Abstract: A new method for predicting the risk of future cancer mortality, rheumatoid arthritis and all-cause mortality is disclosed. The method uses serum bilirubin levels as indicator for such risks, lower serum bilirubin levels generally indicating increased risk and higher levels a decreased risk.

Abstract: A pair of improved reusable routing pouches, or envelopes, are disclosed. The first routing pouch includes a single address block made of erasable material which can be covered by a transparent portion of the pouch closure flap. Addresses can be easily written and then erased by wiping so that the routing pouch can be reused indefinitely. The transparent portion of the closure flap covers the written address so that it will not smear or smudge during transit. The second routing pouch has a conventional series of consecutive address blocks printed on its surface, but is made of a material that is erasable by adhesive removal. After all the spaces have been filled in, an adhesive coated roller is roller over the pouch to remove the addresses and ready the pouch for reuse. A variation of the second routing pouch is erased by wiping with a cloth or sponge impregnated with a solvent.

Abstract: A rugate type thin film optical interference filter is disclosed. Rugate filters are gradient-index optical filters in which the index of refraction of the film varies sinusoidally with thickness. Gradient-index filters vary the index of refraction continuously with thickness, instead of discontinuously as in, for example, quarter-wave stacks of alternating discrete layers of high and low refractive index. Rugate filters are generally used as narrow bandwidth blocking, or rejection, filters in which the specific wavelength of light reflected, or blocked, is directly proportional to the period of a simple sine wave that describes the refractive index profile of the film. Multiple-line rejection filters, in which more than one wavelength, or line, is reflected, are made by superimposing individual sine waves in parallel. The present invention provides a more easily made rugate filter by reducing the maximum required peak-to-peak refractive index modulation within the film.