Abstract: A specimen culturing system and method is employed to culture biological specimens, preferably embryos. The embryos are cultured in an incubator in separate culturing sites, such as wells, which can each hold an embryo container, such as a Petrie dish, that contains one or more of the embryos. The culturing wells are disposed in one or more shelves in the incubator. The culturing containers are formed from a transparent material such as tempered glass. Each of the wells are provided with embryo development-monitoring adjuncts. The development-monitoring adjuncts are preferably embryo-imaging devices and sound-monitoring devices. The system includes image and sound recording components which can record periodic images of the embryos during the culturing cycle; and can record sounds emanating from the specimens. The embryo-imaging devices can include CCD imaging devices which are connected to image viewing and recording adjuncts by means of electrical connections.

Abstract: A fuel gas-steam reformer assembly, preferably an autothermal reformer assembly, for use in a fuel cell power plant, includes a catalyst bed which is formed from a cylindrical monolithic open cell foam body. The foam body is preferably formed from a high temperature material such as stainless steel, nickel alloys and iron-aluminum alloys, or from a ceramic material. The foam body includes open cells or pores which are contained within the metal or ceramic lattice. The lattice is coated with a porous wash coat which serves as a high surface area substrate onto which catalysts used in the reformer are applied. The foam body has an inlet end into which a mixture of fuel, steam and air is fed to begin the reforming process. An inlet portion of the foam body may be provided with an iron oxide and/or noble metal catalyst and the remainder of the foam body may be provided with a nickel and/or noble metal catalyst.

Abstract: A burner assembly includes a catalyzed burner for combusting an anode exhaust stream from a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell power plant. The catalysts coated onto the burner can be platinum, rhodium, or mixtures thereof. The burner includes open cells which are formed by a lattice, which cells communicate with each other throughout the entire catalyzed burner. Heat produced by combustion of hydrogen in the anode exhaust stream is used to produce steam for use in a steam reformer in the PEM fuel cell assembly. The catalyzed burner has a high surface area wherein about 70–90% of the volume of the burner is preferably open cells, and the burner has a low pressure drop of about two to three inches water from the anode exhaust stream inlet to the anode exhaust stream outlet. The burner assembly operates at essentially ambient pressure and at a temperature of up to about 1,700° F. (927° C.). The burner assembly can combust anode exhaust during normal operation of the fuel cell assembly.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering a surgical clip to a surgical site within a patient's body to compress body tissue is disclosed. In one embodiment for the system of the present invention, the system includes an endoscopic device that has an endoscope cap disposed on a distal end of the endoscopic device. A surgical clip is removably disposed on an outside surface of the endoscope cap. A deployment device is associated with the surgical clip for deploying the surgical clip from the endoscope cap to the body tissue that is to be compressed.

Abstract: A fuel gas reformer assemblage for use in a fuel cell power plant is formed from a composite plate assembly which includes spaced-apart divider plates with columns of individual gas passages. The reformer assemblage is constructed from a series of repeating sub-assemblies, each of which includes a core of separate regenerator/heat exchanger gas passages. The core in each sub-assembly is sandwiched between a pair of reformer gas passage skins, which complete the assembly. Adjacent reformer gas/regenerator/reformer gas passage sub-assemblies in the composite plate assembly are separated from each other by burner gas passages. The regenerator/heat exchanger gas passages and the reformer gas passages in each sub-assembly are connected by gas flow reversing manifolds which form a part of each sub-assembly.

Abstract: A non-animal based mixture of components serves as a control for complete blood count (CBC) analysis instruments and paraphernalia. The centrifugible non-animal based mixture simulates blood, and contains blood cell-simulating and other blood constituent-simulating components which are present in the mixture in controlled and known amounts. The mixture can be gravimetrically separated into its blood constituent-simulating components so as to serve as a control that simulates a centrifuged blood sample, and is thus used to check the accuracy of CBC blood analysis instruments, such as those marketed by Becton Dickinson and Company, under the trademark “QBC”.

Abstract: A fuel gas-steam reformer assembly, preferably an autothermal reformer assembly, for use in a fuel cell power plant, includes a catalyst bed which is formed from a cylindrical monolithic open cell foam body. The foam body is preferably formed from a high temperature material such as stainless steel, nickel alloys and Iron-aluminum alloys, or from a ceramic material. The foam body includes open cells or pores which are contained within the metal or ceramic lattice. The lattice is coated with a porous wash coat which serves as a high surface area substrate onto which catalysts used in the reformer are applied. The foam body has an inlet end into which a mixture of fuel, steam and air is fed to begin the reforming process. An inlet portion of the foam body may be provided with an iron oxide and/or noble metal catalyst and the remainder of the foam body may be provided with a copper, copper/zinc and/or noble metal catalyst.

