Abstract: A recording and ablation catheter method and system for creating linear lesions in an atrial or other cardiac chamber of interest is described which includes an array of readily controlled electroded arcuate distal working catheter shapes that are easily deployed to contact the desired inner wall surface of a cardiac chamber in a manner that enables easy recording and mapping of impulses and thereafter facilitates sustained contact so that linear lesions can be produced from an array of mapping and ablation electrode devices serially spaced along the working catheter shape. Auxiliary cooling may also be provided.

Abstract: A system that transmits and receives signals comprising a master unit and a remote unit, wherein a separation distance between the master unit and remote unit is continuously monitored and an alarm is activated on the master unit when no signal is received from the remote unit for at least a time longer than a preset interval. If the separation distance between the master and remote unit is exceeded for a time longer than a preset time interval, the remote unit activates an alarm attached to the remote unit. The master unit may also be used to activate manually the remote unit's alarm. A pin or key arrangement is provided that ensures that the remote unit is not deactivated without interfacing with the master unit.

Abstract: A bandage encapsulated in a protective sterile covering is disclosed, whereby the bandage may be removed from its sterile covering and applied with one hand without contaminating any portion of the bandage. The apparatus and method to manufacture the unique bandage is also disclosed.

Abstract: A plasma arc pipe cutting apparatus incorporates a plasma arc torch adjustably coupled to a motor-driven ring which transports the torch in an orbit about the pipe to be cut. The apparatus includes a pipe clamping fixture allowing the pipe to be cut to be concentrically mounted within the ring so that the gap between the electrode of the plasma arc torch and the work piece remains constant through the orbital travel of the torch.

Abstract: A milled carbon fiber reinforced polymer having increased abrasion resistive characteristics. The reinforced polymer comprises a base resin selected from the group consisting of polyolefins and polyamides. The base resin is combined with an amount of milled carbon fibers and further may be combined with polytetrafluoroethylene. The resulting composite materials have excellent friction and wear characteristics and are useful in the production of injection molded parts. The molded parts have a high impact strength, exhibit dimensional stability, are abrasion resistive, and are static dissipative, with the composite materials having particular utility as support fixtures for semiconductors during certain processing operations.

Abstract: An apparatus for non-contact measurement of particles, fibers and other light scattering elements includes two laser beams that intersect one another to form a measuring region within a composite flow. Particles in the flow scatter the laser energy as they traverse the measuring region. Scattered energy is received by a pair of optical detectors that generate respective electrical signals based on received energy. The detectors have selectively contoured non-rectangular apertures to controllably vary transmittance and as a result generate phase differences according to a corresponding non-linear function that relates the phase differences to particle diameters. One particularly effective aperture shape includes opposite sides contoured according to a lognormal function, to resemble an onion or tear drop. Triangular and trapezoidal apertures also can be used to achieve non-linear functions.

Abstract: A multi-compartment vehicle body for collecting, packing, hauling and unloading refuse material including recyclable materials is disclosed, including a truck body enclosing a material-receiving volume which includes a horizontal wall within the volume which divides the volume into separate upper and lower storage body compartments. A longitudinally-spaced loading opening at the top of the body contains separate openings being in continuous communication each with one of the separate compartments. Preferably, non-recyclable refuse is stored in the lower compartment. The truck body includes a primary compacting system associated with one of said compartments for compacting non-recyclable materials and an auxiliary compacting system linked to the primary compacting system for compacting recyclable materials.

Abstract: Focal Ulcerative Dermatitis in poultry raised for consumption is prevented and treated by a method which includes the step of administering orally an effective level of aspirin over a prolonged period of time during the growth cycle of the bird.

Abstract: To improve the re-wrappability of the expander members used on balloon catheters subsequent to an initial inflation thereof, the balloon member is subjected to an annealing process in which the balloon member, in its wrapped configuration, is placed within a plastic sheath and it, together with the sheath, is then placed between the jaws of a clamping fixture where the jaws may be heated to a predetermined temperature. When the jaws are made to close on the sheath and the wrapped balloon contained within it, the wrapped balloon is subjected to a radial compressive pressure and a temperature approximately equal to or above the glass transition temperature for the balloon material utilized and then maintained at that temperature for a predetermined time interval. The annealing is found to introduce a memory component into the plastic of the balloon that causes it to assume a lower profile upon deflation than otherwise obtained.

