Abstract: A device for dispensing mascara includes a container assembly for holding the supply of mascara and an applicator for dispensing an amount of mascara, the applicator being sized and shaped to penetrate into the container assembly. The container assembly includes a tubular container which is shaped to define an interior cavity into which the supply of mascara is stored. A funnel is disposed within an open neck in the container and includes a rigid member and a flexible member which together define an orifice. A button slidably disposed in the container can be manually depressed so as to urge against the flexible member of the funnel. Accordingly, depression of the button regulates the size of the funnel orifice through which the applicator passes and, in turn, the amount of mascara which is retained onto the applicator upon removal from the container assembly.

Abstract: Compact proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrochemical cell stack. In a preferred embodiment, the cell stack comprises first and second sub-stacks of series-connected, proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrochemical cells. The first sub-stack is stacked between a top end plate and an intermediate plate, and the second sub-stack is stacked between the intermediate plate and a bottom end plate, the top end plate, the intermediate plate and the bottom end plate all extending beyond the peripheries of the first and second sub-stacks. A first set of tie rods is coupled to the top end plate and extends downwardly therefrom through the intermediate plate at points peripheral to the first and second sub-stacks, the first tie rods terminating prior to the bottom end plate. A Belleville washer spring stack is mounted on each of the first tie rods below the intermediate plate and above the bottom end plate for biasing the intermediate plate towards the top end plate.

Abstract: Template-textured materials in the form of template-textured polymers (TGP) on various surfaces including membranes (i.e, template-textured membranes). Such materials are created by modifying the surface of solid carriers, which, by cross-linking polymerization of functional monomers initiated on the surface of said solid carriers in the presence of a template, leads to stable template prints that subsequently bind template molecules or template derivatives in a specific manner. The invention also relates to methods for the production of TGPs and to the use thereof for substance-specific separation of materials.

Abstract: A low profile adaptor for use with a medical catheter, such as a gastrostomy feeding tube. In one embodiment, the adaptor comprises a body, a clamp and a cap. The body includes a base portion and a sleeve portion, the base portion being dimensioned to engage the skin of a patient and having a transverse bore, the sleeve portion extending upwardly from the base portion and having a longitudinal slot aligned with the transverse bore and a transverse slot intersecting the longitudinal bore. The clamp, which is slidably mounted on the base portion and across the transverse slot of the sleeve, comprises a plate having a transverse opening. The transverse opening has a wide region alignable with the longitudinal bore and correspondingly dimensioned and a narrow region alignable with the longitudinal bore.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for imaging objects in turbid media. In one embodiment, the method comprises illuminating at least a portion of the turbid medium with substantially monochromatic light of at least two wavelengths in the 600-1500 nm spectral range. A first of the at least two wavelengths is equal to a resonance wavelength for an optical property of an object in the illuminated portion of the turbid medium but is not equal to a resonance wavelength for the turbid medium. A second of the at least two wavelengths is not equal to a resonance wavelength for either the object or the turbid medium. Light emergent from the turbid medium following each of the foregoing illuminations comprises a ballistic component, a snake component and a diffuse component. A direct shadowgram image may be obtained by preferentially passing from the emergent light, following each illumination. the ballistic and snake components thereof and detecting the preferentially passed light.

Abstract: This invention relates to the establishment of a novel method of culturing sponge cells, coral cells and cells from other invertebrates in vitro. The cells cultured in vitro, which can be cultured as units similar to aggregates, are referred to as primmorphs. The method makes the following methods possible for the first time, using cells/aggregates/primmorphs from sponges, corals and other invertebrates: Methods (i) of preparing substances which modulate proliferation and DNA synthesis, (ii) of identifying/detecting environmentally harmful substances, (iii) of culturing bacteria and other micro-organisms, (iv) of preparing asexual reproductive bodies that can be used in aquaculture for growing corresponding organisms, (v) of preparing cell libraries, (vi) of optimising the nutritional requirements of the cells/aggregates/primmorphs, and (vii) of identifying substances which modulate telomerase activity in cells/aggregates/primmorphs.

