Abstract: An efficient protocol for the synthesis of taxol, taxol analogs and their intermediates is described. The process incudes the attachment of the taxol A-ring side chain to baccatin III and for the synthesis of taxol and taxol analogs with variable A-ring side chain structures. A rapid and highly efficient esterification of O-protected isoserine and 3-phenylisoserine acids having N-benzyoloxycarbonyl groups to the C-13 hydroxyl of 7-O-protected baccatin III is followed by a deprotection-acylation sequence to make taxol, celphalomanninne and various analogs, including photoaffinity labeling candidates.

Abstract: A forming apparatus uses counteracting, hydraulically coupled pistons to form a dome structure in the bottom panel of the container, such as a beverage can. A pressure ring is on one piston, and a doming die is on the other piston. The pistons are received in a piston housing that also provides a primary fluid reservoir so that, when one piston moves in one direction to displace fluid, the displaced fluid moves the other piston in the opposite direction. The pistons are coaxial and one is received in the other. Return springs are provided to bias the pistons into a desired orientation. A secondary reservoir may be provided to receive overflow fluid. Here, a first one-way valve sets a threshold so that fluid will flow into the secondary reservoir when the pressure in the primary reservoir exceeds the threshold. A second one-way valve permits fluid to return to the primary reservoir when the return springs move the pistons to a starting orientation.

Abstract: An electrical charge dissipation device is interposed between two sections of a fluid flow line and is operative to dissipate electrical charges present therein in order to reduce corrosion. The charge dissipation device comprises an elongated tubular portion having a central longitudinal axis and including a surrounding sidewall forming an interior passage therefor. Opposite first and second ends are adapted to interconnect respectively with the two sections whereby the tubular portion is interposed therebetween such that fluid flows through the interior passageway. A charge collector is disposed in the interior passageway in electrical isolation from each of the two sections and includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart conductors organized in a selected array. These conductors operate to conduct electrical charges contained in the fluid exteriorly of the tubular portion whereby they may be dissipated to an electrical ground.

Abstract: A method for producing paclitaxel is accomplished by first esterifying C-7-CBZ baccatin III with a C3'-N-CBZ-C2'-O-protected (2R, 3S)-3-phenylisoserine side chain to form a first intermediate. Next, the carbobenzyloxy groups at C-7 and at the C3' nitrogen site of the first intermediate are respectively replaced with hydrogen and PhCO to produce a second intermediate that is next deprotected at C2' by replacing the protecting group with hydrogen. The C2' protecting group is a benzyl-type protecting group, preferably benzyloxymethyl or benzyl. Excess amounts, such as six equivalents, of the side chain are preferably employed. DMAP and a dialkylcarbodiimide are also preferably used during esterification. Various preferred reaction temperatures, times, and purification steps are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of acylating 10-deacetylbaccatin III at the C-10 position over the C-7 hydroxy position thereof to produce baccatin III is accomplished first by dissolving 10-deacetylbaccatin III in an anhydrous ether solvent, such as tetrahydrofuran, at a reduced temperature, preferably -78.degree. C. At least an equivalent of a lithium base, preferably about two equivalents n-butyl lithium, is next added followed by the addition of an acylating agent, such as acetyl chloride. The resulting solution is quenched, for example with ammonium chloride, to eliminate excess of the lithium base and the acylating agent. The result is baccatin III in solution. The baccatin III may be recovered by removing the ether solvent under vacuum to produce a residue that may then be dissolved, for example in ethyl acetate, with this solution being washed to remove unwanted salt compounds. Recrystallization and column chromatography may be employed to purify the baccatin III.

Abstract: A forming apparatus for forming a selected profile in a sheet of material includes a frame, a sheet drive to advance the sheet of material through the frame, a drive assembly for powering the sheet drive, forming rollers to configure the sheet into the desired profile and a shear assembly to cut the formed sheet into desired lengths. The sheet drive includes pairs of coacting rollers with each pair comprising a driven roller connected to the drive assembly and a free-wheeling roller that is adjustably mounted relative to its associated driven roller. The shear assembly has a housing that movably mounts a pair of opposed blade mounts that have facing channels which receive lateral edges of a blade. These channels are wider than the blade thickness so that the blade freely floats and is thus self-aligning between dies.

