Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for increasing the coherency of a thin tissue section cut from a tissue sample to obtain a resulting increase in throughput of the tissue section actually transferred onto a slide for pathological evaluation. The apparatus includes an outer housing having an open end. Sealed vessel means disposed within the outer housing releasably contains ammonium hydroxide. Applicator means in fluid communication with the open end receives ammonium hydroxide released from the vessel means and is used to apply the ammonium hydroxide to an exposed surface of a tissue sample prior to cutting a tissue section from the sample. The method includes swabbing the exposed surface of the tissue sample with the applicator means for approximately ten seconds.

Abstract: A supply plenum connected to a source of compressed natural gas (CNG) and a control valve assembly for selectively turning on the flow of CNG through a sonic nozzle and out through a dispensing hose assembly. Pressure and temperature transducers connected to the supply plenum measure the stagnation pressure and temperature of the CNG and the ambient temperature, and a pressure transducer fluidically connected to the vehicle tank via the dispensing hose assembly monitors the pressure of the CNG in the vehicle tank.

Abstract: A shaker table (10) for testing and quality control of devices attached to the table is shown. The mounting table (20) has pneumatic exciters (50) attached thereto. The exciters (50) are attached to the mounting table (20) with a mounting bolt (128) and spacers (132, 132') that comprise an insulating material to inhibit thermal transfer between the device and the exciters (50) and between the mounting table (20) and the exciters (50). The mounting table (20) provides uniform distribution of forces applied by the pneumatic exciters (50). The forces are evenly distributed in all directions from the impact of the exciters on the mounting table. The mounting table (20) is supported on a foundation (2) by adjustable supports (4). The exciters are supplied with pressurized air from a source (12) through an airline (14).

Abstract: A composite, glass or crystalline laser rod having a doped, light-absorbing core portion surrounded by a transparent cladding portion that is either undoped or doped with a nonabsorbing material is side-pumped with a plurality of laser diodes dispersed angularly around the laser rod. A reflective coating or sleeve substantially surrounds the laser rod, except for entrance slits for the pump light, to confine unabsorbed pump light in the crystalline laser rod by reflecting and re-reflecting the pump light in the rod to increase the likelihood of absorption by the core portion. The reflective coating is substantially reflective of all the pump light, but it can be transparent to laser radiation emission by the rod. An absorptive coating that absorbs radiation of the wavelength of the laser radiation emission of the rod can be positioned around the outside of the reflective coating to absorb lateral laser emission of the rod.

Abstract: A reporter system relating to in vivo expression technology was devised to aid in the identification and study of genes that display temporal or spatial patterns of expression during infection of host tissues. The method of this invention comprises constructing a strain or pool of strains of a microorganism which contains an artificial cointegrate comprising a reporter gene flanked by direct repeats of sequences to which a resolvase enzyme binds, thus catalyzing excision of the reporter gene, and further contains a coding sequence under the control of a promoter sequence which encodes transcripts, the expression of which are easily monitored in vitro and which result in a permanent genetic change, excision of the reporter gene, that is heritable and easily detectable subsequent to induction of the synthetic operon.

Abstract: A battery assembled in the form of a lightweight structural panel and including isolated battery cells. Each of the cells includes a honeycomb structure wherein each film-like layer in the honeycomb structure is an electrode stack. Each of the electrode stacks includes an elongated cathode, an elongated separator, and an elongated anode. The separator is wetted with an electrolyte solution to facilitate the electrochemical reaction. The electrochemical reaction may be that of an NiMH2 battery, an NiH battery, an Li.sup.+ battery, an NiCd battery, a Lead-acid battery, or any other suitable electrochemical reaction. Alternatively, the battery cell could be composed of a foam-like cathode, foam-like separator, and a foam-like anode. With either embodiment, the invention achieves the storage of electrochemical energy in a structure with a multitude of voids defined therein so that the structure is relatively stiff, yet light weight.

Abstract: A baseball trainer includes a target apparatus set at a predetermined distance from a practicing ballplayer. The target apparatus includes a plurality of panels for indicating a "strike" or a "ball" which indication is communicated to a microcomputer in a console adjacent to the practicing player. The target apparatus is associated with an adjacent catching apparatus and ball return apparatus for returning the ball to the player. The player pitches from a pitching rubber which includes a switch for providing a start signal when the player shifts the weight off of his back foot at the instant the ball is pitched toward the target apparatus. The start time, together with a stop time generated by the "strike" or "ball" panels, can be used by the microcomputer to generate an elapsed time which together with the known distance is used to calculate the speed of the pitch and which is then audibly reported to the practicing player.

