Abstract: Use of one or more saccharides, for example one or more non-toxic mono-, di-, tri-, oligo- or polysaccharides, in the manufacture of a biocompatible glue for adhering a first structure to a surface of a second structure. The biocompatible glue can be adapted to act as a temporary glue. In this case the glue may be used to enable a medical structure to be transferred from a medical instrument onto the surface of a structure of a human or animal body, for example as in the transfer of a buffer material from the fork of a surgical stapler to a diseased lung after one or more rows of staples have been fired through the buffer material into the lung during lung volume reduction surgery for treating emphysema. The biocompatible glue can also to advantage be used to adhere or secure medical structures to a structure of a human or animal body direct, such as in the case of a patch being applied to the skin of a mammal.

Abstract: A wetting apparatus (110) for wetting a hydrophilic urinary catheter (103) comprises a wetting receptacle (101) which defines a wetting fluid receiving area (102) for receiving the hydrophilic urinary catheter and a hydrophilic urinary catheter wetting fluid container (106) having a discharge outlet (126) movable from a closed position to an open position on application of a predetermined condition thereto to enable the wetting fluid to be discharged from the wetting fluid container.

Abstract: A drug delivery device for delivery of a drug which comprises a mixture of a first substance and a second substance, the device including a first chamber (24) for housing the first substance, a second chamber (30) for housing the second substance and a membrane (28) which on application of a predetermined condition thereto is movable from a first disposition in which it partitions the first and second chambers to prevent mixture of the first and second substances to a second disposition in which it enables the first and second substances to be mixed. In one aspect, the membrane (28) contains a barrier material comprising polychlorotrifluoroethylene or a copolymer thereof, polyvinylidene chloride or a copolymer thereof or a silicon oxide. In another aspect, the first chamber (24) is formed from a polyethylene based polymer.

Abstract: A method of treating a finely divided powder is provided including a) forcing the powder through the apertures of a sieve to form agglomerates; and b) spheronizing the agglomerates. The method results in spheronized agglomerates having sufficient strength to withstand processing and packaging operations, but which are sufficiently soft to deagglomerate during delivery via a breath-actuated inhaler.

Abstract: The invention provides the use of formoterol and budesonide in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Abstract: A device for displaying indicia, comprising: a display 57 comprising a plurality of activatable elements, wherein each element has an activated state in which the element is visible and a deactivated state in which the element is not visible and one or more of the elements are activatable to display indicia; and control means 910 for controlling the display 57 which includes test means 960 which is configured to activate successively groups of elements according to a predetermined control sequence such that the activated and deactivated state of each of the elements is tested, wherein the control means 910 is configured to activate the elements in groups of one or two and the successive activation of elements comprises, for each group, the steps of activating all of the elements in the group, activating one element in the group, not activating one element in the group and not activating all of the elements in the group.

Abstract: Dental implant system converter structure (11; 111; 211; 311; 411; 511; 611; 711) for enabling a fixture (1) of a first dental implant system having a trailing end in which a tapered recess (6) opens to support components of a second incompatible dental implant system, the converter structure having a leading end which presents a projection having a tapered profile (15; 115; 215; 315; 415; 515; 615; 715) for seating in the tapered recess in the trailing end of the fixture and a trailing end which presents a profile (18, 20: 108; 208; 308; 408; 508; 608; 708) adapted to enable one or more components (21) of the second dental implant system to be cared thereon. A hybrid dental prosthesis may therefore be formed.

Abstract: A new metered unit dose comprising 40 &mgr;g or less of budesonide is disclosed as well as a formulation thereof and the use thereof for the treatment of conditions in the nose.

Abstract: An inhaler for administering powder by inhalation and a method of constructing the same, the inhaler including a member that defines a chamber for containing desiccant, the member including first and second parts which when fitted together define the chamber for containing desiccant. The first part has an outer surface provided with at least one of an internal or external spline and the second part has an inner surface provided with at least one of the other of an internal or external spline, where the splines (28, 36) are dimensioned and/or spaced so as, on fitting together the first and second parts (14, 16), rotationally to fix the first and second parts and define spaces therebetween.

Abstract: A powder inhaler for administering powder by inhalation, comprising a chamber (58) which includes a base member (12) and a peripheral wall member (48), wherein the chamber (58) includes a first inlet (36) through which a first stream of air containing powder is in use drawn on inhalation by a user and a plurality of second inlets (66, 67, 68, 69, 100) at the junction between the base member (12) and the peripheral wall member (48) through which a plurality of second streams of air of combined lesser flow than the first stream of air are in use drawn on inhalation by the user so as to minimize retention of powder at the junction between the base member (12) and the peripheral wall member (48).

