Abstract: A neonatal enteral feeding system for delivering neonate fluid is disclosed. The system includes a cooling unit for cooling the breast milk before, during and after a feeding cycle to mitigate unwanted bacterial growth and reduction of fat content in the breast milk. The system also includes a warming unit for heating the cold breast milk to a temperature above room temperature (preferably, standard body temperature) so that the neonate can focus his or her energy on healing, growth and digestion instead of heat generation. Additionally, the system has a peristaltic pump which draws the breast milk from a bottom side of the container and the container is vented so as to be capable of delivering all of the breast milk in the container to the neonate.

Abstract: A heating system for heating neonate nutritional liquid, including a heater and a control module. The heater includes a heating portion having serpentine shaped grooves for receiving a tube. The tube may be a serpentine feeding tube module, having a serpentine tube portion, or a serpentine feeding tube cassette, having a serpentine tube portion covered by a rigidly attached polymeric sheet. The serpentine feeding tube cassette may include a thermocouple to measure the temperature of the warmed nutritional liquid as it exits the cassette.

Abstract: A multi-purpose syringe that may be used both for gravity feeding and syringe pump assisted feeding of a neonate is disclosed. The multi-purpose syringe includes a cap and a plunger. The cap and plunger may be selectively engaged to the barrel depending on whether the neonate is fed by gravity or syringe pump. The cap seals the top of the barrel but allows gas to pass between the inside of the barrel and the environment and traps liquid within the barrel. To this end, the cap has an aperture covered by a hydrophobic member.

Abstract: A multi-purpose syringe that may be used both for gravity feeding and syringe pump assisted feeding of a neonate is disclosed. The multi-purpose syringe includes a cap and a plunger. The cap and plunger may be selectively engaged to the barrel depending on whether the neonate is fed by gravity or syringe pump. The cap seals the top of the barrel but allows gas to pass between the inside of the barrel and the environment and traps liquid within the barrel. To this end, the cap has an aperture covered by a hydrophobic member.

Abstract: A multi-purpose syringe that may be used both for gravity feeding and syringe pump assisted feeding of a neonate is disclosed. The multi-purpose syringe includes a cap and a plunger. The cap and plunger may be selectively engaged to the barrel depending on whether the neonate is fed by gravity or syringe pump. The cap seals the top of the barrel but allows gas to pass between the inside of the barrel and the environment and traps liquid within the barrel. To this end, the cap has an aperture covered by a hydrophobic member.

Abstract: A neonatal enteral feeding system for delivering neonate fluid is disclosed. The system includes a cooling unit for cooling the breast milk before, during and after a feeding cycle to mitigate unwanted bacterial growth and reduction of fat content in the breast milk. The system also includes a warming unit for heating the cold breast milk to a temperature above room temperature (preferably, standard body temperature) so that the neonate can focus his or her energy on healing, growth and digestion instead of heat generation. Additionally, the system has a peristaltic pump which draws the breast milk from a bottom side of the container and the container is vented so as to be capable of delivering all of the breast milk in the container to the neonate.

Abstract: A heating system for heating neonate nutritional liquid, including a heater and a control module. The heater includes a heating portion having serpentine shaped grooves for receiving a tube. The tube may be a serpentine feeding tube module, having a serpentine tube portion, or a serpentine feeding tube cassette, having a serpentine tube portion covered by a rigidly attached polymeric sheet. The serpentine feeding tube cassette may include a thermocouple to measure the temperature of the warmed nutritional liquid as it exits the cassette.

Abstract: A heating system for warming nutritional liquid fed to a neonate or preterm infant may comprise a control module and a heater. The heating system is portable so that the heating system is not connected to a syringe pump or other device used to feed the neonate. The heater of the heating system is mounted to the tube that is used to feed the neonate. The heater is positioned along the tube in close proximity to the neonate so that a temperature drop of the nutritional liquid after the nutritional liquid exits the heater and reaches the neonate is negligible. The heater raises the temperature of the nutritional liquid to a target desired temperature (e.g., body temperature of the mother and neonate or to a temperature above the temperature of the mother and neonate) so that the neonate may consume warm nutritional fluid. Once the nutritional liquid reaches the neonate, the nutritional liquid is at about the body temperature of the mother or neonate or at least above room temperature.

Abstract: A multi-purpose syringe that may be used both for gravity feeding and syringe pump assisted feeding of a neonate is disclosed. The multi-purpose syringe includes a cap and a plunger. The cap and plunger may be selectively engaged to the barrel depending on whether the neonate is fed by gravity or syringe pump. The cap seals the top of the barrel but allows gas to pass between the inside of the barrel and the environment and traps liquid within the barrel. To this end, the cap has an aperture covered by a hydrophobic member.

