Abstract: An inexpensive, disposable, collapsible medication inhalation apparatus for use with an MDI inhaler includes an elongated housing for receiving a plume of medication particles ejected by the MDI inhaler, a mouthpiece, and an inhalation valve disposed between the mouthpiece and the housing. An exhalation port or valve in the mouthpiece allows exhalation through the mouthpiece, presenting very little resistance to the exhalation effort of the patient. An adapter receives and stabilizes a mouthpiece of the MDI inhaler. The inhalation valve includes an inhalation flap hanging adjacent to a valve seat. Exhalation into the mouthpiece presses the inhalation flap against the valve seat, forcing exhaled gas through the exhalation port or valve. Inhalation causes the inhalation flap to swing away from the valve seat to open a path for the medication plume. In one embodiment, the entire inhalation apparatus is constructed from a single sheet of foldable sheet material.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for quantitatively measuring the progression of a lesion toward malignant disease by digitizing images of clinical samples of biopsied lesions using a microphotometer that includes a video camera, and a computer that includes a video frame capture board. The digitized image is analyzed to locate the borders of cell nuclei within the captured video image, and one or more chromatin texture features within such nuclei are processed by the computer to arrive at a numerical value. This numerical value is compared to a monotonic progression curve that has been previously established by using the same procedure on known clinical samples ranging from normal tissue to malignant disease. The method can also be used to test the efficacy of chemopreventive drugs and treatments.

Abstract: An LDO voltage regulator includes an error amplifier having a first input coupled to a first reference voltage, a second input receiving a feedback signal, and an output producing a first control signal. An output transistor has a gate, a drain coupled to an unregulated input voltage, and a source coupled to produce a regulated output voltage on an output conductor. A feedback circuit is coupled between the output conductor and a second reference voltage. An overvoltage comparator has a first input coupled to receive the first reference voltage and a second input coupled to respond to the feedback signal to produce a discharge control signal indicating occurrence of an output overvoltage of at least a predetermined magnitude to control a discharge transistor coupled between the output conductor and the second reference voltage. An output current sensing circuit produces a control current representative of the drain current of the output transistor.

Abstract: A system for reducing sensitivity of an integrated circuit chopper-stabilized amplifier to intermodulation applies a pseudo-random sequence signal (11A) to an LSB of a first input of a first adder. An error feedback signal (18) is applied to a second input of the first adder and a first input of a second adder (16). A 1-bit quantization signal (&phgr;CH) is produced as an MSB of an output of the first adder and applied to an LSB of a second input of the second adder (16). An error signal (16A) representing the difference between the quantization signal (&phgr;CH) and the error feedback signal (18) is produced by the second adder (16). The error signal (16A) is delayed a predetermined amount to produce the error feedback signal (18), wherein energy of the quantization signal (&phgr;CH) is spread over a broad frequency spectrum between DC and FS/2. A pair of out-of-phase, non-overlapping chopping signals from the quantization signal (&phgr;CH).

Abstract: A solution or gel composition containing activated stabilized chlorine dioxide and phosphates, such as disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, trisodium phosphate, and sodium monofluorophosphate, is disclosed for destroying HIV. The preferred concentration ranges are between about 0.005%-2.0% chlorine dioxide, and between about 0.02%-3.0% phosphate. The phosphate compound retards escape of chlorine dioxide in the pH range of 6.0 to 7.4, at which pH stabilized chlorine dioxide becomes activated and releases sufficient chlorine dioxide to reduce motility and become lethal to the involved micro-organisms. Using a lubricant as a vehicle for the chlorine dioxide/phosphate composition; development of vaginal itching due to Candida Albicans will be stopped.

Abstract: A pre-wired junction block incorporates cable receptacles at each of the four corners thereof. The receptacles are adapted to receive the three bare wires of a Romex®-type three wire cable. The junction block is provided with connection holes in a face thereof to receive short rigid jumper wires from electrical fixtures such as electrical outlets and electrical switches. The connection holes are identified on the face of the junction block with indicia to identify the hot and neutral connections of an outlet side of the junction block face, and are identified with indicia to identify connections to a switch side of the junction block face to properly receive the jumper wires of an electrical outlet or the jumper wires of an electrical switch respectively.

