Abstract: A method of operating a microsurgical instrument, such as a vitrectomy probe, is disclosed. The probe includes a port for receiving tissue and an inner cutting member. A flow of tissue is induced into the port with a vacuum source, and the member is actuated in a cyclic manner to open and close the port over a plurality of cut rates. A duty cycle of the member is varied with the cut rate to vary the flow of the tissue into the port. The method yields the ability to adjust flow rate into the probe and aperture of the probe for a given cut rate so as to effectively perform a wide variety of vitreoretinal surgical objectives.

Abstract: A vapor therapy treatment device and method for generating a therapeutic vapor is disclosed. The vapor therapy treatment device includes a cushion having an inner space with water-absorbing material therein. The cushion includes a cover having an outer surface and a vapor permeable pouch associated with or connected to the cushion. The pouch is adapted for receiving, retaining, and subsequently releasing vapor therapy materials or compositions. Upon heating of the water-absorbing material, water vapor is released. Released water vapor may combine with vapor therapy materials and compositions to form a gaseous therapeutic vapor. The heated cushion can be applied to the face and/or nose of a user, facilitating inhalation by a user of therapeutic vapors released from the device.

Abstract: Disclosed are the methods for producing recombinant viruses using in vitro site-specific recombination. In the present invention, linear viral genomic DNAs are digested to two segments, and are subjected to in vitro site-specific recombination with desired genomic materials flanked with site-specific recombinase sites. According to the present invention, since the site-specific recombination mixture can be applied to host cells without further procedures of selecting the recombinant viral genomic DNAs, it is possible to obtain numerous recombinant viruses rapidly at the same time. Thus, the present invention can be used as a high throughput system to generate hundreds or thousands of recombinant viruses.

Abstract: An impact particle collector for separating particulates from a gaseous fluid in which the particulates are entrained. The impact particle collector includes (a) a prime mover having a drive shaft that is drivingly rotated; (b) an impeller that is mechanically coupled to the drive shaft and rotated thereby; and (c) a housing for the impeller, said housing defining a fluid passage for conveying the gaseous fluid in which the particulates are entrained to the impeller, said impeller including vanes that draw the gaseous fluid into the housing so that the particulates entrained in the gaseous fluid impact upon the impeller, being thereby separated from the gaseous fluid when impacted by the vanes of the impeller. In another embodiment, an air sampler that includes a body having an inlet and an outlet; and an impeller coupled to the body, the impeller being driven by a motor and configured to draw gas having target material across the impeller, thereby stripping target material from the gas.

Abstract: A method of operating a microsurgical instrument, such as a vitrectomy probe, is disclosed. The probe includes a port for receiving tissue and an inner cutting member. A flow of tissue is induced into the port with a vacuum source, and the member is actuated in a cyclic manner to open and close the port over a plurality of cut rates. A duty cycle of the member is varied with the cut rate to vary the flow of the tissue into the port. The method yields the ability to adjust flow rate into the probe and aperture of the probe for a given cut rate so as to effectively perform a wide variety of vitreoretinal surgical objectives.

Abstract: A microsurgical system, and a foot controller for the improved operation of a microsurgical system, are disclosed. A surgeon may use the foot controller to simultaneously control multiple surgical parameters based upon movement of a foot pedal of the foot controller in a single plane of motion.

Abstract: An air sampler having a fan; an air inlet tube; a main body having a cyclonic cup, a stripping column and a demister; and fluidic circuitry for inputting fluids to the main body and the air inlet tube, and for outputting fluids from the main body. Air flow through the air sampler may be generated by a fan that is either external or internal with respect to the main body's cyclonic cup. A thin film of stripping liquid and/or a fog of stripping liquid particles in the air inlet tube, the cyclonic cup, the stripping column and/or the demister strip a target material from the air flow through the air sampler. A passive fog generating slot or a passive spiral fog generating nozzle may be placed over the fluid input conduit in the center of the cyclonic cup. The air sampler's main body and/or an air inlet tube may be integrally formed as one part.

Abstract: A method of operating a microsurgical instrument, such as a vitrectomy probe, is disclosed. The probe includes a port for receiving tissue and an inner cutting member. A flow of tissue is induced into the port with a vacuum source, and the member is actuated in a cyclic manner to open and close the port over a plurality of cut rates. A duty cycle of the member is varied with the cut rate to vary the flow of the tissue into the port. The method yields the ability to adjust flow rate into the probe and aperture of the probe for a given cut rate so as to effectively perform a wide variety of vitreoretinal surgical objectives.

Abstract: An air sampler which has an air impeller mounted within a cyclonic cup housing. A thin film of stripping liquid and/or fog of stripping liquid particles within the sampler strip target material from the air flowing through it. The inner surfaces of the sampler may be selected to be hydrophilic, for better flow of the thin film of stripping liquid across them. The stripping target material concentration in it. The sampler may be so small, light and low in energy consumption that it may be battery powered and human-portable; and may be so efficient that it may be used to strip target material that is present in the incoming air in concentrations of only a few parts per trillion, or less.

Abstract: A method of operating a microsurgical instrument, such as a vitrectomy probe, is disclosed. The probe includes a port for receiving tissue and an inner cutting member. A flow of tissue is induced into the port with a vacuum source, and the member is actuated in a cyclic manner to open and close the port over a plurality of cut rates. A duty cycle of the member is varied with the cut rate to vary the flow of the tissue into the port. The method yields the ability to adjust flow rate into the probe and aperture of the probe for a given cut rate so as to effectively perform a wide variety of vitreoretinal surgical objectives.

