Abstract: A surgical device includes a member having first and second opposing surfaces. The member includes an intermediate portion in which the first surface has a recessed surface portion. The intermediate portion defines a hole extending from the recessed surface portion to the second surface. End portions extend from the intermediate portion, and each end portion defines a hole extending from the first surface to the second surface. The member has a tapered surface portion on the second surface. The surgical device includes a second member sized to be received within the recessed surface portion. A method includes locating a tissue fixation device at an opening to a bone hole, and increasing the size of the tissue fixation device by placing the tissue fixation device within a larger device.

Abstract: A computer implement method of representing financial market transactions includes the steps of: recording a time an order was created in a course of sales; determining whether the order was for buying or selling of a fungible item; generating a buyer data stream representative of buying transactions according to the buying of such fungible items; generating a seller data stream representative of selling transactions according to the selling of fungible items, and representing the buyer data stream and the seller data stream on a chart, wherein the financial market transactions are simultaneously represented according to a volume of both buyer and seller transactions.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an analyte test strip includes positioning a patterned spacer layer between a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer such that the second insulating is disposed above the first insulating layer and a channel is defined between the first and second insulating layers. Moreover, the channel thus defined has a sample-receiving chamber therein, a first port, and a second port. The method also includes coupling a third insulating layer to the first insulating layer such that the third insulating layer is disposed at least partially below the first insulating layer. In the coupling step, the third insulating layer includes a platform portion that extends beyond the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer and the platform portion has an upper surface.

Abstract: A method for determining (e.g., detecting and/or measuring the concentration of) an analyte in a bodily fluid sample includes obtaining a bodily fluid sample, applying the bodily fluid sample to an analyte test strip, transferring the applied bodily fluid sample to a sample-receiving chamber of the analyte test strip, and determining an analyte in the bodily fluid sample. The analyte test strip employed in the method includes a first port in fluidic communication with the sample-receiving chamber and proximate a platform portion of the analyte test strip. Moreover, the platform portion is configured to receive a first (relatively large) bodily fluid sample of at least 5 micro-liters and transfer at least a portion of the first bodily fluid sample to the sample-receiving chamber via the first port.

Abstract: A method and system for the copper anode refining is provided in which coherent jet technology is employed to heat the molten blister copper and/or melt scrap copper charges using a melting flame, oxidize the sulfur in the molten blister copper, and reduce the oxygen in the molten blister copper using top-blown coherent jet gas streams from one or more multi-functional, coherent jet lance assemblies. The present system and method employs a microprocessor-based controller operatively controlling the flow of an oxygen-containing gas, an inert gas, a reducing agent and a fuel to the coherent jet lance. The disclosed copper anode refining system and method greatly improves copper production while lowering oxidation/reduction cycle times and minimizing NOx emissions.

Abstract: A stream of hot oxygen is formed by providing a duct and a fuel lance movable axially within the duct, flowing gaseous fuel out of the lance into the duct, mixing it in the duct with gaseous oxidant, flowing the mixture out of the duct into an atmosphere which is hot enough that it ignites the mixture without aid of an ignition source other than said atmosphere, and combusting said mixture in a flame that does not extend into said duct; then moving the lance so its fuel outlet approaches the duct exit orifice so that the base of said flame moves inside said duct to the fuel outlet; and then moving the lance to draw the fuel outlet and the flame attached thereto away from the exit orifice into the duct; and increasing the flow rate of gaseous oxidant in said duct, so that combustion of fuel within the duct heats uncombusted oxygen which emerges as a stream of hot oxidant.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming internally shrouded supersonic coherent jets comprising an inert gas, such as pure argon and argon/oxygen mixtures. This method and apparatus can be employed to produce low-carbon steels with a top lance in basic oxygen steelmaking.

Abstract: An analyte test strip for accepting diverse bodily fluid sample volumes includes a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer disposed above the first insulating layer, and a third insulating layer disposed below the first insulating layer. The third insulating layer has a platform portion that extends beyond the first and second insulating layers and an upper surface. The analyte test strip also has a patterned spacer layer positioned between the first and second layers. The patterned spacer layer defines a channel between the first and second insulating layers that has a sample-receiving chamber, a first port proximate the platform portion and a second port at an outer edge of the analyte test strip. Moreover, the first port and the second port are in fluidic communication with the sample-receiving chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming internally shrouded supersonic coherent jets comprising an inert gas, such as pure argon and argon/oxygen mixtures. This method and apparatus can be employed to produce low-carbon steels with a top lance in basic oxygen steelmaking.

