Abstract: A magnetic needle for acupuncture is disclosed. The magnetic needle of this invention has a housing having an opening and a magnet seated in the opening of the housing. A wedge-shaped projection is held in the opening of the housing so as to project into the exterior of the bottom wall of the housing and come into contact with the magnet. The projection forms an intensive magnetic field around a meridian point having fine electric current or electromagnetic waves. The projection thus magnetically stimulates the meridian point while performing a magnetic massage effect on the meridian point. The magnetic needle accomplishes an acupuncturing effect for relieving pain and curing disease as expected in typical acupuncture.

Abstract: A golf course has a single fairway with multiple greens. At least two greens are provided, at opposite ends of the fairway. One or more additional greens may be provided between the first two greens and along the fairway. Also, multiple tees are provided for the one fairway. At least one tee is provided at each end of the fairway, the tee facing down the fairway towards the green at the opposite end of the fairway. Each green may be the target of two or more tees disposed at different locations on the fairway. The golf course is occupied for a predetermined limited period of time by an individual or a single group of golfers. The individual or single group of golfers plays back and forth along the fairway, for as long as they have reserved the course. They can play at their own pace, undisturbed by other golfers because there are no other golfers on the course. The only limitation is duration: eventually they will have to stop because their reserved interval of play has terminated.

Abstract: A decanter centrifuge comprises a bowl rotatable about a longitudinal axis, the bowl being provided with a cake discharge opening at one end and a liquid phase discharge opening. The bowl has a cylindrical portion and a beach portion disposed between the cylindrical portion and the cake discharge opening. A beach area is provided on an inner surface of the bowl at the beach portion of the bowl, the beach area including a first section and a second section with the second section located between the first section and the cake discharge opening. The second section of the beach area has a less steep or smaller slope than the first section. A conveyor is at least partially disposed inside the bowl for rotation about the longitudinal axis at an angular speed different from an angular rotational speed of the bowl. The conveyor includes a helical screw disposed inside the bowl for scrolling a deposited solids cake layer along the inner surface of the bowl towards the cake discharge opening.

Abstract: A noninvasive medical treatment system includes a support for supporting a patient in a predetermined position and a frequency generator for generating essentially monochromatic electromagnetic energy of a frequency selected from a plurality of different treatment frequencies predetermined to selectively destroy organic molecules of respective types specific to a plurality of different kinds of human tissue. A selector is operatively connected to the frequency generator for selecting the one frequency from among the different treatment frequencies produceable by the frequency generator. The system further comprises radiation transmission and guidance components disposed between the frequency generator and the support for directing the energy from the frequency generator to predetermined target tissues internal to the patient supported on the support and for concentrating the energy on the target tissues.

Abstract: A bag for wearing by a user at a waist or hip region and for carrying a load such as several electronic communications devices has a substantially rectangular main panel and auxiliary panels disposed on the main panel and defining at least one compartment or receptacle for holding an object. The main panel has an upper edge lying along a line and two opposed lateral edges oriented substantially perpendicularly to the line. A belt is attached at opposite ends to the main panel along the lateral edges thereof. The belt has a top edge oriented at an acute angle (preferably between 5.degree. and 10.degree.) relative to the upper edge line of the main panel, on a side of the line opposite the main body of main panel. The main panel is engageable with a user upon a securing of the belt about a waist region of the user.

Abstract: Compounds of the general structural formula ##STR1## are shown to have AMPA receptor enhancing properties. The compounds are useful for such therapeutic purposes as facilitating the learning of behaviors dependent upon AMPA receptors, and in treating conditions, such as memory impairment, in which AMPA receptors, or synapses utilizing these receptors, are reduced in numbers or efficiency. They may also be used to enhance excitatory synaptic activity in order to restore an imbalance between brain subregions, as in treatment of schizophrenia or schizophreniform behavior.

Abstract: The present invention also relates to chemical compositions comprising the neutralization product of at least one amine neutralization compound (preferably, a diamine) and a carboxylic acid (preferably, a dicarboxylic acid), said amine neutralization compound comprising about 1% to about 100% by weight (of the total amount of amine neutralization containing compound) of a first amine compound and 0% to about 99% by weight of a second amine compound different from said first amine compound, said first amine compound being a polyamine containing at least one tertiary amine group and at least one quaternary amine group, said tertiary amine group of said first amine reacting with said carboxylic acid group to produce a tertiary ammonium carboxylate salt, said second amine compound containing at least one primary, secondary or tertiary amine group with the proviso that when said second amine contains only primary and/or secondary amine groups, the amount of said second amine in said amine neutralization compound i

Abstract: A medical imaging device includes one or more planar substrates, one or more flat video screens provided on the substrates, a flexible bag connected to the substrates, and a scanner operatively connected to the video screens for providing video signals thereto. The bag is disposed on a side of the substrates opposite the video screens and is filled with a fluidic medium capable of transmitting ultrasonic pressure waves. The video signals encodes images of internal tissues of a patient upon placement of the flexible bag with the medium, the substrates and the video screens against the patient.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out a microbiological assay comprises a holder for holding an agar diffusion plate in operative proximity to a sensing system having one or more sensing devices, which in concert are able to read in a digital or digitizable form both pattern information created by the growth of microbial cultures on an agar gel and in particular the patterns created by the diffusion of compounds inimical to the growth of said microorganism from the loci of circular disks impregnated with the compounds, and also identification codes imprinted on the disks prior to use of the disks in a multi-disk agar diffusion assay.

