Abstract: A compact, self-powered, selectively-mountable lighting unit provides light directable by a user to an operation site in a confined space to enable the user to operate a tool therein. The lighting unit is detachably mountable in a variety of ways either to a user-selected location on any suitable surgical instrument,or at the user's option to an adjacent location within the confined space, to facilitate well-lit and accurate viewing thereat. The lighting unit may be adapted to provide lighting of selected frequency, in an adjustable focus ranging from substantially diffuse light to a tightly focused beam. A known dead-soft element may be included to enable the user to adjust orientation of the delivered light.

Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing particles suspended in a fluid. The fluid has electrical properties different from that of the particles. The fluid and particles move from a first fluid containing portion to a second fluid containing portion through a conduit or aperture. A first pair of electrodes, each electrode of the pair being in a respective fluid containing portion. A constricted electrical path is defined between the first and second electrodes, and the path extends along the aperture. At least one other pair of electrodes is positioned in a non-encircling arrangement, and are aligned with each other and transversed to the constricted electrical path. This configuration eliminates many common errors suseptible to other devices.

Abstract: A guidewire or other guide element has an elastically deformable distal end portion that is formed to have an unstrained shape or other features selected to allow the guide element to be safely retained inside a female's urinary bladder after placement therein via a tubular catheter by a doctor. The proximal end of the guide element extends out of her urethra to be easily accessible to her. When she needs to urinate, she passes the proximal end of the guide element into the distal end of another tubular catheter by herself and guides the catheter along the guide element into her bladder to pass out urine through the catheter. When her condition has improved, she or her doctor can withdraw the guide element via a similar catheter.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process of preparing storage stable aqueous Azadirachtin containing Azadirachtin A to provide a predominant pesticidal composition which comprises the steps of diluting 50,000-100,000 ppm Azadirachtin with 25,000 to 50,000 Azadirachtin A weight/volume with ethanol water solvent in a ratio in the range 100-70:0-30 volume/volume to produce 2,000-40,000 ppm Azadirachtin containing 1,000-20,000 ppm of Azadirachtin A weight/volume. This is followed by emulsifying of the diluted Azadirachtin with non-ionic and non-toxic emulsifying agents in an amount ranging from 0.2 to 30% and neem oil 20-50% volume/volume. The pH of the emulsified diluted Azadirachtin is adjusted to 3.5 to 6.0 by adding an alkali solution. 1-2.5% of a sunscreen like p.aminobenzoic acid or its esters and 1-10% oleic acid volume/volume are added to create a micro-emulsion for stabilizing the composition with a good bio-efficacy.

Abstract: A surgeon-implantable, fluid-filled, flexible device for automatically controlling stress incontinence in female patients employs a flexible diaphragm element positioned in the patient's abdominal space to compress in response to increases in intraabdominal pressure. Upon such compression of the diaphragm, pressurized fluid flows therefrom via a flexible tubing, optionally via a flow control element, to an inflatable urethra-constricting element in fluid communication therewith and positioned over the patient's urethra close to her bladder neck. Thus, when the patient experiences an increase in intraabdominal pressure, e.g., when she coughs, fluid from the diaphragm flows rapidly to the urethra-constricting element which presses against and forcibly constricts the urethra adjacent thereto. Upon abatement of the intraabdominal pressure, the flow control element releases fluid from the urethra-constricting element which then ceases to press on the urethra.

Abstract: A smooth-surfaced, firm, and flexibly bendable elongate element has a clog-snagging end portion which is provided at least one clog-snagging outwardly extended clog-snagging element. The clog-snagging portion is forcibly inserted through a drain hole into a water trap in which a fibrous clog has formed and is to be removed. A portion of the elongate element outside the water trap is flexibly shaped into a crank shape by the hands of the user, and is manually rotated to cause engagement between the clog-snagging element and twisting thereon of fibrous material contained in the clog. Upon such engagement, the elongate element is forcibly withdrawn from the drain hole with a portion of the clog detached from the water trap and engaged thereto.

Abstract: A light-weight shelter to protect a user from exposure to chill winds and material entrained therein has a peripheral wall inclined inwardly. The upper edge of the wall is supported by substantially vertical elements which also hold down the lower edge of the wall. Wind-entrained material, upon contacting the outer surface of the inwardly inclined wall, initially will tend to move upward. The wind passes over a sheltered zone defined within the wall, and any entrained matter is slowed down by friction with the wall and eventually falls to accumulate around a bottom edge outside of the wall. In one aspect of the invention, the wall is attached to a base having an outwardly extending portion on which the initially entrained particulate matter accumulates, and one or more outwardly extending flanges are provided to extend outwardly from the wall to even more effectively intercept entrained particulate matter from oncoming wind. The wall may be made to any suitable height.

Abstract: Overall shape replicates of objects of known shape and size are formed of a thin sheet material and are provided on a first side with one or more reference marks and/or apertures at positions which correspond to specific locations on the corresponding object at which support force should be provided for securely mounting the object to a supporting surface. In a preferred embodiment, the other side of each replicate is provided with a pressure-sensitive, releasable adhesive material, preferably leaving an edge portion of each replicate free of adhesive to enable temporary releasable adhesion of the replicate to the support surface. Repeatable removal of a replicate enables the user to visualize the corresponding object in harmony with other objects and/or nearby features.

Abstract: Overall shape replicates of objects of known shape and size are formed of a thin sheet material and are provided on a first side with one or more reference marks and/or apertures at positions which correspond to specific locations on the corresponding object at which support force should be provided for securely mounting the object to a supporting surface. In a preferred embodiment, the other side of each replicate is provided with a pressure-sensitive, releasable adhesive material, preferably leaving an edge portion of each replicate free of adhesive to enable temporary releasable adhesion of the replicate to the support surface. Repeatable removal of a replicate enables the user to visualize the corresponding object in harmony with other objects and/or nearby features.

Abstract: A thin, flexible, elongate sheet is marked on one side, preferably with sets of intersection lines and has through apertures formed at selected intersections of these lines, the other side of the sheet being provided with a thin coating of a pressure responsive, readily releasable, adhesive at least immediately around the apertures. An edge portion of the sheet is defined by a line of closely spaced fine perforations along and spaced from an edge portion of the sheet, to thereby define an elongate narrow portion having the plurality of evenly spaced-apart apertures. The edge portion can be torn off at the perforations to provide an elongate ribbon-like segment of the sheet. In both aspects, the elongate ribbon-like material is lightly pressed to a wall surface to provide an easily movable and removable reference for placing a nail, screw or other object-supporting means on the wall. An extended length of the sheet is placed on a substantially horizontal work surface with the adhesive side lowermost.

Abstract: A simple, compact optical spectrometer employs solid-state nonlinear crystals for obtaining broadband multichannel infrared spectra with picosecond or femtosecond time resolution. Spectrally broad infrared pulses are produced by difference frequency mixing in a first LiIO.sub.3 crystal between the second harmonic of a picosecond Nd.sup.+3 :YAG laser and broadband output of a synchronously pumped dye laser, and a resultant broadband IR pulse is upconverted by a second LiIO.sub.3 crystal to yield a blue visible pulse which is dispersed by a 0.25 meter spectrograph onto a multichannel vidicon or reticon detector to obtain four wavenumber resolution single-shot transient infrared spectra of a sample. The present invention enables rapid acquisition of ultrashort time infrared spectra over a broadly tunable spectral range (in the mid to near infrared) at minimal cost and by a simple but versatile optical system employing readily available components.