Abstract: This invention is an improved method and device for treating varicose veins 200 or the greater saphenous vein 202. The method comprises the use of infrared laser radiation in the region of 1.2 to 2.2 um in a manner from inside the vessel 200 or 202 such that the endothelial cells of the vessel wall 704 are damaged and collagen fibers in the vessel wall 704 are heated to the point where they permanently contract, the vessel 200 or 202 is occluded and ultimately resorbed. The device includes a laser 102 delivered via a fiber optic catheter 300 that may have frosted or diffusing fiber tips 308, or that may be provided with a protective spacer. A motorized pull back device 104 may be used, and a thermal sensor 600 may be used to help control the power required to maintain the proper treatment temperature.

Abstract: Provided is a dynamic resolution method of enriching a desired isomer of an alpha-substituted carboxylic acid relative to an undesired isomer, the method comprising: (a) in a solvent, contacting the alpha-substituted carboxylic acid, wherein the alpha substitution is with a leaving group and wherein the alpha carbon is chiral, with a homochiral amine to form a salt that is partially insoluble under selected reaction conditions, wherein the homochiral amine is selected so that the solubility of the amine salt of the undesired alpha-substituted carboxylic acid is greater than that of the amine salt of the desired alpha-substituted carboxylic acid under the selected reaction conditions; (b) reacting under the selected reaction conditions the salt with a nucleophile, wherein the reacting is effective in producing a net increase in the less soluble amine salt of the alpha-substituted carboxylic acid, and wherein the selected conditions are selected to (i) promote nucleophilic substitution of the nucleophile and th

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for attenuating the beam of a laser. The apparatus is particularly suited for situations where a low powered aiming beam is necessary to be coaxially aligned with a full power working beam. The apparatus includes a refractive element having a pair of spaced-apart, parallel faces. A mounting arrangement is provided for selectively moving the refractive element into and out of the path of the full power laser beam. The refractive element is mounted such that when it is moved into the path of the laser beam, the beam will be split into primary and secondary beams. The primary beam will exit the refractive element along a path displaced from the incoming beam. The power of this exiting primary beam can be captured through a beam dump. The secondary beam is a product of at least two internal reflections within the refractive element. The secondary beam is highly attenuated and travels along the same path as the incoming beam.