Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for treating patients afflicted with periodic limb movement syndrome (PLMS) which includes administering to said patient prior to sleep a combination of: carbidopa and levodopa in 25 and 100 mg quantities, respectively, and carbidopa and levodopa in 25 and 200 mg quantities, respectively, in sustained release form. The sustained-release carbidopa and levodopa preferably is supplied in a tablet contained 50 mg of carbidopa and 200 mg of levodopa. Caffeine may be administered to the patients following sleep.

Abstract: A power supply/backplane assembly and system wherein a substantially flat power supply assembly including a printed circuit, power converter modules, and heat sink is mounted directly to the rearwardly disposed surface of a backplane. The size of the power supply and the region at which it is mounted substantially falls within the border of a fully defined region of the backplane. Flat copper traces carried by the power supply circuit board function to carry regulated power directly to the backplane via a power bolt system. Thus, conventional cabling is eliminated. The circuit board also is employed in conjunction with readily accessible connector components to provide for simplified wiring installation of support features such as the interaction between a supervisory panel and a front end a.c.-to-d.c. conversion component.

Abstract: A tool for disengaging the swing bar from a swing bar guard assembly engaged on an entry door to a room where such disengagement is from outside of the room. The tool is formed from an elongate relatively flat shaft having a proximal handle end and a swing bar guard disengaging distal end. The tool has a centrally-disposed generally right-angle Z-bend for accommodating a door stop so that the distal end can be located inside the room when the door is shut. The distal end is centrally hinged to form an outer distal segment and an inner distal segment. The distal end also is biased to rotate the outer distal segment out of alignment with the inner distal segment. The tip of the outer distal segment retains an upstanding rod for contacting the swing bar of the swing bar guard.

Abstract: A thin power supply is configured to be mounted vertically within a card cage for pin assembly connection with the forward face of a backplane. Through the utilization of a vertical flat metal platform in combination with a thin sheet metal folded fin array, the components of the power supply may be cooled by fan driven air of passing through the card cage itself. To achieve heat dissipation, those components of the power supply which exhibit higher heat dissipation characteristics are firmly coupled with the power supply platform such that the bulk of the heat generated by them is dissipated by the folded fin array and the card cage fan driven air passing over and through it. Other components not having high beat dissipation characteristics are circuit board mounted and cooled by the movement of fan driven card cage air flow which passes through the housing of the power supply.

Abstract: System for detecting emissions from a radiopharmaceutical injected within a lymph duct wherein a hand-held probe is utilized. When employed to locate sentinel lymph nodes, supplementary features are provided including a function for treating validated photon event pulses to determine count rate level signals. A function for count rate based ranging as well as an adjustable thresholding feature are also present. A post-threshold amplification circuit develops full-scale aural and visual outputs.

Abstract: A method for fabrication of volcano-shaped field emitters forming low-cost, large area manufacturing of ungated and gated vertical field emitter arrays. Gate and emitter thin films are deposited onto a substrate on which arrays of posts have been previously fabricated. These conformal films cover the substrate, the sidewalls of the posts, and the post top surfaces or plateaus. By using chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), some or all of the thin films are selectively removed, leaving an intermediate structure that, after removing a small portion of the gate-to-emitter insulating film, is suitable for cold electron emission. One embodiment discloses a method of forming these devices without resort to a planarization layer. A second embodiment discloses a methodology employing a planarization layer.

Abstract: Cardiac output is measured utilizing a catheter in conjunction with the indicator dilution technique. Non-thermal analyte-containing fluid is used as the injectate. This fluid is biocompatible with and metabolizable within the body of the patient. An analyte concentration sensor is mounted upon the catheter and located downstream within the bloodstream from the port from which the analyte-containing fluid is expressed. Because of the matching of rapid concentration sensor response with an analyte-containing fluid which is metabolizable, the measurement of cardiac output may be carried out as often as about one to three minutes in conjunction with an infusion interval substantially less than the measurement frequency interval. The analyte-containing fluids are selected from a group consisting of ammoniacal fluid, heparin, ethanol, a carbon dioxide releasing fluid, glucose, and anesthesia agent.

Abstract: A surgical probe wherein a heat sterilizable and reusable detector component is combined with a disposable handle and cable assembly. The reusable detector component incorporates a detector crystal and associated mountings along with preamplifier components. It is formed having a positioning shaft extending therefrom to a contact supporting surface carrying a pattern of electrical contact surfaces. Two orientation bosses are formed with the positioning shaft. The disposable handle employs an insert member having a receiving cavity. The electrical contact carrying tip of the shaft engages an elastomeric seal and moves into electrical engagement with a pattern of electrical contacts mounted within the handle in conjunction with a permanently affixed flexible cable.

