Abstract: A novel element in the play of a variant of Blackjack or twenty-One includes allowing a player to split off a single card after taking a hit when the hit card matches an earlier dealt card, such as one or the other of the two first cards in the original hand or another hit card. It is preferred that the game is played so that a single card may be split off after taking a hit when the last hit card of a player matches the value of the previous card dealt to that player. The split off of a card preferably may not be exercised when the player's last hit broke or busted the player's hand.

Abstract: The present invention refers to an ink jet receiving sheet comprising a support and at least an ink receiving layer comprising a binder selected from the group consisting of gelatin and gelatin derivatives, characterized in that said at least an ink receiving layer comprises at least a copolymer consisting in at least one N-vinylpyrrolidone monomer and at least a second monomer selected from the group of N-vinylcaprolactam monomers and N-vinylpiperidone monomers to improve post printed drop sweating in the resulting image, still maintaining a good glossiness.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into plural hands of cards, wherein each of the hands contains a random arrangement of the same quantity of cards. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack, and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanism and the elevator so that an individual card is moved into an identified compartment. The number of compartments receiving cards and the number of cards moved to each compartment may be selected.

Abstract: A Eustachian tube stent designed to maintain patency of the eustachian tube passage, comprising a flanged tubular body constructed of a biodegradable material capable of eluting a drug. The stent design is adapted specifically for the Eustachian tube environment. The stent is positioned in the Eustachian tube via the middle ear by insertion past the tympanic membrane. The flange secures the stent at the tympanic orifice of the Eustachian tube.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into a second group of cards, wherein the second group of cards is randomly arranged or shuffled. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards one at a time into a selected one of the compartments, another card moving mechanism for moving cards from one of the compartments to a second card receiver and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanisms and the elevator. A count of cards within specified areas of the card handling system is maintained and card handling is halted and all cards counted by adding a count of all cards not within the specified areas to the total of cards counted within the specified areas.

Abstract: Microcoils can be used in medical devices to enhance RF response signals and to create fields to enhance imaging capability in MRI imaging systems. An improved microcoil design includes a device to be inserted into a patient comprising a solid body having at least one pair of radially opposed microcoils physically associated with the solid body, each microcoil having an outside microcoil diameter of 6 mm or less, individual windings of each microcoil together defining a geometric plane for each microcoil, and the plane of each microcoil being parallel to the plane of another microcoil in the pair of radially opposed microcoils.

Abstract: A player places at least two wagers and an optional insurance wager, the insurance wager providing the player with an immediate payout if the dealer's first card is an Ace or face card. During play, the dealer deals a single card to all players having made a first wager and a card to himself. If the rank of the player's card beats the rank of the dealer's card, the player is paid on this first bet. If the player wins, the dealer deals a second card to the player and one to himself. If the rank of the player's card is higher than that of the dealer's card, he is paid on his second bet. In one form of the game, if the player wins the second bet, in a third wagering round, the player and dealer each receive a card, and if the player's card rank exceeds the dealer's card rank, he is paid on the third bet. The player must win each wagering segment to advance to the next consecutive wagering segment.

Abstract: A class of customizable injection devices or delivery instruments whose basic form is a stiff tube with holes of user-selectable size at several user-selectable places is described. The use of this device includes a method of selection and construction of a particular device from such a class of devices for a particular treatment procedure using computer-assisted means. Thus, the user may make selections among available or creatable choices (such as selection of hole size, selection of hole location, number of holes, etc.), and a method can be practiced for making such user-selection serve the goals of delivery of materials such as drugs, cells, or of devices sufficiently small and numerous to be delivered in fluid suspension.

Abstract: The present invention provides a machine for shuffling multiple decks of playing cards including a first vertically extending magazine for holding a stack of unshuffled playing cards, and second and third vertically extending magazines each for holding a stack of cards, the second and third magazines being horizontally spaced from and adjacent to the first magazine. A first card mover is at the top of the first magazine for moving cards from the top of the stack of cards in the first magazine to the second and third magazines to cut the stack of unshuffled playing cards into two unshuffled stacks. Second and third card movers are at the top of the second and third magazines, respectively, for randomly moving cards from the top of the stack of cards in the second and third magazines, respectively, back to the first magazine, thereby interleaving the cards to form a vertically registered stack of shuffled cards in the first magazine.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of play in the practice of the present invention that are described below. An apparatus supporting the play of a casino table card game according to the present invention may comprise: A playing surface; A card-delivery device; A microprocessor operatively connected to the card-delivery device; Player controlled election identifiers that provide a visible signal of an election; At least two areas for display of at least partial card hands from which only one card hand may be elected for a wagering game by a player; The card-delivery device having at least one sensor thereon for sensing the presence of cards in a delivery area of the card-delivery device from which cards may be removed; The at least one sensor on the card-delivery device providing a signal to the microprocessor that a sensed set of cards has been removed from the delivery area; and in response to the signal, the microprocessor preventing players from entering a new election.

Abstract: In an improved method of etching apertures in a thin metal sheet to form a shadow mask for a color picture tube, the metal sheet has a first acid-resistant stencil on one major surface thereof and a second acid-resistant stencil on the other major surface thereof. At least one of the stencils has openings therein at locations of intended apertures. The improvement comprises the steps of magnetically holding the metal sheet with a flat magnetic assembly, and moving the magnetic assembly magnetically holding the metal sheet thereon through an etching chamber. The magnetic assembly includes a magnetic layer that is supported on an acid-resistant board.

