Abstract: A guidewire useful for feeding a medical catheter through a body duct network to a distant target site within the body has a flexible distal portion. The distal portion facilitates threading the guidewire in a tortuous path through acute bends at branch junctions in the duct network. The guidewire end is able to feed into very delicate vessels such as ventricles of the brain and the spinal canal without puncturing the walls or damaging organs.The novel guidewire includes beads displaced longitudinally at the distal end of a core wire. The beads are separated by a gap distance. The core wire can flex at points within the gaps between beads which allows the dial end of the guidewire to bend at branch junctions and to conform to the curvature in the vessel duct. The beads can be fixed to the core wire or they can move freely along the distal portion.

Abstract: A diagnostic method for determining whether an individual is affected with spinal muscular atrophy involves evaluating the relative amounts of exon 5 of Neuronal Apoptosis Inhibitory Protein (NAIP) and exon 7 of centromeric and telomeric Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) genes in a genomic sample from the subject. A PCR analysis employing NAIP5F, NAIP5R, SMNX7DRA and SMNR111 primers is used to amplify the desired genes. The PCR product is digested with an enzyme which recognizes only the centromeric SMN sequence and the digested product can be separated by electrophoresis. The novel method allows multiplex analysis for both NAIP and SMN genes in the same sample work up. The analytical procedure further permits the digestion to be carried out without prior purification of the PCR product. Very importantly, the analytical procedure provides for the ability to diagnose the heterozygous telomeric SMN phenotype and thus allows the non-affected carrier of spinal muscular atrophy to be identified.

Abstract: A cigar punch and tobacco ejector apparatus comprising a housing having a cylindrical hollow body attached to a base and having an open circular end, and a cutter having a barrel removably connected to a handle and a slot formed on the barrel adjacent to the handle. The housing is for storing the cutter when not in use. The cutter has a sharp, open-mouthed edge adapted to receive a tip of a cigar, to cut a piece from the cigar, to form hole in the cigar's tip, and to hold the cut piece when the cigar is moved away from the cutter. A plunger assembly is removably connected to the cutter. The plunger assembly has a plunger adapted to travel within the cutter's barrel, a collar adapted to being placed over the barrel and to be connected to the plunger through the barrel's slot. A dowell pin is used to connect the collar to the plunger through the slot. The collar slides along the barrel as the dowell pin moves along the slot, thereby allowing the plunger to eject the cigar's cut piece from the cutter.

Abstract: A method for providing more efficient communication between energy suppliers, energy purchasers, and transportation providers and having an administrator to assist in the transmission of energy as necessary for providing timely movement of energy. The method includes the steps of connecting an energy supplier, a buyer, a transmission supplier and the administrator through a network, and providing a program-controlled processor for receiving energy information from the buyer, the energy supplier and the transmission supplier. The processor is adapted to process and store the energy information, and communicate the energy information via the network to all the parties.

Abstract: A toy wheeled vehicle having a chassis and a selectable vehicle suspension system, with the vehicle having a frame and a chassis attached to the frame. The vehicle has at least one opening through the chassis, longitudinally spaced rotatable front and rear axles supported on the frame, and a first and second set of wheels attached to the front and rear axles, respectively. The vehicle also has at least one lifting motor mounted on the frame and has a first rotatable arm connected to a vertically extending guide post, with the guide post being vertically extendable through the chassis opening and being connected to the chassis. At least one driving motor is mounted on the frame and has a rotatable shaft connected to the rear axle. Further, at least one hopping actuating motor is mounted on the frame and has a second rotatable arm connected to the front axle.

Abstract: A method for securing the connection of a medical tube to a port of a fluid transfer instrument. The method provides connections with superior resistance to unexpected disconnection, and thus is particularly beneficial for joining elastic tubes which are implanted within the body for conducting body fluid from one internal location to another or between the body and an external location. The novel method includes inserting a rigid nipple on the port into the lumen of an elastically deformable tube to be joined to the port, placing an initially loose fitting, nonelastically deformable sleeve around the tube on the nipple, and deforming the sleeve radially toward the nipple to clamp the tube between the sleeve and nipple. The extent of deformation is controlled to prevent damaging the tube.A tool for clamping the sleeve to a controlled extent of deformation is also provided.