Abstract: A positioning mechanism positions a transducer along a linear axis relative to a support structure and includes a movable mount for the transducer, a rotatable cam element with camming structure that is maintained in contact with the movable mount and a rotatable drive to rotate the cam element. The cam element is preferably a wheel with angularly spaced openings with spherical balls of different diameters disposed in respective ones of the openings to define the camming structure. Alternatively, the camming structure may be a continuous or a stepped annular ramp around the surface of a disc-shaped member. The movable mount is a shaft and a shuttle that support the transducer with the shaft slideably received between two opposed pieces of a yoke-shaped support arm. The shaft is spring biased against the cam element. The drive is a servo motor, a stepper motor or a solenoid, and an encoder operates to sense the rotational orientation of the cam element.

Abstract: A product for use in creating sculpted shapes and features comprises a dry quantity of granular sand which is treated to retain its cohesiveness when submerged in water. A compressible receptacle contains the granular sand in a hollow interior thereof, and this receptacle includes a longitudinally extending sidewall surrounding the interior, a closure forming an upstream end of the receptacle and a dispensing nozzle disposed at a downstream end. The nozzle has a mouth sized to be larger than the granular size of the sand and in fluid communication with the interior. The sidewall is fabricated from a material having sufficient flexibility to allow the receptacle to be squeezed with enough force to cause a cohesive mass of the sand to be forcibly extruded out of the mouth when the nozzle is immersed within a volume of water.

Abstract: A reference device for use in indicating prognosis of a physical condition based upon selected diagnostic characteristics of the physical condition. The reference device may include a first panel member having first selected diagnostic characteristics of the physical condition distributed thereon, and a second panel member including second selected diagnostic characteristics of the physical condition distributed thereon as well as prognosis indicators associated with the second selected diagnostic characteristics. The first and second panels are mounted for relative movement whereby a selected one of the first selected diagnostic characteristics may be paired with a selected one of the second diagnostic characteristics and a determinable prognosis is revealed corresponding the specific paired characteristics. The reference device is particularly useful for prognosing melanoma based upon diagnostic characteristics of a skin lesion.

Abstract: An ankle joint, and a prosthetic device incorporating such ankle joint, pivots to imitate the action of a normal ankle and foot. The ankle joint includes a socket secured to an artificial foot and a shank portion that connects at a distal end of a residual lower leg extremity. The shank has a head that is rotatably mounted in the socket so that it pivots between first and second positions about a neutral position. Springs bias the shank into the first position corresponding to plantarflexion orientation of the foot. A first cushion attenuates pivoting action and force of impact at the first position, and an optional second cushion attenuates pivoting action and force of impact at the second position. The socket is connected to the foot by a mounting plate assembly, and side bumpers are provided to resist lateral torque forces. The pitch of the socket, and thus the shank portion, is selectively adjustable.

Abstract: A protective device is adapted for use with a handhold opening of a container to inhibit ingress of unwanted materials into the interior while permitting insertion of a hand for grasping the handhold opening. The protective device comprises a panel piece having a surrounding peripheral edge and a surrounding peripheral margin adjacent to this edge. A panel piece is sized and configured to have a panel size greater than the selected size and configuration of the handhold opening so that the margin portion is securable to the container wall to position and secure the panel piece in a secured state with the panel piece positioned over the handhold opening. A first adhesive material secures the margin portion to the wall in an area surrounding the handhold opening. Preferably, a second adhesive material is disposed proximately to the peripheral edge and spaced-apart from the first adhesive material.

Abstract: A disposable laryngoscope blade connects to a handle especially to facilitate endotracheal intubation of a patient. The blade includes a base portion that attaches to the handle, and an elongated blade portion extends from a proximal end to terminate in a distal tip. The blade portion is arcuate and flattened so as to have a flat upper wall and a flat lower wall joined at lateral edges, and the lateral edges converge toward the distal tip. The blade includes a passageway therethrough so that a vacuum source may attach to a nipple near the proximal end and an inlet port is formed near the distal tip so that fluids may pass through the blade portion. The handle carries a battery power source and electrical contacts. The base portion of the blade also has contacts so that, when the blade is mounted a circuit is completed to power a light source disposed on the blade portion.

Abstract: A spectrophotometer employs an array of optical elements to focus light from at least one, but preferably two light sources onto a fiber optic beam splitter that provides a pickup for a selected bandwidth of wavelengths of light in the spectral pattern. The spectral pattern can include wavelengths in the visible, near infrared and ultraviolet spectrum. To create the spectral pattern, two reflecting prisms having spherical surfaces are used, and the optical elements are arranged so that the two spectral bands from each prism are longitudinally aligned to create the spectral pattern. The prisms are on a motor driven pivot mount so that the spectral pattern may be swept across the pickup. The optical elements and the pickup are sized so that the selected bandwidth is less than twenty nanometers over the spectral pattern. The pickup is formed by a single row of the ends of fiber optic strands which are then collimated into two bundles to transmit a test component and a reference component of light.