Abstract: A hand-held, portable apparatus has been disclosed to facilitate the viewing of an object by the human eye. The apparatus provides an electronic camera unit disposed on a holder mechanism and in electrical communication with an image processor module to capture the image of an object and format the image for display on a display device also disposed on the holder mechanism. At least one user-interfaced control mechanism is also disposed on the holder mechanism and in electrical communication with the image processor module for controlling the operations of the module to regulate display of the image by the display device. In this way the viewing of an object by the human eye is facilitated by the use of camera and the image enhancing features of the image processor module.

Abstract: A sharpener assembly for a rotating circular knife blade on a food product slicing machine has an elongate frame mounted at one of its ends for pivotal movement about an axis being substantially in the plane of the knife blade. The elongate frame has mounted for rotation thereon a grinding stone and a deburring stone. The grinding face of the grinding stone is inclined to the knife blade at an angle so as to grind a required angle on the edge of the obverse face of the knife blade. The grinding stone and the deburring stone arc mounted so that in use the obverse and reverse faces of the knife blade are respectively engaged.

Abstract: An optical assay apparatus is described which includes a light source module and an optical sensing element coupled by an interrogation module. The light source module produces light having propagation angles ranging from a lower, non-zero limit. This is accomplished by including an obscuration which blocks low propagation angle light. The sensing element includes a reflector portion and an sensing fiber portion. The reflector portion receives, as incident light, the light produced by the light source module and produces, as reflected light, light having an approximately constant propagation angle, preferably just less than the critical angle of the sensing fiber. The sensing element also includes a lens position which collimates signal recovery light collected by the sensing fiber. The interrogation module includes a window containing a light source optical fiber that transmits light from the light source module to the sensing element.

Abstract: A cassette having, in a first embodiment, a series of break-off, prismatic tabs integrally formed in the cassette that can be optically sensed by the surgical instrument.

Abstract: A cassette having, in a first embodiment, a series of break-off, prismatic tabs integrally formed in the cassette that can be optically sensed by the surgical instrument.

Abstract: This disclosure describes new methods and devices for sensing redox-active analytes in solution. The invention combines a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor and a chemical electrode sensor. A conducting layer which supports SPR is attached to a voltage source. The voltage source is also connected to a reference electrode, which is in the aqueous solution with the SPR sensor. As the voltage is varied, the analytes undergo oxidation and reduction at the surface of the conducting film. The current is measured, just as it would be in a standard chemical electrode, with current peaks appearing at different potentials indicating different ions in the solution. Unlike a standard chemical electrode, the surface of the conducting film is also used to excite a surface plasmon wave (SPW). The SPW provides new information which is not available from any standard chemical electrode, such as the effective index of refraction at the surface of the conducting film as the analytes are being oxidized and/or reduced.

Abstract: An array of four infrared LEDs and an array of four phototransistor receivers with each LED and phototransistor mounted inside a light baffle. The LEDs are positioned in a substantially vertical array just outside one side wall of the cassette. The vertical line on which the LEDs are arranged is substantially parallel to the direction in which the fluid/air interface moves within the cassette. The LEDs are aimed upwardly at an angle of approximately 20.degree. from horizontal. A corresponding substantially vertical array of four phototransistor receivers is mounted outside the cassette opposite the LEDs such that each of the receivers is aimed at its corresponding LED.

Abstract: A process control system according to the present invention uses analog control circuitry in which a differential amplifier stage is incorporated into the feedback path rather that the feedforward path to enable the control of highly non-linear processes that may also exhibit high levels of hysteresis. Such processes often have superior performance characteristics that conventional control circuitry cannot exploit. The present invention additionally incorporates an automatic control circuit which varies the gain of various stages the control circuitry when the output of the process is within a predetermined range. An embodiment of the present invention is used to control a nonlinear proportional valve with severe hysteresis. The valve regulates the pressure within pressure-driven ophthalmic surgical instruments, which must be controlled extremely precisely to enable successful eye surgery.

Abstract: A compressor control circuit adapted to a refrigerator comprises a compressor including a brushless DC motor, a power circuit for separating an AC power source from a DC power source to drive the brushless DC motor, a voltage adjustment switching circuit for selecting the voltage of a power source circuit responsive to the load condition, and a motor control circuit including a two phase control circuit for varying the operation speed of the brushless DC motor in response to the temperature of a freezing chamber, an operation control circuit for enabling the on-off operation of the brushless DC motor to be continued according to the on-off operation of a load sensor in the freezing chamber, and an over-load protecting circuit for stopping the brushless DC motor and cutting off the power source under the overload or binding condition for the compressor.

Abstract: A substantially self-contained system and corresponding method provides practical spot cleaning of soiled garments without requiring the use of chlorinated solvents. A soiled garment may optionally be pretreated with either of a water based or petroleum based nonchlorinated cleaner. Thereafter, a relatively high level of vacuum force is applied to the soiled garment to be cleaned, and comprises the flushing agent for both the soil and the pretreatment cleaner. Drying effects obtained with the vacuum force may be augmented by the addition of compressed air directed onto the garment. A self-contained workstation practicing such methodology may optionally include an electric water boiler for generating steam to be applied as a supplement to vacuum and also include an industrial grade vacuum pick-up with a waste collector for generating the relatively high vacuum force, preferably at least about 80 inches of mercury of static pressure.