Abstract: A power-saving column driver integrated circuit, and a power-saving method for driving a liquid crystal display, include a series of multiplexers coupled to the columns of the display. The multiplexers selectively couple each of the columns to a common external storage capacitor during a portion of each row drive period for discharging each of the pixels in the selected row of the liquid crystal display to a median bias voltage. During the remaining portion of each row drive period, the multiplexers selectively couple voltage drivers to the columns of the LCD pixel array for applying a desired driving voltage to each column of the array. The polarity of the driving voltages applied to each column alternates on succeeding row drive periods, and the resulting voltage that is summed on the storage capacitor averages to the median bias voltage.

Abstract: After immobilizing a bovine, a harness is placed about the head of the bovine to serve as an anchor for a gag. Opposed ends of the gag are secured to the harness to retain the gag across the edentulous gap to maintain the jaws held apart and to restrain movement of the tongue. The anterior mandibular incisors are cleaned and ground into a harmonious plane. After etching the ground incisors, a bonding polymer mixture is injected into the inner proximals and additional bonding polymer mixture is placed within a mold for encapsulating the incisors. Upon positioning the mold upon the incisors, excess bonding polymer mixture is forced out intermediate the gumline and the edges of the mold. After the bonding polymer mixture has cured, the gag and harness are removed and the bovine is released. If the mold is not to become a part of the overdenture, it is removed after the bonding polymer mixture has cured.

Abstract: A linearization circuit includes a sensor circuit having a first terminal receiving an excitation voltage, and second and third terminals producing a sensor output voltage therebetween. A differential amplifier circuit produces a linearization current, and a scaling circuit operates to produce a scaled linearization current in response to the linearization current. A current direction switch circuit includes a fourth terminal receiving the scaled linearization current, a fifth terminal and conducting a correction current proportional to the linearization current, and a control terminal receiving a polarity control signal to determine the direction of flow of the correction current through the fifth terminal in response to the sensor output voltage.

Abstract: Capacitor voltage coefficient errors are reduced in a lossy integrator by providing oppositely oriented first and second feedback capacitors in a switched capacitor feedback circuit coupled between the output and a summing conductor connected to an inverting input of an operational amplifier. During a first clock signal, terminals of the first feedback capacitor are coupled to a reference voltage by closing first and second reset switches and the second feedback capacitor is coupled between the inverting input and the output conductor by closing first and second sampling switches. Then, during a second clock signal the terminals of the second feedback capacitor are coupled to the first reference voltage by closing third and fourth reset switches, and the second feedback capacitor is coupled between the inverting input and the output by closing third and fourth sampling switches.

Abstract: An apparatus for contemporaneously treating a sequence of treatment sites in an internal organ and creating a viewable map of the treated sites includes a first catheter having a proximal end and a distal end for insertion through a body passage to tissue needing treatment. A needle assembly is attached to the distal end of the first catheter to permit injection of fluid into treatments sites of the tissue. A fluid injection assembly is connected to the proximal end of the first catheter and containing predetermined amounts of radiographic contrast agent and treatment agent for injection into the various treatment sites. A radiographic visualizing apparatus is aimed at the treatment sites, including a display screen for displaying the extent of migration of radiographic contrast agent around each treatment site after injection, so that a radiographic marking appears on the display screen for a predetermined amount of time after each injection, showing which treatment sites have been treated.

Abstract: A device for automatically controlling the operation of a washroom appliance such as a water faucet, soap dispenser, shower, urinal, etc., comprising means for actuating said appliance, means for deactuating said appliance, a remote control arranged for emitting a signal, a receiver arranged for receiving said signal and for generating a maintenance signal in response to receipt of the signal from the remote control, and means responsive to the maintenance signal for generating an overruling signal for disabling said actuation means. The device comprises in a first aspect of the invention means for intermittently actuating and deactuating said receiver to reduce the power consumption thereof. In a second aspect, the invention relates to a device for automatically controlling flow of water in a wash fountain, including a maintenance function which enable to deactivate the wash fountain except for at least one valve to permit supply of water for cleaning the wash fountain.

