Abstract: A rapid exchange balloon catheter includes a short rapid exchange portion which reduces friction between the guidewire and the catheter. The catheter shaft includes one or more sections of hypotubing and overjacketing of diminishing distal flexibility by, e.g., forming cuts in the hypotubing and/or varying the jacketing material and/or thickness. A polymer jacket overlies the hypotubing, and an inner sleeve is provided adjacent to the proximal guidewire port to further strengthen the catheter shaft.

Abstract: A rapid exchange balloon catheter has a short rapid exchange length for faster catheter exchanges the balloon catheter includes a balloon structure having a balloon leg connected to a catheter shaft. Marker bands may be provided in the balloon leg for facilitating measurement of a dimension of physiological features. A stiffening wire extending longitudinally at least partially into the balloon leg may be provided to supplement and control the flexibility characteristics of the balloon leg.

Abstract: A method and system for simulating, modeling and scheduling equipment preparation procedures in the biopharmaceutical production process is described herein. The use of process vessels in batch process manufacturing is optimized through the use of peak load scheduling frames. The system and method includes the steps of identifying soiled process components and their associated equipment preparation procedures. After the soiled process components are identified, a master list of soiled process components and their associated equipment preparation procedures is generated. After the soiled process components and the equipment preparation procedures are identified, the equipment preparation procedures are scheduled out based on preparation equipment protocols to generate a equipment preparation load summary table. Next, the size and capacity of the preparation equipment is determined based on the information in the load summary table.

Abstract: An advanceable, non-removable guide wire balloon catheter delivery system for a stent includes a balloon dilation catheter comprising a balloon defined by at least parts of an inner tubular element and an outer tubular element, a guidewire disposed in and having a limited range of longitudinal movement relative to the inner tubular element, and an expandable stent mounted on the balloon. A method of implanting a stent in a patient is also disclosed.

Abstract: A endovascular graft having sensing devices attached thereto to facilitate measurement of pertinent parameters within the vasculature into which the graft is implanted. Power sources and transmitters may be attached to the graft to facilitate transmission of measurements to a receiving device outside the patient's body. The sensing devices, may be electrically passive or integrated devices with measurement and transmission capability. The sensing devices may be attached to specific locations on the graft material or attached to the lumen, thereby providing pertinent parameters from critical points inside the vasculature, or may be dispersed over the surface of the graft material or within the lumen to provide a profile of pertinent parameters. The sensing devices may be attached to the graft material with one suture using a running stitch to minimize graft bulk and may be coated with a material to inhibit or control tissue growth.

Abstract: A system and method for the simulation and modeling of biopharmaceutical batch process manufacturing facilities using process time lines is described herein. The system employs an eleven-field delimited string code which specifies the unit identifier code and the iteration value for each of the ten levels of nested scheduling cycles of the biopharmaceutical drug production process being modeled. The method includes generating a process time line using operational parameters, a block flow diagram, and a set of scheduling cycles for each of a sequence of unit operations. The process time line is used as a tool for batch processing and facility design.

Abstract: A conveying assembly for fruit handling, comprising a carriage (20) adapted to be attached to a conveying chain arranged to displace the carriage in a conveying direction, a cup (30) adapted to support a single piece of fruit, the cup being secured to the carriage via a parallelogram linkage (41, 42, 22, 35) extending transversely to the conveying direction, the cup being pivotally secured to the linkage to be moveable from a conveying position to a discharge position, the linkage having release means (60) to cause the cup to pivot relative to the linkage transversely of the conveying direction to the discharge position to effect discharge of the fruit, the linkage allowing the cup to be vertically displaceable to effect weighting of the fruit.

Abstract: Whey protein materials such as whey from cheese making processes, whey protein concentrates, and whey protein isolates, are deflavored by adjusting the pH of an aqueous composition of such whey protein materials to about 8.0 to about 12 using membrane electrodialysis to solubilize the whey proteins and to release the flavoring compounds and thereafter passing the pH-adjusted composition to an ultrafiltration membrane having a molecular weight cutoff up to about 50,000 Daltons under conditions at which the flavoring compounds pass through the membrane, leaving the retained whey protein material with improved flavor. the membrane, leaving the retained whey protein material with improved flavor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for reducing electrostatic deposition of charged particles on wetted surfaces that are exposed, periodically or substantially continuously to high velocity fluid flow within a coolant flow path in a nuclear reactor. The method includes depositing a first or base dielectric layer and a second or outer dielectric layer on a conductive surface that forms a portion of a high velocity flow path. The first dielectric layer material is selected to provide improved adhesion and insulation to the conductive surface and the second dielectric layer material is selected to provide suitable adhesion to the first dielectric layer and improved corrosion and/or mechanical resistance in the anticipated operating environment.

Abstract: Soluble ?2?-1 subtype polypeptides. Methods for cloning, expression and purification of freely soluble ?2?-1 subtype polypeptides.

Abstract: A method for the screening of ligands which bind to soluble ?2?-1 subtype polypeptides.