Abstract: A lashing system for selectively attaching a component to a piece of material includes a pair of anchors or loops which are attached in a spaced part relationship to the piece of material. A pair of releasable connectors are provided on the component for engaging with the loops. The releasable connectors are positioned so that a fixed portion is mounted to the front side of the component and a moveable portion of the releasable connector is mounted at a terminal end to the back side of the component. The free end of the moveable portion of the releasable connector can be threaded through the loop to engage the loop and then can be connected to the matching surface of the releasable connector on the front side of the component. A lashing system is provided for the interior or exterior of a travel bag or backpack to lash containers, panels, or walls to the side panels thereof. A matrix of anchors is provided for the releasable connectors on the containers, panels or walls to engage therewith.

Abstract: A mass flow meter for a gas dispenser includes apparatus and method for determining specific heat ratio of the gas as a function of two pressure measurements in relation to a nozzle and for determining mass flow rate as a function of the specific heat ratio, the two pressure measurements in relation to the nozzle, and a density measurement of the gas.

Abstract: An adjustable baseball-style cap with a closed-back or "fitted" look. The adjustability is provided by a fabric tunnel on the back panel of the cap which slidably receives a flexible strap attached to the cap at one end of the tunnel. A free end of the strap protrudes from the opposite end of the tunnel and engages with the cap via a releasable connector material. The cap can be selectively adjusted to sizes between 6 1/2 and 7 5/8 by adjusting the amount of the strap protruding from the tunnel.

Abstract: An artificial and removable tooth cap body and a method of easily attaching the tooth cap body to a real tooth. The tooth cap body is anchored to the real tooth with a low melting point and malleable thermoplastic material. The tooth cap body includes ridges and/or depressions so that the thermoplastic material can anchor and attach to the tooth cap body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high strength proppant having a specific gravity of less than 1.3 that can be used in hydraulic fracturing operations of oil and gas wells.

Abstract: A lumbar pack having a bag and a waistbelt attached to the bag and including an elongated, flexible, semi-rigid support member flexed into a curved shape and received within the bag. The support member is of sufficient height when in this curved shape to extend from the buttocks of the user to the thoracic region of the user. A pair of adjustable straps are provided, one on either of opposite sides of the pack, to adjust the pack into a position adjacent the lumbar region of the user. When in this adjusted position, the flexible support member serves to bring the upper portion of the bag against the thoracic region of the user's back. The support member may include a pair of elongated delrin rods. The bag includes a front and a back interior wall with top edges folded over to form pockets therein for receiving the ends of the flexed rods so as to retain the rod within the compartments.

Abstract: A golf training device features a support base with a light source attached thereto, the light source generating a planar-shaped beam of light which is projected forward of the support board to form a target line on the ground. The target line can be used in alignment of the golfer's body and club face before and during the striking of the golf ball. A pair of removably attachable elongated guide rails can be attached to the top of the support base to provide a guide path for the golfer to move the club head therethrough while putting a golf ball from the top of the support base. The positions of the guide rails can be selected to accommodate putters having different club head lengths, as well as to provide for lesser-constrained guide paths. The light source includes a laser and a cylindrically-shaped optical element placed transversely to the light beam to create the planar-shaped beam.

Abstract: A shaker table (10) for testing and quality control of devices attached to the table is shown. The mounting table has pneumatic exciters (50) attached thereto. The mounting table (20) provides uniform distribution of forces applied by the pneumatic exciters (50). The forces are evenly distributed in all directions from the impact of the exciters on the mounting table. The mounting table (20) is supported on a foundation (2) by adjustable supports (4). The mounting table (20) is supported in a thermal chamber (172) by adjustable hangers (170). The exciters are supplied with pressurized air from a source (12) through an airline (14).

Abstract: A reporter system relating to in vivo expression technology was devised to aid in the identification and study of genes that display temporal or spatial patterns of expression during infection of host tissues. The method of this invention comprises integrating a site-specific DNA recombinase expression vector, and a reporter gene that is permanently removable by the recombinase, by way of homologous recombination into a microorganism's chromosome and inducing the expression of a synthetic operon which encodes transcripts, the expression of which are easily monitored in vitro and which result in a permanent genetic change, excision of the reporter gene, that is heritable and easily detectable subsequent to induction of the synthetic operon.

Abstract: A shaving cartridge including spaced-apart first and second razor blades each having an elongated edge formed thereon for cutting and shaving whiskers and hair, a container for retaining the blades therein and presenting the cutting edges at an angle for shaving action against the skin, the cartridge having formed therein a pass-through aperture between the blades allowing passage of shaved material away from the cutting edge to allow movement of the blade over the skin free of accumulations of cut material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for converting purified, partially purified or crude taxane mixtures into a protected precursor of 10-deacetylbaccatin III and into 10-deacetylbaccatin III. The process comprises three steps, the first of which includes contacting a mixture containing at least one naturally occurring taxane compound having the structure (II) ##STR1## in which R.sub.1 is phenyl, ##STR2## [an ester linkage at the C-13 position] with at least one hydroxy protecting group. The second step involves cleaving the ester linkage of the protected taxane thus giving rise to a protected precursor of 10-deacetylbaccatin III, the deprotection of which leads to 10-deacetylbaccatin III.