Abstract: A volumetric modular building system comprising a reinforced concrete inverted “tee-beam” module. The module has a series of integral cross-walls which are spaced to coincide with the dimensions of the rooms and corridors constituting a section of a building, these rooms being formed by a matched pair of such modules acting in parallel, separated by, and adapted to support between them, a suspended concrete floor, external infill walls, internal partition walls, fixtures and services. The dimensional control of the modules is ensured by means of a removable structural steel framework gauge attached to and forming a part of the casting mold adjacent to the ends of the integral cross-walls. The legs of the gauge serve to locate and secure, during casting, top and bottom steel bearing-plates which are in turn separated, regulated and perforated by vertical steel tube tie-rod sleeves embedded locally near the ends of the concrete cross-walls.

Abstract: A tamper-proof tie includes a head and an attached strap. The head includes a strap accepting channel and a blind cavity. The strap accepting channel includes a strap entry end and a strap exit end. The blind cavity includes an open end. The head includes a flexible locking member comprising first and second ends which are fixed in place within the head. The strap includes an anti-tampering device which comprises a finger and a projection. In use, the strap is inserted into the strap accepting channel so the tie forms a closed loop. As the strap is inserted into the head, the locking member engages the anti-tampering device to prevent withdrawal of the strap from the head. With the tie formed into a closed loop, the anti-tampering device substantially encloses the entry end and the exit end of the strap accepting channel and the open end of the blind cavity.

Abstract: A timer switch for suspending the application of a direct current input voltage to a load upon the detection of a voltage irregularity in the input voltage. The timer switch includes a transistor switch for selectively connecting the input voltage to the load. The timer switch also includes a timing element which detects the presence of a voltage irregularity in the input voltage and controls the state of the transistor switch based upon the detection of a voltage irregularity in the input voltage. The timer switch includes exactly three terminals and is powered by the input voltage. The timing element includes exactly one energy storage element which is represented as a capacitor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting a surface of a semiconductor wafer having repetitive patterns for contaminant particles using scattered light by illuminating an area on the surface with two beams of light at different approach angles which are independent from each other and then imaging the area illuminated onto a camera positioned above the surface using an imaging lens. Each light beam striking the surface of the semiconductor wafer produces a Fourier diffraction pattern of light scattered from the surface in the back focal plane of the imaging lens. The two diffraction patterns are offset from each other if the two approach angles are not symmetrically disposed relative to an axis of the wafer. In setting up the apparatus, the angle of incidence of one of the beams is adjusted to shift one of the diffraction patterns, if necessary, so that it overlaps the other diffraction pattern.

Abstract: Method for draining pseudocysts and stent delivery system for use therein. In one embodiment, the system comprises an inner catheter provided with a pair of longitudinal lumens. A guide wire is slidably disposed in one lumen, and a retractable needle is slidably disposed in the other lumen. A self-expandable stent is coaxially mounted around the inner catheter near its distal end, and an outer catheter is coaxially mounted around the inner catheter and the stent, the outer catheter being adapted for axial movement relative to the inner catheter and being dimensioned to maintain the stent in a compressed state. In use, an endoscope is intraorally introduced into a patient's stomach, and the distal end of the system is inserted therethrough. The needle is advanced to form perforations in the stomach and pseudocyst. The inner catheter is then inserted through the perforations, and the outer catheter is retracted, allowing the stent to expand and interconnect the stomach and pseudocyst.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for examining biological materials using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and the Kubelka-Munk function. In one aspect, the method is used to determine whether a tissue sample is cancerous or not and comprises the steps of (a) measuring the diffuse reflectance from the tissue sample at a first wavelength and at a second wavelength, wherein the first wavelength is a wavelength selected from the group consisting of 255-265 nm and wherein the second wavelength is a wavelength selected from the group consisting of 275-285 nm; (b) using the Kubelka-Munk function to transform the diffuse reflectance measurement obtained at the first and second wavelengths; and (c) comparing a ratio or a difference of the transformed Kubelka-Munk measurements at the first and second wavelengths to appropriate standards determine whether or not the tissue sample is cancerous.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in examining an object, such as skin, mucosa and cervical tissues for the purpose of detecting cancer and precancerous conditions therein. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a gun-shaped housing having a handle portion and a barrel portion. The front end of the barrel portion is open, and a glass cover is mounted therein. Red, green, blue, and white LED's are disposed within the handle portion of the housing and are electrically connected to a battery also disposed within the handle portion of the housing. A manually-operable switch for controlling actuation of each of the four LED's is accessible on the handle portion of the housing. An optical fiber is disposed inside the housing and is used to transmit light from the four LED's through a first polarizer disposed in the barrel portion of the housing and then through the glass cover to illuminate a desired object.

