (i.e., external to the patient). Each of the three sets is sequentially energized and the sensing coils in the distal end sense the magnetic fields established. A computer compares the sensed fields with the known sequence of energizing the external coils and thereby determines the position of the distal end.

Abstract: Interframe compression of moving image data is achieved by a combination of vector coding and scalar coding of transform coefficient differences formed by the subtraction of previous image transform coefficients from corresponding present image transform coefficients along a Zig-Zag path in the arrays of coefficients. More efficient scalar codes are used instead of vector codes for transmission of coefficient data where the previous image coefficients are non-zero along the path. Vector codes are used where a non-zero value in the previous image transform array has not been established but a non-zero value coefficient occurs in the present image transform array. Vector coding efficiency is improved by modified run length coding.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the speed of an induction motor includes a first winding and a second winding. The first winding and second winding are adapted to be coupled to an AC source for supplying an AC input signal. A first switching device is coupled to the first winding and a second switching device is coupled to the second winding. Each of the switching devices is operative in a low impedance state enabling current to flow through the associated winding of each switching device and a high impedance state preventing significant current flow through the associated winding of each switching device. A controller switches each of the switching devices from the high impedance state to the low impedance state in a sequence for controlling the current in the windings, which induces a phase shift between the AC voltages across the windings.

Abstract: Optical systems use tuning of in-fiber gratings to provide an optical crossbar switch matrix of switch elements. The switch elements have a drop tap and an insert tap. A combination of the switch matrices provides a flexible way of connecting any of a plurality of transmitters with any of a plurality of receivers. A distribution arrangement has a distribution station with a plurality of serially arranged modulators, each modulating a different and corresponding optical carrier supplied by optical fiber thereto. The modulated carriers are supplied by a distribution fiber to a serially arranged plurality of passive taps, each of which drops an optical carrier corresponding to the tap and supplies it to a local transceiver. The distribution arrangement may include an arrangement where a local transceiver reflects back the modulated optical carrier and modulates it with a return signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for mixing concrete in a concrete delivery mixing truck is provided which can yield a mix with an approximate required slump. This is achieved by monitoring the torque loading on hydraulic drive which rotates a mixing barrel and noting an anticipated minimum torque loading which, in turn, approximates to a required slump value. Liquid component is added to a mix until this minimum torque loading is noted. A CPU (17) is used to process information derived from a hydraulic pressure sensor (15) connected in the hydraulic drive motor used to rotate the mixing barrel. A volume/mass input sensor (21) can be used for meaning the amount of particulate ingredients, and a water volume sensor (25) can be used to measure the volume of liquid component added to the mix. When a known maximum volume of liquid component is added a computer can operate to prevent further liquid being added, unless it is purposely overridden.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to optimize the operation of an ink-jet printer provided with a circuit to collect the ink not used for the printing, comprising a gutter connected to an imperviously sealed ink tank by a conduit placed in a state of depression by a constant flow pump checking the flow rate of ink in the conduit by the measurement of the pressure in the ink tank and controlling the operation of the pump either at its minimum suction rate compatible with efficient collection of the ink or at its maximum suction rate during anomalies of collection.

Abstract: Optical fiber devices include optical fibers having grating portions with in-fiber gratings having optical characteristics which are changed by the use of strain inducing members. The strain inducing members are connected to optical fibers in such a way that the strain applied to an in-fiber grating in an optical fiber is greater than the strain in the strain inducing members. Basically, a given percentage change in a dimension of one of the strain inducing members causes a greater percentage change in a dimension of the grating portion. The strain inducing members may apply lengthwise or radial strain to the grating portion. Arrangements with mechanical coupling of two fibers using one or more strain inducing members are useful for producing equal strain in grating portions of two fibers for interferometer configurations or other applications.