Abstract: A blood-collection position indicator facilitating blood collection is provided. An adhesive layer is positioned on the back face of a substrate portion having a convex cross section and a circular planar shape, and at its center, a through hole going through the substrate portion and the adhesive layer is provided to serve as a blood collection hole, thus obtaining a blood-collection position indicator. In the blood-collection position indicator, the protruding portion serves as an attachment part to be attached to the tip of a lancet device, and the protruding portion is inserted into a hole of the tip of the lancet device, thus attaching the blood-collection position indicator to the tip of the lancet device. Adhesive strength of the adhesive layer to the skin is set to be stronger than attachment strength of the attachment part to the tip of the lancet device. Consequently, only the first blood-collection position indicator remains on the skin after the lancet device is used.

Abstract: A heater assembly includes a housing structure, a support structure, an insulator structure, and a heating structure. The housing structure conveys heat to be produced within the housing structure from a first portion to a second portion of the housing structure. The support structure is releasably and fixedly secured to the housing structure. The insulator structure is affixed to the support structure to be releasably and fixedly secured to the housing structure. The heating structure is affixed to the insulator structure to be releasably and fixedly secured to the housing structure, and to be insulated from at least one of the housing structure and the support structure. The housing structure includes an outer surface having a non-uniform cross section with respect to an axis of the housing structure. The support structure, the insulator structure, and the heating structure are positioned within the housing structure.

Abstract: A silicon nitride—tungsten carbide composite sintered and process for preparing the same which contains silicon nitride and tungsten carbide, and is characterized in that the total in amounts of an entirety of rare earth elements as reduced to certain corresponding oxides thereof, the elements being contained in the sintered material, and excess oxygen as reduced to silicon dioxide is 6-20 mass %; the ratio, on a mol basis, of (the amounts of rare earth elements as reduced to the certain corresponding oxides thereof)/(the amounts of the rare earth elements as reduced to the corresponding oxides thereof+the amount of excess oxygen as reduced to silicon dioxide) is 0.3-0.7; a crystalline phase is present in an intergrain region of the sintered material; and an effective firing temperature range within which a flexural strength of at least 800 MPa is obtained encompasses at least 100 degrees.

Abstract: A fuel gas compression system includes a system which operates on direct current, a system which operates on alternating current and a system which is capable of operating on either direct current or alternating current. In the system that operates on either direct current or alternating current, a jumper is provided which is placed in the circuit when an alternating current is provided. When a direct current is provided, the jumper is removed from the circuit.

Abstract: A centrifugal device for pumping and heating fluids is described. The centrifugal device includes a cylindrical rotor positioned in a cylindrical cavity. The rotor rotates within the cavity and includes bores equally spaced and arranged on the front surface of the rotor according to a predetermined pattern. When a fluid is directed through the device, the fluid is subjected to vortex formation to produce fluid heating.

Abstract: A method for delivering a substance to the epidermal tissue of skin. The method involves simultaneously disrupting only the stratum corneum of the skin and delivering the substance to the epidermal tissue of the skin.

Abstract: A vapor-compression distiller includes a rotary heat exchanger. A reciprocating compressor (26) maintains a pressure difference between the compressor's evaporation chambers (46) and its condensation chambers (44). The compressor is assembled in a common rotating assembly with the heat exchanger, so the distiller does not need rotating seals between the compressor and heat exchanger. The compressor includes two pistons (56 and 58) driven in opposite directions in a rotating piston chamber (54). The directions in which they thereby reciprocate are substantially parallel to the rotating assembly's axis.

Abstract: Therapeutic catheters for increasing myocardial blood perfusion in procedures including percutaneous myocardial revascularization (PMR), which can include tips for cutting into the myocardium to stimulate a healing response and/or for injecting angiogenic substances. PMR catheters can include an outer shaft slidably housing an inner shaft having a distal therapeutic tip. The outer shaft can be slidably disposed in a guide catheter and have an expandable atraumatic distal tip for presenting an enlarged distal profile against the heart chamber wall. The enlarged atraumatic profile can reduce the likelihood of the outer shaft penetrating undesirably into the myocardium. One expandable distal tip expands radially when forced against the endocardium. Another expandable tip expands when unconstrained by the guide catheter. Yet another expandable tip expands when manipulated by an elongate manipulation member.

Abstract: A drug-delivery tool and method for delivering a diagnostic or therapeutic agent to a target site within a selected body tissue, such as the myocardium of the heart, is disclosed. The drug-delivery tool generally includes an accessing device having a tissue-penetrating implement in its distal-end region, and elements for delivering a selected agent into a cavity formed by the implement.

Abstract: Ejector type vacuum pump, comprising a rotationally symmetric ejector body (4) arranged in a house to be contained in a vacuum chamber (3) that extends axially and opens through a wall of the house, a dust filter (15) running concentrically about the eject body comprising a tube shaped, porous filter body, a frame circumferentially enclosing the filter body so that the filter body and frame form a self containing unit that extends substantially about the whole length of the ejector body to be axially fixed by a muffler (11) that is received in the opening of the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: The pump (5) has at least one cylinder (6) in which slides a piston (16) moved positively in the compression direction and elastically in the intake direction. A compression spring (26) is located between the shutter (21) of an intake valve (19) and the piston (16) to push the shutter (21) elastically into a closed position by exerting elastic force varying according to the position of the piston (16). The shutter (21) has a plate (28) cooperating with a seat (22) on the intake valve (19) and moveable parallel to the piston (16); and the compression spring (26) acts on the plate (28) to advance both opening and closing of the intake valve (19).

