Abstract: A respiration monitor includes a sensing element having a pressure chamber filled with gas. The sensing element is adapted to be placed in contact with a breathing subject, with the pressure in the chamber increasing as the subject inhales and decreasing as the subject exhales. A pressure switch in communication with the pressure chamber opens as the subject exhales and closes as the subject inhales to control the operation of a timing circuit. The timing circuit includes an audio alarm mechanism activated when the switch is not closed within a predetermined threshold period. The chamber has at least one gas port which places the chamber in communication with ambient air pressure, so that within a pressure equalization time interval the pressure within the chamber equalizes to that of ambient air pressure and the switch is opened.

Abstract: Disclosed are new fuel components for smoking articles such as cigarettes, new methods of making such fuel components, and cigarettes or other smoking articles incorporating the new fuel components. Fuel components for smoking articles are formed by continuously extruding a composition to form a preselected shape, circumscribing the continuously extruded composition with a layer of material to form a wrapped rod or composite member, preferably bonding the fuel element to the layer of material, and cutting the resulting composite member into predetermined lengths for use in assembling smoking articles.

Abstract: A microstructure suitable for use as a surgical instrument. The microstructure includes a silicon substrate having body and horn portions. The horn portion may include a blade with a forward edge. A piezoelectric actuator may be mechanically coupled to the body portion.

Abstract: A tanning bed control system including a tanning bed safety device (10) for ensuring safe operation of a tanning bed (14) is disclosed. The tanning bed safety device (10) monitors the operation of the tanning bed (14) and the tanning bed controller (12) and activates an alarm if the tanning bed (14) is on when it should be off or off when it should be on.

Abstract: Pairs of signal input leads with a low level signal imposed across them usually have noise induced by stray coupling capacitance which is typically unequal. This results in an unfavorable signal to noise ratio. Adding enough capacitance to the lead having the least capacitance, thereby equalizing the coupling capacitances to the noise services thereof, tends to reduces the noise effect considerably. This is accomplished by changing the relative sizes of the anode and/or cathode of a corresponding sensor device. The noise effect is further reduced by a negative feedback process which comprises extracting the induced noise component from the leads, inverting the noise component, and coupling the inverted noise component back to the input leads.

Abstract: Methods and systems for endoscopic suturing of biological tissue are disclosed. Endoscopic instruments are described which serve to position a suture material at an anastomotic site and deliver laser radiation to the suture material to effect fusion. The suture material includes a structure adapted for positioning at an anastomotic site and has at least a portion of the structure formed by a photoreactive crosslinking agent, such that upon irradiation of the structure the crosslinking agent adheres to the biological material. In one embodiment, the suture material can also include a high tensile strength element which is coated with a laser activatable crosslinking agent or glue. Upon activation, the suture material creates a desired closure or joinder of the biological material and is left in place while the endoscope is advanced to another target site or removed.

Abstract: An absorber assembly for use in a biomedical electrode, such as an ECG electrode, comprises a contaminant absorber and a support which is combined with the contaminant absorber to form an assembly. The support has a recess for receiving an electrode member. An electrically insulating portion of the support is provided between the electrode member recess and the contaminant absorber. The contaminant absorber also has a capillary break with respect to the electrode member recess. The absorber assembly may include the electrode member.

Abstract: A sexual aid including a housing, mounted on detachable legs and containing a motor that urges a dildo, including vibration means, to describe an arcuate path generally coincident with an orifice, such as a vagina. A first stimulator, also containing vibration means, is superposed above the dildo and is urged through an arcuate path concentric with and radially spaced inwardly from that of the dildo, cyclically contacting a clitoris. The sexual aid may include means for introducing a vacuum between the first stimulator and the clitoris. A second stimulator, also containing vibration means, is subjacent the dildo and is urged through an arcuate path concentric with and radially spaced outwardly from that of the dildo, cyclically contacting an anus. The sexual aid includes remotely locatable stimulators that may be placed in contact with a user's nipples and areolae. The sexual aid also provides a vacuum phenomenon between the remotely locatable stimulators and the nipples.

Abstract: A balloon end contact scope device for performing laser-assisted transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) or other surgical and catheter procedures, the device particularly adapted for delivery of laser energy via a laser delivery means and configured to reach inside a body cavity or organ chamber at a point not directly accessible, either visually or otherwise, such as in a lateral or posterior position, the device having a hollow outer lumen, a balloon scope portion with an internal guide tube extending through the balloon portion for directing a laser delivery means or other surgical or catheter device through the visualization balloon toward the area being visualized. The balloon scope portion may have a plurality of guide holes extending therethrough. On the essentially transparent contact viewing surface a friction surface may be applied to facilitate precise positioning and treatment therethrough.

Abstract: A female incontinence device according to the present invention includes one or more rings of water swellable gel forming material mounted on a female incontinence plug or catheter. The water swellable ring swells upon insertion of the device into the urethra and non-traumatically secures the device in the urethra while providing a seal between the device and the walls of the urethra. The water swellable ring may be replaced by other stimuli sensitive materials which allow the ring to be swollen and later reduced in volume for removal of the device. The stimuli sensitive materials which may be used in the invention include materials sensitive to light, pH, electrical field, mechanical stress, temperature, and solvent interaction.