Abstract: A stream of hot oxygen is formed by providing a duct and a fuel lance movable axially within the duct, flowing gaseous fuel out of the lance into the duct, mixing it in the duct with gaseous oxidant, flowing the mixture out of the duct into an atmosphere which is hot enough that it ignites the mixture without aid of an ignition source other than said atmosphere, and combusting said mixture in a flame that does not extend into said duct; then moving the lance so its fuel outlet approaches the duct exit orifice so that the base of said flame moves inside said duct to the fuel outlet; and then moving the lance to draw the fuel outlet and the flame attached thereto away from the exit orifice into the duct; and increasing the flow rate of gaseous oxidant in said duct, so that combustion of fuel within the duct heats uncombusted oxygen which emerges as a stream of hot oxidant.

Abstract: A method for determining (e.g., detecting and/or measuring the concentration of) an analyte in a bodily fluid sample includes obtaining a bodily fluid sample, applying the bodily fluid sample to an analyte test strip, transferring the applied bodily fluid sample to a sample-receiving chamber of the analyte test strip, and determining an analyte in the bodily fluid sample. The analyte test strip employed in the method includes a first port in fluidic communication with the sample-receiving chamber and proximate a platform portion of the analyte test strip. Moreover, the platform portion is configured to receive a first (relatively large) bodily fluid sample of at least 5 micro-liters and transfer at least a portion of the first bodily fluid sample to the sample-receiving chamber via the first port.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an analyte test strip includes positioning a patterned spacer layer between a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer such that the second insulating is disposed above the first insulating layer and a channel is defined between the first and second insulating layers. Moreover, the channel thus defined has a sample-receiving chamber therein, a first port, and a second port. The method also includes coupling a third insulating layer to the first insulating layer such that the third insulating layer is disposed at least partially below the first insulating layer. In the coupling step, the third insulating layer includes a platform portion that extends beyond the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer and the platform portion has an upper surface.

Abstract: An analyte test strip for accepting diverse bodily fluid sample volumes includes a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer disposed above the first insulating layer, and a third insulating layer disposed below the first insulating layer. The third insulating layer has a platform portion that extends beyond the first and second insulating layers and an upper surface. The analyte test strip also has a patterned spacer layer positioned between the first and second layers. The patterned spacer layer defines a channel between the first and second insulating layers that has a sample-receiving chamber, a first port proximate the platform portion and a second port at an outer edge of the analyte test strip. Moreover, the first port and the second port are in fluidic communication with the sample-receiving chamber.

Abstract: An air drying system using plural air drying units. The system includes moist air and dry air plenums and a pair of substantially identical air drying canisters. Each unit has a single lower bases and a single, flanged mounting bracket. The moist air plenum is connected to an air inlet in the lower base, and the dry air plenum is connected to a dry air outlet in the lower base.

Abstract: A device and method provides for measuring the electrical properties of electronic signal paths, including wires and wireless channels. The device can be used for detecting open circuits, short circuits, and the lengths of wires. The device can include a sensor configured to measure a bulk electrical inductance of said wire to produce a measurement result and a processor configured to extract a length of the wire from the measurement result of the sensor.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a compact electronic security locker system that includes an array of lockers, each of which is electronic locked and electronically accessed. One aspect of an embodiment of the present invention allows authorized personnel access to the identification of the person storing an article in a particular locker. In another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the storage lockers are arranged in a matrix of rows and columns and are constructed to have a size to accommodate items having a size of common cell phones.

Abstract: A method of injecting oxygen into a melt located within a metallurgical furnace having a heated furnace atmosphere in which oxygen and fuel is injected into 1 or more nozzles having passageways of converging-diverging configuration under choked flow conditions to produce supersonic jet or jets discharged from the passageways. Fuel is injected into internal circumferential locations of the passageways so as to impart a structure to the jets being discharged that have an outer circumferential region containing a mixture of fuel and oxygen and a central region containing essentially oxygen. Such a structured jet upon discharge interacts with the furnace atmosphere to create an outer shear-mixing zone in which the outer circumferential layer mixes with the heated furnace atmosphere and auto-ignites to produce a flame envelope surrounding a supersonic jet of oxygen. The jet of oxygen and flame envelope can be directed against a melt contained within the metallurgical furnace for injection of oxygen into the melt.

Abstract: A method for refining copper wherein a stream of oxygen containing gas is provided from a lance into the headspace of a refining vessel for passage to the molten copper bath within the refining vessel, and a flame envelope is provided around and along the oxygen containing gas stream for a portion of its length, wherein the flame envelope simultaneously serves to keep accretions from forming on the lance face and serves to maintain the oxygen-containing gas stream coherent.