Abstract: In a switching power supply including a step-up transformer having primary and secondary windings, wherein in each successive cycle of operation, during a first period of time a voltage pulse is applied across the primary winding for causing forward current in the secondary to flow through a shuttle capacitor and output capacitor connected in series with the secondary winding at this time, for charging the output capacitor to a voltage level approaching the voltage across the series circuit of the shuttle capacitor and secondary winding, and in an immediately following second period of time terminating the voltage pulse across the primary winding, and allowing flyback energy in the secondary winding to charge and be captured only by the shuttle capacitor for transfer to the output capacitor during the next cycle of operation.

Abstract: A system for blending low and high octane gasoline includes independent flow paths for each fuel between a supply source and a composite blend manifold and nozzle assembly, with the rate of flow of fuel in each flow path being under individual closed loop control, under an algorithm for comparing the ratio of the actual accumulated volumes of the low octane to the high octane fuel, relative to a statistically determined ratio of the ideal volume of said low to high octane fuel for the total actual accumulated volume of the sum of the volumes of the fuels at a given time, for providing a perfect blend relative to a preselected blend ratio.

Abstract: A method of treating patients in chronic pain or suffering from chronic cough over a prolonged period to provide systemic analgesia or central antitussive effect while simultaneously avoiding the onset of intestinal hypomotility. The method includes the oral administration to the patient of dosage units comprising in combination opioid analgesics or antitussives and selected opioid antagonists which are substantially devoid of systemic antagonist activity when administered orally.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for inhibiting protein aging. Accordingly, a composition is disclosed which comprises an agent or compound capable of inhibiting the formation of advanced glycosylation end products of target proteins by reacting with the carbonyl moiety of the early glycosylation product of such target proteins formed by their initial glycosylation. Suitable agents may contain an active nitrogen-containing group, such as a hydrazine group, and may further be at least partially derived from amino acids. Particular agents comprise aminoguanidine, .alpha.-hydrazinohistidine and lysine. The method comprises contacting the target protein with the composition. Both industrial and therapeutic applications for the invention are envisioned, as food spoilage and animal protein aging can be treated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a blended preparation for the separation especially of coal particles from the tailings which are contained in the fines produced in coal mining. The blended preparation is used instead of or in addition to the conventional froth oil. The blended preparation comprises froth oil, flocculating agent, emulsifying agent, water and optionally, anti-freeze. The use of the preparation results in faster separation and saving in flocculating agent.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved prosthesis coated, respectively, with an ionic surfactant, an antibiotic and/or antithrombiotic agent and treated with an immobilizing ionic exchange compound, to remove un-antibiotic bound ionic surfactant. The drug may be encapsulated within phospholipid vesicles which are bound to the prosthesis.

Abstract: The invention provides an electrolyte cell which is used for the electrodeposition of silver from a fixer medium (used as the electrolyte) which has previously been used and has to be re-used for developing photographic films, X-ray plates and the like processes wherein silver is extruded by the treatment process. While the silver electrodeposition is taking place, air is bubbled through the electrolyte to prevent copper sulfate and the additives in the electrolyte from settling out and aggregating which shortens the life of the fixer medium. The electric potential which is applied to the electrodes is such as to give a much smaller electrolyzing current i.e. up to 1 amp compared to the more usual electrolyzing currents of 10 amp or more.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved prosthesis coated, respectively, with a cationic surfactant, an antibiotic compound and treated with an cationic exchange compound, to remove un-antibiotic bound cationic surfactant.

Abstract: Imminent failure of a hose or other conduit is detected by a dye disposed between the conduit's outer and inner walls. The invention is especially applicable to automotive cooling systems.

Abstract: A quilting machine includes a base having three bridges; a sewing head secured to the upper bridge; a cylindrically shaped frame slidably and rotatably mounted on the lower two bridges, the frame including first and second end assemblies spaced from each other on the lower bridges, each having a support casting slidably mounted on the base and a ring rotatably mounted on a support casting, each ring including circumferential gear teeth, gears meshing with the gear teeth and extending from the support castings for supporting the rings, a plurality of first and second telescoping rods secured to the first and second end assemblies, at least one first telescoping rod screw-threadedly receiving a second telescoping rod, and at least one first and second telescoping rod rotatably fixed and axially movable with respect to each other, a gear secured to each of the latter in meshing engagement with the gear teeth of the respective rings; a mechanism for rotating the axially movable and rotatably fixed first and secon

Abstract: There is disclosed the use of a collagen inhibiting composition including in polymeric form select analogs of proline and processes for the manufacture and use of such a collagen-inhibiting composition to reduce scar tissue formation. There is also disclosed a method for testing the effectiveness of collagen-inhibiting compositions.