Abstract: There is provided an excimer laser catheter which also has at the distal end thereof a tip-deflecting wire, such as a relatively small-size balloon catheter, one which is located alongside and to one side of the laser catheter and is adapted to be used by being activated to cause the laser to be located eccentrically with respect to the lumen of the blood vessel which it has entered and to be directed at adjacently located plaque which the laser would otherwise miss. With equipment of this kind, it is possible to perform in many instances a satisfactory angioplasty essentially with the laser alone, without incurring the delays and the risks and other drawbacks involved in using the conventional adjunctive balloon-catheter angioplasty following laser angioplasty. An ultrasonic transducer and a catheter tip is used to determine the location and morphology of atherosclerotic blockage.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a concentration of hemoglobin includes a light application device for applying light to a detection region containing a blood vessel present in a living body; an image capturing device for capturing an image of the detection region to which the light is applied; and an analyzer for analyzing the concentration of hemoglobin in blood flowing through the blood vessel by processing the captured image. The analyzer includes a light intensity detector for detecting a light intensity of a body tissue and a light intensity of blood using the captured image. It further includes a calculator for calculating the concentration of hemoglobin from a ratio of the light intensity of the body tissue relative to the light intensity of blood thus detected.

Abstract: An improved self contained automatic bladder control device includes a valve assembly mount for releasibly receiving a valve assembly. The preferably cylindrical mount has a textured outer surface designed to interact with urethral tissue. Thus the mount can be placed nonsurgically into a urethra and in time it will be held against movement by the tissue interaction with the textured outer surface, yet the mount will still be removable without surgery. Two embodiments of valve assemblies are disclosed, each of which provides a sphincter-like operation of the bladder control apparatus. A first embodiment is designed to use Bernoulli's law to hold open the valve apparatus after a short period of muscle contraction. The second embodiment is designed to use the fact that the force generated by hydrostatic pressure is directly related to the area on which it impinges, to accomplish the desired valve holding period.

Abstract: A sensor having a sensing surface for sensing blood pressure within an underlying artery of a patient includes a transducer, a sidewall, a flexible diaphragm and a fluid coupling medium. The sidewall is distinct from transducer and supports the transducer above the underlying artery. The fluid coupling medium is coupled between the sensing surface of transducer and the flexible diaphragm and transmits blood pressure pulses within the underlying artery from the flexible diaphragm to the sensing surface of transducer. In one embodiment, the fluid coupling medium is isolated from sidewall.

Abstract: A liquid treatment apparatus includes a sensor which is sensitive to a variation in gas pressure and which generates signals indicative of sensed pressures. The apparatus also included a casing divided into a first compartment and a second compartment by a flexible membrane, the first compartment having at least one orifice for the introduction of the liquid, and the second compartment being connectable in a leaktight manner to the pressure sensor. A pump is provided to vary a quantity of gas in the second compartment, and a controller is provided to regulate the pump as a function of variations in pressure generated in the second compartment. The controller is configured to receive signals from the sensor and to cause, through the pump, at least two successive pressure variations, having opposite directions, in the second compartment so as to adjust said position of the membrane between a wall of the casing bounding the first compartment and a wall of the casing bounding the second compartment.

Abstract: Flowheads are described for use in expiratory flow measuring equipment. They are designed to be disposable and to fit on the casing of a unit containing a pressure transducer and associated electronics. The pressure transducer is placed, when the unit is fitted to the casing, in communication with ports (8 and 9) in the wall of a main tube, which ports are respectively upstream and downstream of a central perforated wall (5) which constitutes a passage restriction and across which a pressure drop is accordingly generated if breath is exhaled through the tube. Low pressure drop hydrophilic filters may be used to damp high frequency pressure oscillations and to protect the instrument from ingress of condensed water vapour.

Abstract: A novel method and apparatus is presented for the performance of refractive surgery. The success of refractive surgery, particularly astigmatic refractive surgery varies with the intuition and skill of the surgeon yielding a consistency of results more typical of an than science. The invention comprises methods and apparatus that quantify refractive surgery by determining the nature of incisions based upon traceable and repeatable factors. The invention incorporates hardware and software for use in the data management.

Abstract: An ice pack having a bag, securement devices, and a clip. The bag has two multi-layer walls which are bonded to form a containment section, a neck, a mouth, and a clip mounting tab. The layers of the bag walls perform various functions for the ice pack. The securement devices have hook strips mounted to the bag and pile straps attached to the bag. The pile straps wrap around the object to which the ice pack is to be applied, and engage the hook strips. The clip includes two plates connected together by a hinge. The elongated hooks are positioned such that the two elongated hooks engage when the plates are rotated about the hinge, and secure the neck of the bag between the two elongated hooks. The inner surfaces of the clip are attached to the clip mounting tab located near the neck of the bag, thereby facilitating the sealing of the bag by the clip.

Abstract: A surgical probe having the ability to thermally insulate adjacent healthy tissue from cooling or heating effects at adjacent tissue being subjected to thermal destruction by cryosurgery, electrosurgery and hyperthermia. The probe includes a spatula shaped thermally insulating member that is mounted at the distal end of an elongated rigid member of a width sized for insertion through a small cutaneous incision. The insulating spatula is of a material transparent to ultrasound thus allowing ultrasonic imaging of tissue through the thermal insulator without substantial image deterioration.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the airways resistance of a person by short-time occlusion of inhalation, includes a face mask having an inlet channel and an outlet channel, the latter provided with an outlet valve, and a narrow passage close to a plenum in front of the face. A pneumotachograph is mounted in the narrow passage and is connected to indicating and recording instrumentation. An elastic balloon filled with a liquid is positioned in the inlet channel and is configured to be fully inflated until total occlosure of the inlet channel and to be completely deflated to allow free air passage therethrough. Inflation and deflation of the balloon is manually performed by means of a syringe which is connected to the balloon by flexible tubing, with both syringe and tubing filled with liquid.