Abstract: A heat transfer bladder system is incorporated into the interior of a laboratory work bench assembly and serves to control the temperature of a work surface of the work bench. The bladder contains a flowable media such as a fluid or gel which is heated or cooled so as to be able to control the temperature of the work bench work surface. The bladder system can include an external temperature control or an internal temperature control to control the temperature of the bladder fluid or gel. The bladder assembly may include through passages for adjunct instruments that can be used in conjunction with the work bench. The bladder can be formed from an elastomeric flexible material, or from a metal such as copper or stainless steel. The temperature control media can be circulated into and out of the bladder, or it can be contained in the bladder.

Abstract: A fuel processing method is operable to remove substantially all of the sulfur present in an undiluted hydrocarbon fuel stock supply which is used to power a fuel cell power plant in a mobile environment, such as an automobile, bus, truck, boat, or the like; or in a stationary environment. The power plant hydrogen fuel source can be gasoline, diesel fuel, or other like fuels which contain relatively high levels of organic sulfur compounds such as mercaptans, sulfides, disulfides, thiophenes and the like. The undiluted hydrocarbon fuel supply is passed through a nickel reactant desulfurizer bed wherein essentially all of the sulfur in the organic sulfur compounds reacts with the nickel reactant, and is converted to nickel sulfide, while the now desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel supply continues through the remainder of the fuel processing system. The method involves adding hydrogen to the fuel stream prior to the desulfurizing step. The method can be used to desulfurize either a liquid or a gaseous fuel stream.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide (CO2) adsorption membrane or bed is operative to separate metabolic CO2 from an exhaust stream from a breathable atmosphere which is discharged from a closed habitable environment. The habitable environment is in a low ambient pressure surrounding. A portion of the scrubbed exhaust gas stream is diverted from the habitable environment and passed through a desorption chamber. The desorption chamber is open to the low ambient pressure surrounding to maintain a pressure which is slightly greater than the pressure in the ambient surrounding so that the desorption chamber gas stream will exit the system into the ambient surroundings. When the diverted exhaust gas enters the low pressure desorption pressure chamber its CO2 partial pressure content is reduced. The reduced CO2 partial pressure content of the gas stream in the desorption chamber enables the desorption chamber gas stream to remove CO2 from the adsorption membrane or bed.

Abstract: A holding and positioning system for locating adjunct surgical accessory instruments relative to a patient's body during arthroscopic surgery.

Abstract: An ECT, EEG, EMG, ENG or impedance pneumography hospital electrode is designed for use on neonates in high humidity environments, such as in a high humidity incubator. The electrode includes a silver-silver/chloride sensor; a signal transmitting lead connected to the sensor; and an electrically conductive, self-adhesive gel which electrically connects the sensor to the patient's skin. The conductive, self-adhesive gel is formed from a hydrogel which is hydrophilic in nature. In order to stabilize the adhesiveness of the gel in the high humidity environment, the gel is provided with an adjunct non-hydrophilic adhesive member which provides improved adhesion to the skin while maintaining contact between the conductive gel and the patient's skin. The use of the adjunct adhesive member enables the electrode assembly to be used in the high humidity environment for extended periods of time without becoming detached from the patient's skin.

Abstract: This method for analyzing blood enables one to isolate, detect, enumerate and confirm under magnification the presence or absence of fragments of target analyte cancer cells which are circulating in blood. The analysis is performed in a sample of centrifuged anticoagulated whole blood. The analysis of the presence or absence of fragments of cancer cells relies on the detection of external or internal binding sites which are known to be present only in or on tumorous cancer cells. Fluorophors with distinct wavelength emissions are coupled with antibodies, or other binding moieties such as complementary nucleotide sequences, which antibodies are directed against the epithelial cell fragment membrane binding sites, such as internal or external surface epitopes on the cell fragments, or internal binding sites on cell organelles; and which nucleotide sequences are complementary to portions of cell fragment RNA and/or DNA. The labled binding agents are humoric or soluble in the blood sample.

Abstract: A steam reformer for converting a reactor fuel into a product gas includes a catalyst bed which is formed from catalyst blocks which are configured so as to match the configuration of the catalyst bed chamber. The steam reformer side walls have a thermal coefficient of expansion which is greater than the thermal coefficient of expansion of the catalyst. By forming specifically configured catalyst bed blocks, slumping and subsequent damage of the catalyst blocks is eliminated.

