Abstract: A controlled release composition comprising an active substance other than a prostaglandin and a polymeric carrier therefor comprising residues having a ratio of number average molecular weight to functionality greater than 1000 which comprises polyethylene oxide and are cross-linked through urethane groups.

Abstract: Novel compounds have the formula (I) ##STR1## where ##STR2## represents one of the divalent cyclic groups ##STR3## the letters a and b indicating in each case the points of attachment of the substituents R.sup.1 and CV(R.sup.2)-NV'R, respectively; R.sup.1 is a group --(CH.sub.2).sub.b --(A).sub.a --(CH.sub.2).sub.c --B--CH.sub.2 --CO.sub.2 R' in which A and B are each separately oxygen or sulphur, a is 0, b is 0 and c is an integer from 3 to 10, or a is 1, b is 0 or an integer from 1 to 7 and c is an integer from 2 to 9 with the sum of b and c being from 2 to 9, and CO.sub.2 R' is a carboxy group or an amide, ester or salt derivative thereof; V and V' either each separately is hydrogen or together are the second bond of a carbon-nitrogen double bond; R.sup.2 is hydrogen, an aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group substituted by an aromatic group directly or through an oxygen or sulphur atom; and R is a group --OR.sup.3, --OR.sup.4, --D--R.sup.3, --N.dbd. R.sup.5 or --NW.G.

Abstract: A monochromatic dye laser is constructed from a short cavity laser 61 with an external narrow bandwidth amplifier 62 designed to pass only a single mode. The frequency of the SCL is controlled by a servo fed from an interferometer which monitors the spacing of the laser mirrors, while the pass frequency of the NBA is controlled by a servo 68 fed by photodetectors 65,66 which monitor the amplitude of peripheral bands.

Abstract: The advantages of high alumina cement (early strength, resistance to sulphate attack) are preserved and its disadvantage (weakens with age) is solved by mixing it 50:50 with silica fume, gasifier slag, fly ash or other pozzolanic or latently hydraulic material. This encourages formation of gehlenite octahydrate in preference to the harmful `conversion` (weakening) reaction.

Abstract: A force transducer which uses current pulses in a conductor to generate acoustic pulses in a magnetostrictive delay line. The pulses are sensed by a coil around the line. The magnitude of the pulses is modified by force applied to the transducer by changing the shielding effect of a magnetoelastic ribbon (between the conductor and the delay line) by applying a force to be sensed thereto. The transducers are economic and easily assembled into arrays for sensing stress distribution in two dimensions because the common conductors can be used for the columns of the array and common delay lines can be used for the array rows. Each column then has a common current-pulse generator and each row has a common detector coil. A similar technique may be used for sensing the spatial distribution of other parameters such as temperature, magnetic field or displacement.

Abstract: In the treatment of oestrogen-dependent tumors, it is desirable to improve the therapy obtainable from the compound aminoglutethimide. It has now been found that 3-ethyl-3-(4-pyridyl)glutarimide and derivatives thereof of formula ##STR1## wherein R represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms offers advantages over aminoglutethimide. 3-Ethyl-3-(4-pyridyl)glutarimide can be prepared by various ring-closing reactions, especially by heating 4-(4-pyridyl)-hexano-1,4-dinitrile with a strong mineral acid.

Abstract: Antigens specific to respiratory syncytial virus are produced on the surface of cells by:(1) culturing in vitro cells derived from a human or animal mucosa,(2) inoculating the cultured cells with respiratory syncytial virus, and(3) selecting virally infected cells from the culture.The resulting cells or the viral antigen(s) when partially or completely isolated from the cells have immunological and diagnostic uses in respect of infection by respiratory syncytial virus and may be used to isolate viral antibodies. A specific cell strain NM7 produced by this method from bovine nasal mucosal cells has respiratory syncytial virus antigens on its surface and its corresponding, uninfected cell strain NM5 can be infected similarly.

Abstract: An arrangement to apply a milking apparatus to the udder of an animal at a milking point including a store for the apparatus, a handling device having an elongate arm to support and move the apparatus between an apparatus acquisition point and the milking point, a stall to define a specific space for an animal to be milked fixedly related to the acquisition point and the milking point, including guides to retain loosely in the space an animal to be milked, sensors to sense retained animal position with respect to the fixedly related space and points and provide a first signal indicative of sensed animal position, pneumatic elements in the device to swing and to longitudinally displace the elongate arm to move and position the elongate arm and any supported apparatus, and control circuitry to control the pneumatic elements to operate the arm to acquire milking apparatus at a position forward of the teats of a retained animal, the control circuitry being responsive to the first signal to move the acquired appar

Abstract: A process for the production of a boronic acid of formula III, ##STR1## in which an organometallic of formula IV, ##STR2## in which formula IV, M represents a metallic moiety such as --MgX, X being a halogen or an alkali metal is treated with a trialkoxy borane of formula B(OR).sub.3, R representing an alkyl group and the product is hydrolyzed.

