Abstract: The subject invention pertains to method of viewing the remains of a deceased individual organism in conjunction with selected visual and auditory stimulus to provide special emotional comfort to family members and friend (“survivors”) by allowing them to view the remains at a time and place convenient to the survivor. The time of remembrance to take place directly in a survivor's home or at any place of their choice, i.e. vacation place, office, etc and at their convenience, irrespective of the distance the survivor is from the actual physical location of the remains, the time of day, and the weather. This remote viewing of the remains eliminates traveling altogether, which is especially advantageous for very busy, or elderly and handicapped people.

Abstract: A cosmetic mask includes a handle carrying a pad adjacent one end. The pad is formed of a plurality of leaves with a distal edge of each leaf being anatomically contoured with a concave zone to facilitate lateral placement against one's face beneath an eye, the lid of which is to receive makeup. The leaves have a non-gloss outer surface to facilitate adherence of fallen makeup particles. After fallen eye makeup has been collected on the outermost leaf of the pad, the leaf is removed and discarded, leaving a fresh leaf. An alternate embodiment includes a clamp arrangement for mounting the pad to the handle.

Abstract: An exercise machine has a frame, a carriage movably mounted to the frame for motion along a substantially linear path and a plurality of springs on the frame for spring biasing the carriage in one direction along the path A latch mechanism is mounted to the frame and is operatively connected to the springs for selectively coupling the springs between the frame and the carriage, thereby providing a variable amount of resistance to motion of the carriage. The latch mechanism includes a manually actuatable handle extending laterally from the carriage, thereby facilitating an adjustment in the resistance to carriage motion, and further includes a spindle and a hook. The spindle is rigid at one end with the handle and, at a point spaced from the handle, with the hook. The spindle, together with the handle and the hook, is swivelable about, and reciprocatable along, an axis. A spring member is disposed on the frame for biasing the hook into a spring-coupling position.

Abstract: A storage unit comprises a housing defining a storage chamber and a plurality of specimen carriers in the form of annular shelves disposed one below the other inside the chamber. A rotary drive is operatively connected to the carriers for rotating the carriers independently about a vertical axis. The housing is provided with an access opening for enabling access to the chamber from above the carrier, while an insertion and removal mechanism serves to alternately insert and remove specimens from the chamber via the access opening. The insertion and removal mechanism includes a lifting device disposed at least partially inside the storage chamber for moving specimens vertically between the access opening and the respective carriers. Specimen-containing vials are disposed on trays which in turn are supported by the carriers. The lifting mechanism operates to lift entire trays from the respective carriers towards the access opening.

Abstract: An apparatus for enhancing hygiene comprises a sensor for generating a first signal upon automatically sensing that an individual has entered a washroom and for generating a second signal upon automatically sensing that the individual has exited the washroom. The hygiene enhancing apparatus further comprises a monitoring device for automatically monitoring an individual upon his entry into the washroom, to automatically determine whether the individual has cleaned his hands. The monitoring device includes a generator for producing a third signal upon a detection by the monitoring device that the individual has cleaned his hands. An alert signal generator is provided for generating an alert signal cognizable by a human being. The alert signal generator is operated or activated by a control unit which is operatively connected to the sensor, the monitoring device, and the alert signal generator.

Abstract: A system for preparing a flexible elongate fluid-containing member for storage comprises a transparent perforated hollow shaft for supporting the fluid-containing member in a coiled configuration and a cup-shaped cleaning device for automatically dispensing a cleaning fluid onto the fluid-containing member while it is held in the coiled configuration on the support shaft. A transfer mechanism is provided for automatically transferring the fluid-containing member in the coiled configuration from the support shaft to a receptacle, and an aspirator is provided for automatically removing liquid from the fluid-containing member prior to transference thereof from the support shaft to the receptacle. The receptacle includes a central finger defining with an outer wall an annular storage chamber for maintaining the elongate member in a coiled configuration during storage.

Abstract: A cryogenic storage apparatus comprises a housing with an automatically operated access door. A holder device disposed in the housing supports a plurality of specimen-containing ampules, while a conveyor moves the holder device, together with the plurality of ampules, through cooling fluid in the housing along a path preferably including a snaking portion with vertically extending folds. An inverted L-shaped cooling component with an opened upper side is disposed in the housing for maintaining the cooling fluid at a predetermined low temperature. An extraction mechanism disposed outside of the housing at the access door serves to remove a selectable ampule positioned in the housing in juxtaposition to the door.

Abstract: In a method for preserving umbilical cord blood, a severed umbilical cord is provided which has at least one tubular blood vessel closed at opposite ends to maintain fluid in the vessel. An anticoagulant is added to blood fluids in the vessel, and the blood fluid is moved in the vessel to distribute the anticoagulant throughout the blood. An associated apparatus comprises a container, a support within the container for supporting an umbilical cord, an injector or other fluid adding device engageable with the umbilical cord in the container for introducing an anticoagulant into at least one tubular vessel in the umbilical cord, and a fluid moving device at least partially inside the container for moving blood fluid contained in the tubular vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus for extracting blood fluids from a placenta and umbilical cord comprises a frame assembly, a rotary carriage mounted to the frame assembly for rotation about a vertical axis, a drive operatively connected to the carriage for rotating the carriage about the axis, and a support for holding the placenta and the umbilical cord. A connector pivotably connects the support to the carriage to enable a pivoting of the support about a rotating horizontal axis during rotating of the carriage by the drive, while a collector is attached to the support for enabling a collection of fluid flowing from the placenta and the umbilical cord during operation of the drive. A fluid delivery system is provided for automatically supplying an anticoagulant to extracted blood fluid.

Abstract: A cryogenic storage apparatus comprises a housing with an automatically operated access door. A holder device disposed in the housing supports a plurality of specimen-containing ampules, while a conveyor moves the holder device, together with the plurality of ampules, through cooling fluid in the housing along a path preferably including a snaking portion with vertically extending folds. An inverted L-shaped cooling component with an opened upper side is disposed in the housing for maintaining the cooling fluid at a predetermined low temperature. An extraction mechanism disposed outside of the housing at the access door serves to remove a selectable ampule positioned in the housing in juxtaposition to the door.

Abstract: A cryogenic storage apparatus comprises a housing with an automatically operated access door. A holder device disposed in the housing supports a plurality of specimen-containing ampules, while a conveyor moves the holder device, together with the plurality of ampules, through cooling fluid in the housing along a path preferably including a snaking portion with vertically extending folds. An inverted L-shaped cooling component with an opened upper side is disposed in the housing for maintaining the cooling fluid at a predetermined low temperature. An extraction mechanism disposed outside of the housing at the access door serves to remove a selectable ampule positioned in the housing in juxtaposition to the door.