Abstract: A body compatible stent is formed of multiple filaments arranged in two sets of oppositely directed helical windings interwoven with one another in a braided configuration. Each of the filaments is a composite including a central core and a case surrounding the core. In the more preferred version, the core is formed of a radiopaque and relatively ductile material, e.g. tantalum or platinum. The outer case is formed of a relatively resilient material, e.g. a cobalt/chromium based alloy. Favorable mechanical characteristics of the stent are determined by the case, while the core enables in vivo imaging of the stent. The composite filaments are formed by a drawn filled tubing process in which the core is inserted into a tubular case of a diameter substantially more than the intended final filament diameter. The composite filament is cold-worked in several steps to reduce its diameter, and annealed between successive cold-working steps.

Abstract: A mechanically conformable thermally conductive interface for use in electrically isolating and thermally connecting printed circuit boards to either beat sinks, metal chasses, or heat spreaders. The interface material utilizes silicone polymers of controlled molecular weight and a surface layer of a pressure sensitive adhesive may be employed. The silicone polymer is filled with a thermally conductive electrically insulative particulate such as alumina and/or boron nitride, with the silicone being prepared as a reaction product of a liquid organosiloxane together with a chain extender such as a hydride terminated polydimethylsiloxane material. A release film such as polyethylene may be utilized as the undersurface layer, if desired.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for preventing contamination of a gas analyzer of respiratory gas exchange analyzing equipment due to a patient's saliva. The method involves determining a resistance value of the inspired respiratory gas flow in a sample line leading to the gas analyzer. This is determined by calculating the absolute pressure in the line at the gas analyzer. The pressure difference from atmospheric pressure is then divided by the sample flow rate to obtain a resistance value. A microprocessor in the equipment compares the calculated resistance of the flow with a previously stored reference threshold resistance. If the calculated resistance exceeds the predetermined threshold, the microprocessor sends a signal to a vacuum pump used to draw the respiratory gases through the gas analyzer. The vacuum pump is immediately shut down when the calculated resistance exceeds the predetermined resistance threshold and, hence, any saliva in the sample line is not drawn into the gas analyzer.

Abstract: A dual chamber pacemaker incorporating an adaptive PVARP for breaking pacemaker mediated tachycardia episodes and adjusting the PVARP interval in a way that reduces future incidences of PMT without extending PVARP beyond what is required.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for controlling a rate adaptive pacer is disclosed which operates based on the pre-ejection period (PEP), the method including the step of detecting the pre-ejection period utilizing only the pacer ECG signal and an accelerometer transducer signal.

Abstract: A device and method for extracorporeal whole body hyperthermia treatment of a patient's blood using alpha-stat regulation of blood pH and pCO.sub.2 is described. The respiratory rate of a patient is either increased or decreased in accordance with the changes in pH, pCO.sub.2, and base excess. The regulation of blood during the hyperthermic treatment of the patient's blood stabilizes the biochemical reactions fundamental to the metabolic welfare of the organisms within the patient's blood while the viruses within the patient's blood are eliminated.

Abstract: A variable camber inflatable airfoil for primary use with sailing vessels. The airfoil consists of a port and a starboard airfoil panel connected to a mast to partially or entirely enclose the mast. The airfoil is further provided with various air-inlet ports to inflate the airfoil in either a dynamic fashion, with the airfoil being inflated via the air pressure from the ingress of air into the air-inlet ports during sailing, or alternatively, the airfoil may be inflated in a static fashion, with the air pressure within the airfoil remaining constant by being inflated and sealed off. Upon inflation, the shape of the airfoil may be adjusted by applying and removing tension from tension points on the port and starboard panels of the airfoil to obtain the optimal airfoil shape for the particular angle of attack and desired lift-to-drag ratio.