Abstract: A two stage reciprocating piston oil free air compressor having an improved service interval. In a first stage, a first wobble piston is reciprocated in a first cylinder to compress ambient air to an intermediate pressure. In a second stage a second wobble piston is reciprocated in a second cylinder to compress the intermediate pressure air to a desired high pressure. Each wobble piston is provided with a seal which seals to the adjacent cylinder walls as the piston reciprocates and rocks. The stroke of the higher pressure second stage piston is less than the stroke of the lower pressure first stage piston to increase the operating life of the second seal, preferably to substantially the same operating life as the first seal.

Abstract: A sealed submersible electric motor driven centrifugal primary cooling fluid pump is entirely submersible in the electron beam tube cooling system of an X-Ray system incorporates a heat exchanger in the pump, wherein primary cooling fluid (oil or other high dielectric strength fluid) that is pumped in the sealed pump through an annular primary fluid passage therein is cooled by secondary cooling fluid flowing through an annular passage wrapped around the primary fluid annular passage over the length of the primary fluid annular passage, providing a compact unit of pump and heat exchanger.

Abstract: A self-supporting catheter cover for holding and covering the external tubes of an intravenous therapy device. The cover includes first and second panels defining a pocket in communication with an open top edge. Releasable securing means are fixed to the first and second panels proximate the top edge for frictionally engaging and retaining an external tube of the catheter such that the cover is supported by the catheter. As such the cover does not require independent securing devices for attachment to the body of the patient.

Abstract: A microfluidic pumping apparatus and method using the apparatus. The apparatus may include a first pulse jet and working fluid in the pulse jet such that the first pulse jet, in response to activation by a set of electrical pulses, moves corresponding pulses of fluid from a first to an second side of the first pulse jet. A chamber with an opening is in pressure communication and with the first side of the first pulse jet such that activation of the first pulse jet causes a reduced pressure at the opening. The method comprising contacting the opening with a fluid and activating the first pulse jet so as to draw a sample fluid through the opening into the chamber. A second pulse jet, oppositely oriented from the first, may be provided to discharge loaded sample fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus for oxygenating a liquid, including a liquid pump, supply piping having an inlet connected to the pump and an outlet, first and second injectors and a chamber. The first injector has a liquid inlet forming a nozzle, a liquid outlet and an oxygen inlet, the first injector oxygen inlet intermediate the first injector liquid inlet and outlet, the supply piping outlet connected to the first injector liquid inlet. The second injector has a liquid inlet forming a nozzle, a liquid outlet and an oxygen inlet, the second injector oxygen inlet intermediate the second injector liquid inlet and outlet, the first injector liquid outlet in communication with the second injector liquid inlet, whereby liquid flows through the first and second injectors in series, each of the first and second injector oxygen inlets provided with a source of oxygen gas.

Abstract: Methods are provided for introducing a biologically active agent into cells of a subject by injecting the agent with a needle-free injector and applying a pulsed electric field to the region of tissue to cause electrotransport of the agent into cells of the tissue. Preferably the agent is either ionized to some degree or contained in an ionized medium for electrotransport. The needle-free injector can serve as an electrode by which the pulsed electric field is applied to the region of tissue. The active agents delivered into cells by this method include small molecules, polynucleotides, polypeptides, and the like. Polynucleotides introduced into cells using this method can be used to accomplish gene therapy or to modulate expression of an endogenous gene.

Abstract: A plunger is provided for a syringe that includes a pressure relief mechanism that exhausts any fluid trapped in the chamber between sealing flanges carried by the plunger when the plunger is advanced to dispense fluid from the syringe. The contact pressure between the barrel-contacting surface of the rearmost sealing flange nearest the access opening of the syringe barrel is weakened relative to the contact pressure provided by the barrel-contacting surface of the sealing flange that isolates the fluid within the barrel. The contact pressure of the rearmost sealing flange may be lessened by either reducing its radial diameter relative to the radial diameter of the other sealing flange, removing an underlying portion of the plunger, or configuring the rearmost sealing flange as deflectable sealing lip.

Abstract: A moisture control device and method has a heat generating source in electrical devices that is powered to operate independent of the electrical device for reducing, minimizing or preventing condensation, nucleation and degradations on electronic parts and circuit boards of the electrical device. A power supply is connected to the heat generating source and a switch connected to the power supply. The switch may be manually operable or automatic and is used for controlling operation of the heat generating source. A sensor senses on/off status of the electrical device and automatically operates the switch in response to the sensing. Power is supplied to the heat generating source when the electrical device powers down and disconnected when the electrical device powers on.

Abstract: Medical devices, and more particularly, devices, methods and compositions for sealing tissue puncture openings of patients after surgical operations are provided. A puncture wound sealing apparatus includes a positioning device having a depth sensing mechanism capable of providing feedback to an operator for the precise placement of an implant that is preferably resorbable and swellable after implantation. Such an implant provides for efficient sealing of the tissue puncture opening thus avoiding complications after surgical procedures in which blood vessels are punctured.