Abstract: The present invention relates to new piperidyl- or piperazinyl-substituted-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene derivatives having the formula I wherein X is N or CH; Y is NR2CH2, CH2—NR2, NR2—CO, CO—NR2 or NR2SO2 wherein R2 is H or C1-C6 alkyl; R1 is H, C1-C6 alkyl or C3-C6 cycloalkyl; R3 is C1-C6 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl or (CH2)n-aryl, wherein aryl is phenyl or a heteroaromatic ring containing one or two heteroatoms selected from N, O and S and which may be mono- or di-substituted n is 0-4; R9 is C1-C6 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, OCF3, OCHF2, OCH2F, halogen, CN, CF3, OH, C1-C6 alkoxy, C1-C6 alkoxy-C1-C6 alkyl, NR6R7, SO3CH3, SO3CF3, SO2NR6R7, an unsubstituted or substituted heterocyclic or heteroaromatic ring containing one or two heteroatoms selected from N and O, wherein the substituent(s) is(are) C1-C6 alkyl; or COR8; wherein R6, R7 and R8 are as defined above, as (R)-enantiomers, (S)-enantiomers or racemates in the form of a free base or pharmaceutically acceptable sal

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of mixing cohesive finely divided powders such as finely divided powdered medicaments having a particle size less than about 10 &mgr;m comprising the combination of a rotating/vibrating movement with a sieving procedure, wherein the method comprises the steps of adding a finely divided powdered mixture of substances to a perforated partition in a container, subjecting the container to a rotational and preferably vibrating movement in horisontal and/or vertical directions whereby the rotational movement is performed in intervals and whereby the container is turned in a vertical direction an angle of substantially 180° during each turn. The invention also includes an apparatus for mixing finely divided powders to be used in the above mentioned method as well as the use of the method according to the invention for mixing cohesive finely divided powders.

Abstract: The present invention provides optionally substituted and/or annulated compounds of formula (I) 1

Abstract: A switching circuit, comprising: a first node for receiving a first voltage; a second node 502 for providing an output; a third node for receiving a second voltage; a capacitance 506 coupled between the second node 502 and the third node; means for intermittently charging the capacitance 506 to provide a first output voltage from the second node 502; and a switch 501 connected between the first node and the second node 502 for isolating the second node 502 from the first node when open and for discharging the capacitance 506 to provide a second output voltage when closed.

Abstract: There is provided EtO2C—CH2—(R)Cgl—Aze—Pab—OH, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, in a form which is substantially crystalline. It has been found that crystalline forms of EtO2C—CH2—(R)Cgl—Aze—Pab—OH have a high chemical and solid state stability when compared to amorphous forms of the compound.

Abstract: A metered unit dose comprising 40 &mgr;g or less of budesonide is disclosed, as well as formulations thereof, and the use thereof for the treatment of nasal conditions.

Abstract: A disposable inhaler that includes a deagglomeration section is disclosed. The deagglomeration section has a section inlet, a section outlet, and a divider for splitting the stream of air into two flow parts. The divider has a surface that faces the section inlet at an angle substantially perpendicular to the stream of air passing through the section inlet, and the walls of the inhalation channel within the inhaler are shaped so as to cause substantially no resistance to or turbulence in the air flow through the inhaler.

Abstract: A dry powder composition comprising one more potent pharmaceutically active substances and a carrier substance, all of which are in finely divided form, wherein the formulation has a poured bulk density of from 0.28 to 0.38 g/ml is useful in the treatment of respiratory disorders.

Abstract: Compounds of the general formula wherein R represents a straight or branched chain alkyl group containing from 1 to 16 carbon atoms, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and/or optical isomers thereof have an immunostimulating effect, and are useful in the treatment of arteriosclerosis.

Abstract: An inhalation device for use with an inhaler is disclosed. The device includes a dispersion chamber constructed for fluid communication with the inhaler and a suction chamber of variable internal volume in fluid communication with the dispersion chamber. The internal volume of the suction chamber can be increased during use, producing a negative pressure in the dispersion chamber, thereby drawing a substance to be inhaled from the inhaler into the dispersion chamber for subsequent inhalation.