Abstract: A column for adsorption of blood proteins is disclosed which comprises a blood inlet and a blood outlet each with a filter, and a porous material packed between both the filters, which material has a mean pore diameter (D) of 30-3,000 angstroms with the volume occupied by pores with diameters of 0.8 D-1.2 D being at least 80% of the whole pore volume. The adsorption column can eliminate specific blood proteins by selective adsorption and is useful in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer, for instance.

Abstract: There is provided a hollow fiber membrane of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer which is produced by a process comprising extruding a spinning solution of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer in a solvent selected from the group consisting of dimethylsulfoxide, dimethylacetamide, pyrrolidone, N-methylpyrrolidone and mixtures thereof through a hollow fiber spinneret while a liquid coagulant is introduced into a central aperture of said spinneret, passing the spun fiber through a gaseous atmosphere in a manner such that the fiber is drawn 0.5 to 20 times its extrusion rate and then coagulating said fiber in a coagulating bath at a temperature within the range satisfying the following relationship:when 15.ltoreq.C.ltoreq.40, 1/4C+20.ltoreq.T.ltoreq.1/4C+57wherein C denotes the copolymer concentration of the spinning solution (wt. %) and T denotes the coagulation temperature (.degree.C.).

Abstract: A multi-stage process for reducing the content of sulfur-containing gases--notably hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, carbonyl sulfide and carbon disulfide--in waste gas streams is provided. In the first stage, the gas stream is passed through a reaction zone at a temperature between about 150.degree. and 350.degree. C. in the presence of a pretreated novel catalyst of the formulaxLn.sub.2 O.sub.3.yT.sub.2 O.sub.3in which Ln is yttrium or a rare earth element and T is cobalt, iron or nickel, and each of x and y is independently a number from 0 to 3, said catalyst being substantially non-crystalline and having a surface area of from about 10 m.sup.2 /g to about 40 m.sup.2 /g. The preferred catalyst is one in which Ln is lanthanum, T is cobalt, and x and y range from 1 to 3, including non-integers. The first stage yields a product stream having a reduced content of sulfur-containing gases, including specifically, substantial reduction of carbonyl sulfide and virtual elimination of carbon disulfide.

Abstract: There is disclosed an aqueous composition for removing or reducing the intensity of dyes in dye transfers and the intensity of dyes used by photo retouchers on transparencies and color prints. The composition comprises, per 100 parts by weight of water, from about 1 to about 10 parts by weight of a thiourea and from about 5 to about 20 parts by weight of an ammonium nitrate compound. Application of this composition to dye transfers and/or to dyes used by photo retouchers on transparencies and color prints proportionally removes magenta, cyan and yellow dyes therefrom.

Abstract: A hollow fiber membrane made of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer is provided, which is characterized in that, when observed in a dry state with an electron microscope, the hollow fiber membrane has at least one dense, active layer (or skin layer) on the inside and/or outside surface thereof and further a three-layered structure comprising two layers respectively contacting the inside and outside surfaces and each consisting of a plurality of particles bonded together and having particle sizes of 0.01 to 2 microns and a substantially particle-free homogeneous layer lying between the two layers.

Abstract: An erythrocyte preservative is provided which contains an erythrocyte membrane strengthening agent, optionally a purine base and/or purine nucleoside and optionally an anticoagulant. Blood products which contain the above erythrocyte preservative and can be stored for a prolonged period of time are also provided.

Abstract: Carriers coated with a copolymer of a hydrophilic acrylate or methacrylate monomer and a copolymerizable unsaturated carboxylic acid or unsaturated amine are provided which are substantially free from nonspecific adsorption of proteins and the like. Due to the side-chain carboxyl or amino groups of the copolymer, these coated carriers are able to immobilize bio-active materials such as antigens, antibodies, complements and enzymes. These carriers, on which bio-active materials can be immobilized, are useful as clinical selective adsorbents, affinity-chromatographic adsorbents, selective electrodes or columns for analysis.

Abstract: The invention provides a blood treatment apparatus realizing double-step-membrane filtration, namely separation of blood into plasma and a corpuscular fraction and separation of high-molecular-weight substances (e.g. gamma-globulin) in the plasma from low-molecular-weight substances (e.g. albumin). A method of treating blood is also provided.The apparatus and method are effective e.g. in the treatment of blood of patients with peripheral circulatory insufficiency due to arteriosclerosis and of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease.

Abstract: The invention provides novel curable unsaturated polyester compositions comprising an unsaturated polyester, a reactive copolymerizable monomer, a paraffin wax as an evaporation-reducing agent and as an adhesion promotor a compound, containing 10-30 carbon atoms, of the class consisting of alkylaromatic, alkenylaromatic, alkylolaromatic compounds or an alcohol.

Abstract: The invention provides powder coatings based on carboxyl terminated polyester, an epoxy compound and a choline compound of the formula[Y-CH.sub.2 -CH.sub.2 -N--CH.sub.3).sub.3 ].sub.n .sup.+ X.sup.n-in which X is OR or ##STR1## and R is H or a C.sub.1-40 group and X.sup.n- is an anion preferably Y represents OH or a ##STR2## group. The powder coatings are less prone to yellowing and non-toxic.

