Abstract: The present invention relates to blankets for use with forced air convection systems, wherein the blankets allow for access to portions of a patient's body before, during or after surgery. In addition, the blankets according to the present invention allow versatility in use by providing access to portions of the patient's body before, during, or after surgery, but which may also completely cover the patient after the surgical procedure is complete. To accomplish these purposes, the blankets according to the present invention include seals or separation lines which extend into the interior of the blanket and which may be separated to allow access to portions of the patient's body.

Abstract: A serrated bone graft section for graft in a patient includes a body portion cut from elongate cortical bone, the body portion having a sidewall portion, the body portion having substantially planar end faces at opposite ends of said body portion, each of the end faces having a plurality of grooves cut therein so as to form serrations in each of the end faces.

Abstract: A trailer voltage adapter includes a voltage converter which can be powered by the electrical system of a tractor and provide electrical power at a second voltage required by the electrical lighting system of the trailer. A plurality of relays are controlled by trailer lamp signals from the tractor and provide electrical power to the electrical lighting system of the trailer at the second voltage in accordance with the trailer lamp signals from the tractor.

Abstract: A collapsible container system for flowable materials includes a collapsible bag for holding the materials and a collapsible frame for supporting and retaining the bag. The collapsible frame includes top and bottom portions and a plurality of spaced apart upright members extending therebetween. The upright members each include a removable support portion that normally extends in a generally vertical direction and in supporting relation between the top and bottom portions. When all of the support portions are removed from supporting relation between the top and bottom portions the frame is collapsible and its height is reduced.

Abstract: A hands-free speaking device is provided which is capable of removing ambient noise at the near side from the speech transmitting signal. The hands-free speaking device includes a speaker 51 for reproducing a received speech signal, a microphone 52 for outputting a speech transmitting signal, an echo canceler 55 for removing an echo 62 transmitted from the speaker to the microphone, and a voice detector 11 comprising a noise level monitoring circuit 2 for monitoring the level of the ambient noise 63 input to the microphone, a voice level monitoring circuit 3 for monitoring the level of voice signal 61 input to the microphone, and a comparator 4 for generating a signal for increasing the attenuation amount of an attenuator 10 to attenuate the transmitting speech signal when the noise level is higher than the voice level. Additional embodiments are discussed and include improvements which reduce the effects of ambient noise, howling, and line echo.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to conotoxin peptides having 25-35 amino acids, six cysteines which form three disulfide bonds between the first and fourth, second and fifth, and third and sixth cysteines, respectively. The invention is directed to .delta.-conotoxin GmVIA having the formula Val-Lys-Pro-Cys-Arg-Lys-Glu-Gly-Gln-Leu-Cys-Asp-Pro-Ile-Phe-Gln-Asn-Cys-Cy s-Arg-Gly-Trp-Asn-Cys-Val-Leu-Phe-Cys-Val (SEQ ID NO:1). This peptide activates sodium channels. The invention is further directed to .mu.O-conotoxin peptides of the generic formula Ala-Cys-Xaa.sub.1 -Lys-Lys-Trp-Glu-Tyr-Cys-Ile-Val-Pro-Ile-Xaa.sub.2 -Gly-Phe-Xaa.sub.3 -Tyr-Cys-Cys-Pro-Gly-Leu-Ile-Cys-Gly-Pro-Phe-Val-Cys-Val, wherein Xaa.sub.1 is Arg or Ser, Xaa.sub.2 is Ile or Leu and Xaa.sub.3 is Ile or Val (SEQ ID NO:2). These peptides block sodium charmels. Examples of .mu.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a blanket for use with forced air convection systems, wherein the blanket is sized to accommodate pediatric patients. The blankets according to the present invention may be used both over or under the patient, thereby facilitating use in the operating room or outside the operating room. The present invention also relates to a blanket for use with forced air convection systems which is nonflammable and laser resistant. In addition, the present invention relates to methods of prevention hypothermia and hyperthermia and to a method of making a blanket for use with forced air convection systems.

Abstract: A brake for rail cars comprises a floating caliper disc brake attached to a cylindrical housing element of a drive housing. The drive housing may be the motor housing, the transmission housing or a common housing for the drive motor and the transmission. The cylindrical housing element has an opening in its peripheral wall in which the floating caliper is mounted. The actuator is mounted in an entry in the peripheral wall of the drive housing. This mounting arrangement allows easier accessiblity to the brake during servicing operations and provides for ventilation of the brake disc.

Abstract: A clutch brake is provided for a motor vehicle transmission clutch assembly having a brake disc within a rotatable transmission input shaft axially received within a central opening in the disc. The disc is connected to the input shaft for concurrent rotation therewith. The input shaft has a first end extending into a transmission housing member for connecting the input shaft to a transmission assembly, and an opposite second end extending into a clutch assembly for releasably connecting the input shaft to an adjacent engine crankshaft. A clutch housing member is connected to the clutch assembly which moves along the input shaft in an axial direction toward the transmission housing member during release of the clutch assembly from the input shaft. The brake disc is located along the input shaft between the transmission housing member and the clutch housing member.

