Abstract: A process for making cheese including the addition of calcium chloride to milk, heating the milk slowly to about 85.degree. C., holding the milk at 85.degree. C. for about 30 minutes, adding hot food-grade organic acid to the milk to reduce pH to about 4.4 to form a curd, removing the whey and cooling curd rapidly to about 8.degree. C. The process lends to making Queso Blanco (white cheese).

Abstract: A slotted guard for locking a needle in a shielded position as the needle is removed from a patient, and a guarded winged needle assembly including not only such a slotted, locking guard, but also a needle (with a winged hub attached thereto) slidably mounted within the guard. Preferably, the guard's slot has an angled portion so that when the hub and needle are fully retracted within the guard, the needle's tip will be oriented away from the slot. Also preferably, a piece of absorptive material is disposed in the guard to absorb any fluid dripping from the needle tip after the needle has been locked in its retracted position within the guard following an injection.

Abstract: An intravascular balloon catheter comprises a catheter body having a proximal end a distal end, and a balloon carried adjacent the distal end. The catheter body defines an inflation tube which extends along essentially the length of the body proximal to the balloon and which communicates with the interior of the balloon. The catheter body also defines a lumen having an open, distal end and extending at least most of the length of the body. A first tube, aligned with the lumen, extends through the balloon and is open at both ends. A portion of the catheter which defines the lumen is longitudinally slidable relative to the balloon and the first tube between an advanced position and a retracted position. In the advanced position the lumen and first tube are together to allow advancement of a guidewire through both the lumen and the first tube. In the retracted position, the lumen is spaced from the first tube, so that the first tube is open to receive blood flow therethrough.

Abstract: A catheter sheath introducer comprises: a tubular body portion having opposed ends; a catheter sheath tube which is optionally replaceably carried on one of the body portion ends; and a slit, elastomeric hemostasis valve partition which is optionally replaceably carried on the other of the body portion ends.

Abstract: An airbrush which comprises a front body through which air and paint are directed is provided. A head, having a tube known as a post, is removably attached to the front body. A paint tip and a regulator, removably attached to the head, are also provided. The regulator comprises a detachable holding ring and a regulating tip. The paint tip is secured to the head by the holding ring when the paint tip is placed within the post and the holding ring is attached to the head. The regulating tip can be detached from the airbrush while the paint tip remains secured by the holding ring. The head, paint tip and regulator, comprising a crown, are interchangeable with other crowns.

Abstract: A vascular catheter guidewire comprises a length of wire having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central portion between the ends having a first diameter range. Typically the range of first diameters is quite narrow and within the dimensions of 0.01 and 0.02 inch. Both the distal end and the proximal end of the guidewire catheter each comprise a tip of greater flexibility than the wire of the central portion of the guidewire. The distal end tip and the proximal end tip are each defined by a length of wire which is integral with the central portion of wire and each has a range of diameters that is less than the range of first diameters. Typically, the diameters of the tip portion wires are on the order of 0.006 to 0.008 inch. The proximal end tip is significantly shorter than the distal end tip. The distal end tip is typically of greater flexibility than the proximal end tip.

Abstract: Steel framing is provided for a building construction having a roof structure [80] and perimeter supporting posts [89] of roll formed steel sections. The connections between the perimeter posts [89] and the roof structure [80] are formed by separate connector assemblies [60] each having post mounting brackets [63] enabling each connector [60] to be bolted to the top of a respective the perimeter post [89], roof frame mounting brackets [61] enabling each connector to be bolted to a respective inclined roof frame member [92] extending inwardly from the respective perimeter posts [89], and perimeter beam mounting brackets [64] enabling adjacent perimeter posts [89] to be interconnected by perimeter beams [91] bolted to the perimeter beam mounting brackets [60].

