Abstract: Compositions and processes to alleviate free radical toxicity are disclosed based on the use of nitroxides in association with physiologically compatible macromolecules. In particular, hemoglobin-based red cell substitutes are described featuring stable nitroxide free radicals for use in cell-free hemoglobin solutions, encapsulated hemoglobin solutions, stabilized hemoglobin solutions, polymerized hemoglobin solutions, conjugated hemoglobin solutions, nitroxide-labelled albumin, and nitroxide-labelled immunoglobulin. Formulations are described herein that interact with free radicals, acting as antioxidant enzyme-mimics, which preserve nitroxides in their active form in vivo. Applications are described including blood substitutes, radioprotective agents, imaging agents, agents to protect against ischemia and reperfusion injury, particularly in cerebral ischemia in stroke, and in vivo enzyme mimics among others.

Abstract: The present invention relates to N-Acetylated &agr;-Linked Acidic Dipeptidase (NAALADase) inhibitors enzyme activity, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such inhibitors, and methods of their use to inhibit NAALADase enzyme activity, thereby effecting neuronal activities, inhibiting angiogenesis, and treating glutamate abnormalities, compulsive disorders, prostate diseases, pain and diabetic neuropathy.

Abstract: The present invention includes a catheter having a molded distal end assembly that includes at least one component molded therewithin. In a preferred embodiment, the catheter end assembly includes a plurality of electrodes and lead wires that are all molded into the walls of the assembly. Each such electrode has at least one thermocouple associated with it, and the thermocouple is also molded into the walls of the assembly. In manufacturing the multi-electrode end assembly, lead wires from the coils and thermocouples are preferably spiral wound within the molded walls of the assembly to reduce the possibility that lead wires may become disconnected during manufacturing and use of the catheter. Particular core pin designs with mold blocking techniques are utilized to mold the coils and lead wires into the wall of the end assembly. The molding method is generally applicable to the manufacturing of a variety of catheter distal end components and assemblies.

Abstract: A disk drive 100 capable of receiving a cartridge 20 having a disk 42 with a diameter of about 3.5 inches which can contain at least 105 megabytes of data includes an operating mechanism 112 for initiating and controlling the positioning of an actuator arm 176 upon which is mounted a read/write transducer 178. The position of a spindle motor 224 which is used to spin up the disk 42 contained in the cartridge 20 to an operating speed, the locking of the cartridge 20 in the disk drive 100 in an operating mode and the ejection of the cartridge 20 from the drive 100. The operating mechanism 112 can function to eject the cartridge 20 whether or not the drive 100 is powered up in order to be able to remove the cartridge 20 and transport it to another disk drive 100 or to a secured location in a plane substantially parallel to the disk 42 contained in the cartridge 20.

Abstract: A shield for attenuating the strength and density of electromagnetic radiation emitted by electronic components includes two parallel conductors separated by an insulator. The shields are installed on the surface of electronic components by an adhesive.

Abstract: Systems and related methods guide a movable electrode within an array of multiple-electrodes located within the body. The systems and methods employ the movable electrode or at least one of the multiple-electrodes on the array to generate and then sense electrical or sonic energy in a predetermined fashion to generates an output that locates the movable electrode within the array.

Abstract: A method for treating agricultural products for insects, microorganisms, and other infestations is disclosed. An aspect of the method entails reducing or increasing the air pressure associated with the agricultural product, then introducing one or more treatments to the agricultural product. One treatment may comprise heat, and the heat may be in the form of steam or heated air. A second treatment may comprise electromagnetic radiation, in the form of microwave energy or high frequency waves.

Abstract: An electrode assembly adapted to transmit electrical energy for ablating body tissue includes an expandable and collapsible non-compliant body made of a durable material and defining an interior adapted to receive a medium containing ions. The body includes a porous region, an electrode adapted to transmit electrical energy located in the interior of the body, a microporous membrane located on the porous region of the non-compliant body, and the microporous membrane is sized to pass ions contained in the medium without substantial medium perfusion therethrough, to thereby enable ionic transport of electrical energy from the ion-containing medium to the exterior of the electrode assembly to ablate body tissue.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for inhibiting skin irritations attributable to chemical irritants or environmental conditions by the application of anti-irritant amounts of aqueous soluble divalent tin cation.

Abstract: A workpiece support and an apparatus including such a workpiece support are set forth. The workpiece support includes a set of grooved members for supporting a series of workpieces. The workpieces may be similarly shaped, e.g. circular or rectangular, and similarly sized, each having a front face and a back face. An outer perimeter of each workpiece may be beveled at both faces, beveled at one face, unbeveled, convex, or concave. Each grooved member has a series of similar grooves. Being adapted to receive such a workpiece, each groove has a bearing wall and a wedging wall shaped and oriented so that a line normal to the wedging wall intersects but is not normal to the bearing wall. For many applications, two grooved members are employed, which are parallel to one another, spaced from one another, and oriented so that the grooves of the grooved members are generally aligned.

Abstract: A system and method for performing a timing analysis on virtual component blocks or other circuit models is provided wherein functional information obtained from the circuit's control inputs and their useful combinations is used to improve accuracy. The control inputs and data inputs for a circuit block are identified. Each functionally meaningful or useful control input combination is applied to the circuit block, and the topological delay for the data inputs are determined only along the paths that are not blocked by the control inputs. The delays along paths that are blocked are ignored. The analysis is further augmented by determining the topological delay for all paths originating at control inputs, without regard to blocking of paths, so as to reduce the chance for possible underestimation of delays from the data inputs.

