Abstract: A single, integrated device in which a body fluid (e.g., blood) of a human or animal can be both collected and analyzed easily and without risk of contamination is disclosed. The collection portion and analysis portion of the device are permanently joined to permit movement of small quantities of body fluid under controlled conditions, to minimize any waste of the body fluid, to ensure that no contamination reaches the main body fluid volume, and to create a permanent physical record of the results of the analysis in association with the fluid sample itself: A wide variety of different body fluid components which may be indicative of various diseases, dysfunctions and abnormalities of the human or animal or the body fluid itself can be tested for.

Abstract: A material and devices made therefrom are described when placed in proximity to persons, animals and plants serve to lessen adverse health effects caused by electromagnetic radiation (EMR) exposure. The material has a polymeric matrix and inorganic and organic components which are responsive to an magnetic field and emitting natural electromagnetic oscillations which are beneficial to humans, animals and plants, and offset harmful aspects of the EMR. The polymer is polar and has high relative permitivity. The components are an oxydated hydrocarbon emulsifier; a galvanic salt; an alkaloid; a dye or stain; and a polysaccharide. The devices may be solid, fibrous, powdered or woven fabrics.

Abstract: In a laser, the optical cavity includes a pair of spaced-apart electrode plates which are RF excited transversely and a pair of substantially identical spherical mirrors having a radius of curvature, spacing and alignment selected to cause a beam within the cavity to make a plurality of round trips and mirror encounters along a set of off-axis paths, before returning, in phase, to its starting point. The multiple traversals of the cavity result in a long effective gain path equivalent to the number of round trips times the mirror spacing. The plurality of off-axis traversals of the laser beam trace out a plane around the gain region before exiting through the aperture in the first spherical mirror, permitting an effective utilization of the wide excitation region defined by the electrodes. In a CO2 laser, the electrodes are separated by an electrode spacing such that the modes perpendicular to the electrodes are waveguide in nature to form a stable cavity resonator.

Abstract: A method for the decontamination of fluid (liquid or supercritical) carbon dioxide fluid, especially of hydrocarbon contaminants, down to ≦100 ppb concentration are described. The critical component is a high silica zeolite, preferably a high silica Y-type zeolite, ZSM-5 or a high silica mordenite, which in a variety of physical forms is capable of decontaminating such fluid CO2 to ≦100 ppb, ≦10-50 ppb, or ˜1 ppb, without being detrimentally affected by the supercritical operating environment. The high silica zeolite may be produced by the removal of alumina from a natural or synthetic zeolite while retaining the desirable zeolite structure, to a silica:alumina ratio of from 20-2000:1. Preferably the zeolite is disposed in separate quantities in at least two vessels, which operate alternately. A portion of the purified product from the operating vessel is directed to the other vessel and there used to remove accumulated contaminants from that vessel's zeolite.

Abstract: A card guide unit for use in guiding and positioning circuit boards in a card cage, which guide unit is integral, having front and rear cross members that are integral with machined elongated card guides, having machined spaces between the card guides, and which guide units are inter-connectable to side walls of a card cage, providing identical precisioned alignment between circuit boards in the card guides so that precise electrical connections can be made between the circuit board and electrical connectors on the back plane.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for replacing old, in-ground hydraulic elevator lift cylinders in which a portable tower is erected within the elevator hoistway and a shoring sleeve of larger diameter than the old cylinder is secured to a head plate slidably mounted for vertical movement on the tower and facing downwardly. After loosening the hoistway floor and subsoil surrounding the old cylinder, a drive mechanism such as a winch or hydraulic jack is actuated to lower the shoring sleeve into the ground to surround the old cylinder. The head plate is then attached to the old cylinder, and the drive mechanism is actuated to lift the head plate and cylinder upwardly until the cylinder is raised completely out of the ground. The old cylinder is discarded, and a new cylinder is attached to the head plate and lowered into the area surrounded by the shoring sleeve.

Abstract: A filter system (10) comprising a filter medium (11) for filtering contaminants from a process fluid, having a filtration side on which contaminants collect and a filtrate side from which filtrate flows; a counter-flow generator (20) located on the filtrate side that directs a localized stream of counter-flow fluid (23) from the filtrate side to the filtration side of the filter medium (11) to thereby dislodge the contaminants from the filtration side of the filter medium (11), wherein the localized stream (23) traverses a substantial proportion of the filter medium (11). The filter system (10) optionally further comprises a clearing-flow generator (30) or like means located on the filtration side of the filter medium (11) which clears contaminants from the filter medium (11).