Abstract: A bed elevating apparatus for use between a mattress and a box spring that is supported by a bed frame or is insertable within the mattress. The bed elevating apparatus is made of foam or rubber and has opposite spaced apart first and second ends. The first end has a first height and the second end has a second height with the first height being greater than the second height. The bed elevating apparatus also has a top surface that extends substantially in a single angularly extending plane with respect to the ground surface. The supported mattress and the mattress having the bed elevating device inserted inside the mattress have spaced apart mattress first and second ends whereby the mattress first end is elevated above the mattress second end in a single angularly extending plane with respect to the ground surface.

Abstract: A sample container and a fluid collection apparatus are disclosed for withdrawing samples for fluid analysis purposes of unpressurized body fluid from an internal body cavity. The container and apparatus are primarily useful for sampling cerebrospinal fluid obtained through a lumbar puncture or shunt tap. The container and apparatus provide a completely enclosed sample environment which protects the sample from external contamination during the sample-taking process. The enclosed environment also protects sample-taking personnel against direct contact with the fluid. The novel sample container includes an inflatable pouch with a balloon that expands on filling without significantly raising back pressure on the fluid draining from the patient. The pouch is affixed within a transparent, rigid sheath by an inlet port. The apparatus includes a needle assembly with an internal rubber septum.

Abstract: A headrest which can be used on an operating table to maintain the head of a supine, unconscious patient in steady position for the surgeon to conduct an operation is described. The headrest has a low profile to provide maximum unobstructed access to the top, forehead, sides and face of the head. The headrest includes two, tapered, elongated lobes rigidly spaced apart in a V-shape configuration which allows one headrest to fit many different size heads. In use, the patient's head is wedged at points of tangency between the lobes. The V-shape configuration also permits the surgeon to easily adjust the head position to a new, steady position with only minor head movement, and therefore, reduced risk of dislodging the patient's breathing tube.

Abstract: A formulation for producing a heat insulating material and the method for making the same that uses an exothermic reaction and which depends on sodium silicate, sodium hydroxide, firing clay and iron silicon. The iron silicon reacts in the alkaline medium in an exothermic reaction that results in a high release of heat. As a result of the exothermic reaction, the formulation heats up to temperatures near 100.degree. C. The formulation then starts to harden. The evolved water steam and hydrogen form pores, which allows for an increase of many times the volume of the resulting heat insulating material. The self-heating reaction causes the formulation to lose water, which leads to an increase in the dielectric qualities of the material. Additionally, the iron silicon raises the heat resistance of the resulting heat insulating material.

Abstract: A computer work station has a first desk unit with a front tapered edge and has a cabinet with an electrical control panel with surge protected outlets, a first shelf unit and a second desk unit. The first shelf unit is placed on and connected to the top of the first desk unit and has two cabinets with computer disk and compact disk storage racks. The second desk unit has a bookcase, a desktop and a file cabinet. One end of the desktop is inserted into and supported by a support rail in the bookcase and the other end is placed upon and secured to the file cabinet. The second desk unit can be connected to either side of the first desk unit with the first shelf unit attached to the first desk unit. The second desk unit has shaped edges that form a shaped edge corner with the front shaped edge of the first desk unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for recycling waste polymeric material comprising a mixture of waste polymeric material wherein the waste polymeric material includes from about 15 to 50 percent aliphatic polyamide material; granulating the chopped mixture into fragments at least about 100 times smaller than the size of the waste polymeric material; and extruding the ground mixture at a temperature of less than about the T.sub.g of the lowest melting waste aliphatic polyamide polymeric material.

Abstract: A border support for a mattress or the like being comprised of a coil spring unit that has at least one row of coil springs, a first and second pair of spaced apart parallel foam strips positioned along at least a portion of an outer side of an outermost row of the coil springs, and a support band positioned about the outermost wall of the foam strip. The foam strips each have at least two longitudinal grooves formed on the inside wall of the foam strips with portions of the outer side of the outermost coil springs extending inwardly into the grooves. The border support being designed to eliminate the need for a border helical wire or rod and provide for a strong support for and stability to the mattress or the like.