Abstract: A safety needle device is provided for protecting a user against needle-stick injuries. This needle device includes a needle housing having a distal housing opening. A needle is disposed within the needle housing and has a distal needle portion which extends away therefrom through the distal housing opening. An elongate sheath assembly surrounds the needle within the needle housing. A biasing member is engaged to the sheath assembly and is configured to apply a force thereupon towards the distal housing opening. The biasing member defines a centerline which is parallel to the needle's distal needle portion. An indexer is engaged to the biasing member and is operative to increase or decrease a spring force of the biasing member by rotating the indexer. A trigger member is engaged to the biasing member for retaining the sheath assembly within the needle housing against the force urging the sheath assembly towards the distal housing opening.

Abstract: A safety needle device for protecting a user against a needle-stick injury. This needle device includes a needle housing having a distal housing opening. A needle is disposed within the needle housing and has a distal needle portion which extends away therefrom through the distal housing opening. An elongate sheath assembly surrounds the needle within the needle housing. A trigger member retains the sheath assembly within the needle housing against a force urging the sheath assembly towards the distal housing opening. The trigger member is sized and configured to release the sheath assembly from retention to allow the sheath assembly to transition towards and out of the distal housing opening via the force. This causes the sheath assembly to enclose the distal needle portion and protect the user against the needle stick injury.

Abstract: A safety needle device for protecting a user against inadvertent needle-stick injury. This needle device includes a needle housing having a distal housing opening. An arcuate groove extends within the needle housing terminating adjacent the distal housing opening. A needle is disposed within the arcuate groove having a distal needle portion extending away from the needle housing through the distal housing opening. An elongate sheath assembly surrounds the needle within the groove. A biasing member is disposed within the needle housing and is configured to move the sheath assembly throughout the length of the arcuate groove and through the distal housing opening. The sheath assembly then completely enclose the distal needle portion.

Abstract: A reflective surface marker comprising a pair of generally parallel lower legs, each leg having a first end; a pair of generally parallel upper legs, each leg having a first end; a flexible hinge resiliently connecting the first end of said lower leg to the first end of said upper leg; a reflective material connecting said upper legs; and a bladder for resiliently supporting the reflective material.

Abstract: A safety needle device for protecting a user against needle-stick injuries. This needle device includes a needle housing having a distal housing opening. A needle is disposed within the needle housing and has a distal needle portion which extends away therefrom through the distal housing opening. An elongate sheath assembly surrounds the needle within the needle housing. A biasing member is engaged to the sheath assembly and is configured to apply a force thereupon towards the distal housing opening. A trigger member is engaged to the biasing member for retaining the sheath assembly within the needle housing against the force urging the sheath assembly towards the distal housing opening. The trigger member is sized and configured to release the biasing member. This allows the sheath assembly to transition towards and out of the distal housing opening via the force to thereby enclose the distal needle portion therewith.

Abstract: A safety needle device for protecting a user against a needle-stick injury. This needle device includes a needle housing having a distal housing opening. A needle is disposed within the needle housing and has a distal needle portion which extends away therefrom through the distal housing opening. An elongate sheath assembly surrounds the needle within the needle housing. A trigger member retains the sheath assembly within the needle housing against a force urging the sheath assembly towards the distal housing opening. The trigger member is sized and configured to release the sheath assembly from retention to allow the sheath assembly to transition towards and out of the distal housing opening via the force. This causes the sheath assembly to enclose the distal needle portion and protect the user against the needle stick injury.

Abstract: A safety needle device for protecting a user against inadvertent needle-stick injury. This needle device includes a needle housing having a distal housing opening. An arcuate groove extends within the needle housing terminating adjacent the distal housing opening. A needle is disposed within the arcuate groove having a distal needle portion extending away from the needle housing through the distal housing opening. An elongate sheath assembly surrounds the needle within the groove. A biasing member is disposed within the needle housing and is configured to move the sheath assembly throughout the length of the arcuate groove and through the distal housing opening. The sheath assembly then completely enclose the distal needle portion.

Abstract: A raised pavement marker includes a reflector assembly that is resiliently supported by a membrane, that in turn is supported by a frame. The reflector assembly includes a skirt that overlaps the membrane, thereby allowing large-area reflectors and low-angle ramp surfaces. A vent is formed between the skirt and the membrane, and this vent is resistant to clogging. Locating elements are placed on the frame of the pavement marker to assist in proper installation of the marker in a recess of a roadway, such that all portions of the frame are positioned below the surface of the roadway. Indentations allow the installer to gauge the level of adhesive in the recess.

Abstract: A surgical tool, such as grasping forceps, biopsy forceps, or a retaining basket, is operated by a control wire that extends through a sheath. A handle assembly has a luer at one end through which the control wire passes before attaching to a slider that is movably located within an elongated opening in the handle. The slider has a collet mechanism that grips the wire and the luer is rotated to tighten and loosen the collet mechanism. A brake selectively applies a force between the handle and the slider to restrict movement of the slider within the elongated opening of the handle. In different embodiments, the brake is attached to either the handle or the slider and exerts frictional force on the other components. The handle assembly is designed to enable single handed operation of the surgical tool by a user.