Abstract: A collapsible stool provides a seat for a user and can be erected for use or folded into a collapsed state. The stool includes first and second side panels that confront one another when collapsed but expand to create a longitudinally extending support post. First and second seat panels are hingedly disposed on the respective top edges of the first and second side panels, and the seat panels terminate in edge margins that interlock to form a seat for the user. The seat is preferably saddle-shaped and has a central peak. The first and second side panels and the first and second seat panels are each preferably constructed of multi-panel sections, and the stool may be an integral piece of corrugated material, such as fiberboard. A holder, such as for a beverage container, is preferably disposed on one of the side panels and is movable between an open position and a closed position alongside the side panel.

Abstract: A method for administration of taxol by infusing taxol over a duration of 60 to 180 minutes for a pluratily of times during a 21 day period, each of said times being separated by an interval of between 4 to 5 days.

Abstract: A sample cell assembly employs optics for focusing light though a sample cell, such as one used in electrophoresis. The optical array includes a first cylindrical lens having a central longitudinal axis in a common plane with the longitudinal axis of the sample cell. A second cylindrical lens has its central longitudinal axis oriented transversely to this common plane on another side of the sample cell from the first cylindrical lens. Preferably, a fiber optic beam splitter has a plurality of strands terminating in parallel second ends in the common plane so as to pass light at different longitudinally spaced locations through the sample cell cavity. Here, a plurality of second lenses receive the different light components to focus them respectively on different photodetectors each to create a sample data signal. Where a plurality of sample data signals are generated, processing electronics superimpose them to obtain an augmented signal of aggregate data.

Abstract: A method of producing docetaxel comprises the esterification of C7, C10 di-CBZ 10-deacetyl baccatin III and an N-CBZ C2'-protected 3-phenyl isoserine side chain wherein C2' is protected by a hydrogenatable benyl-type protecting group. The C7, C10 carbobenzyloxy groups are then replaced with hydrogen and the carbobenzyloxy group at the C3' nitrogen site is replaced with t-butoxycarbonyl. Finally, the resulting compound is deprotected at C2' by replacing the benzyl-type protecting group with hydrogen to produce docetaxel. The esterification preferably employs an excess, such as six equivalents, of the side chain for each equivalent of the C7, C10 di-CBZ 10-deacetyl baccatin III. Benzyloxymethyl is the preferred protecting group at C2'.

Abstract: A glide head assembly is associated with a support structure for use with a system for testing a moving surface to detect a presence of asperities thereon. This system includes signal processing operative to process an electronic signal generated in response to the presence of an asperity. The glide head assembly comprises a flexure adapted to be secured to the support structure and positionable in proximity to the moving surface. A slider is secured to a distal end portion of the flexure. A piezoelectric transducer is sandwiched partly between the slider and the distal end portion and preferably includes a free end portion which projects outwardly from this region to define a cantilever having a selected length and width. A test device for testing a moving surface on a rotating disk to determine a presence of asperities and a methodology for producing a glide head assembly for use with such a system are also provided.

Abstract: A method for assessing the sensitivity of a patient's tumor cells to cephalomannine and 10-deacetyltaxol in order to treat those tumor cells involves the removal of a sample of the tumor cells and establishing a cell line therefrom. Cells from the cell line are cultured and then contacted with varying concentrations of cephalomannine or 10-deacetyltaxol to form treated cells. The treated cells are assessed to determine the cytotoxic effect of the cephalomannine and/or the 10-deacetyltaxol and, where cytotoxic response is exhibited, a therapeutic dosage is formulated using the selected concentration of cephalomannine or 10-deacetyltaxol and a carrier material. The method is particularly useful for neural and glial tumor cells.

Abstract: A driving system provides a track on which a plurality of electric carts may race. A charging station with a driveway is located proximately to the track so that the carts can be driven onto charging areas of the charging station and parked. Electrical terminals built into the charging areas are then contacted to recharge the carts. The track preferably has a wax layer on which the carts travel. The charging station is preferably a platform with an upper support surface, and electric cables are disposed below the upper surface and are thus protected against contact by the carts. The electrical contact on each cart may be provided by a movable arm that extends to engage the electrical terminals of the charging system. The carts are preferably provided with two independent motors, respectively, for forward and reverse motion.