Abstract: A battery cover and vent cap interface seal for electrical storage batteries is disposed between the vent opening in the battery cover and the vent cap to establish a fluid-fight seal. In a first embodiment an annular sealing member is provided in each vent opening in the battery cover. The sealing members extend slightly beyond the inner periphery of the vent opening in the cover and are compressed by the vent cap plugs as the vent cap is installed. In a second embodiment annular sealing members are provided around each plug on the vent cap. The sealing members extend slightly beyond the outer periphery of the plugs and are compressed as the vent cap is installed on the battery cover. The sealing members are made of a resilient material that deforms more easily than the materials used for the battery cover and vent cap.

Abstract: A battery shield for a storage battery includes first and second members which are dimensioned to fit around the battery, forming a shield structure, that is open at its top and encloses the battery on all four sides and on the bottom, forming a heat shield for protecting the battery from hot temperatures, the first and second members being hinged to a common base and are adapted to be pivoted about respective hinges outwardly away from another to an open position to facilitate installation of a battery in the shield and to then be moved upwardly and toward one another, in the manner of a "clamshell", to a closed position for enclosing the battery within the battery shield, the bottom of the storage battery having a plurality of transverse channels therein extending between opposing sides for permitting air flow around the bottom of the storage battery when the battery is enclosed within the battery shield.

Abstract: Compounds having utility as light absorbing compounds, especially in the area of photodynamic therapy.Such compounds have the formula: ##STR1## where Z is .dbd.O or .dbd.NR.sub.6, where R.sub.6 is lower alkyl of from 1 to 8 carbon atoms or ##STR2## R.sub.1 is ##STR3## where R.sub.7 is ##STR4## or --ORS, where R.sub.8 is hydrogen or lower alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or R.sub.7 is an amino acid residue connected at a nitrogen atom of such residue; R.sub.2 is lower alkyl or lower alkylene of from 2 to 4 carbon atoms or a formal or carbonyl containing group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are --H or --OR.sub.8 or are joined together so that each represents one-half of a chemical bond and R.sub.4 may be taken together with R.sub.5 to form .dbd.O; and R.sub.5 is ethyl or is taken together with R.sub.4 to form .dbd.O; provided that when Z is --O-- the sum of the number of carbon atoms in R.sub.1 through R.sub.5 is from 12 to 20 and when Z is .dbd.NR.sub.

Abstract: A protection system for motor vehicles includes a control circuit including a switching device which is connected between cells of the battery and operable between a first condition in which the voltage provided at the battery terminals insufficient to start the vehicle and a second condition in which the voltage provided at the battery terminals sufficient to start the vehicle, the switching device being operated between the first and second conditions by a control signal that is generated by a portable signal transmitting device which is remotely actuatable.

Abstract: A dual battery or back-up battery system includes a control and indicator circuit for driving the battery switch. The battery switch is coupled between the positive terminals of the primary battery and auxiliary battery. The control and indicator circuit includes an indicator such as an LED, an indicator switch such as a single pole, single throw switch, and a driver circuit. The driver circuit includes a voltage tripler for appropriately driving a MOSFET battery switch. The indicator requires only a single signal conductor between the driver circuit and the indicator switch or indicator light. The indicator switch may also be utilized to provide a signal to a computer or other control circuit. The indicator switch and indicator are advantageously located within the interior of an automobile so that the operator may easily monitor and control the battery switch.

Abstract: A battery shield for a storage battery includes first and second members which are dimensioned to fit around the battery, forming a shield structure, that is open at its top and encloses the battery on all four sides and on the bottom, forming a heat shield for protecting the battery from hot temperatures, the first and second members being hinged to a common base and are adapted to be pivoted about respective hinges outwardly away from another to an open position to facilitate installation of a battery in the shield and to then be moved upwardly and toward one another, in the manner of a "clamshell", to a closed position for enclosing the battery within the battery shield.

Abstract: Novel photosensitizers related to rhodoporphyrins and phylloerythrin methyl ester, their preparation and use as photosensitizers for detection and treatment of tumors by photodynamic therapy. The novel photosensitizers accumulate and concentrate preferentially in tumor tissue, have strong light absorption in the 650 to 700 nm region and have reduced skin phototoxicity.