Abstract: An intravascular catheter comprises a plastic tube of a diameter capable of occupying a blood vessel. The plastic tube defines a tapered distal tip. The distal tip comprises an annular, distal end portion having an outer diameter that tapers at a first acute angle to the tube longitudinal axis, distally and inwardly to a thin, annular, distal end surface. The tube also defines a second, tapered, annular portion proximal of and next to the annular, distal end portion. The second portion defines an outer diameter that tapers distally and inwardly down to an outer diameter of essentially no less than the maximum outer diameter of the annular, distal end portion. The second portion tapers at a second acute angle to the longitudinal axis, which is less than the first acute angle. Also, an improved composition for the cannula tube is disclosed.

Abstract: A first catheter surrounds a guidewire, with the first catheter and guidewire each having a distal portion emplaced in the cardiovascular system of a patient. By this invention, the first catheter may be removed without displacing the guidewire. To accomplish this, one may advance an exchange catheter into the patient to a desired position. The exchange catheter surrounds the guidewire and, in turn, is surrounded by the first catheter. One causes a proximal end portion of the guidewire to project outwardly through a longitudinal slit of the exchange catheter, so that the proximal end of the guidewire may be grasped. By this means the guidewire may be retained in the desired position as the exchange catheter is advanced into its position within the first catheter and surrounding the guidewire. One then withdraws the first catheter from the patient, while causing the exchange catheter to be held relatively stationary.

Abstract: A surgical connector for cable comprises a body having a pair of opposed ends and a first side extending between the ends. Outwardly extending projections adjacent the first side and ends may be provided to facilitate securance of the connector in a desired position. Cable-receiving bores extend from each of the ends inwardly toward each other, typically at an obtuse angle of less than 180.degree.. The bores have inner ends that communicate with a central aperture which is open to at least the side of the body which is opposed to the first side. Alternatively, the central aperture may extend entirely through the body and be open to both the first side and the opposed side. Also, a novel retention technique for cable is disclosed, for more general use, if desired.

Abstract: A system is provided for transferring loads between railroad cars on different tracks. If desired the system may be highly automated. A series of parallel, adjacent rail car tracks are provided for carrying separate strings of connected railcars in side-by-side relation. A second series of tracks is positioned parallel to and adjacent the first-named series of tracks. A plurality of load lifting mechanisms are provided, these mechanisms being independently movable along the second tracks. The mechanisms each have at least one and preferably a plurality of grapplers capable of lifting a load from one rail car on a first of the rail car tracks and placing the load on another rail car on a second of the rail car tracks. Thus, the plurality of load lifting mechanisms can redistribute the loads of separate strings of connected rail cars.

Abstract: A guidewire for insertion into the vascular system of a patient, to provide a path of advancement for an atherectomy catheter which surrounds the guidewire as it advances. The guidewire has an intermediate portion positioned proximally of the distal tip, which intermediate portion defines a transversely enlarged portion of a size to prevent substantial distal advancement of the atherectomy catheter or other catheter that surrounds the guidewire. Particularly, this protects the distal tip portion of the guidewire from engagement with moving blades of an atherectomy catheter.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter comprises a proximal housing carried on a tubular catheter body. The housing carries a slit, elastomeric partition valve which comprises a barrier wall positioned to block flow through the lumen of the catheter body, while permitting an elongated member such as a catheter to pass through the valve into the lumen without substantial back leakage of blood. The slit comprises a plurality of intersecting radii which rotate in spiral manner as the slit extends through the barrier wall to define a slit shaped of the intersecting radii of a first diameter on one side of the barrier wall. The slit spirals down to a lesser diameter on the other side of the barrier wall. Thus, advancement of a catheter or the like through the valve is facilitated, and back-leakage through the valve around the catheter is suppressed. Specifically, the intravascular catheter of this invention may be a catheter sheath introducer.