Abstract: A tube transfer assembly for a tube printer includes a rotatable mandrel wheel which successively moves the tubes to be printed to different stations of the tube printer; a plurality of mandrels mounted along the circumferential periphery of the mandrel wheel for holding the tubes thereon; a rotatable star wheel assembly including a plurality of pockets for successively supplying the tubes to a position at the free end of the mandrel at the 11:00 position of the mandrel wheel; a guide disc rotatable with the star wheel and having a plurality of circular apertures positioned about the periphery thereof in alignment with the pockets; a first pusher rod which successively pushes one end of each tube within one of the apertures at a first rotatable position of the star wheel to correctly configure such end of the tube in a circular configuration; a second pusher rod simultaneously moveable with the first pusher rod which successively pushes each tube onto the mandrel at the subsequent 11:00 position of the mandre

Abstract: A tube printing apparatus includes a rotatable mandrel wheel which successively moves tubes to be printed to different stations of the apparatus; a plurality of mandrels which hold the tubes on the mandrel wheel; a printing station including a printing blanket which prints the tubes successively moved to the printing station in contact with the printing blanket; a tube orienting head which circumferentially orients the tubes which are moved to the printing station so as to always provide printing on the tubes at the same circumferential position thereof; a reciprocating control assembly which intermittently reciprocates the tube orienting into engagement with the tubes at the printing station; a rotating control assembly which intermittently rotationally orients the tubes for printing to a desired circumferential position; and a common drive connected to the reciprocating control assembly, rotating control assembly and printing blanket to synchronously drive each of the same, thereby eliminating any complex e

Abstract: A starter motor includes a housing; an armature shaft having front and rear opposite ends mounted in the housing; armature laminations mounted on the armature shaft; a field coil assembly for causing rotation of the armature shaft, the field coil assembly including three series-connected coils and a shunt coil, all positioned in the housing in surrounding relation to the armature laminations; an inertia style drive mounted on the armature shaft forward of the armature laminations and including a pinion gear for engaging with an engine flywheel during rotation of the armature shaft; a center plate connected to the housing and mounted on the armature shaft between the inertia style drive and the armature laminations; a first ball bearing assembly for mounting the center plate on the armature shaft; a second ball bearing assembly for mounting the front and/or rear ends of the armature shaft in the housing; an oil cap connected to the housing at the front end thereof for providing lubrication of the armature shaf

Abstract: A new and useful fluorescent chromophore has been isolated and identified which has been observed in proteins exposed to glucose over time, and whose fluorescent properties closely resemble those of the polypeptide after it undergoes advanced glycosylation. The chromophore has been structurally identified and named 2-(2-furoyl)-4(5)-2(furanyl)-1H-imidazole, and is believed to be one of the end products of extended nonenzymatic polypeptide glycosylation, which results in the state known as nonenzymatic browning (NEB). The measurement of this chromophore makes possible both qualitative and quantitative assessment of the degree of aging. Diagnostic and test kits are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supplying bar-like members such as cigarettes and filter plugs, in which a bar-like member containing box is lifted at a supplying position which supports the containing box in an inverted condition; and a pusher is operated to feed the bar-like members instead of a conventional hopper construction which stores bar-like members and allows them to drop from same, whereby the speed of the supplying operation is increased and a smooth supplying operation is assured without causing disordered orientation of the bar-like members.

Abstract: An introducer sheath includes a connector body having an inlet and an outlet; a flexible tube for intravenous use at the outlet, including a helical coiled spring having a plurality of coils, each coil spaced from an adjacent coil, and a thin cylindrical wall prepared from a protective coating composition completely surrounding the spring to define an inner and an outer wall surface, the portion of the cylindrical wall surrounding each coil having a first thickness and the portion of the cylindrical wall between the spaced coils having a second, smaller thickness, with the inner and outer wall surfaces being indented thereat, the coating composition comprising a thermoplastic polymeric material dissolved in a solvent solution, the composition having a solids content ranging from about 4% to about 18%, and said solution comprising a solvent selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, methyl ethyl ketone, dimethylformamide, cyclohexane, and mixtures thereof, formed on a helical coiled spring

Abstract: A partially consumable spacer chill ring for welding a pair of adjacent pipe ends together, includes a non-consumable, substantially annular, base metal ring having an outer surface with an outside diameter permitting a snug fit interiorly of the pipe ends to be welded, the non-consumable base metal ring being effectively continuous with at most a small transverse slit; and a consumable, substantially annular, filler metal spacer ring medially attached to the outer surface of the base ring and projecting radially outwardly therefrom, for spacing apart and for welding the pipe ends together by supplying filler metal from the consumable spacer ring to the weld during a first root pass of a welding operation, the consumable filler metal ring having, in cross-section, a radial leg extending extending medially with respect to and radially outwardly from the outer surface of the base metal ring, and two opposite, transverse legs extending on opposite sides of the radial leg and positioned on the outer surface of th

Abstract: The invention comprises a negative-pressure plastic bag leader in the form of a cylindrical chamber into which the plastic bag is received. The chamber is double-walled, an outer wall being imperforate, and the inner wall being foraminous, and the two being spaced apart, in a substantial concentricity, to define an annular void therebetween. A closure caps the upper, open end of the chamber, and has a conduit in traverse thereof through which to admit gas, and refuse suspended in such gas into the chamber. Further, the closure has an aperture formed therethrough for communicating with a source of negative pressure, and for extracting gas from the chamber. The aperture opens into the chamber and also into the annular void. Accordingly, both the chamber and the annular void experience the same negative pressure, and the plastic, refuse-collecting bag is held securely in place against the inner wall of the chamber.