Abstract: An embryo culturing incubator is provided with a shelf configuration that enhances air circulation inside of the incubator, and enables unimpeded access to the individual embryo culture plates that are disposed on the shelves in the incubator. The incubator has an access door which allows one contact with the embryo culture plates on the incubator shelves. The shelves are configured so as to provide a useful free space between the inner surface of the incubator door and the frontal surface of the shelves in the incubator. The size of the free space allows a technician to reach all of the culture plates in the incubator without interfering with other culture plates in the incubator. The free space also allows for exemplary air circulation inside of the incubator.

Abstract: A fuel gas-steam reformer assembly, preferably an autothermal reformer assembly, for use in a fuel cell power plant, includes a mixing station for intermixing a relatively high molecular weight fuel and an air-steam stream so as to form a homogeneous fuel-air-steam mixture for admission into a catalyst bed. The catalyst bed can include catalyzed alumina pellets, or a monolith such as a foam or honeycomb body which is preferably formed from a high temperature material such as a steel alloy, or from a ceramic material. The air-steam stream is fed into a manifold in the mixing station. The mixing station also comprises a plurality of tubes which open into the catalyst bed, and which pass through the manifold. The tubes extend through the manifold and include tangential openings which interconnect the interior of the tubes with the manifold. The openings have axes which are tangential to the circumference of each of the tubes.

Abstract: Water vapor is removed from a mixture of air, metabolic carbon dioxide (CO2), and water vapor prior to removing the CO2 from the mixture. The water vapor-containing mixture is passed through a membrane module which is operative to separate the water vapor from the air and CO2 mixture. The water vapor in the entering mixture will pass in one direction through the membrane in the module from an entry side of the membrane to an exit side of the membrane. The membrane divides the module into two chambers, one of which receives the water vapor-containing mixture, and the other of which receives CO2-free air from a CO2 adsorbant station. The water vapor-containing mixture is removed from a closed habitable environment such as a space station, a space suit, a submarine, or the like, and is moved through the membrane module where the water vapor is removed from the gas stream.

Abstract: A fuel processing system is operative to remove substantially all of the sulfur present in a logistic fuel stock supply. The fuel stock can be gasoline, diesel fuel, or other like fuels which contain relatively high levels of organic sulfur compounds such as mercaptans, sulfides, disulfides, and the like. The system is a part of a fuel cell power plant. The fuel stock supply is fed through a reformer where the fuel is converted to a hydrogen rich fuel which contains hydrogen sulfide. The hydrogen sulfide-containg reformer exhaust is passed through a sulfur scrubber, to which is added a small quantity of air, which scrubber removes substantially all of the sulfur in the exhaust stream by means of the Claus reaction. The desulfurizing step causes sulfur to deposit on the scrubber bed, which after a period of time, will prevent further sulfur from being removed from the reformer exhaust stream.

Abstract: A fuel gas reformer assemblage for use in a fuel cell power plant is formed from a composite plate assembly which includes spaced-apart divider plates with interposed columns of individual gas passages. The reformer assemblage is constructed from a series of repeating sub-assemblies, each of which includes a core of separate regenerator/heat exchanger gas passages. The core in each sub-assembly is sandwiched between a pair of reformer gas passage skins, which complete the sub-assembly. Adjacent reformer gas/regenerator/reformer gas passage sub-assemblies in the composite plate assembly are separated from each other by burner gas passages. The burner gas stream and the process gas stream flow in opposite directions through the assemblage. A varying heat transfer fin density population is disposed in the burner gas passage so as to control the peak burner wall temperatures encountered during operation of the assemblage. The burner wall peak temperature is preferably no greater than about 1,700° F.

Abstract: A flexible trocar assembly includes an inner flexible tube and a concentric outer flexible tube. The flexible tubes are spaced apart from each other so as to form an open ended annular space in the trocar assembly. The annular space contains surgical instrumentation and passages for inflation gases, trocar assembly rigidifying gases or materials, and trocar manipulating mechanisms. For example, fiber optic light transmitters associated with camera-related fiber optics can be disposed in the annular space so that an area in a body cavity being examined can be illuminated and observed. Trocar manipulating mechanisms such as Bowden cables can also be disposed in the annular space. Liquid flushing tubes can be positioned in the annular space. Carbon dioxide or air injecting tubes can be positioned in the annular space. The inner flexible tube defines a central trocar assembly passage through which surgical instruments can be inserted into the body cavity.