Abstract: An apparatus for determining a force Ftip applied to a tip of an electrical impedance spectroscopy probe includes a load cell, accelerometer, and a processing means. The probe tip has a substantially planar distal end for contacting human or animal tissue. The load cell measures the force Floadcell applied axially along a longitudinal axis when the probe tip is in contact with human or animal tissue. The accelerometer measures a gravity vector Aaxial. The apparatus includes a means for compensating for the mass of the probe tip using the measured force and the gravity vector to produce a calibrated measurement force F applied to the probe tip.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a force Ftip applied to a tip of an electrical impedance spectroscopy probe includes a load cell, accelerometer, and a processing means. The probe tip has a substantially planar distal end for contacting human or animal tissue. The load cell measures the force Floadcell applied axially along a longitudinal axis when the probe tip is in contact with human or animal tissue. The accelerometer measures a gravity vector Aaxial. The apparatus includes a means for compensating for the mass of the probe tip using the measured force and the gravity vector to produce a calibrated measurement force F applied to the probe tip.

Abstract: A system for providing information for diagnosing preterm birth risk includes: two or more transmit electrodes, contacting cervical tissues, for applying a plurality of first signals at different frequencies to the cervical tissues, two or more detect electrodes, contacting the cervical tissues, for detecting a plurality of second signals generated in response to the first signals, the second signals corresponding to the first signals, and a source configured to generate a plurality of signals. The system obtains a plurality of impedances of the cervical tissues based on the first and the second signals and applies data quality requirements for diagnosing the preterm birth risk. The data quality requirements include checking at least one of signal generation, signal reception, impedance calculation, quality of the first signals, quality of the second signals, and the impedances.

Abstract: An apparatus capable of determining the force applied to the tip of an electrical impedance spectroscopy probe comprises: ?an elongate probe comprising a probe tip attached to a handle, the probe tip having a substantially planar distal end for contacting human or animal tissue; ?a load cell located in said handle and capable of measuring a force Floadcell applied axially along a longitudinal axis when said probe tip is in contact with said human or animal tissue; ?an accelerometer located in the handle for measuring a gravity vector Aaxial; ?processing means for compensating for the mass of the probe tip using said measured force and gravity vector to produce a calibrated measurement of force F applied to said probe tip.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-part disinfectant composition, wherein the parts thereof are solid and are packaged separately prior to use, and wherein the separately-packaged parts, when combined in the presence of water or an aqueous solution, react to form chlorine dioxide.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for applying short pulsed waveforms, on the order of 1 &mgr;s pulses at a frequency of about 5 kHz, to a discharge lamp, such as a low-pressure mercury/argon lamp, in order to shift the ratio of the intensities of two of the mercury lines, in particular the 254 nm and 365 nm lines, of which for a sinusoidal excitation signal the 254 nm line is predominant, towards the higher wavelength. This greatly increases the efficiency of a lamp using phosphors excited by these UV emissions, because of the reduced Stokes shift.

Abstract: A gas absorption system is disclosed. The system comprises a vertical housing having a plurality of superposed absorption stages, each stage comprising a ball bed, a plurality of venturi tubes located below the ball bed through which gas is circulated upwardly from stage to stage, a piping system for circulating an absorption liquid at each stage, the level of the absorption liquid in each stage being maintained by overflow from stage to stage, a nozzle connected to the piping system and centered over each venturi tube pointing upwardly into the ball bed for spraying absorption liquid into the ball bed to react the gas circulated through each stage with the absorption liquid, and a cap for capping each venturi tube to prevent the absorption liquid from dripping from stage to stage through the venturi tubes. Each cap includes gas openings allowing gas to flow upwardly from stage to stage to be reacted with the absorption liquid in the ball bed of each stage.