Abstract: A resistively heated thermally cutting and coagulating surgical instrument which may be employed with a conventional electrosurgical generator having bipolar output ports and a bipolar cable. The instrument utilizes a heating element which is heated to a predetermined upper temperature limit while in still air under a starting condition. Under this condition, heat dissipation by radiation, convection, and conduction through the instrument itself provides a high temperature end form of regulation. Under a subsequent working condition wherein the heated component or element is in contact with the tissue, heat dissipation is by thermal conduction both into the tissue and through the thermally conductive components of the instrument.

Abstract: An image font file is created containing compressed bitmap representations of the characters of one or more fonts utilized for a given text. These compressed bitmap representations are derived as character image templates corresponding with a font of an enlarged size. Upon being conveyed to client software, the individual characters of the image font file are accessed, and while remaining in a compressed format are selectively shifted in accordance with typesetting specification error values, then scaled and filtered to produce a display character in anti-aliased, sub-pixel position format.

Abstract: A powered towing vehicle having steering wheels and a wheeled trailer is connected to the vehicle for its towing. The wheels of the trailer are connected to a source of power for generating forward and rearward movement of the trailer. These wheels also are connected to a source of power for turning such wheels in order to steer the trailer. These wheels further are connected to a sensor to sense the position of the trailer wheels as they are being steered. The steering wheels of the towing vehicle also are connected to a sensor to sense the position of the vehicle wheels as they are being steered. The trailer steering wheel sensor is displayed to an operator of the vehicle so that the vehicle operator knows the relative position of each of the steering wheels. The trailer steering power source is connected to the vehicle so that an operator of the vehicle can remotely steer the wheels of the trailer.

Abstract: A protocol-configurable isometric hand grip recording dynamometer with user guidance. The apparatus employs a grip within which is mounted a load cell. The load cell, in turn, is coupled to a rigid printed circuit board which is compressively squeezed during an exercise regimen. A readout is integrally formed with the battery operated system to provide aural and visual cuing at an angle facilitating the user's reading of a display. Visual cues are provided at the display throughout an exercise regimen prompting the user as to which hand to use and the amount of compressive squeezing force to be applied. The system and method includes a technique for scoring the efforts of the user. The microprocessor-driven device includes archival memory and a data communications port such that may be employed interactively with a trainer or physician.

Abstract: Disclosed is an artists' easel which has a pivotally adjustable frame which carries the artists' canvas. A bag retaining assembly attached to the easel frame is adapted for a bag, e.g., a plastic garbage bag, to fit thereover with a apertured splatter panel covering the mouth of the bag. A beater bar inside the bag frame permits the artist to beat the paintbrush on the beater bar while the bag traps the solvent inside. The easel also is adjustable in height, and has provision for a tray, a paper towel holder, and a container holder (e.g., for solvent). Provision for holding the bag in place is provided also.

Abstract: Surgical forceps which are configured having oppositely disposed tissue grasping surfaces at the tip regions of corresponding tines. An electrically insulative spacer assembly is positioned on and supported from at least one of the tissue grasping surfaces to space the tissue contacting surfaces apart an optimized distance, T, when the tines are in a substantially closed orientation. A preferred, strip form of spacer assembly formed of an electrically insulative material is employed and improved current paths are defined between the grasping surfaces to derive an efficient and effective hemostasis substantially without sticking of tissue to the surfaces. The geometric configuration of the spacer regions functions to enhance cleanability of the forceps and the tines of the forceps additionally are formed with side and nose surfaces at the tip regions having effective side surface current delivery areas improving forceps performance when used in a coagulative painting modality.

Abstract: A sign post is formed of a lower support component for anchoring within terrain, leaving an exposed upper portion at the surface of such terrain. The support component includes an array of longitudinally regularly spaced apertures. An upper support component having the same regular spacing of apertures is attached to the lower component at the exposed portion through the utilization of a splicing technique. The splice is formed as a stress transfer component having two strategically positioned boltways therein. These boltways are spaced apart longitudinally a distance representing an even integer of the upper and lower component aperture spacings. The boltways are configured having a small threaded region adjacent one surface. Bolts having a threadless shank and threaded region therebelow are slidably inserted through one of the components into the stress transfer whereupon they are rotated for preassembly engagement with the minor threaded regions of the stress transfer component.