Abstract: A device for the spot application of molten asphaltic composition to spot locations comprising a rod of solid, modified bitumen adapted for heating and end thereof. The softened or molten composition at the end can easily and conveniently be delivered to spot locations.

Abstract: A method for increasing the water-solubility of highly insoluble organic compounds by forming a novel complex product from the reaction between the organic compound and an oligomer of vinylpyrrolidone. The complex is highly stable and results in solubilities of the organic compounds in excess of 25-fold.

Abstract: In place of gelatin conventionally used as a material for shaping hard medicinal capsules, the invention proposes a hard capsule for medicinal use shaped of a polymer blend of a water-soluble cellulose ether, e.g., alkyl cellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose and alkyl hydroxyalkyl cellulose, and a polyvinyl alcohol in a weight ratio of 70:30 to 98:2. The inventive hard medicinal capsules have remarkably low permeability to oxygen and moisture with little influences on the medicament contained therein along with sufficiently high mechanical strengths and are much more stable than conventional gelatin-made capsules against the influences of the ambient conditions, such as, the crack formation unavoidable in a gelatin-made hard capsule when it is kept under an extremely low humidity.

Abstract: A reagent sheet for the measurement of GGT (.gamma.-glutamyl transferase) activity comprising a porous sheet containing a cationic surfactant and a self-developable substrate upon contact with .gamma.-glutamyl transferase. An integral multilayer analytical element for the measurement of GGT activity, comprising a porous spreading layer containing a cationic surfactant and a self-developable substrate in response to contact with .gamma.-glutamyl transferase, a water-absorbing layer and a support in a laminated form. The substrate can be either .gamma.-glutamyl-p-nitroamilide or .gamma.-glutamyl-3-carboxy-4-nitroamilide.

Abstract: An electrophoresis apparatus comprises a gel sheet device composed of spacers disposed between two films at side edges thereof, a gel membrane provided within a space formed between the two films by the spacers, and sample-pouring portions provided near an upper edge of the gel membrane. Two supporting members hold the gel sheet device therebetween, and a gap-forming member contacts edges of at least one surface of the gel sheet device. Each sample-pouring portion is adapted to sample pouring into a space formed by the films, a shark's teeth comb, and the upper edge face of the gel membrane. The gap-forming member remote from an upper buffer solution vessel is provided such that an inner edge of a gap-forming member portion contacting the upper portion of the gel sheet device coincides with the upper edge face of the gel membrane, or the extent of overlapping of the gap-forming member portion upon the gel membrane is 5 mm or less.

Abstract: An efficient method for extinguishing fire of various hardly extinguishable materials is proposed. The method comprises sprinkling, over the burning site of the material, a boron oxide powder having a putity relative to the content of B.sub.2 O.sub.3 of at least 90% by weight and containing water in an amount not exceeding 2% by weight, the particles of the powder having a diameter in the range from 5 .mu.m to 1000 .mu.m. The efficiency of fire extinguishment with the boron oxide powder can be further enhanced by blending the boron oxide powder with a variety of inert inorganic powders.

Abstract: An analytical element for quantitative analysis of bilirubin in a liquid sample by a diazo method, characterized in that the bilirubin detection reagent is a non-diffusive aryldiazonium salt having in the aryl group at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of an alkoxycarbonyl group, an alkylaminosulfonyl group and an alkylaminocarbonyl group.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel epoxy resin-based curable composition suitable for use as an encapsulating resin composition for semiconductor devices capable of being highly resistant against crack formation with low internal stress by curing and yet having very high heat conductivity and maintaining high glass transition temperature. The inventive composition comprises (a) 100 parts by weight of a curable epoxy resin blend which is a mixture of an epoxy resin and a curing agent therefor, (b) from 5 to 100 parts by weight of a block copolymer composed of at least one segment of an aromatic polymeric moiety, phenyl novolac, and at least one segment of an organopolysiloxane moiety having 30 to 200 silicon atoms and bonded to the aromatic polymeric moiety through a carbon-to-silicon linkage, and optionally (c) an inorganic filler which is preferably a silica filler such as powdered quartz in an amount not exceeding 1000 parts by weight.

Abstract: A method for increasing the water-solubility of highly insoluble organic compounds by forming a complex product from the reaction between the organic compound and an aqueous solution of solid polyvinylpyrrolidone. The solubility of the organic compound can be increased at least 25-fold and the complex formed is highly stable at ambient conditions.

Abstract: An integral multilayer analytical element for use in the measurement of alkaline phosphatase activity, which comprises a porous spreading layer of woven fabric or knitted fabric containing an alkaline phosphatase-sensitive self-developing substrate, a buffer layer containing one or more compounds functioning as a phosphoric acid acceptor and a buffering agent and a support layer in a laminated form.

Abstract: An electrophoretic method comprises the steps of positioning a sample, which contains nucleic acid fragments having different numbers of bases, in an electrophoresis medium composed of an electrophoresis gel medium containing an aqueous poly(meth)acrylamide gel prepared by cross-linking polymerization of a (meth)acrylamide compound and a cross-linking agent in the presence of water and a compound having at least one carbamoyl group as a denaturing agent (or modifier), and applying pulsed electric fields to the electrophoresis medium in two directions, thereby to move the nucleic acid fragments in the presence of molecular sieve effects and to separate the nucleic acid fragments.

