Abstract: A method and apparatus for dilating blood vessels in vasospasm through the use of high frequency wave, e.g., hydraulic or acoustic waves. The invention is suitable to treat any vasospasm, including any vasospasm intractable to medication, including cerebral vasospasm, which currently is not susceptible to any mechanical or chemical treatments. The apparatus for dilating blood vessels includes a catheter having a fluid-filled lumen, a wave generator arranged within the catheter lumen for generating a wave front that propagates through the fluid in the lumen and is transmitted from the distal end of the catheter to propagate through the fluid in the blood vessel, and an energy source connected to the wave generator to provide energy to produce the wave front.

Abstract: A weighing machine, such as a combinational weighing machine, has scale cells and a plurality of dummy cells installed on the same floor. The scale cells output weight signals corresponding to the weights of objects being loaded. The mode of vibrations of the floor is detected from dummy signals from the dummy cells, vertical displacements of the floor at the positions of the scale cells are calculated, and their effects are eliminated from the weight signals. Those of the scale cells not selected after a cycle of combinational calculations can be used as dummy cells in the next cycle. A memory device may be provided to store preferred combinations of such scale cells not selected that may be used for this purpose. Effects of the floor vibrations can be eliminated more accurately if the differences in sensitivity among the cells due to physical characteristics of the individual cells and/or due to the different loads on them can be taken into account either by a feedback calculation or by a formula.

Abstract: An input light beam is deflected by a totally reflective surface of a corner prism towards another surface of the prism which is coated by a partially reflective coating. A predetermined percentage of the input power is reflected by this coating and the remainder transmitted therethrough. The reflected optical power is collected by an output fiber and the transmitted power is directed towards another coating which either totally or partially reflects such power to another output fiber to accomplish optical coupling.

Abstract: The deposition material on, or removal of material from, an article, such as on an exposed surface of an intermediate integrated circuit structure, is optically monitored. The processes that are so monitored include the formation of a dielectric layer on a semiconductor wafer, and the removal of material from such a layer by planarization, polishing, or etching, a process of chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP) being given as an example. A resulting optical signal is detected and processed in real time to provide information of the progress of the material formation or removal and an indication when an end point has been reached. The optical signal being processed varies sinusoidally as a result of interference between light reflected from a surface being operated upon and light reflected from some other surface. A differential or integral of this signal is formed to provide additional peaks and valleys that are detected in order to obtain data points from the signal every one-quarter period.

Abstract: A blood pressure can be obtained by supplying an external pressure to a portion of an artery. The external pressure is preferably between the systolic and diastolic pressure. An event which occurs at least once a cycle can then be identified. This event can be, for example, a peak in the arterial compliance that occurs at a transmural pressure approximately equal to zero. A pair of signals, one that is an arterial volume-indicating signal, and one that is an arterial pressure-indicating signal can be used to identify this event. Alternately, a small signal high-frequency exciter component can be placed upon the pressure or volume of the artery and detected to determine the time that the transmural pressure is equal to zero.

Abstract: As part of a flash EEPROM array on a semiconductor substrate, erase gates are formed in individual trenches between rows of floating gates. The erase gate is positioned along one sidewall of the trench in a manner to be capacitively coupled with the floating gates of one of the rows adjacent the trench but spaced apart from the floating gates of the other row adjacent the trench. In this way, a separate erase gate is provided for each row of floating gates without increasing the size of the array. The erasure of each row can then be individually controlled. Two self-aligned methods of forming such an array are disclosed. One method involves forming a thick insulating layer along one sidewall of the trench and then filling a remaining space adjacent an opposite trench sidewall with polysilicon material forming an erase gate for the row of floating gates adjacent the other sidewall.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a riveting apparatus having a power supply unit (20), which is replaceable or exchangeable, attached to the riveting apparatus, said power supply unit having a preferably rechargeable battery and the riveting apparatus being adapted to be brought into an operative condition by attaching the power supply unit at the riveting apparatus, and comprising a rivet pin collecting compartment (12) comprising at least one closeable discharge opening (13). In order to ensure that the riveting apparatus is operated at closed rivet pin collecting compartment only, it is provided according to the invention that in the operative condition of the riveting apparatus the power supply unit forms a cover that closes the discharge opening.

Abstract: An electronic component includes a main element such as a thermistor having electrodes formed on its surfaces, and lead terminals are electrically connected to these electrodes. A resin coating covers the main element, and both the main element and the lead terminals, except their tip parts away from the main element, are covered with another resin coating of an electrically insulating and flexible resin material.

Abstract: Compositions of the invention include particular hydroxy-functional polyesters and a natural polymer. Among articles that can be made from such compositions are those with sufficiently strong tensile strengths as to form disposable utensils. However, the compositions are more environmentally friendly than commodity plastics such as polyethylene or polystyrene. Starches are particularly preferred as the natural polymers for inclusion in the compositions.