Abstract: A distribution valve for a swimming pool cleaning system includes a housing with a high pressure fluid inlet disposed on a side of the housing, a plurality of outlet ports for connection to a plurality of return lines, respectively, a plurality of valves opening or closing the outlet ports from the interior, and an impeller-driven gear assembly to sequentially open and close each valve in response to rotation of the impeller. A cover unit is connected to the housing, and includes an impeller chamber connected to an underside portion of the cover unit, with the impeller disposed concentrically in the impeller chamber. The impeller includes a circular disk base that forms a bottom of the impeller chamber. A guide passage extends from an inlet window of the impeller chamber to guide a stream of water from the inlet into the inlet chamber against blades of the impeller causing it to rotate.

Abstract: A self-calibrating digital-to-analog converter includes a delta-sigma modulator (25) receiving a digital input signal, an output producing a stream of digital pulses the density of which represents a value of the digital input signal, and an intermediate digital input port coupled to a digital summing element which is also coupled to an output of an integrator within the delta-sigma modulator. A 1-bit DAC converts the stream of digital pulses to an analog signal that is filtered to produce an analog output voltage. A 1-bit DAC converts the analog output signal to a digital feedback signal, and a successive approximation circuit produces a digital offset correction signal from the digital feedback signal and loads it into an offset register. An output port of the offset register is coupled to the intermediate digital input port to provide self-calibration of an offset error without skewing an input range of the digital input signal.

Abstract: A low drop out voltage regulator includes an error amplifier (12) having a first input coupled to a first reference voltage (VREF), a second input receiving a feedback signal, and an output (15) producing an output signal (VAMPOUT). An output transistor (18) has a gate, a drain coupled to an unregulated input voltage (VIN), and a source coupled to produce a regulated output voltage (VOUT) on an output conductor (19). A feedback circuit (20,22) is coupled between the output conductor (19) and a reference voltage (GND) to produce the feedback signal. A capacitor (16) is coupled between the output (15) of the error amplifier and the gate (17) of the output transistor (18). A servo amplifier (24) has a first input coupled to a second reference voltage (VVREF), a second input coupled to the output (15) of the error amplifier. A low current charge pump circuit (26B) supplies an output current into a supply voltage terminal of the servo amplifier.

Abstract: A mobile cleaning system in which an extraction blower is driven by a hydraulic circuit including a pump driven by the engine of the transport vehicle and a motor connected to the blower. The improvement comprises a heat exchanger for transferring heat from the hydraulic circuit to liquid extracted by the vacuum created by the blower.

Abstract: Cable connector for coaxial cable, comprising a bushing (2) for providing an axial displacement of parts (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) in the connector, whereby these parts are brought into mechanical and/or electrical engagement with the coaxial cable. The axial displacement is provided by screwing a thread (10) provided on the bushing (2) onto a corresponding thread (9) provided in the main body (1) of the connector. The axial displaceable parts in the connector comprising a ferrule (4) for engaging the outer conductor or screen of the coaxial cable, said ferrule (4) comprising a locking arrangement for preventing rotation of the ferrule and cable. The ferrule (4) comprises a conical surface (11) and the main body (1) of the connector comprises a corresponding conical surface (12), said surfaces (11,12) being brought into locking engagement when axially displaced by the bushing (2), whereby the ferrule (4) and cable are prevented from rotating in the connector.

Abstract: A catheter for use in an electrophysiological procedure to ablate a site includes a metallic tip having a first work function and energized by a source of RF energy. The RF energy return path is through a relatively large plate of a metallic material having a second work function and disposed at a location removed from the ablation site. The difference in work functions of the tip and the plate, operating in the presence of an electrolyte represented by the intermediate tissue, produces an exchange of electrical charges through chemical reaction to create a galvanic cell. By loading the galvanic cell with a shunt resistor, it becomes a current source providing a current linear with and highly dependent on the tissue temperature at the ablation site. This accurate representation of the tissue temperature at the ablation site is used to regulate the RF energy applied to maintain the tissue at the ablation site at a predetermined temperature during the ablation procedure.

Abstract: A low voltage battery energized passive detection system generates a control signal in response to radiated heat from a human body part to energize, for settable periods of time water flow valves and ancillary equipment that may be associated with the act of washing. To minimize power demand, a programmable microchip may be employed as a control unit and have external settable parameters.