Abstract: The absorption in body fluids of poorly soluble drugs is enhanced by forming a glassy solid matrix of a carrier and the drug. A solution of the drug and the carrier is formed at an elevated temperature either with or without a solvent and chilled rapidly to form a solid mass which can be ground to a powder for oral administration in a tablet or capsule.

Abstract: This invention provides an apparatus and process for automatically coating solid pharmaceutical dosage forms, e.g., tablets. The apparatus comprises a coating pan, having a rotating means, e.g., motor and a weighing means, e.g., scales in combination with the pan and motor. A process controller is in electronic communication with both the pan motor and scales, for controlling the pan rotation and monitoring the weight of the coating pan contents. There is also provided a plurality of material containing reservoirs having conduit means communicating with the interior of the pan. The material containing reservoirs may also have weighing means, e.g, scales in combination with the reservoirs, which are also in electronic communication with the process controller. These reservoirs may contain a water supply, a coating syrup supply, color suspension supply, and polishing ingredients for use in coating the tablets.

Abstract: A peristaltic pump equipped with at least one peristaltic tube is disclosed characterized in that the said tube is associated with means which limit its occlusion, independently of the physical and/or mechanical stresses to which it may be subjected. The peristaltic tube is provided with at least one longitudinal groove or ridge on the internal surface of its wall. Alternatively, a strand may extend longitudinally inside the peristaltic tube, at least over the part subjected to the action of the pressing devices, and this strand is rigid or semi-rigid and has the shape of an arc of a circle. The strand may be flexible and may be firmly attached to the peristaltic tube at least at a point located upstream from the pressing devices. Various other geometrical arrangements are disclosed. The peristaltic pump is especially adapted to extracorporal blood circulation.

Abstract: A ventilator monitoring system wherein the ventilator is in simultaneous fluid communication with a patient circuit and an exhaust circuit. The patient circuit comprises an inspiratory branch and an expiratory branch. A first one-way valve in the patient circuit inspiratory branch permits ingress only of a gas to the patient circuit. A second one-way valve in the patient circuit expiration branch permits egress only of patient exhaust gas to an expiration valve in the exhaust circuit. A monitor in the patient circuit expiration branch, monitors only the gas actually expired by the patient and not a combination of patient expired gas and excess gas from the ventilator.

Abstract: A mass transfer apparatus is disclosed comprising a housing, preferably rectangular, a semipermeable membrane disposed within said housing, said membrane being folded to form a stack of accordion pleats over the whole internal surface of the bottom of said housing, one or more support members being disposed within every pleat on one side only of said membrane, all edges of said membrane being embedded in plastic embedding material within said housing so that the membrane thereby forms two fluid compartments with ports allowing the flow of a fluid in each compartment, the creases of said membrane pleats being collapsed upon said support members and, at their ends, being sharply folded upon themselves and deeply penetrating into the embedding material along a longitudinal side of the housing. The creases which sharply fold upon themselves have a bi-concave external shape.

Abstract: The invention provides a mold for the molding of a resilient material to the insides of a container placed upon the mold.

Abstract: The invention concerns a novel apparatus for automatically preparing a solution of controlled salt concentration, which comprises a mixer container in which preparation of the solution may take place, a regulator device for regulating supply of components of the solution to the mixer container, a level detector for detecting the level of solution in the mixer container in the vicinity of a prescribed primary level, a concentration probe for detecting concentration of salts in the solution, and a control device connected to receive electronic signals transmitted from said level detector and said concentration probe for producing a control output signal to control said regulator device, whereby the level of solution in the container is maintained in the vicinity of said prescribed primary level and the concentration of salts in the solution is maintained in the region of a predetermined value.

Abstract: Controlled gastric residence time medicament formulations, e.g., tablets and/or capsules, containing polymeric film coatings are exposed to a volatile amine, e.g., anhydrous ammonia, methyl amine, or ethyl amine, to provide improved medicament formulations, which by virtue of mechanical or surface effects including expansion or swelling of the coating in gastric fluids are capable of prolonged, e.g., up to twelve hours, residence in the gastric area.

Abstract: The invention concerns a novel catheter for placement in an artery, vein or fistula vessel of a patient, through which blood may be withdrawn or delivered to the patient, which comprises a catheter wall, the inside surface of which defines a lumen having a cross-sectional area in a proximal end region of the catheter which is larger than the cross-sectional area of the lumen defined in a distal end region of the catheter, at least one opening being provided in the wall of the catheter in the region of its distal end through which blood may be passed.Various catheter assemblies employing a catheter such as described above are disclosed.