Abstract: Compounds having properties superior to known photosensitizers defined by the following chemical formula: ##STR1## including R groups R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are methyl or --CH(O--(CH.sub.2).sub.n CH.sub.3)CH.sub.3 or are joined together to form the group D and wherein R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are methyl or --CH(O--(CH.sub.2).sub.n CH.sub.3)CH.sub.3 or are joined together to form the group D; provided that one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 or R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are joined together to form the group D wherein one of the remaining R groups is methyl and one of the remaining R groups is --CH(O--(CH.sub.2).sub.n CH.sub.3)CH.sub.3, where n is an integer of 5 through 7 and group D is: ##STR2## and R.sub.5 is independently at each occurrence --OR.sub.6 where R.sub.6 is lower alkyl of 1 through 7 carbon atoms or R.sub.6 is an amino acid residue.

Abstract: A battery system for a vehicle includes a main battery for energizing the vehicle SLI circuits and an auxiliary battery for energizing the vehicle EHC system, the battery system providing back-up of the auxiliary battery by the main battery under certain conditions and back-up of the main battery by the auxiliary battery under certain other conditions, and the battery system providing opportunity charging of the auxiliary battery once the vehicle engine is running whereby the auxiliary battery shares the charging current with the main battery with the auxiliary battery being gradually connected to the source of charging current for the main battery by increasing the duty cycle of the drive circuit that connects the auxiliary battery to the source of charging current while monitoring the state of charge of the main battery and decreasing the duty cycle of the drive circuit to protect the main battery state of charge.

Abstract: Pyropheophorbide compounds are injected into a host and accumulate in tumor tissue to a higher degree than surrounding normal tissues. When the pyropheophorbide compounds are exposed to a particular wavelength of light the compounds become cytotoxic and destroy the tumor or diseased tissue without causing irreversible normal tissue damage. The pyropheophorbide compounds have shown improved results as compared to drugs currently used in photodynamic therapy. Further, they absorb light further in the red, optimizing tissue penetration and are retained in the skin for short time periods relative to other drugs used in photodynamic therapy.

Abstract: An anti-theft battery system for vehicles includes a control circuit which is connected in the starting circuit and responds to a starting current which exceeds a set point value to interrupt the starting circuit, thereby disconnecting the starter motor from the battery preventing starting of the vehicle, a reset circuit responsive to the control circuit which resets the control circuit after a delay interval to permit the starter motor to be connected to the vehicle battery, and an override circuit for generating an override signal for overriding the control circuit for a preselected interval of time to permit an authorized operator to start the vehicle, the override circuit including a small portable transmitter adapted to be carried by the vehicle operator and a receiver connected to the control circuit.

Abstract: A dual-battery switch circuit associated with a load is provided. The switch circuit includes a primary battery, a secondary battery, a circuit disposed to apply energy from the primary battery to the load, and a controller which disposed to sense attempts to apply energy to the load. The controller is configured to couple the secondary battery to the primary battery with respect to the load when a predetermined number of attempts to apply energy to the load occur within a predetermined time period after a first attempt. Alternatively, a controller is provided which couples the secondary battery to the primary battery with respect to the load when an attempt is made to apply energy to the load and the temperature is below a predetermined level.

Abstract: Conjugate are formed by covalently linking a target-specific compound to pyropheophorbide compound which conjugated are injected into a host and accumulate in tumor tissue to a higher degree than surrounding normal tissues. When the pyropheophorbide compound component of the conjugate is exposed to a particular wavelength of light the compound becomes cytotoxic destroying the tumor or diseased tissue without causing irreversible normal tissue damage. The pyropheophorbide compounds have been shown to have a variety of characteristics when used in photodynamic therapy. These characteristics are further improved when the compounds are bound to a target specific component such as a ligand capable of binding to a specific cellular receptor (e.g. growth hormones and growth factors) or an antibody capable of binding to a particular antigen.

Abstract: The explosion attenuating vent cap for storage batteries according to the present invention features an electrolyte drain and baffle design adapted for maximizing return to the battery of any liquid which may enter the vent from vibration, tilting, overheating, overcharge and the like. The vent barrel(s) include a step to assist in closure of the fill openings, and baffles within the vent prevent accumulation of electrolyte within the cap. The arrangement of the entrance to the gas escape passage (leading through an explosion attenuation device such as a disc of microporous polymer) is located on the center lines of the barrel and at the highest possible location within the vent to minimize the intrusion of electrolyte into the attenuation material. This location of the entrance prevents accumulation of electrolyte at that location. Preferably, the vent cap is of the ganged variety, i.e. useful for simultaneously capping three or more fill openings of the battery.