Abstract: Microcoil designs are provided that enable unique RF response Field profiles that are particularly useful in MRI imaging procedures, particularly where fields of view outside of the medical device are desirable. These devices are particulatly for use within an organism, the device comprising an element having at least one RF receiver, the coils of said microcoils defining a cross-section that lies in a plane oriented at 0 to 90 (or 0 to 80) degrees to the longest axis of the device. Another way of describing the device is as a device for use in an organism, the device comprising an element having at least one wound microcoil with at least three windings on the microcoil. Each winding has an aspect ratio of greater than one. The aspect ratio of each winding is measured as the ratio of longest to shortest dimension in a cross section situated approximately transverse to the winding axis of the coil windings, the winding axis also being transverse to the longest axis of said device.

Abstract: Movement of material in an organism, such as a drug injected into a brain, is modeled by a uniformly structured field of static constants governing transport by moving fluid and diffusion within the fluid. This supports planning of material introduction, (e.g., infusion, perfusion, retroperfusion, injections, etc.) to achieve a desired distribution of the material, continuing real-time feedback as to whether imaged material is moving as planned and will be distributed as desired, and real-time plan modification to improve results.

Abstract: A developer storage and delivery system for liquid electrophotography having: (a) an insulating substrate with a first surface and a second surface; (b) a plurality of discrete conductive heating elements mounted on the first surface; and (c) a phase change developer having a melting point of at least 22° C., wherein the phase change developer is on the top surface of each of the discrete conductive heating elements, except that a small portion of both ends of each of the conductive heating elements is free of the phase change developer for conducting electricity.

Abstract: A device and method for monitoring intracranial pressure during magnetic resonance (MR) image-guided neurosurgical procedures, such as intracranial drug delivery procedures, wherein an MR-compatible microsensor pressure transducer coupled to a pressure sensing diaphragm located a) at the tip, b) on a lateral side, and/or c) in multiple locations of an MR-compatible catheter is inserted into a lateral cerebral ventricle, cerebral cistern, subarachnoid space, subdural or extradural spaces, venous sinuses, or intraparenchymal tissue locations under MR imaging guidance, and is used to record intracranial pressures over hours to days in patients undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic neurologic interventions.

Abstract: The present invention refers to photographic elements having, coated on a support base, at least one silver halide emulsion layer sensitized to a radiation different from the blue one in addition to its intrinsic sensitivity to the blue region, and a yellow filter layer positioned between said at least one silver halide emulsion layer and the exposure source, where such yellow filter layer contains a yellow filtering dye represented by the formula (1): wherein R and R1 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; R2, R3 and R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group and R3 and R4 may be combined to form a 6-membered ring.

Abstract: The application of film-forming compositions to aquatic sites, especially aquatic breeding sites for control of surface-active aquatic breeding insects other than black flies, especially for immature mosquitos, has been found to be enhanced when different compounds than those suggested in the prior art are used. The compounds according to the present invention comprise film-forming chemicals which are biodegradable, nonionic, insoluble or partially soluble in water, and include C6, C7, C8, C9, C10, and C11 alcohol ethoxylates, propoxylates, and/or alkoxylates with an average of one (1) to five (5) moles of ethylene and/or propylene oxide per mole of alcohol, and mixtures thereof. The compositions may be applied directly as liquids or released into the aquatic environment from a carrier, such as a biodegradable, water-erodible, water-soluble or water-dispersible carrier.

Abstract: The invention provides a multilayer silver halide color photographic element comprising a support having coated thereon at least two red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layers having different sensitivity to red light, characterized in that the most sensitive of said red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layers comprises a core-shell silver bromoiodide tabular emulsion having a pure bromide core, a total silver iodide content lower than 10% and an aspect ratio higher than 4.

Abstract: Polymer materials are described that undergo a 2-level 3 dimensional crosslinking process. During this process, hydrophilic polymers are crosslinked at two levels, the first results in a low level of crosslinking which leads to a toughening of the layer preventing dissolution by the fountain solution but with the layer remaining hydrophilic. The second level of crosslinking is higher and is the result of exposure to a laser diode thermal imaging device. The crosslinking at this second level results in a loss of hydrophilicity and provides instead an oleophilic image capable of accepting and transferring oil based ink. The polymer materials are particularly useful in lithographic printing systems where they may used in articles such as a printing plate comprising a substrate having coated thereon a layer that becomes that becomes less hydrophilic upon exposure to thermal energy (e.g.

Abstract: A microcoil configuration, preferably on a medical device to be inserted into a patient, has an opposed pair of microcoils. At least one or each microcoil of the opposed pair of microcoils has at least a region where a diameter circumscribed by a first winding is greater than the diameter circumscribed by at least one complete second winding, especially an adjacent winding displaced from the first winding along an axis or core of the medical device or an axis of the microcoil. The second winding is nearer to or farther from an intermediate region between the microcoils that define the pair of microcoils. For example, it is common to have a connecting (usually straight or non-wound) lead between the two microcoils, and this lead may be used to define an intermediate region.