Abstract: An apparatus for ink printing a preprogrammed viewable indicia onto a substrate. The apparatus is particularly useful in ink jet printing of designs in single or multi-color inks onto a portion of a substrate such as a garment. The viewable indicia may contain both words and designs or logos and may be programmed into the control system of the apparatus by using either standardized or customized software commands. No setup costs are required other than loading software and ink color selection into the system. The apparatus is capable of creating the indicia through ink jet ink depositing upon flat or rigid substrates as a result of controlled platen movement beneath the ink jet printer head and controlled ink jet printer head movement and ink flow control by a programmed c.p.u.

Abstract: According to the present invention, plastic waste mixture is first comminuted, and if required, subjected to magnetic separation and/or eddy-current separation, by which separable metals are removed. The comminuted plastic waste mixture is then mixed with a separation liquid in a mixing tank which has an outlet for heavy phase impurities. This suspension is directed to a hydrocyclone for a first separation procedure. The hydrocyclone is optimally adjusted in such a manner that any remaining unwanted heavy phase impurities together with the heavy phase undesirable plastics, such as the PVC fraction of the plastic waste mixture, is separated from the balance of the plastic waste materials as hydrocyclone underflow. The heavy underflow of the mixing tank and the hydrocyclone underflow may be further reprocessed separately or jointly.

Abstract: A pillow-like protector and body support device having a central section stuffed with polyurethane and covered with soft hypoallergenic material is provided with cut-away air gaps and medial seams that form air grooves or channels. The pillows and supports are made for supporting various body parts, e.g., the neck, shoulder, torso, elbows, and tailbone. Many of the pillows/supports are capable of being used together into an integrated system for alleviating bedsores and other medical problems associated with sitting or lying in the same position for long periods of time. One embodiment of the invention relates to a coccyx protector and is adapted to slip over a bedpan. In addition, embodiments are disclosed related to breast supports. One version is a small pillow/protector with an airflow pocket. Another version is sling-like and includes an air circulation seam for the skin just beneath the pillow. Yet another version of the breast support for protecting both breasts.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a body defining a compartment, a first door on the body for sealably and releasably closing the compartment and a second door on the body substantially opposite the first door for sealably and releasably closing the compartment. Refrigeration componentry is provided for refrigerating the compartment. Elements are attached to the body for mounting the body to a wall. The first door allows access to the compartment from a first side of the wall and the second door allows access to the compartment from a second side of the wall.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stabilized vacuum apparatus for industrial hide driers with multiple evaporation beds. The apparatus includes a main vacuum source that can be connected to a series of evaporation beds to produce a negative pressure having a preset value in the beds, in steady-state operating conditions. There is a secondary vacuum source which is suitable to produce, in one bed at a time, a negative pressure which is close to the steady-state value, and there is a valve means to selectively connect each bed, which is initially at ambient pressure, first to the secondary vacuum source and then to the main vacuum source, so as to eliminate substantial pressure variations in the remaining beds when each bed is connected to the main vacuum source.

Abstract: A feed accelerator system for use in a centrifuge, the system comprising a conveyor hub rotatably mounted within a rotating bowl, the hub including an inside surface and an outside surface. At least one feed slurry passageway is disposed between the inside surface of conveyor hub and the outside surface of the conveyor hub, and at least one helical blade having a plurality of turns is mounted to the outside surface of the conveyor hub. A vane apparatus is associated with the passageway and is disposed between two adjacent turns of the helical blade. The vane apparatus may include an inwardly extending baffle and/or an outwardly extending accelerator vane. Alternatively, a U-shaped channel may be associated with the passageway, the U-shaped channel including a plurality partitions attached to the discharge end of such channel so as to form a plurality of discharge channels and a flow directing and overspeeding vane disposed within each channel, each vane having a different forward discharge angle.

Abstract: A pants garment has a generally tubular body member made of flexible web material. The tubular body member has an elongate waist or yoke edge at an upper side and a crotch area at a lower side. The tubular body member is provided with a flap section overlapping another portion of the body member. The flap section is defined in part by a boundary edge extending in a generally downward direction from the waist edge. A flexible tensile element has a first effective end coupled to the flap section at the boundary edge and a second effective end coupled to the tubular body member at a point spaced from the boundary edge. This structure enables a user or wearer to place tension on the flap to maintain closure of the garment over a lower torso of the user.

Abstract: Excessive vibration in industrial mixers such as flotation cells and draft tube mixers is attenuated by connecting a vibration dampening device to a rotor or impeller which is disposed in a mixing tank for pumping a nonhomogeneous fluidic material placed in the tank. In a draft tube mixer, where the rotor is connected to a drive shaft in turn connected to a motor for rotating the rotor, the vibration dampening device is connected to the shaft on a side of the rotor opposite the motor. In a froth flotation cell, if the rotor is hollow, the vibration dampening device is disposed inside a pipe in turn mounted inside the rotor along an axis thereof. The vibration dampening device takes the form of a tuned mass dampener tuned to a resonance frequency of the particular mixing apparatus.

Abstract: A portable weapon having a monolithic housing and stock made of plastics and provided with a metal insert for strengthening the structure.