Abstract: The present invention discloses a device, system, and method for protecting orthopedic pins used to fixate fractured bones that protrude through a patient's skin, post-operative dressing or cast from multidirectional contact with external objects. One aspect of the device comprises a rigid upper body that is configured and arranged to encompass and protect the orthopedic pins and a conformable lower body, e.g., a plurality of flexible legs, for removably attaching the rigid upper body to a surface surrounding the protruding pins. One aspect of the system comprises the device in combination with an attaching device, which removably attaches the conformable lower body to the surface surrounding the orthopedic pins. One aspect of the method includes the steps of configuring and arranging a rigid upper body to encompass and protect the orthopedic pins and removably attaching the conformable lower body to a surface surrounding the orthopedic pins.

Abstract: A sample injection system for a gas chromatograph or other analysis instrument and a method of sample analysis are described. The injection system comprises a sample chamber, a sample inlet at one end of the sample chamber, a sample outlet at the opposite end of the sample chamber, means for cooling the sample chamber and means for introduction of a carrier gas into the sample chamber. In one embodiment, the injection system further includes a second sample chamber openly connected with the first sample chamber so as to allow the transfer of a solid or liquid sample from the first chamber wherein the sample can be contacted at ambient temperature with a flowing carrier gas, to a preheated second chamber, wherein hydrocarbons are thermally extracted from the sample. The injection system and method are particularly suited for thermal analysis of geological samples to obtain information useful in petroleum exploration.