Abstract: Many chemical and pharmaceutical compositions are known to produce antinociceptive effects that are helpful in relieving pain and inflammation. Both opioids and local anesthetics serve an important function in providing peripheral pain relief. Topical administration of pain-relieving drugs to the periphery offers important advantages over systemic or local, non-topical administration. The present invention provides topical pharmaceutical compositions, formulated with at least one local anesthetic and at least one opioid analgesic in a topical excipient. The present invention also provides methods for relieving pain in a subject through topical administration of the pharmaceutical composition in an amount and a duration sufficient to synergistically potentiate an antinociceptive response. Synergistic potentiation of analgesia through topical administration of a local anesthetic/opioid pharmaceutical composition provides a new and improved approach to peripheral pain management.

Abstract: A resuscitation device for providing a barrier between a rescuer and a patient requiring mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. This resuscitation device includes an inflatable portion which when inflated extends in the breathing direction between the rescuer and the patient so as to be placed around at least one breathing organ of the victim. An inflation member receives airflow from the rescuer to inflate the inflatable portion. In this resuscitation device, a valve assembly permits airflow from the rescuer to the patient and diverts the exhalation and body fluids of the patient from reaching the rescuer. An additional barrier member can also be provided for shielding the rescuer from the patient.

Abstract: The subject invention provides recombinant nucleic acid molecule which encodes a kappa3 opioid receptor, and the receptor encoded thereby. The subject invention further provides related anti-sense oligonucleotide molecules. The subject invention further provides a related host vector system, and method for using same. The subject invention further provides polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies capable of specifically binding to kappa3 opioid receptor, methods for obtaining same, and methods of using same to detect the presence of, and quantitatively determine the amount of, kappa3 opioid receptor in a sample, image and quantitatively determine the amount of cell membrane-bound kappa3 opioid receptor present in a subject, determine a subject's potential sensitivity to a kappa3 opioid receptor-specific agent, determine the affinity of an agent for kappa3 opioid receptor, and identify agonists and antagonists of kappa3 opioid receptor.

Abstract: Fiber-reinforced semi-finished articles made of thermoplastics of medium to high viscosity and a process for their production. To produce a fiber-reinforced composite material, a multiplicity of continuous filaments having single-filament diameters of 7 to 30 micrometers are arranged in parallel in the form of a band and tensioned, and the filament band is wetted by a thermoplastic polymer melt in a melt pultrusion process. In this process, the filament band is pulled over at least two heated spreader surfaces. The viscosity of the melt, measured at low shearing rates, is 105 to 2500 Pa·s. The tension upon entering the first spreader surface is 5 N to 50 N per 4000 single filaments, and the speed of the filament band is at least 3 m/min.

Abstract: A rail system in a hyperbaric transfer system which has particular utility in transferring injured divers from an offshore decompression chamber to an onshore hyperbaric facility. Also disclosed is a gas metering system which has particular utility in supplying oxygen to an emergency transfer vessel.

Abstract: A hyperbaric transfer system which has particular utility in transporting injured divers under high pressure from an offshore decompression chamber to an onshore decompression chamber complex. In its preferred form the system includes two chambers. The first chamber is a smaller transfer vessel capable of accomodating up to two individuals. The second chamber is a larger chamber capable of accomodating more than three and up to eight individuals. One of the individuals in the second chamber may be a medical attendant who can administer aid to an injured individual. Both chambers are capable of maintaining pressures of up to 335 psi, equivalent to a depth of about 750 feet.

Abstract: In an automatic focus detecting device in which a vibrating prism is provided on the focal plane of an objective of an optical instrument such as a camera, a photodetector element used for detecting focus is composed of a central element functioning as a main photodetector and a marginal element or elements functioning as a sub-photodetector. The marginal element detects the vibration of the image of a non-principal subject matter existing in the vicinity of a principal subject matter. The central element detects the vibration of the image of the principal subject matter. The output of the marginal element is used to compensate for the noise in the output of the central element.