Abstract: A medical device (103) is supplied (105) with a gas mixture from a higher pressure section of a main circuit (102) in which medical gas recirculates though the higher pressure section and a lower pressure section. Decontaminated spent gas is returned to the lower pressure section of the main circuit Pressure in the higher pressure section is maintained by a pressure maintaining valve (141) and gas flow in the main circuit is maintained by a volume regulator (145) in the lower pressure section. The composition of the recirculating gas mixture is maintained by addition of respective feed gases in response to concentration and/or volume variation measurement. The method has particular application to the feed of a binary oxygen/xenon mixture to a cardiopulmonary bypass oxygenator or an artificial ventilator.

Abstract: Fluid flow valve assembly comprising a valve body having an external port and an inlet end having at least a first port, a second port, and a third port; a first valve disposed within the valve body and adapted to control fluid flow between the first and second ports; and a second valve disposed within the valve body and adapted to control fluid flow between the third port and the external port.

Abstract: A container (1) having a first compartment (3) and a second compartment (5) separated by a movable gas impermeable partition (7) is used for storing and dispensing a gas for use in a process and receiving and storing a gas recovered from the process. Fresh gas is dispensed (9) from the first compartment (3) for use in a process and recovered gas is fed (11) to the second compartment (5), whereby a volume of the second gas displaces a volume of the first gas by movement of the partition (7) to enlarge the second compartment (5) relative to the first compartment (3).

Abstract: The concentration of xenon, in a medical gas mixture of xenon as an active component with a known composition of oxygen and, optionally, nitrogen and/or helium recirculating through a medical device (103) in which carbon dioxide is introduced into the mixture, is monitored by removal (135, 133) of carbon dioxide downstream of the medical device (103) and subsequently passing the carbon dioxide-free gas through an ultrasonic gas analyser (143) upstream of the medical device. The gas analyzer determines the xenon concentration by measuring the time delay between transmission of an ultrahigh frequency ultrasonic pulse of at least 100 kHz axially through the sample chamber from a location at one end thereof and reflection of said pulse axially from the other end of the sample chamber back to said location. An analyser of novel construction is disclosed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a polymeric microparticle containing silicone release composition having improved slip/shear, anti-block, transfer, and lower release properties. The silicone release composition may be formed of thermal or radiation cured solventless silicone release compositions. The silicone release composition may also be formed of a UV-cationic silicone release composition. The polymeric microparticles are preferably polymeric microspheres. The invention is further directed to the use of such microparticle containing silicone release compositions to coat a substrate, and release coated substrates formed thereof.

Abstract: A system and method for customized information design, archiving and presentation. More specifically, a context-sensitive retrieval system and method are described that retrieve content and action relevant to the information that the user has requested and present the additional content and action on a real-time basis to the user, or to the user and others, substantially simultaneously with the arrival of the originally requested information.