Abstract: A push-pull transistor chip comprises a single/semiconductor die having first and second LDMOS transistors formed thereon and configured for push-pull operation, the first and second transistors sharing a common element current region. In a power transistor package, the push-pull transistor chip is attached to a mounting flange serving as a common element ground reference, wherein a conductor (e.g., one or more bond wires) electrically connects the shared common element current region to the mounting flange.

Abstract: An elixir for treating wastewater by transforming metal sulfates into metal hydroxides, breaking up chelated metals and transforming the freed metal ions into metal hydroxides, and precluding the metal hydroxides from dissolving back into solution. The elixir comprises: 1) calcium hydroxide, 2) METEX EPS, 3) sodium dimethyl dithiocarbamate, 4) calcium hypochlorite, 5) sodium hydroxide, 6) a combination of calcium salts and a first polymeric coagulant, 7) a second polymeric coagulant, and 8) water.

Abstract: A transistor package comprises a first layer in which a thermally conductive flange is integrated into a dielectric substrate layer, a transistor attached to the flange, and input and output contacts coupled to the transistor. The transistor package is attached to a circuit board such that its input and output contacts are electrically coupled to associated conductors on the circuit board. In one embodiment, the transistor package further comprises additional dielectric layers, bonded to the bottom layer, in which a top layer forms a lid covering the transistor. The layers intermediate the bottom and top layers have central areas cut away where the layers overlap the transistor, thereby forming an interior chamber in the package. Impedance matching networks may also be provided to couple the transistor input and output terminals to their respective contacts, where the matching networks tune the input and output impedances of the package.

Abstract: A circuit board assembly for a hearing device comprises a substrate including a component mounting region that can be folded into a desired orientation. A circuit board assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention can preferably be folded without affecting the performance characteristics of the substrate or any of the components mounted to the substrate. In a preferred embodiment a circuit board assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises a first component mounting region adapted to receive a hearing device microphone, a second component mounting region adapted to receive an electronic circuit and a circuit capacitor, a third component mounting region adapted to receive a contact pad, and a fourth component mounting region adapted to receive a programming pad. When folded in accordance with a preferred configuration, the flexible circuit board assembly can be readily inserted into a hearing device housing.

Abstract: A process for removing metals from wastewater, which comprises the following: measuring the flow rate and oxidation reduction potential of wastewater as it is fed into a first treatment tank, adjusting the pH of the wastewater, adding a first liquid elixir to the wastewater to react with at least one metal in the wastewater to cause it to either precipitate out of solution, or convert into a form that will allow it to be precipitated out of solution by a second liquid elixir, and to bond with the metal to prevent it from re-dissolving back into solution, adding a second liquid elixir to the wastewater to react with at least one metal in the wastewater to cause it to precipitate out of solution, and to bond with the metal to prevent it from re-dissolving back into solution, feeding the wastewater into a second treatment tank, mixing a third liquid elixir and a fourth liquid elixir into the wastewater to flocculate and/or coagulate the precipitated metals, and separating the flocculated and/or coagulated precip

Abstract: Rotating element catheters and catheter assemblies employ clutch assemblies for preventing rotational energy from being transmitted from a motor drive unit to the catheter element under defined circumstances. The catheter assembly includes an elongate member in which there is disposed a rotatable catheter drive cable. The catheter drive cable may have an operative element, e.g., an ultrasonic transducer or an artherectomy blade, distally mounted thereon for providing diagnostic or therapeutic functions to the physician. To control the rotation of the catheter drive shaft, the clutch assembly is configured such that the catheter drive shaft is operated in a drive mode (i.e., it is allowed to rotate) and in a release mode (i.e., it is prevented from rotating). The clutch assembly includes a driver member comprising a first cylindrical body, and a driven member comprising a second cylindrical body in a concentric relationship with the first cylindrical body.

Abstract: A power transmission device serves to transmit rotation of a main shaft of a sewing machine to a slave shaft of the sewing machine, which slave shaft extends in a torsional relationship with the main shaft. The device includes a first timing pulley mounted on the main shaft, a second timing pulley mounted on the slave shaft and a timing belt extending between the first and second timing pulleys in a twisted form.

Abstract: In a bar code scanning system, correlation and stitching techniques, both at the character and element level are utilized to assemble complete label information from partially scanned label segments. Correlation may require the same characters to be identified a fixed number of times in the same position before acceptance. Alternatively, quality and confidence measures may be implemented to determine the number of times a particular character must be decoded before being accepted. In a preferred implementation, a decoded character that is determined to be of poor quality may be required to be decoded as that same character a greater number of times than if it were of good quality. Identified correlation techniques may be combined with identified stitching techniques to enhance decodability and efficiency of assembling complete label information.

Abstract: Curable mixtures suitable for the manufacture of moldings, coatings and foams comprises a) an epoxy resin having more than one 1,2-epoxy group per molecule, b) as curing catalyst, an imidazole compound of formula I wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each independently of the others a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, alkoxy having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or halo-, nitro-, C1-4alkyl- or C1-4alkoxy-substituted aralkyl having from 7 to 20 carbon atoms, or unsubstituted or halo-, nitro-, C1-4alkyl- or C1-4alkoxy-substituted aryl having from 6 to 20 carbon atoms, and R4 is alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, alkenyl having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms, alkynyl having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or halo-, nitro-, C1-4alkyl- or C1-4alkoxy-substituted aralkyl having from 7 to 20 carbon atoms or unsubstituted or halo-, nitro-, C1-4alkyl- or C1-4alkoxy-substituted aryl having from 6 to 20 carbon atoms; and c) curing agent such as dicyadiami