Abstract: A hand grip adapter for a syringe formed from a body having a first end wall and a second end wall with a support base therebetween. The support base includes a centrally disposed receptacle for receipt of a syringe flange. The first end wall formed perpendicular to the support base having a curvature outer surface to conform to the palm of an individual's hand. The second end wall is formed parallel to the first end wall and includes four finger depressions wherein an individual can place their index, middle, ring, and little finger. At least one of the depressions includes a rim forming a circular opening for ease of grasping. The first side wall is configured to rest in the palm of an individual's hand and said second end wall is configured to receive the finger tips from the individual's hand with a syringe secured in the support base.

Abstract: A bite block to assist with upper Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy procedures. A main body of the bite block employs a rectangular shaped lumen to provide a large access port for insertion of variety of endoscopes and endoscopy equipment, individually or multiple instruments at the same time, and to guide them more precisely into the esophagus. The main body having a lumen shaped with respect to the anatomy of the oral cavity, where a curvature of the body is designed to act as a tongue depressor preventing airway blockage due to tongue collapse. Assigned channels run along the entire length of the device and are used to secure tubing in place for oxygen and monitor maximal concentration of carbon dioxide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means of greatly reducing interferences from mercury vapor, UV-absorbing compounds and water vapor in the measurement of ozone by UV absorbance. A heated graphite scrubber destroys greater than 99% of ozone passing through it while reducing biases from typical atmospheric UV-absorbing interferents by large factors compared to conventional ozone scrubbers. Substitution of a heated graphite scrubber in place of traditional ozone scrubbers such as hopcalite, metal oxides and heated silver scrubbers, results in a more accurate measurement of ozone by reducing the responses to UV-absorbing interferences and water vapor. The heated graphite scrubber also may be used in combination with other ozone sensors, such as electrochemical and HMOS sensors, to provide a reference measurement with ozone selectively removed and thus greatly reduce contributions from interfering species in those measurement devices as well.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means of producing nitric oxide (NO) by photolysis of nitrous oxide (N2O) at ultraviolet wavelengths. One application is the production of a known concentration of NO in a diluent gas for calibration of analytical instruments that measure nitric oxide in gases such as exhaled breath, ambient air and automobile exhaust. A potentially important medical application is the production of NO for inhalation therapy, an advantage being that very little toxic NO2 gas is produced. The method is useful for producing NO for industrial applications as well. Advantages of this method of NO production include the use of a single, inexpensive, readily available reagent gas of very low toxicity. Furthermore, the concentration of NO produced can be easily controlled by varying the ultraviolet (UV) lamp intensity and relative gas flow rates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means of measuring the concentration of ozone dissolved in water or another solvent. Small, discrete samples are sparged with air or another unreactive gas for a short period of time to measure a profile of ozone vs time in the sparge gas. The total amount of ozone in the original sample is obtained by integrating under the ozone vs time profile. A correction may be made for ozone remaining in the sample after a finite sparge time by integrating under the profile tail using a decay constant obtained from the measured ozone vs time profile. The method differs from previous methods based on sparging of the sample in that a Henry's Law equilibrium or constant ratio of ozone present in the gas and liquid phases is not assumed and the flow rates of sample and sparge gas are not continuous.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means of greatly reducing interferences from mercury vapor, UV-absorbing compounds and water vapor in the measurement of ozone by UV absorbance. A heated graphite scrubber destroys greater than 99% of ozone passing through it while reducing biases from typical atmospheric UV-absorbing interferents by large factors compared to conventional ozone scrubbers. Substitution of a heated graphite scrubber in place of traditional ozone scrubbers such as hopcalite, metal oxides and heated silver scrubbers, results in a more accurate measurement of ozone by reducing the responses to UV-absorbing interferences and water vapor. The heated graphite scrubber also may be used in combination with other ozone sensors, such as electrochemical and HMOS sensors, to provide a reference measurement with ozone selectively removed and thus greatly reduce contributions from interfering species in those measurement devices as well.