Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for imaging the vascular structure and vascular blood flow of an organ or tissue and, in particular, relates to a selective wavelength epi-illumination endoscopic imaging apparatus to image vascular tissues and real time capillary blood flow in vivo. The invention also relates to determining the blood oxygen content of the organ or tissue.

Abstract: A reference surface for calibrating cooled infra red detectors includes a plurality of corner cube units which reflect radiation incident directly on them. The surface of each corner cube unit is partially reflective and partially emissive such that, when imaged by a cryogenically cooled detector, the reference surface appears as a black body source at a lower temperature than the actual temperature thereof.

Abstract: An enclosure for concealing the presence of a portable urinal includes a housing having each of a predetermined size and a predetermined shape and having a hollow interior portion for receiving such portable urinal. An aperture is formed in an exterior surface of the housing for accessing the hollow interior portion and a door is hingeably attached to the housing and selectively movable between a first position for covering the aperture and a second position for uncovering the aperture. A drawer is slideably mounted adjacent a base member of the housing for collecting accidental spillage from such portable urinal.

Abstract: A method of improving and/or prolonging sperm viability which comprises contacting spermatozoa with an isolated, cell-free protein fraction of oviductal apical plasma membrane (APM). This finds use in maintenance of sperm viability to increase the success rate of artificial insemination (AI).

Abstract: Described herein is a method and apparatus for calibrating an infrared camera at elevated temperatures using a reference surface. The method comprises selecting a normal well-fill condition for pixels in the camera in accordance with normal operating temperatures and stare time (30, 32, 34), using the normal well-fill condition to calculate a selected stare time/surface temperature combination for which selected non-uniform calibration coefficients are determined (36, 38), adjusting and re-adjusting the stare time/surface temperature to obtain adjusted and re-adjusted non-uniform calibration coefficients respectively (40, 42, 44, 46), and determining final non-uniform calibration coefficients for the camera using the selected, adjusted and re-adjusted non-uniform calibration coefficients (48).

Abstract: A method of improving and/or prolonging sperm viability which comprises contacting spermatozoa with an isolated, cell-free, protein obtainable from a peripheral membrane fraction of oviductal apical plasma membrane (APM), or a fragment or derivative therefrom, the protein having a molecular weight of between approximately 10 kDa and 100 kDa, which finds use in maintenance of sperm viability to increase the success rate of artificial insemination (AI).

Abstract: A method of improving and/or prolonging sperm viability which comprises contacting spermatozoa with an isolated, cell-free protein fraction of oviductal apical plasma membrane (APM). This finds use in maintenance of sperm viability to increase the success rate of artificial insemination (AI).