Abstract: The present invention provides photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical cells, which photoelectrodes are essentially composed of a surface-chalcogenated molybdenum or tungsten metal. These photoelectrodes have long life, are highly efficient in energy conversion, and are inexpensive.

Abstract: An alkali metal salt of an organic carboxylic acid, i.e. a soap, is prepared by saponifying the corresponding organic carboxylic acid, its ester or mixtures thereof with a concentrated aqueous solution of alkali metal hydroxide in the presence of an inorganic salt, in a liquid reaction medium comprising acetone, separating the organic salt from the reaction medium and removing excess acetone from the organic salt. The inorganic salt, i.e. soap, so produced is in the form of a dry finely divided powder.

Abstract: In the carbonylation of olefinic compounds in the presence of a cobalt carbonyl catalyst, the addition to the reaction system of a secondary phosphine oxide represented by the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are the same or different and each is substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon residue having not more than about 20 carbon atoms, in an amount of 0.2 to 20 moles per gram atom of the cobalt makes it possible to separate the reaction product from the reaction mixture by direct distillation without any such special operation for the catalyst separation as required in the conventional processes. The distillation residue which contains the catalyst can be recycled for the reuse thereof in the carbonylation.

Abstract: This invention provides an improved process for producing alkadienes which comprises (1) contacting butadiene or isoprene with a catalyst such as platinum or palladium or a compound of one of said metals in a sulfolane solution, in the presence of a tertiary lower alkylamine formate and at least one phosphine compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1-10 hydrocarbon group; R.sup.2 is H, a saturated aliphatic C.sub.1-5 hydrocarbon group, nitro or halogen; m is 1, 2 or 3; n is 0 or 1; x is 0, 1 or 2; y and z each is 0, 1, 2 or 3 (provided that y and z are not zero concurrently and x+y+z=3); A is --SO.sub.3 M wherein M is a cation selected from among H, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and NH.sub.4 or the formate or an inorganic acid salt of ##STR2## wherein R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 each means a saturated aliphatic C.sub.

Abstract: Tasteless and odourless blood cell protein isolate and heme are prepared from hemoglobin by converting the hemoglobin into a solid form by dehydration and extracting the heme from the solid product by solvent extraction with an organic solvent, preferably methanol or a methanol/ethanol mixture or a methanol/ethanol/water mixture, in the presence of acid, preferably hydrochloric acid, and recovering the blood cell protein isolate from the extraction residue. The acid may also be added to the hemoglobin before its conversion into the solid form.

Abstract: A hollow fiber membrane made of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer is provided, which is characterized in that, when observed in a dry state with an electron microscope, the hollow fiber membrane has at least one dense, active layer (or skin layer) on the inside and/or outside surface thereof and further a three-layered structure comprising two layers respectively contacting the inside and outside surfaces and each consisting of a plurality of particles bonded together and having particle sizes of 0.01 to 2 microns and a substantially particle-free homogeneous layer lying between the two layers.

Abstract: The invention concerns an improvement of sleeves such as sleeves for gramophone records. The sleeves consist of a front and a back panel connected at one edge by a connecting strip, which is in the blank arranged between the two panels, and two other connecting strips extending from one panel and glued to edge zones of the other panel by means of gluing flaps. Gluing flaps and edge zones which are to be glued together in overlapping position are reduced in their thickness so that the seam is as thick as the material of the back panel. Reduction in thickness is achieved preferably by milling off a layer from the cardboard material of the gluing flaps from their outer surfaces as well as of the edge zones at their inner surfaces. The sleeves have panels of equal thickness so that the gramophone records are supported all around their edges and in their middle parts without causing bending when stacked.

Abstract: In hydroformylating an olefinic compound in an organic solvent and in the presence of a rhodium complex and a trisubstituted phosphine to give the corresponding aldehyde, at least one diphosphino compound of the following general formula (I) is added to the reaction system in a proportion of 0.20 to 5.0 equivalents per rhodium atom in the rhodium complex ##STR1## wherein A.sup.1 and A.sup.2, respectively, are aryl groups; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, respectively, are an aryl group or a saturated hydrocarbon residue containing 1 or more carbon atoms; and ##STR2## represents a substituted or unsubstituted alicyclic hydrocarbon group containing 3 to 6 carbon atoms in the main ring.The addition of diphosphino compound (I) has a remarkable life-prolonging effect on the rhodium catalyst.

Abstract: This invention is a vacuum bagging device which consists of a receiving bag separated from the product to be conditioned by a flexible and deformable spout. This spout is electropneumatically operated. The receiving bag is made of a material which can be thermo welded. It receives under vacuum the product to be conditioned which remains in this state until the welding operation takes place, the latter being achieved by thermocompression of the upper part of the bag. The operations are synchronized by a programming electromechanical circuit. This invention can be used for fast conditioning and bagging of powdery, granulated or pulverized products, whatever their quantity.

Abstract: Novel farnesylacetic acid amide compounds represented by general formula ##STR1## wherein A is alkylene of at least 2 carbon atoms, R.sup.1 is H or lower alkyl, and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, aryl or aralkyl, or either one of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is such a group that forms, together with A, a piperidine or pyrrolidine ring which contains as constituent thereof the nitrogen atom lying therebetween, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 combinedly represent a group which forms, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded, a piperidine, pyrrolidine or piperazine ring; and salts thereof have antiulcerogenic and antibacterial activities.