Abstract: A releasable coupling device for use with a pet includes a body, having an aperture, and a sleeve that is positioned at least partially around, and moveable relative to, at least a portion of the body. The sleeve is moveable between an open position in which at least a portion of the aperture is at least partially unoccluded so as to permit coupling of the device to an attachment receivable within the aperture, and a closed position in which at least a portion of the aperture is at least partially occluded so as to resist decoupling of the device by removal of an attachment from the aperture. The device defines a track configured to guide an attachment receivable within the aperture along a movement path.

Abstract: A reversible pet harness includes a body portion having a first side and a second side and one or more straps coupled to the body portion and configured to secure the body portion to a chest/belly of a pet. An aperture defines an opening that extends through the body portion from the first side to the second side. A ring is positioned in the opening and a central strap extends across the opening and through a center of the ring to moveably couple the ring relative to the body portion. The opening and central strap are configured to allow the ring to extend outwardly at least primarily from the first side of the body portion in a first position and outwardly at least primarily from the second side of the body portion in a second position.

Abstract: A cuff for a sphygmomanometer includes an air bladder for compressing a living body, an exterior cover including the air bladder, and a fixing unit arranged in the exterior cover. A portion closer to an end of the exterior cover is inserted between a roller arranged in the fixing unit and a stopper, and is fixed by being pushed against the roller by the stopper. The roller is rotatable only in a direction of reducing the size of the annular portion of the exterior cover. Accordingly, the cuff for the sphygmomanometer has a simple configuration, is inexpensively manufactured, and easily carries out and stably reproduces attachment with respect to the upper arm.

Abstract: A non-choking collar that encompasses an animal's shoulders, thereby preventing neck, forechest, and airway injuries associated with many animal restraints. The animal shoulder collar with separation controlled hook-and-loop closure involves a length of material with opposing ends, a pair of leg openings and a hook-and-loop closure with a D-ring through the hook-and-loop that prevents separation of the hook and loop when used for restraint. Utilization of the shoulder collar involves placing the animal's front legs through the leg openings, and wrapping the opposing ends of the collar around both sides of the animal without involving the neck or forechest, and placing the opposing ends of the collar on top of the animal's shoulders where the hook fastener is placed on top of the loop fastener that is attached to a D-ring tab with a D-ring, such that the D-ring tab and the D-ring are protruding through an opening in the hook fastener.

Abstract: To provide processes suitable for industrial production by which high-purity N-(long-chain acyl)amino acid and salt thereof can be prepared from inexpensive raw materials.An alkyl ester of a fatty acid (2) is reacted with an aminonitrile (3) in the presence of a basic catalyst to form an amidonitrile (1), the amidonitrile (1) is hydrolyzed into an N-(long-chain acyl)amino acid salt (4) in the presence of a basic substance, the pH of the resulting aqueous solution is adjusted to a pH from 1 to 5 with a mineral acid to form an N-(long-chain acyl)amino acid (5), and this amino acid is recovered. ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 CO-- represents a fatty acid residue having 8 to 22 carbon atoms; R.sup.2 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R.sup.3 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms; R.sup.4 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and M represents a monovalent cation.