Abstract: This invention provides a single needle dialysis blood tubing occluder, comprising in a preferred aspect, a pair of pivotly mounted clamping arms having a leaf spring affixed to the non-pivot end of each occluder with the spring in slidable engagement with a symmetrical cam. Means are provided for actuating the cam, whereby the cam moves the tubing occluder to alternately occlude and non-occlude a pair of blood tubings.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new use of 2,6-dichlorophenyl-acetylguanidine as an anti-migraine agent.

Abstract: The invention concerns a novel adjustable roller pump assembly of the type comprising a semi-circular plate against the inner surface of which a flexible tube is located and a pair of diametrically arranged cylindrical rollers mounted on a driven rotatable body. The invention is related to a special means for adjusting the distance between the axes of the rollers so that the degree which the rollers compress the flexible tube can be adjusted. This means comprises an adjustment shaft rotatable about an axis transverse of the axis of rotation of the rotatable body and having at its ends cylindrical locating elements eccentric to the axis of rotation of the adjustment shaft, said locating elements acting on arms on which rollers are mounted so that adjustment of the adjustment shaft displaces the arms and hence the rollers.

Abstract: A protective device is provided for use on body members, e.g., bandaged or injured portions of the trunk and limbs. It provides a water-proof protection for the affected parts of the body and comprises generally a flexible tubular member having a fastening means affixed at one or both ends.

Abstract: Inflatable cuff-type catheters, e.g., endotracheal and tracheotomy tubes, with cuff pressure indicators are provided. One indicator means comprises an expandable chamber with an open-ended spring about the mid-section of the chamber. As the chamber expands, the spring also expands to indicate the gas pressure in the cuff.

Abstract: This invention provides controlled, e.g., sustained release of drugs from medicament formulations containing a plurality of medicaments, wherein a desirable release pattern is maintained for both low concentration and high concentration drugs of the formulation.

Abstract: An improved patient ventilator for providing a mode of operation wherein mandatory breaths are supplied to a patient intermittently, and wherein those mandatory breaths are synchronized with the patient's normal breathing cycle. An adjustable timer provides an output signal for controlling the duration between mandatory breaths, and a delay circuit prevents the output signal from the timer from initiating the mandatory breath for a predetermined delay period to permit the patient to initiate that breath himself. The intermittent mandatory breaths are made "mandatory" by closing off an exhalation valve while a fixed quantity or pressure level of oxygen is supplied to the patient.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a patient ventilator apparatus having a pneumatic control system operable in three different modes wherein the apparatus assists the breathing of the patient, controls the patient's breathing in a timed manner, or operates in a combination assist/control mode according to certain predetermined conditions. Fluidic circuitry controls a valved bellows apparatus, which in turn supplies air to a patient subject to limitations of time, volume, and pressure, wherein the gas supplied to the bellows comprises an adjustable oxygen/air mixture. Fluidic timers are provided for use in the control mode of the circuitry, and identical fluidic circuitry combinations are provided for use in the assist mode to automatically trigger the ventilator apparatus into an inspiratory state according to the patient's breathing requirements and to trigger such apparatus into an exhalation state when a predetermined inspiratory pressure is attained.

Abstract: Substituted benzylidene hydrazines e.g. N-(4-phenylbenzylidene)-N'-amidino hydrazine and their use as hypoglycemic-antihyperglycemic agents, anti-obesity agents and anti-inflammatory agents.

Abstract: The invention concerns a novel deaerating arrangement for deaerating dialysis liquid in dialysis equipment of the type comprising a dialysis liquid feed line leading to a dialysis device and a dialysis liquid take off line leading from the dialysis device, wherein the deaerating arrangement comprises at least one deaerating chamber having a dialysis liquid inlet and dialysis liquid outlet in the dialysis liquid feed line, and a deaerating line which leads off from the head of the deaerating chamber through a first liquid flow rate restrictor to an evacuation pump which, in operation, creates a negative pressure in the deaerating chamber and withdraws air or gas formed in said deaerating chamber.

Abstract: The invention concerns a novel dialyser cartridge comprising a flat membrane tube through which blood to be dialysed may be passed, membrane support material over the outer surfaces of the membrane tube, a split core between which a central portion of the membrane tube and membrane support material is located and about which core said membrane tube and membrane support material are outwardly spirally wound so that the free ends of the membrane tube and membrane support material are situated at the outer periphery of the winding, a hollow cylindrically walled casing encasing the split core and spirally wound membrane tube and membrane support material, blood inlet means for connection to an arterial line and blood outlet means for connection to a blood venous line leading through the circumferential wall of the casing into the ends of the membrane tube, and a pair of end covers fixed to the ends of the hollow cylindrical casing, one end cover having a dialysate inlet for connection to a dialysate supply line a