Abstract: A computer system for managing a computer network comprises a rack cabinet having a cabinet interior. A plurality of infrastructure connector assemblies are fixedly mounted on the rack cabinet in 1-U boundaries, each infrastructure connector assembly including a signal snap interface connector and a power snap interface connector. A plurality of compute elements are adapted to be slidably disposed within the cabinet interior of the rack cabinet in a stacked relationship, each compute element including at least one infrastructure connector assembly which releasably snap-interconnects with an associated infrastructure connector assembly mounted on the rack cabinet. A distributed power bay is disposed within the rack cabinet and provides central power for the computer system. A rack manager is disposed within the rack cabinet and includes the central video and I/O devices for the computer system.

Abstract: Continuously connected fastener stock and a method of making same. In one embodiment, the method involves providing a rotating molding wheel, the wheel being provided with a peripheral impression comprising a pair of peripherally-extending side members interconnected by a plurality of cross-links. Molten plastic is extruded into the peripheral impression of the wheel, with a layer of controlled film overlying the peripheral impression. The molten plastic is then allowed to solidify. A knife in substantially elliptical contact with the peripheral impression is then used to skive excess plastic from the rotating molding wheel. The knife is provided with a pair of cut-out portions along its bottom edge, each cut-out portion being aligned with one of the peripherally-extending side members so as to augment the transverse cross-sectional size thereof. The continuously connected fastener stock thus formed is then removed from the rotating molding wheel.

Abstract: A needle particularly well-suited for use in the dispensing of plastic fasteners of the type comprising a filament having a cross-bar at a first end thereof; each of the cross-bar and the filament including a first flat side, the first flat sides of the cross-bar and the filament being coplanar. The needle includes a stem portion. The stem portion terminates in a tip at its front end and is shaped to define a longitudinal bore and a longitudinal slot. The longitudinal bore is shaped to receive the cross-bar, and the longitudinal slot is shaped to permit the filament to extend therethrough while the cross-bar is disposed within the longitudinal bore. The longitudinal bore has a first flat side, and the longitudinal slot has a first flat side, the first flat sides of the longitudinal bore and the longitudinal slot being coplanar.

Abstract: A system for dispensing a fastener from a reel of fastener stock so as to secure a product onto a display card includes a module for dispensing the fastener, a counterbalance for supporting the module, a mounting stand for supporting the counterbalance, a reel holder for supporting the reel of fastener stock and an anvil for supporting the product and display card. The module includes a hollowed needle, a retractable needle guard assembly disposed over the needle, a feed mechanism for advancing the fastener into the needle, a severing mechanism for severing the fastener from the fastener stock, and an ejection mechanism for ejecting the fastener through the needle. The retractable needle guard assembly is capable of being disposed between a protective position and a retracted position and includes a fixedly mounted needle guard and a movable needle guard which is slidably mounted on the fixedly mounted needle guard.