Abstract: A digital radio communications receiver for determining a frame structure even in the event of miss or false detection of a frame structure flag.

Abstract: A luminaire for use during a medical procedure utilizes a single optic fiber for providing a beam of light having an initial beam width and an initial beam energy. The width of the beam is adjustable without substantially decreasing the beam energy, and the beam of adjusted width can be directed onto a surgical field. A headband for mounting a luminaire is formed of a perspiration-absorbent cloth strip, has hook-and-clasp engagement, and includes a luminaire mount.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a self-adhesive label comprising a multi-laminar folded label which comprises first and second portions which are adhered to a backing of release material or to a self-adhesive support piece carried on a backing of release material by a first region of resealable adhesive respectively; and a method of producing a succession of self-adhesive labels carried on a backing of release material, the method comprising the steps of applying to a backing of release material or to a self-adhesive support piece carried on a backing of release material a succession of first regions of permanent adhesive and a succession of second regions of resealable adhesive and disposing a succession of multi-laminar folded labels to the adhesive regions whereby each multi-laminar folded label is adhered to the backing of release material or to the self-adhesive support piece by one of the first regions of adhesive and one of the second regions of adhesive.

Abstract: Packing material for biological waste water treatment, and process for the production of such packing material. Packing material made of tube-shaped base members with net structured outer surface are provided with at least one water-impermeable surface-increasing element arranged on the outer surface of each base member and directly connected thereto, for increasing the specific growing surface for biofilm.

Abstract: In a transmitter-receiver having a transmitting circuit and a receiving circuit, the present invention mitigates an interference between the transmitting circuit and the receiving circuit. A quartz-crystal oscillator is provided as a common reference signal source for the local oscillators and the relation among frequencies is determined so that the frequencies such as local oscillating frequencies and intermediate frequencies within the transmitter-receiver do not overlap each other. Interferences between the transmitting circuit and the receiving circuit are mitigated to prevent a characteristic deterioration, spurious radiation, etc. Thereby the transmitter-receiver may be reduced in size and weight. Further, by sharing a quartz-crystal oscillator having a high frequency stability, narrowing of bands in radio channel spacing may be readily achieved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a blanket for use with forced air convection systems, wherein the blanket includes an airflow deflector internal to the blanket and located near the air inlet port of the blanket. By providing a blanket with an airflow deflector, better distribution of air within the confines of the blanket may be achieved, which helps to reduce and eliminate problems associated with hot and cold spots within the blanket.

Abstract: A mobile communication system that can preliminarily inform a user of the possibility of an occurrence of interruption of a call, which is peculiar to the system of the TDMA type. In this mobile communication system, a CPU measures a received level of speech quality by detecting data representing speech quality in an SACCH frame on the basis of a result of analysis of a received frame by means of a receiving portion. In the case where the received level is less than a predetermined value, a counting portion is caused to start counting. If the received level is low in the case of the next SACCH frame, the count is incremented. When the count reaches a predetermined value, a speaker serving as alarming means is operated so as to produce a warning tone. Thereby, a warning is given to a person who is currently using the system.

Abstract: Amphiphilic nucleoside phosphate analogues of formula I ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 denotes a hydroxyl or amino group or an acylated or alkylated or polyoxyethylene-substituted amino group, the acyl or alkyl group of which is straight-chained or branched, has 1 to 24 carbon atoms and up to 2 double bonds and may be substituted by an aromatic group;R.sup.2 denotes H, F, a 2-bromo vinyl group or a straight-chained or branched C.sub.1-24 -alkyl group;R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are identical or different and denote H, hydroxyl, halogen and azido; R.sup.5 denotes a nucleoside group of formula II ##STR2## wherein R.sup.6 denotes a hydroxyl or amino group or an acylated or alkalized amino group, the acyl or alkyl group of which is straight-chained or branched, contains 1 to 24 carbon atoms and up to 2 double bonds and may be substituted by an aromatic group, whilstR.sup.6 and R.sup.1 are different and one of the groups denotes acylamino or alkylamino groups having 12 to 24 carbon atoms,R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.6 and R.sup.

Abstract: A self-adhesive label comprising a multilaminar label portion, a self-adhesive laminar material extending over, and adhered by its self-adhesive surface to, the multilaminar label portion thereby to form two self-adhesive edge portions thereof on opposed sides of the multilaminar label portion, a backing of release material to which one of the edge portions is releasably adhered and an unadhesive portion which is located on the rear surface of the said one edge portion.