Abstract: A barbell system is provided with a pair of plunger pieces each having a shaft and an end plate and an elongated, cylindrical, hollow handle with a releasable coupling located on either end thereof to releasable grip the shaft of each of the plunger pieces after they are inserted into the handle so as to retain at least one weight between the handle and the end plate of each plunger piece.

Abstract: A bicycle lock bracket is formed by an elongated metal strap having an aperture in each end and folded in a loop with its opposite ends overlapped and juxtaposed with the apertures aligned. The strap is adapted to encircle a bicycle frame tube or other tube, rod or post, so that a cable lock body is held securely in place between the strap and the frame tube. The juxtaposed ends of the strap are attached together by bolts or other fasteners so that the cable lock body is tightly retained within the bracket when the lock is open. Inserting the cable through the aligned apertures into the lock body secures the strap, lock body and cable to the mounting tube.

Abstract: Heart performance is evaluated by collecting ultrasound images of at least one chamber of the heart of a patient after peak exercise. The images are subsequently displayed and analyzed to determine the presence and degree of heart disease, such as coronary artery disease (CAD). Collecting the images is done continuously at a rate of at least eight images per heart beat synchronized to a predetermined point in each heart beat over a time period which is normally sufficient to capture ischemic events resulting from the peak exercise. Each image thus synchronized represents a similar condition of each heart beat, thereby facilitating accurate comparisons. Collecting of images can be interrupted to eliminate blank or obscured images while the ultrasound sensor is repositioned. The collected images can be displayed and subsequently analyzed to determine the presence and degree of heart disease by comparing the images from successive heart beats.

Abstract: An ultrasonic energy detector advantageously supplies both frequency and amplitude information which is related to the ultrasonic frequency and the amplitude of the detected ultrasonic energy. Frequency division is employed to reduce the relatively broad range of ultrasonic frequencies into a narrower audio frequency range while still providing information useful to identify the ultrasonic energy by frequency detection. The effect of anticipated background noise at all levels of gain selected is eliminated by subtracting a signal representative of the anticipated background noise and proportional to the selected predetermined gain from the amplitude of the detected ultrasonic energy.