Abstract: Apparatus for sampling material, e.g. a microbiological growth culture, comprises a consumable sampling filament (3) which may be advanced through a tubular guide (1) so that a tip (3a) projects therefrom. The guide (1) and tip (3a) are moved relatively towards the material to be sampled, a portion of which is collected on the tip. After moving the guide and tip relatively away from the material, the filament (3) may be advanced through the guide and the tip severed by a cutter (9) so as to fall into a receiving vessel (8) containing, for example, a nutrient liquid.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of a patient comprises administering to said patient epidermal growth factor and an iron-providing material in order to effect an increase of the level of iron in the patient's bloodstream. The compositions may be administered parenteral, for example in intramuscular or oral form.

Abstract: A moulding process including:supplying molten, mouldable material to a mould cavity;subjecting at least a part of the supplied molten material to a shear force;causing the material to solidify while maintaining the shear force; anddemoulding the moulded material.

Abstract: Apparatus for administering oral fluid from a reservoir (60) to a patient comprises: a chamber (10,30) suitably formed by connection of a mouthpiece (30) to be held adjacent the gums and/or teeth and a nipple (10) or diaphragm (310) at the mouthpiece rear for tongue activation, with fluid inlet and outlet openings (34,12) formed respectively in the former and latter; a tube (40) connected between the chamber inlet opening and reservoir; and a fluid flow control valve (50) connected in the tube, such valve suitably having a cylinder housing (51) with inlet and outlet ports (54,53) at its ends and a piston valve member (55) freely reciprocable therein a clearance fit to close and open the outlet port. The valve is preferably effectively symmetrical with a ball piston (55) reciprocable also to close and open the inlet port.

Abstract: Vaccines active against coccidiosis in domestic fowls contain attenuated precocious strains of Eimeria species.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing useful thromboxane A.sub.2 inhibiting (.+-.)7-[3.alpha.-[1-[[(phenylamino)thioxomethyl]hydrazono]ethyl]-1.alpha. ,4.alpha.-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2.beta.-yl]-heptenoic acids and useful derivatives thereof from (.+-.)octahydro-1.alpha.-methyl-3a.alpha.,7a.alpha.-4.alpha.,7.alpha.-meth ano-2H-inden-2-ones.

Abstract: Steel is prepared for hot-dip coating in molten zinc, by forming lead chloride on it in a greater mass (at least 12 g/m.sup.2) than possible by evaporation from saturated aqueous solution. One way of so forming the lead chloride is to cathodize the steel (24000 coulomb/m.sup.2) in 1:1 HCl saturated with lead chloride, and air-dry the steel. The steel thus prepared is dipped for 2 minutes in molten zinc or, for greater corrosion resistance, in molten scrap zinc.

Abstract: An ionically conductive, ion-containing polymeric material prepared from an amorphous polymer and a source of ions and having a bulk ionic conductivity at 20.degree. C. and 10 kHz greater than 10.sup.-6 .OMEGA..sup.-1 cm.sup.-1, wherein the copolymer comprises a backbone from which depends at least one residue of the formula: ##STR1## wherein: n represent a number greater than 1; andR represents a hydrogen atom or substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl group.

Abstract: Enhanced NMR images of a desired portion of an object are obtained by obtaining a plurality of NMR responses of the object each response comprising information from a plurality of smaller volumes within the object and by combining together the plurality of NMR responses by addition or subtraction to obtain enhanced images from the selected smaller volumes.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance signal of a volume of interest within an object is acquired by placing the object in a magnetic field and the application of three successive steps. The first step comprises an rf selective 90.degree. pulse of frequency f.sub.x applied in the presence of an x-gradient magnetic field to select a slice. The magnetization of the slice is then inverted. In the second step an rf selective 90.degree. pulse of frequency f.sub.y is applied in the presence of a y-gradient magnetic field to excite a strip of the slice, in the third step an rf selective 180.degree. pulse of frequency f.sub.z is applied in the presence of a y-gradient magnetic field to refocus the magnetization of a region of said strip. The resulting free induction signal is derived solely from said region.

Abstract: An interferometric procedure, such as electronic speckle pattern interferometry, involves generating two signals representing the point-by-point variations in intensity of respective patterns of electromagnetic radiation resulting from the interference of first and second beams of such radiation derived from a coherent source, with at least the first beam from each pattern being scattered, before interference with its respective second beam, from a common object surface, and with a corresponding pair of the beams, one for each pattern, having a predetermined relative phase difference of other than a multiple of .pi.; and determining from the two signals values for a datum phase of the radiation at the object surface. Preferably, as a preliminary to this last determination. DC components are removed from the two signals. Conveniently, to simplify the determination, the phase difference is an odd multiple of .pi./4 or .pi./2.