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means of measuring the concentration of ozone dissolved in water or another solvent. Small, discrete samples are sparged with air or another unreactive gas for a short period of time to measure a profile of ozone vs time in the sparge gas. The total amount of ozone in the original sample is obtained by integrating under the ozone vs time profile. A correction may be made for ozone remaining in the sample after a finite sparge time by integrating under the profile tail using a decay constant obtained from the measured ozone vs time profile. The method differs from previous methods based on sparging of the sample in that a Henry's Law equilibrium or constant ratio of ozone present in the gas and liquid phases is not assumed and the flow rates of sample and sparge gas are not continuous. Instead, discrete samples are analyzed by nearly complete sparging.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means of greatly reducing or eliminating the interferences of UV-absorbing compounds, mercury, water vapor and particulates in the UV absorbance measurement of ozone by replacing the internal solid-phase ozone scrubber with a gas-phase scrubber. Reagent gases well suited as a gas-phase scrubber of ozone include nitric oxide and bromine atoms. Nitric oxide may be supplied by a gas cylinder or by photolysis of either N2O or NO2, both in the absence of oxygen. Bromine atoms are conveniently generated by photolysis of Br2 supplied by a permeation tube. Bromine atoms have the advantage of having a faster reaction with ozone than NO and of being catalytic in their reaction. Nitric oxide has the advantage of being generally less reactive with other components of air.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means of producing nitric oxide (NO) by photolysis of nitrous oxide (N2O) at ultraviolet wavelengths. One application is the production of a known concentration of NO in a diluent gas for calibration of analytical instruments that measure nitric oxide in gases such as exhaled breath, ambient air and automobile exhaust. A potentially important medical application is the production of NO for inhalation therapy, an advantage being that very little toxic NO2 gas is produced. The method is useful for producing NO for industrial applications as well. Advantages of this method of NO production include the use of a single, inexpensive, readily available reagent gas of very low toxicity. Furthermore, the concentration of NO produced can be easily controlled by varying the ultraviolet (UV) lamp intensity and relative gas flow rates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means of greatly reducing or eliminating the interferences of UV-absorbing compounds, mercury, water vapor and particulates in the UV absorbance measurement of ozone by replacing the internal solid-phase ozone scrubber with a gas-phase scrubber. Reagent gases well suited as a gas-phase scrubber of ozone include nitric oxide and bromine atoms. Nitric oxide may be supplied by a gas cylinder or by photolysis of either N2O or NO2, both in the absence of oxygen. Bromine atoms are conveniently generated by photolysis of Br2 supplied by a permeation tube. Bromine atoms have the advantage of having a faster reaction with ozone than NO and of being catalytic in their reaction. Nitric oxide has the advantage of being generally less reactive with other components of air.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a means of greatly reducing the interference of mercury vapor in the UV absorbance measurement of ozone. Currently, commercial ozone monitors make use of a low pressure Hg lamp as the radiation source. Because the lamp spectral lines are extremely narrow and resonant with the Hg vapor absorption spectrum, ozone monitors typically detect Hg with approximately three orders of magnitude greater sensitivity than ozone itself. The replacement of the low pressure mercury lamp with a broad band UV source centered near 254 nm greatly reduces the Hg interference. The optimal band width (FWHM) for the radiation source is approximately 1-10 nm. For band widths in this range, the Hg interference is reduced by a factor of 140 (for 1 nm) to 1,400 (for 10 nm) with minimal effect on the sensitivity toward ozone and linear dynamic range.