Abstract: An improved fluid management system for irrigation of a body cavity and in particular for use in arthroscopic surgery having a pressurized fluid circuit for supplying irrigation fluid and a vacuum fluid circuit for withdrawing waste fluid from the cavity. In a preferred embodiment there is an uninterrupted fluid supply comprised of a plurality of sterile solution saline bags with an automatic spiker to perforate the bags. The system is processor controlled with numerous safety and design features to automate arthroscopy to the highest degree possible. Some of the features include the monitoring and tracking of cavity pressure and flow rates to predetermined pressure and flow rates, tracking cavity to mean blood pressure, overpressure protection, a plurality of pressure and flow rate baseline settings, monitoring, setting and controlling saline supply, and specialized functions for providing pressure and flow rates for typical surgical procedures such as lavage, clear view, and burr/shaver.

Abstract: A paper supplying apparatus has a rotatable member around a horizontal axis, a pair of clamp plates supported by this rotatable member mutually parallel and in face-to-face relationship for clamping a book block in between, and guide plates each attached to an associated one of these clamp plates, extending downward from the clamp plates to a lower edge part of the book block when the book block is held vertically. Such a paper supplying apparatus can be removably connected to a book binding machine by attaching a guide rail to an outer wall of the book binding machine and a runner to the paper supplying apparatus. The runner is slidably engageable with the guide rail, allowing the paper supplying apparatus to move along the guide rail selectably towards or away from the book binding machine.

Abstract: A thermistor with positive resistance-to-temperature characteristic used in a overcurrent protection circuit has electrodes on mutually opposite main surfaces and is mounted to a substrate having electrically conductive members such that deterioration of its voltage resistance due to heat emission can be controlled. A spacer with smaller thermal conductivity than the substrate and penetrated by a conductor piece with a small cross-sectional area is inserted between solder materials connecting to one of the thermistor electrodes. The other electrode is contacted by an elongated connecting member through its sectional surface transverse to its longitudinal direction such that the cross-sectional area of electrical conduction is reduced.

Abstract: An isolated sequence is provided that encodes crab serine collagenase I. The mature recombinant collagenase (SEQ. I.D. No:4) has a molecular weight of 23,500 and may be expressed in a variety of expression systems for production of readily isolated and reliably pure collagenase with excellent specificity. The recombinant collagenase, however, may be expressed in inactive, zymogen form so as to provide long-term, shelf-stable protease that can be readily activated when collagenolytic activity is desired.

Abstract: A phase locked loop is described which uses a first and second voltage-controlled oscillator. The first voltage-controlled oscillator is input into a feedback circuit which is used to produce a control signal. The control signal runs both the first and second voltage-controlled oscillators. A synchronization circuit is used to synchronize the first voltage-controlled oscillator with the synchronization pulse. In one embodiment, the synchronization circuit can use the second voltage-controlled oscillator to produce a timing interval to control the turning on and off of the second voltage-controlled oscillator in order to facilitate this synchronization. Because the output of the first voltage-controlled oscillator is sent to the feedback, the output of the phase locked loop will not drift due to parameter differences between the first and second voltage-controlled oscillators.

Abstract: Bleaching compositions are provided that comprise two nitrile groups where each nitrile is bonded to a quaternary nitrogen through a methylene unit. The quaternary nitrogens are part of a saturated ring. This saturated ring contains from two to eight atoms in addition to the quaternary nitrogen. A source of active oxygen will react with the nitrites for bleaching applications.

Abstract: Antibacterial compounds for Ralstonia solanacearum having substantially (S)-3-(3-indolyl) butanoic acid of a specified structure or its salt as active component can selectively inhibit the growth of Ralstonia solanacearum and suppress bacterial wilt dependably even if used at relatively lower concentration.

Abstract: A spherical hairbrush is provided to enable a user to obtain a helical curl having a continuum of varying diameters within each lock of curled hair. This varying-diameter helix provides a new and distinct look for the curled hair. The spherical hairbrush may include a spherical head. The spherical head may include holes that allow the hair to be quickly blow dried through the brush.

Abstract: Solid-state flash electrically erasable and programmable read-only-memory ("flash EEPROM") system is combined with a rotating disk drive memory to provide mass program and data storage in a computer system. A common memory controller directs system generated memory addresses in a disk format to either the EEPROM system or disk memory. The blocks of data handled by the EEPROM system have the same size and other attributes as sectors of data handled by the disk system, thereby making it transparent to the computer system processor as to whether it is accessing the EEPROM or disk portion of the storage system. A particular program or data file may then be stored in the portion of the memory system best suited to handle it, and thus take advantage of the different features and characteristics of EEPROM and magnetic media disk memory.