Abstract: The diamter of &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is reduced by cold wire-drawing and the &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is subjected to heat treatment. The heat treatment comprises the first aging process for precipitation strengthening and the second aging process for removing processing strain. &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is heat-treated under the supply of tension at the second aging process.

Abstract: The diamter of &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is reduced by cold wire-drawing and the &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is subjected to heat treatment. The heat treatment comprises the first aging process for precipitation strengthening and the second aging process for removing processing strain. &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is heat-treated under the supply of tension at the second aging process.

Abstract: Antibodies made to a flanking region GPR(31-98) in human gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) precursor. Since the antibodies have high affinity to GRP precursor, and the GPR precursor is highly stable in the blood, then lung cancer, especially small cell lung cancer can be diagnosed with high reliability by detecting or measuring GRP precursor in the blood of a patient using the present antibodies.

Abstract: Antibodies made to a flanking region GPR(31-8) in human gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) precursor. Since the antibodies have high affinity to GRP precursor, and the GPR precursor is highly stable in the blood, then lung cancer, especially small cell lung cancer can be diagnosed with high reliability by detecting or measuring GRP precursor in the blood of a patient using the present antibodies.

Abstract: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) are treated to deplete monocytes and the remaining cells are cultured in a medium containing interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-4 (IL-4). Nonadherent cells are removed and discarded, and adherent cells are further cultured in a medium of IL-2 and IL-4 which expands the CD4+ T cells population of the PBMC. The expanded, enriched CD4+T cells can be placed in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and administered to a mammal with IL-2 to treat a tumor.

Abstract: A slurry compound prepared by a sintering powdery material and a binder is press-molded to obtain a contour for the final product applicable to a bone-implant such as hip prosthesis. The molded body is given a programmed movement of rotation and/or swinging to impart a centrifugal force to the sintering particles which direct toward the inner wall of the mold cavity. The final product obtained after sintering has a hollow interior having no communication to the outside. Imparting conditions of rotating/swinging movement may be changed or programmed in order to achieve a desired structure or constitution of the final product. By way of example, larger particles concentrate near the inner wall of the mold to provide a rough, porous surface of the body, whereas it has a dense core consisting mainly of sintered fine particles. A hip prosthesis having a ceramic-rich femoral head and a metal-rich stem may also be produced by so programming the movement imparting conditions.

Abstract: Leucinol, phenylalaninol and benzamide protect against loss of Natural Killer activity when Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells are treated with an ester of an amino acid or dipeptide or an amide of an amino acid prior to incubation with IL-2 to generate Lymphokine-Activated Killer activity.

Abstract: An electronic sphygmomanometer includes CPU-controlled peripheral elements such as a pump, an amplifier, an A/D converter and a printer. During measurement of blood pressure, power consumption is reduced by supplying power to these peripheral elements only when they are driven or operated. When a blood pressure measurement or a print-out of measured values ends, the CPU acts to cut off its own power to reduce power consumption further. The sphygmomanometer further includes a timer constantly supplied with power for the purpose of preserving time information. Operating power is supplied to the CPU in synchronism with a pulse signal outputted by the timer every minute. When the pulse signal arrives, the CPU reads in time information from the timer, causes the time information to be displayed by a display device, then cuts off its own power and waits for the next pulse signal. By repeating such processing, time is displayed while power consumption is minimized.

Abstract: A method for the separation of blood into the components and apparatus thereof, characterized by subjecting the blood to strong centrifugation thereby separating said blood into an upper layer (A) of platelet-deficient blood plasma, an intermediate layer (B) of a mixture of platelets and white blood corpuscles, and a lower layer (C) of a red blood corpuscle concentrate, adjusting the hematocrit value of said red blood corpuscle concentrate of (C) to not more than 80% by diluting said red blood corpuscle concentrate with part of said platelet-deficient blood plasma of (A), and subjecting said mixture of (B) to weak centrifugation thereby separating said mixture into a lower layer of white blood corpuscles and an upper layer of a platelet concentrate, and if desired, subjecting the remaining platelet-deficient blood plasma to the treatments of freezing, thawing, and centrifugation thereby separating said platelet-deficient blood plasma into cryoprecipitate and cryoprecipitate-deficient blood plasma, and anaratu

Abstract: An electrochemical cell is formed by immersing an electrochemical ion sensor and a reference electrode into a solution of interest, the electrochemical ion sensor exhibiting ion selectivity with respect to an ion of interest and having a high electrode resistance. A current which flows through the electrochemical cell is measured while the potential of the electrochemical ion sensor is held to a constant potential with respect to the reference electrode. The current so obtained are proportional to the logarithm value of the concentration of the ion.