Abstract: The invention provides methods to detect molecular recognition events. The invention also provides methods to detect the presence of or identify a target species based on its interaction with one or more probe species. The methods of the invention are based on amplification of the signal due to each molecular recognition event. The amplification is achieved through photopolymerization, with the polymer formed being associated with the molecular recognition event. In an embodiment, a fluorescent polymer, a magnetic polymer, a radioactive polymer or an electrically conducting polymer can form the basis of detection and amplification. In another embodiment, a polymer gel swollen with a fluorescent solution, a magnetic solution, a radioactive solution or an electrically conducting solution can form the basis of detection and amplification. In another embodiment, sufficient polymer forms to be detectable by visual inspection.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for determining the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in a gas mixture such as air. The gas sample containing NO is mixed with a gas containing ozone (O3), and the change in the ozone concentration is measured after a sufficient time is allowed for the reaction between NO and O3 to take place and destroy a measurable quantity of O3. In the disclosed embodiment, the concentration of ozone is measured using the technique of UV absorption. In this case, the invention has the advantage over other instruments for measuring NO of having absolute calibration based on the known extinction coefficient for ozone at ultraviolet wavelengths. The invention discloses both static and dynamic flow systems, and the NO concentration measurements may be made over a wide pressure range.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for determining the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in a gas mixture such as air. The gas sample containing NO is mixed with a gas containing ozone (O3), and the change in the ozone concentration is measured after a sufficient time is allowed for the reaction between NO and O3 to take place and destroy a measurable quantity of O3. In the preferred embodiment, the concentration of ozone is measured using the technique of UV absorption. In this case, the invention has the advantage over other instruments for measuring NO of having absolute calibration based on the known extinction coefficient for ozone at ultraviolet wavelengths. The invention discloses both static and dynamic flow systems, and the NO concentration measurements may be made over a wide pressure range.

Abstract: The concentration of nitric oxide in a gas is determined by oxidizing NO to NO2 and then measuring the concentration of NO2 in the gas, which is proportional to the concentration of NO. Preferably, gaseous NO2 molecules diffuse through a plurality of capillary membrane fibers and undergo a chemiluminescent reaction with a reagent flowing within; the light from the reaction is measured to determine NO2 concentration. In another aspect of a preferred embodiment, gas is passed through a scrubber before the concentration of NO2 is measured, in order to substantially remove carbon dioxide and ambient NO2 from the gas without substantially affecting the concentration of nitric oxide therein.

Abstract: A detector for detecting and measuring nitric oxide. Gas-permeable capillary membrane fibers transport a reagent solution through a plenum containing gases to be measured. Nitric oxide molecules penetrate the walls of the fibers and undergo a chemiluminescent reaction within. The fibers and the plenum are translucent, allowing photons emitted by the chemiluminescent reaction to escape and be detected by a photodetector. The reagent is buffered at an alkaline pH and mixed with the enzyme carbonic anhydrase to minimize the measurement errors caused by the presence of carbon dioxide in the gas to be measured.

Abstract: An organosulfur compound is detected and/or quantified, optionally in admixture with one or more other compounds, by reacting the organosulfur compound with gaseous fluorine at sub-atmospheric pressure and observing the chemiluminescence which develops. Detections at ultra-trace levels are achieved. A special detector cell is provided in which the reaction is performed.

Abstract: A post-column photochemical reaction method to improve the detection limits of compounds which absorb radiation in the range of 240 nm to 800 nm has been developed for high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Specifically, the limit of detection of HPLC has been reduced to a range of from about 0.5 pg to about 10 pg for a large class of organic compounds which promotes the formation of "singlet oxygen". These compounds transfer excitation energy to ground state oxygen, forming the excited singlet species, O.sub.2 (.sup.1 .DELTA.g). Singlet oxygens in turn react with a substituted furan such as 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) or 2,5-diphenylfuran (DPF). UV absorption or fluorescence is used to detect either the loss of the substituted furan or the appearance of the oxidation product of the substituted furan. The reaction is photocatalytic in nature and results in a large chemical amplication of the signal.

Abstract: A process for detecting the presence of trace amounts of non-fluorescent soluble compounds each having at least one labile hydrogen atom in a carrier solution by adding a non-fluorescent quinone which is reducible to a fluorescent hydroquinone, and irradiating the resulting solution in the absence of oxygen with light of sufficient energy to cause the quinone to be reduced to a hydroquinone. The invention further provides a novel photochemical reactor--recording fluorometer combination and carrier liquid--quinone solution for performing the analysis.