Document:

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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.8

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                SNOWDON & ASSOCIATES MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS LTD.
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November 30, 2001

Mr. Alan Lindsay
M-I Vascular Innovations, Inc.
8765 Ash Street, Unit 1
Vancouver, BC V6P 6T3
4

                RE: PREPARATION OF BUSINESS PLAN FOR M-I VASCULAR

Dear Mr Lindsay:

Thank you for your request that Snowdon & Associates Management Consultants Ltd.
("Snowdon") provides professional services to M-I Vascular Innovations, Inc.
("MIVI" or "the Company") for the preparation of its Business Plan. business
partners and other interested parties.

BUSINESS PLAN REQUIREMENTS

We understand that the Company requires a new business plan that reflects the
proposed changes in its business activities and its new strategic focus on drug
delivery and therapeutic technologies for vascular disorders. This document will
be used for investment purposes, as well as to present the business activities
and objectives of the Company to existing investors, potential.

Snowdon would be pleased to work with the management of MIVI to prepare a
business plan that would incorporate information on the following areas:

o        Corporate Overview

o        Business & Product Development Strategy

o        Technologies & Target Markets

o        Product Development Plans

o        Market Analysis

o        Management Team

o        Licenses & Collaborative Agreements

o        Intellectual Property

o        Financial Requirements & Projections

o        Capital Structure & Investment Plan

o        Business Risks

The specific contents and structure of the business plan will be defined during
an initial review of the Company, its business focus and technologies. During
this review, Snowdon will also identify which aspects of the information are
available from the Company and what additional information needs to be gathered
in order to prepare the Business Plan.

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SNOWDON - Proposal to M-I Vascular                                        Page 2
November 30, 2001
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Snowdon understands that M-I Vascular requires a completely new Business Plan
that reflects its strategic change in business objectives, as well as provides a
professional representation of the Company's technologies, product opportunities
and future market potential. The objective will be to prepare a professional
document with contents suitable both for the support of the proposed investment
activities and for submission to potential business collaborators.

TERMS & PROFESSIONAL FEES

In order to assist MIVI to prepare its Business Plan prior to raising additional
financing for the Company, Snowdon is prepared to reduce its current
professional fees from $1,500 per diem to $1,000 per diem and to quote a fixed
price for this assignment. In return, MIVI will provide Snowdon with an option
package.

On this basis, Snowdon will prepare a new Business Plan for MIVI, including a
separate Executive Summary suitable for potential investors, for a total
professional fee of $20,000. Applicable taxes and out-of-pocket expenses are
extra and will be invoiced at Snowdon's cost. Expenses are anticipated to
include long-distance phone calls, reference materials, database services,
courier, copying and other reasonable expenses associated with preparing the
Business Plan. Snowdon will advise M-I Vascular in advance if any individual
expense is anticipated to exceed $500.

In addition to the above professional fee, MIVI will provide 100,000 options in
the Company exercisable for 5 years at the current market price of US$0.55 per
share (or the current share price, if lower) and vested upon completion of the
Business Plan. These options will be issued to either Snowdon or Dr. Allison, as
agreed between the parties.

A retainer of $5,000 is requested prior to initiation of this assessment and
this will be applied against the final invoice. Snowdon will invoice the Company
for an additional $10,000 plus expenses when the final draft of the Business
Plan is submitted to MIVI and the remainder upon delivery of the final document.
The Company agrees to provide payment for these invoices within 10 days of
receipt.

During preparation of the Business Plan, MIVI will allow Snowdon access to all
of the available information on the Company, its technology, corporate history,
financial projections and other areas relevant to preparation of this document.
In addition, Snowdon will be permitted to meet with employees of MIVI, its
scientific researchers, business collaborators and consultants to discuss those
areas of the Company's development with which they are involved.

If MIVI requests that Snowdon conduct additional tasks beyond those indicated
above, then both parties will agree on such additional tasks and the time
estimate before proceeding with such additional work. Should this project be
terminated prior to completion of requested work, the Company agrees that it is
responsible for all costs and fees accrued to the date of termination, plus any
expenses committed to date and project termination costs. The date of
termination is defined as the date that Snowdon receives notification in writing
from the Company of project termination.

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SNOWDON - Proposal to M-I Vascular                                        Page 3
November 30, 2001
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CONFIDENTIALITY

During the course of the project, Snowdon may acquire confidential information
from MIVI, UBC or any other business partner. We agree not to use, other than in
connection with the project, or disclose to third parties, any such confidential
information for as long as it remains unpublished, unless it is already known to
us prior to disclosure by either the Company or UBC.

AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED

Please confirm our proceeding with this phase of the assignment and your
agreement with the terms by signing the enclosed copy of this letter and
providing the requested retainer. I look forward to working with M-I Vascular on
this assignment.