Abstract: The process of photodynamic therapy (PDT) is conducted by the step of:1) separately encapsulating at least one activation component for said photodynamic therapy process in a liposome;2) injecting a photosensitizer into a human or animal host;3) injecting the liposome encapsulated components systemically into the same human or animal host; and4) heating the site of the tumor to melt the liposome encapsulated components to permit mixing of the activation components.The mixing of the activation components can result in:a) energy transfer to the previously injected photosensitizer;b) emission of light and absorption of said light by the previously injected photosensitizer; andc) direct formation of at least one cytotoxic species that functions against the tumor.The heating of the site of the tumor is accomplished by one of the following methods: laser, ultra sound, radio-frequency or microwave frequency. Photofrin photosensitizer is a preferred photosensitizer.

Abstract: To obtain tumor-selective, photosensitizing drugs useful in the localization of neoplastic tissue and treatment of abnormal neoplastic tissue such as tumors, one of two methods is used. In the first method, a hydrolyzed mixture of the products of reaction of hematoporphyrin with acetic acid and sulfuric acid is cycled through a microporous membrane system to exclude low molecular weight products. In the second method, drugs are synthesized or derived from other pyrrole compounds. The drugs: (1) include two covalently bound groups, each with four rings, some of which are pyrroles such as phlorins, porphyrins, chlorins, substituted pyrroles, substituted chlorins or substituted phlorins, each group being arranged in a ring structure, connected covalently to another group and have a triplet energy state above 37.

Abstract: A latching automatic dual battery switch employs a first comparator to determine that a condition requiring engagement of a secondary battery exists. For example, a primary battery voltage is below a predetermined threshold, current drawn from the primary battery exceeds a predetermined threshold or ambient temperature is below a predetermined threshold. Engagement of an ignition switch is detected and used to clock the output of the comparator to a trigger circuit. The trigger circuit activates the triggerable switch on the leading edge of a signal generated by the detector circuit to connect a secondary battery or power source in parallel with the primary power source. The trigger circuit is leading edge activated so that conditions immediately prior to engagement of the ignition switch determine if the secondary battery is engaged. This avoids engaging the secondary battery as a result of a load surge dragging down the voltage after activation of an ignition switch.

Abstract: Pyropheophorbide compounds are injected into a host and accumulate in tumor tissue to a higher degree than surrounding normal tissues. When the pyropheophorbide compounds are exposed to a particular wavelength of light the compounds become cytotoxic and destroy the tumor or diseased tissue without causing irreversible normal tissue damage. The pyropheophorbide compounds have shown improved results as compared to drugs currently used in photodynamic therapy. Further, they absorb light further in the red, optimizing tissue penetration and are retained in the skin for short time periods relative to other drugs used in photodynamic therapy.

Abstract: Pure dimer and trimer compounds of hematoporphyrin are prepared and shown to be effective agents in photodynamic therapy. The compounds of the invention are of the formula ##STR1## wherein each X is independently 1-hydroxyethyl or vinyl and wherein R is H or lower alkyl. The compounds of the invention can be conjugated to targeting substances such as immunoglobulins or to labels.

Abstract: Compounds of formula (1) or formula (2): ##STR1## wherein M is a non-paramagnetic metal selected from Mg.sup.+2, Sn.sup.+2, and Zn.sup.+2, or represents 2 H.sup.30 each H.sup.+ bonded to one of the N atoms connected by the solid lines;R.sup.1 is a saturated of unsaturated hydrocarbyl residue of 8-25 C.;each R.sup.2 is independently selected from the group consisting of vinyl, ethyl, acetyl and 1-hydroxyethyl, andX is COOR.sup.3, wherein R.sup.3 is alkyl (1-C);are useful in photodynamic therapy and diagnosis. These compounds photosensitize target biological substrates to irradiation, and treating said substrates with these sensitizers followed by irradiation leads to the impairment or destruction of the biological substrate. When administered systemically, these compounds accumulate in the undesired target biological substrate. The compounds can also be utilized in vitro, for example to destroy infectious cells or viruses in blood intended for transfusion.