Abstract: An improvement of a medium for electrophoresis which comprises a support of a plastic material and an aqueous polyacrylamide gel, wherein a resin layer comprises a resin having an oxygen permeability coefficient lower than that of the plastic material of the support is arranged betwen the support and the polyacrylamide gel. The resin preferably shows an oxygen permeability of not more than 15 cc/m.sup.2 .multidot.atm.multidot.day in the form of a resinous layer of 20 .mu.m thick, and exemplified by a vinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene chloride, a vinyl alcohol-ethylene copolymer, a vinylidene chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer, and an acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate-butadiene copolymer.

Abstract: An integral multilayer analytical element which comprises a water-impermeable light-transmissive support, a hydrophilic layer containing a water-absorptive hydrophilic polymer binder and a spreading layer superposed in this order, and contains at least one reagent capable of reacting with a component of a sample to produce a detectable species capable of detecting by light, which is characterized in that light-scattering particulates in an amount to make light transmittance to 10 to 2.5% are contained in the above hydrophilic layer and/or a layer located on the side of the support therefrom. This element may decrease the influence of a conventional reagent layer up to the extent being negligible without lowering the sensitivity. Precision of the measurement at a low concentration range is also high, and reproducibility of the meaurement is well. Manufacture of this element is easy.

Abstract: A medium for electrophoresis comprising a polyacrylamide gel formed by crosslinking polymerization of an acrylamide compound and a crosslinking agent in the presence of water, which is characterized in that the medium contains a water-soluble polymer.

Abstract: The invention discloses a novel class of organosilane compounds containing 1 to 3 alkenyloxy groups directly bonded to the silicon atom and a 3,4-epoxycyclohexyl-substituted alkyl group bonded to the silicon atom. The compound is prepared by the reaction of 1-vinyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexane and a hydrogen alkenyloxy silane and useful as a coupling agent or an adhesion-improving agent.

Abstract: A dry analytical element for assaying an enzyme in a liquid is disclosed, comprising a support having provided thereon at least a porous liquid-spreading layer composed of water non-absorbent fibers, wherein said porous liquid-spreading layer contains a substrate for an enzyme to be assayed and a hydrophilic polymer in an amount effective to decrease a spreading area by at least 20%. The analytical element exhibits high sensitivity and high reproducibility.

Abstract: A method for the removal of scale from the interior of producing oil and gas wells is disclosed. The method comprises introducing a mixture of an aqueous mineral acid, a mutual solvent, and an alkyl or aralkyl polyoxyalkylene phosphate ester to the interior of the well. The phosphate ester maintains the acid and mutual solvent in a micellar emulsion state. The mixture is retained in the well to allow the acid to solubilize the mineral deposits and then the mixture and solubilized mineral deposits are removed from the well interior.

Abstract: An improved sol-gel method is proposed for the preparation of a transparent silica gel block, in which a deposit of fine silica particles having a controlled particle diameter as prepared by hydrolyzing an alkoxy silane in the presence of ammonia is dispersed in a silica sol solution prepared in an acidic condition and settled therein to form a structure of closest-packing prior to gelation, drying, sintering and vitrification so that silica glass blocks can be obtained with low volume shrinkage from the wet gel in an improved yield without cracks, bubbles and haziness. The improvement can be further enhanced when two separately prepared deposits of silica particles having larger and smaller particle diameters are dispersed as combined in the silica sol solution, especially, when the particle diameter in one deposit is not exceeding 22.5% of that in the other deposit.

Abstract: In a method for quantitatively analyzing an analyte in a liquid sample by applying the liquid sample on one of a set of analytical elements and measuring a color developed in the analytical element through reflection photometory in which said set of analytical elements are the same elements as a standard element except for deviation of sensitivity to the analyte, but said deviation of sensitivity is essentially equivalent to each other among the set of analytical elements, the calibration curve of the standard element with respect to said analyte being predetermined, an improvement involving the preparation of a linear equation for defining a relationship between an optical reflection density value OD.sub.x to be measured on an analytical element belonging to said set of the analytical elements and an optical reflection density value OD.sub.s being predetermined on the standard analytical element, in which the optical reflection density values OD.sub.x and OD.sub.

Abstract: An ion-selective electrode for measuring carbonate concentration comprising a conductive metal layer, a halide of said conductive metal layer, a carbonate ion-selective layer containing ion carrier, and a buffer layer containing a hydrophilic polymer binder and a buffer laminated in this order on an electrically insulating support, and a pair of the above electrodes.It is characterized by not having the electrolyte layer containing hydrophilic polymer binder, having the possibility of degradation of the electrolyte layer by the absorption of moisture being extremely little, and having a good stability in the course of time. In the electrode of the invention, the ion-selective layer comprised of hydrophobic organic material is directly laminated on the metal halide layer, the adhesive strength between the metal halide layer and the ion-selective layer is sufficient, the strength of the ion-selective layer is sufficiently great, and which is stable.