Sincerely,                The terms and conditions of this letter are agreed to:

                          Date: ________________________________________________

                          By: __________________________________________________
Linda Allison, Ph.D.
President
SNOWDON & ASSOCIATES      Name:_________________________________________________

                          for M-I Vascular Innovations, Inc.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Amendment to Credit Agreement

FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

This FIRST Amendment to Credit Agreement (the "Amendment") is made and entered into as of October 22, 2001, by and between UNITED CALIFORNIA BANK formerly known as SANWA BANK CALIFORNIA (the "Bank") and APPLIED SIGNAL TECHNOLOGY, INC. (the "Borrower") with respect to the following:

This Amendment shall be deemed to be a part of and subject to that certain Credit Agreement dated as of September 18, 2000, as it may be amended from time to time, and any and all addenda and riders thereto (collectively the "Agreement"). Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms used in this Amendment shall have the same meanings as in the Agreement. To the extent that any of the terms or provisions of this Amendment conflict with those contained in the Agreement, the terms and provisions contained herein shall control. 

WHEREAS, the Borrower and the Bank mutually desire to modify the Agreement.

NOW THEREFORE, for value received and hereby acknowledged, the Borrower and the Bank agree as follows:
1.Additional Provision for Blanket Lien. A new Section 9 is added to the Agreement which reads as follows:

9.1 The Collateral: To secure payment and performance of all the Borrower’s Obligations under this Agreement and all other liabilities, loans, guarantees, covenants and duties owed by the Borrower to the Bank, whether or not evidenced by this or by any other agreement, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter and howsoever created, the Borrower hereby grants the Bank a security interest in and to all of the following property ("Collateral") and shall execute a separate Security Agreement to include all assets and other descriptions of personal property, including the authorization and consent to file without signature UCC forms to perfect any of the property of the Borrower:
Accounts. All accounts, contract rights and general intangibles now owned or hereafter created or acquired by the Borrower, including, but not limited to, all receivables, goodwill, trademarks, trademark applications, trade styles, trade names, patents, patent applications, copyrights and copyright applications, customer lists, business records and computer programs, tapes, disks and related data processing software that at any time evidence or contain information relating to any of the Collateral.

Equipment. All goods now owned or hereafter acquired by the Borrower or in which the Borrower now has or may hereafter acquire any interest, including, but not limited to, all machinery, equipment, furniture, furnishings, fixtures, tools, supplies and motor vehicles of every kind and description, and all additions, accessions, improvements, replacements and substitutions thereto and thereof (the "Equipment").

Documents. All documents, instruments and chattel paper now owned or hereafter acquired by the Borrower, including, but not limited to, warehouse and other receipts, bills of sale and bills of lading.

Monies. All monies, deposit accounts, certificates of deposit and securities of the Borrower now or hereafter in the Bank’s or its agents’ possession.

Investment Property. Those shares of stock, bonds, indentures, negotiable and nonnegotiable securities, mutual funds, and annuities in the possession of the Bank, together with all proceeds thereof, including but not limited to, warrants, options, stock rights, rights to subscribe, liquidating dividends, cash dividends, payments, dividends paid in stock, new securities or other property derived therefrom or to which the Debtor may become entitled to receive on account thereof.

Government Contracts. Any and all rights to receive monies under any government contracts with any federal, state, county or city, or any of their agencies, departments, or divisions, and such rights shall be perfected by obtaining an acknowledgement from such contracting parties authorized representative if required by Bank.

The Bank’s security interest in the Collateral shall be a continuing lien and shall include the proceeds and products of the Collateral including, but not limited to, the proceeds of any insurance thereon.

The security interest granted to Bank in the Collateral shall not secure or be deemed to secure any Indebtedness of the Borrower to the Bank which is, at the time of its creation, subject to the provisions of any state or federal consumer credit or truth-in-lending disclosure statutes.

2.Waiver of No Quarterly Losses. Section 5.2 (iv) of the Agreement is waived for the periods January 31, 2001 and May 4, 2001 and this one time only waiver shall not be deemed to waive any future violations.

3.Representations and Warranties. The Borrower hereby reaffirms the representations and warranties contained in the Agreement and represents that no event, which with notice or lapse of time, could become an Event of Default, has occurred or is continuing.

4.Confirmation of Other Terms and Conditions of the Agreement. Except as specifically provided in this Amendment, all other terms, conditions and covenants of the Agreement unaffected by this Amendment shall remain unchanged and shall continue in full force and effect and the Borrower hereby covenants and agrees to perform and observe all terms, covenants and agreements provided for in the Agreement, as hereby amended.

5.Governing Law. This Amendment shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California to which jurisdiction the parties hereto hereby consent and submit.

6.Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

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