Abstract: A protective sheath for an endoscope probe comprises a pair of elongated plastic sheets peripherally sealed together at the sides and distal ends thereof, while being unsealed at the proximal ends. A first of the sheets is transparent, having greater optical clarity than the other sheet. The other sheet has better frictional slip characteristics than the first sheath. Also, an intermediate plastic sheet may be provided between the pair of plastic sheets, so that the endoscope probe slides into the sheath between the other sheet and the intermediate sheet. The intermediate plastic sheet may have better frictional slip characteristics than the first sheet, to render easier the advancement of the probe into the sheath. The intermediate sheet terminates short of the distal ends of the sheet pair.

Abstract: A balloon catheter comprises a catheter shaft and a balloon carried on the shaft, an inflation lumen being provided. The balloon comprises a plurality of holes of a size to permit medication delivered through the lumen to pass outwardly through the holes. The balloon carries on an outer surface a substantially hydrophilic, tubular microporous membrane covering the holes, to break up streams of flowing medication.

Abstract: A catheter for hemodialysis comprises a flexible catheter tube defining a plurality of separate lumens. The catheter defines an arc angle of generally U-shape in its natural, unstressed configuration. Thus, the catheter may be implanted with a distal catheter portion residing in a vein of the patient, the distal catheter portion being of substantially the shape of the vein in its natural, unstressed condition. Also, a proximal catheter portion resides in a surgically created tunnel extending from the vein and through the skin of the patient, this section of the catheter also being typically in its natural, unstressed condition. Thus blood may be removed from the vein through one lumen of the catheter, and blood may be returned to the vein through another lumen of the catheter, while the catheter is subject to long term indwelling in the body.

Abstract: A patient with acne may be treated by administering to the patient an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition which comprises a dispersion of propolis in a pharmaceutical carrier as propylene glycol which comprises a neutral buffered plant-extract-based emollient comprising an extract selected from the group consisting of verbascum, gratiola officinalis and combinations thereof and other ingredients as extracts of black honey comb and millefoli.

Abstract: A drainage catheter comprises a tubular basic catheter body defining separate catheter lumens respectively comprising a pressure channel and a discharge channel. Connectors are provided at the proximal end of the catheter for respectively connecting the pressure channel to a source of liquid under pressure and the discharge channel to a discharge receptacle. An inlet opening is positioned in the side of the catheter adjacent the distal end thereof. The discharge channel communicates with the inlet opening, while the pressure channel extends from the proximal and distally forward of the inlet opening and then curves rearwardly to join the discharge channel at the inlet opening. In one embodiment of this invention the pressure channel defines a distal portion that is of rigid and fixed dimension to define a spray nozzle of precise, unchanging dimensions.

Abstract: A rolling ball amusement device such as a pinball game comprises a frame carrying a playfield, and a ball-actuated switch carried with the playfield. The switch comprises a switch body which is movably and typically pivotably connected with a variable-position actuator wire to operate the switch in a manner which is dependent upon the position of the wire. A slot is defined in the playfield, with the actuator wire defining an arc section which is free of angled corners projecting upwardly through the slot. A rolling ball can depress the arc section to actuate the switch with essentially no "hang-up", whether or not the rolling ball approaches the actuator wire from a longitudinal or a lateral direction. Also, a spring urges the actuator wire upwardly out of the depressed position so that the actuator wire only occupies its depressed position when pressed into it by a rolling ball.

Abstract: A female luer connector comprises a tube having an open, outer end in a luer-tapered bore communicating with the outer end. The tube carries a side arm that from a positioned spaced longitudinally from the open, outer end, with the side arm extending both radially outwardly from the tube and in generally longitudinal relationship with the axis of the bore toward the open, outer end, to define a space between the tube and the side arm for receiving an outer, threaded sleeve of a male luer lock connector. A cap is connected to the side arm through a plastic hinge in a position permitting the cap to pivot between a closed position in which the cap closes the open, outer end, and an open position in which the cap is spaced from the open, outer end. The side arm defines an effectively rigid, fixed configuration to position the hinge and cap to naturally and spontaneously permit pivoting to the closed position to the open position, typically upon pressing with a single finger.