Abstract: An animal holder is provided with a specialized coupling that is releasably mountable to a number of different imaging machines such as X-ray, CAT, MRI and PET machines. Composite images created from combining images from such different machines are particularly clear due to the predetermined alignment of the animal holder within the center of the field of view of each machine.

Abstract: A laboratory specimen, such as a mouse or rat, can be accurately and repeatedly imaged in an imaging machine, such as an MRI machine, when securely positioned on a specimen support bed. The support bed includes contours and accessories for centering a specimen on the support bed. One or more bite bars coact with a head clamp to accurately fix a specimen's head in the same position time after time.

Abstract: A laboratory specimen, such as a mouse or rat, can be accurately and repeatedly imaged in an imaging machine, such as an MRI machine, when securely positioned on a specimen support bed. The support bed includes contours and accessories for centering a specimen on the support bed. One or more bite bars coact with a head clamp to accurately fix a specimen's head in the same position time after time.

Abstract: A laboratory specimen sealed within a chamber on an animal holder may be injected or otherwise administered material such as drugs and radioactive imagining materials from the ambient, or outside the chamber, through a sealed catheter assembly. The animal holder can be mounted on imaging machines such as MRI, X-ray, PET, CT and like imaging machines. Biologically contaminated animals are isolated within the chamber from the ambient, yet may be injected from outside the chamber thereby protecting lab technicians from contamination and isolating the animal from additional contamination from an ambient environment, such as an imaging laboratory.

Abstract: A laboratory specimen sealed within a chamber on an animal holder may be injected or otherwise administered material such as drugs and radioactive imagining materials from the ambient, or outside the chamber, through a sealed catheter assembly. The animal holder can be mounted on imaging machines such as MRI, X-ray, PET, CT and like imaging machines. Biologically contaminated animals are isolated within the chamber from the ambient, yet may be injected from outside the chamber thereby protecting lab technicians from contamination and isolating the animal from additional contamination from an ambient environment, such as an imaging laboratory.

Abstract: A laboratory specimen, such as a mouse or rat, can be accurately and repeatedly imaged in an imaging machine, such as an MRI machine, when securely positioned on a specimen support bed. The support bed includes contours and accessories for centering a specimen on the support bed. One or more bite bars coact with a head clamp to accurately fix a specimen's head in the same position time after time.

Abstract: An animal holder is provided with a specialized coupling that is releasably mountable to a number of different imaging machines such as X-ray, CAT, MRI and PET machines. Composite images created from combining images from such different machines are particularly clear due to the predetermined alignment of the animal holder within the center of the field of view of each machine.

Abstract: An animal holder is provided with a specialized coupling that is releasably mountable to a number of different imaging machines such as X-ray, CAT, MRI and PET machines. Composite images created from combining images from such different machines are particularly clear due to the predetermined alignment of the animal holder within the center of the field of view of each machine.

Abstract: A low cost specimen holder for accurately positioning an animal or other specimen in an imaging machine is constructed from two thin sheets of formed plastic. Each sheet can be formed with a half cavity corresponding to the size and shape of a rodent or other laboratory animal or specimen. To minimize diffraction of imaging beams, one of the sheets can be formed to accommodate the entire specimen, and the other sheet can be substantially planar. The two sheets may be snap-fit or press-fit together to closely hold or encapsulate a specimen with the resulting cavity.

Abstract: A laboratory specimen sealed within a chamber on an animal holder may be injected or otherwise administered material such as drugs and radioactive imagining materials from the ambient, or outside the chamber, through a sealed catheter assembly. The animal holder can be mounted on imaging machines such as MRI, X-ray, PET, CT and like imaging machines. Biologically contaminated animals are isolated within the chamber from the ambient, yet may be injected from outside the chamber thereby protecting lab technicians from contamination and isolating the animal from additional contamination from an ambient environment, such as an imaging laboratory.

Abstract: A laboratory specimen, such as a mouse or rat, can be accurately and repeatedly imaged in an imaging machine, such as an MRI machine, when securely positioned on a specimen support bed. The support bed includes contours and accessories for centering a specimen on the support bed. One or more bite bars coact with a head clamp to accurately fix a specimen's head in the same position time after time.

Abstract: A releasable coupling includes a male coupling portion having a frustoconical male plug portion, and a female coupling portion having a frustoconical female socket portion. The male and female coupling portions are locked together and unlocked by a bidirectional rotatable cam ring which drives one or more balls between the male and female coupling portions.

Abstract: A system is provided for facilitating the imaging of a specimen, such as a laboratory rat, within an imaging machine such as an MRI machine. A sliding, self-centering interconnection is provided between a magnetic positioning and spacing assembly and a specimen positioning and retention assembly. Support and abutment surfaces are provided for facilitating the proper mounting locations of a gradient coil and probe coil within the main magnet coil and for optimally locating a specimen with respect to the main magnet coil and with respect to the gradient and probe coils.

Abstract: A low cost specimen holder for accurately positioning an animal or other specimen in an imaging machine is constructed from two thin sheets of formed plastic. Each sheet can be formed with a half cavity corresponding to the size and shape of a rodent or other laboratory animal or specimen. To minimize diffraction of imaging beams, one of the sheets can be formed to accommodate the entire specimen, and the other sheet can be substantially planar. The two sheets may be snap-fit or press-fit together to closely hold or encapsulate a specimen with the resulting cavity.

Abstract: A slide is mounted on a slideway with a pair of tongue and groove interconnections. The slideway has a pair of engagement rails or tongues provided on a pair of cantilevered arms. The rails are spring biased within a pair of grooves formed in the slideway. An adjustment screw drives the arms apart to adjustably spring bias the rails into the grooves.

Abstract: A hollow dissection specimen holder has an internal chamber in open and direct communication with a series of dissection guide slots. The roof of the chamber is located above the floor of the slots to allow a razor to pass completely through the specimen and into the top of the chamber to deposit cut tissue and other debris into the chamber.

Abstract: A carriage adapted for carrying a laboratory instrument such as a pipette, electrode, or syringe is driven by a drive shaft in the form of a lead screw. The lead screw is selectively driven by a high speed drive wheel or by a low speed drive wheel. The drive wheels are coaxially mounted around the drive shaft and concentrically and coaxially arranged with respect to one another. The drive shaft and the two drive wheels all rotate in unison in the same rotary direction.

Abstract: A glass tube is positioned over a heater and stretched until drawn apart into two drawn portions. A controlled pulling force is applied to the tube by a powered driver such as a linear motor. After separation, one of the drawn glass portions is repositioned over the heater and reciprocated in a controlled fashion by the driver to refine the geometry of the fine tip formed on the resulting pipette.