Abstract: A personal computer (2) is responsive to the presence of an authorised user to transmit release signals from a CPU 22 to a CPU 28 to cause the CPU 28 to effect the release of a locking mechanism (34) controlling access to drawers of a desk or filing cabinet for example. In the absence of periodic refresher signals from the PC 2, the CPU 28 causes the locking mechanism to lock the drawers to prevent unauthorized access. The transmitted signals from the PC 2 may also be used to prevent or allow use of electrical or electronic apparatuses and/or to control environmental conditions appropriate to the presence or absence of users.

Abstract: A ceramic arctube preferably for a high pressure discharge lamp. The ceramic arctube can have an anti-reflection interference coating on the outside or inside surface of the bulb section of the arctube. The outside and/or inside surface of the outer wall of the bulb section of the arctube can be substantially spherical to increase efficiency. The wall thickness of the outer wall of the bulb section can be shaped to lens rays from the arc toward a preselected region of a reflector optically coupled to the arctube to increase efficiency.

Abstract: Apparatus for an interactive video system comprising a transmissive projection screen (8) from which an image projected on to the rear surface is visible from the front side but not visible from the rear side, a projector (20) to project display images on to the rear surface of the screen (8); and a video camera (22) positioned to video a user (2) in front of the screen (8). The user (2) effects a writing action on the screen (8) using a dry pen (24) comprising infrared LEDs (64) which operate when the dry pen (24) is pressed against the screen (8). These emissions are detected and position decoded, and a corresponding image projected on the screen (8) so it appears as direct writing to the user (2). The videoed image of the user and the input written data may be combined and transmitted during a videoconference to corresponding apparatus used by a further user (4) who thereby sees interaction between the first user (2) and the written data.

Abstract: A system and method for the simulation and modeling of biopharmaceutical batch process manufacturing facilities using process time lines is described herein. The system employs an eleven-field delimited string code which specifies the unit identifier code and the iteration value for each of the ten levels of nested scheduling cycles of the biopharmaceutical drug production process being modeled. The method includes generating a process time line using operational parameters, a block flow diagram, and a set of scheduling cycles for each of a sequence of unit operations. The process time line is used as a tool for batch processing and facility design.

Abstract: A endovascular graft having sensing devices attached thereto to facilitate measurement of pertinent parameters within the vasculature into which the graft is implanted. Power sources and transmitters may be attached to the graft to facilitate transmission of measurements to a receiving device outside the patient's body. The sensing devices, may be electrically passive or integrated devices with measurement and transmission capability. The sensing devices may be attached to specific locations on the graft material or attached to the lumen, thereby providing pertinent parameters from critical points inside the vasculature, or may be dispersed over the surface of the graft material or within the lumen to provide a profile of pertinent parameters. The sensing devices may be attached to the graft material with one or two sutures using a running stitch to minimize graft bulk and may be coated with a material to inhibit or control tissue growth.

Abstract: A system of binding organizational intelligence to a server machine EO whereby it is no longer distributed throughout both the client(s) and the server(s) but managed exclusively within the RDBMS. An RDBMS portal software tool possessing analytical and data manipulative functionalities, but by design no organizational intelligence, is installed and configured at an end user computer. A data table and stored procedure are created in the RDBMS. The table serves registry and coordination functions, while the stored procedure functions as a menu procedure. The tool is the common interface for all stored procedures and for the user. The user passes instructions to the tool, and the tool passes instructions to the RDBMS to execute stored procedures. The tool receives back from the RDBMS the data sets which results from their execution and provides them to the user. The user may manipulate the data and perform analyses using the tool.

Abstract: Soy derived materials such as soy milk, soy flour, soy concentrates, and soy protein isolates, are deflavored by adjusting the pH of an aqueous composition of such soy derived materials using membrane electrodialysis to a pH of about 9 to about 12 to solubilize the soy proteins and to release the flavoring compounds and thereafter passing the pH-adjusted composition to an ultrafiltration membrane having a molecular weight cutoff up to about 50,000 Daltons under conditions at which the flavoring compounds pass through the membrane, leaving the retained soy material with improved flavor.

Abstract: A door closer power adjusting device for use with a door closer having a spindle driven by a compressed spring with a movable plate for adjusting an amount of compression of said spring, or with an adjusting screw for adjusting an amount of compression of said spring, between a first high level of compression and a second low level of compression. A powered unit is provided for moving the plate in a first direction to achieve the second low level of compression and in a second direction to achieve the first high level of compression. A user engageable switch is used to activate the powered unit in the first direction and a first switch is arranged to be engaged upon the spring being compressed to the second low level of compression to deactivate the powered unit. A timing circuit is used to activate the powered unit in a second direction after the passage of a predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for in-situ milling includes a support and a pair of spaced apart rails attached to the support. The support and rails are mounted between a pair of opposed mill housing wear plate surfaces. A milling assembly is reversibly mounted on the rails in either of a first orientation and a second orientation. In the first orientation, the milling assembly mills one of the wear plate surfaces. The milling assembly is reverse mounted on the rails to the second orientation for milling the other of the wear plate surfaces. This permits the support and the rails to remain in one position between the wear plate surfaces requiring only the milling assembly to be moved to accomplish milling of each of the wear plate surfaces.