Abstract: A process for treating a suspension of solid particles in a carrier liquid comprises subjecting the particles in the suspension to gravity settling in a treatment zone. The treatment zone has at least an upper free settling region in which free settling of solid particles through the liquid takes place, a hindered settling region below the free settling region in which hindered settling of particles takes place, and a compaction region below the hindered settling region in which the solid particles are in contact with one another so that a slurry is formed in this region. Clarified liquid is withdrawn from the free settling region. Liquid is allowed, in at least the compaction region, to move upwardly along at least one upwardly inclined pathway, while at least partially protected from settling solid particles. Slurry is withdrawn from the compaction region.

Abstract: A set of surgical instruments which comprises a saw guide and a drill guide respectively for guiding a saw blade cutting a bone and for guiding a drill bit for thereafter forming a passage in the bone. The saw guide has a seat formation for seating against the bone, and a guide formation for guiding the saw. The drill guide comprises a bit guide and an anchor to align the bit guide relative to the cut. Also provided are a saw guide and a drill guide; and a method of carrying out an osteotomy procedure by making an oblique cut through a long bone at a position where bone portions which are misaligned intersect each other to provide two bone fragments, whereafter they are loosely bolted together and then rotated about the axis provided by the bolting until the misalignment is reduced, after which they are bolted tightly together.

Abstract: An orthopaedic caliper 40 has an orthopaedic device 42 having a lower portion 48 and an upper portion 50. The portion 48 is attached snugly and not tightly, to a thigh. The upper portion 50 is a moulding of deformable, stretch resistant material. It is of concave or cradle shape to fit an upper portion of the thigh and a lower portion of a buttock. The portion 48 cannot dig into soft tissue and thus cannot become ischial weight bearing. It merely exerts a predominantly horizontal force on the body. This causes the user to assume a substantially normal posture and gait and the leg bones of the user to bear the weight. A bulge 50.3, to accommodate the buttock, collapses when the user is seated to prevent pressure points on bony protuberances and pressure underneath the thigh.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell comprises a cell housing, and a cathode located in the cell housing. The cathode comprises at least one electrochemically active compound of lithium, manganese and oxygen. The compound has a spinel-type structure and has the general formulaLi.sub.1 D.sub.x/b Mn.sub.2-x O.sub.4+.delta.where(i) x is a number such that 0.ltoreq.x<0,33;(ii) .delta. is a number such that 0.ltoreq..delta.<0,5, with the values of x and .delta. being such that the oxidation state N of the manganese cation is 3,5<N<4,0;(iii) D is a mono- or multi-valent metal cation; and(iv) b is the oxidation state of D.An electrolyte is also located in the cell housing. The cell housing, electrolyte and cathode are arranged to permit a charging potential to be applied to the cell to cause lithium from the cathode to form, in the cell housing, at least part of the anode, while the electrolyte couples the cathode electrochemically to the anode, and insulates it electronically therefrom.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell precursor and method of making it are provided; and a method of making an electrochemical cell and electrodes therefor. The cell precursor comprises a housing having an anode terminal exposed to its interior. An electrolyte is in the housing for electrochemically coupling the terminal to a cathode in the housing, a cathode precursor being in the housing. The cell precursor is made by loading the electrolyte and cathode precursor into the housing, such that the anode is electrochemically coupled by the electrolyte to the cathode precursor, being electrochemically insulated therefrom. The cell and its electrodes are made by subjecting the cell precursor to a charging potential whereby the cathode precursor acts as a cathode. The cathode precursor comprises at least one compound of lithium, manganese and oxygen, which falls in a defined area of an isothermal slice of the Li-Mn-O phase diagram at 20.degree. C.

Abstract: The invention provides a hydrogen manganese oxide compound. It has manganese cations and oxygen anions arranged in a framework having a hollandite-type structure and defining channels. Cations in the channels are confined to manganse, hydrogen and/or lithium cations. The ionic ratios of lithium:manganese cations and of hydrogen:manganese cations are respectively at most 0.05:1 and at least 0.01:1.00. The invention also provides a method of making said compound; a lithium manganese oxide compound derived from said hydrogen manganese oxide compound and a method of synthesising it therefrom; and electrochemical cells employing said hydrogen manganese oxide and lithium manganese oxide compounds as active cathode materials.

Abstract: The invention provides an essentially layered lithium transition metal oxide compound and a method of making it. It comprises lithium cations, transition metal cations T and oxygen anions, the transition metal cations T having an average valency of from +3 to +4. It has its O anions arranged in layers in a substantially cubic-close-packed arrangement, with its Li cations being arranged in layers and its T cations occupying octahedral sites and being arranged in layers. Each layer of the Li cations is sandwiched between two layers of the O anions and each said layer of O anions is sandwiched between a said layer of Li cations and a layer of the T cations. 75%-99.8% of the T cations in the compound are located in the layers of T cations, and the remainder of the T cations are located in the layers of Li cations, the T cations being selected from Co cations and mixtures of Co and Ni cations.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the production of 3-(1-amino-1,3-dicarboxy-3-hydroxy-but-4-yl) indole and certain salts and internal condensation products thereof. An unsaturated indolyl ester is reacted with ethylchloro(hydroxyimino)acetate in the presence of triethylamine in an organic solvent to cause a 1,3-dipolar addition reaction to form a di-ester. The di-ester is saponified to form a di-acid which di-acid is then reduced to form either the product indole or a salt thereof.