Abstract: A surgical stapler, or fastening instrument, may generally comprise a layer, such as a tissue thickness compensator, for example, releasably attached to a fastener cartridge and/or anvil by a flowable attachment portion. The flowable attachment portion may be indefinitely flowable. The flowable attachment portion may be flowable from the time that layer is installed to the fastener cartridge to the time in which the layer is implanted to patient tissue. The flowable attachment portion may comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive. The flowable attachment portion may comprise an adhesive laminate comprising a base layer comprising the tissue thickness compensator and an adhesive layer on at least a portion of a surface of the base layer comprising the pressure sensitive adhesive. Articles of manufacture comprising flowable attachment portion and methods of making and using the flowable attachment portion are also described.

Abstract: Novel angiotensin II receptor antagonists of the formula ##STR1## wherein X, X.sub.1, X.sub.2, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are as defined herein, are disclosed. These compounds are useful, for example, in the treatment of hypertension, congestive heart failure and cardiac hypertrophy.

Abstract: Separation of a crystallizable component, especially paraxylene, from solution by chilling to form a slurry of crystals and liquid, separating crystals of the component in a first separator while simultaneously washing the crystals with a wash liquid and then re-melting the crystals, re-chilling them, separating the crystals in a second separator and washing them with a second wash liquid.