Abstract: A tissue culture flask includes a container main body comprising a box having a bottom surface for supporting a substance to be cultured, a side surface, and an upper surface. A cylindrical neck is provided on the side surface of the container main body to communicate with the interior of the container main body, and extends obliquely upward with respect to the bottom surface and defining a first opening at an end located away from the container main body and a second opening opposite the first opening.

Abstract: There is provided an improved process for enhanced LAK cell activation wherein the peripheral blood mononuclear cells are treated with an amino acid amide to yield depletion, prior to the lymphocytes being cultured at high density. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions and methods of using them in combination with IL-2 to treat cancer in a mammal.

Abstract: A membrane type artificial lung uses a gas-exchange membrane having at least the surface thereof for exposure to blood or the minute pores therein coated or blocked with a vinyl type copolymer having as one of the components thereof a vinyl monomer possessing a perfluoroalkyl side chain. The gas-exchange membrane of the artificial lung is manufactured by a method which comprises bringing at least the surface of the gas-exchange membrane for exposure to blood into contact with a solution of the vinyl type copolymer and subsequently vaporizing the solvent in the solution.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a hollow fiber membrane by mixing polypropylene, an organic filler capable of uniformly dispersing in the polypropylene in a fused state and easily dissolving in an extractant being used, and a crystal seed forming agent. The resulting mixture, in a molten state, is discharged in the shape of a hollow fiber through an annular spinning nozzle and into contact with a liquid made of said organic filler or a compound similar thereto. This results in cooling and solidifying the hollow fiber, which is then forwarded into contact with an extractant incapable of dissolving polypropylene, to remove the organic filler and form the membrane.

Abstract: An automatic sphygmomanometer is provided with an inflatable cuff adapted to be wrapped around an arm of a patient, instrument body for feeding compressed air into said cuff and for sensing blood pressure, a pump compartment having two end plates and pump disposed therein, a connecting tube which extends through an opening of the end plate of a pump compartment and which is formed of a soft silicone rubber, a seal for providing a noise seal between said connecting tube and the opening of the pump compartment. An elastomeric body is [shaped to receive said pump therein] rounded around the outer circumferential surface of said pump.

Abstract: A method for the separation of blood into the components thereof, characterized by subjecting the blood to strong centrifugation thereby separating said blood into an upper layer (A) of platelet-deficient blood plasma an intermediate layer (B) of a mixture of platelets and white blood corpuscles, and a lower layer (C) of a red blood corpuscle concentrate, adjusting the hematocrit value of said red blood corpuscle concentrate of (C) to not more than 80% by diluting said red blood corpuscle concentrate with part of said platelet-deficient blood plasma of (A), and subjecting said mixture of (B) to weak centrifugation thereby separating said mixture into a lower layer of white blood corpuscles and an upper layer of a platelet concentrate, and if desired, subjecting the remaining platelet-deficient blood plasma to the treatments of freezing, thawing, and centrifugation thereby separating said platelet-deficient blood plasma into cryoprecipitate and cryoprecipitate-deficient blood plasma, and apparatus therefor.

Abstract: A flat permeable membrane of polyolefin 10 to 500 .mu.m in thickness, which membrane has compact layers of intimately bound fine particles of polyolefin formed one each in the opposite surface regions of the membrane and a layer of an aggregate of fine discrete particles of an average diameter of 0.01 to 5 .mu.m formed between the compact layers and, consequently, has fine through pores labyrinthically extended in the direction of thickness of the membrane to establish communication between the opposite surfaces of the membrane and a method for the manufacture of the permeable membrane.

Abstract: In an electronic clinical sphygmomamometer of the type which measures blood pressure on the basis of a Korotkoff-sound signal in a pulse-wave gate signal, the level of a detected pulse-wave signal is compared with a predetermined threshold level to form a pulse-wave gate signal the duration of which corresponds to a period over which the level of the pulse-wave signal is higher than the predetermined threshold level. If no Korotkoff-sound detection signal is provided in the pulse-wave gate signal thus formed, the duration of the pulse-wave gate signal is extended by a predetermined time period. The thus-extended duration of the pulse-wave period required to measure the systatic blood pressure gate signal serves as the measurement.

Abstract: An artificial lung has an axially extending housing which accommodates a bundle of hollow fibers retained within the housing by a pair of walls provided at the ends of the housing. The housing has blood inlet and outlet ports defining a blood chamber within the housing. Oxygen gas is passed through the hollow fibers and blood is passed through the blood chamber so that a gas exchange may take place through the hollow fiber walls. The artificial lung is provided with a blood reservoir chamber integral with the blood chamber and capable of being communicated with the blood chamber, so that blood which has undergone a gas exchange inside the chamber may be stored within the reservoir. A heat exchanger is disposed at a point preceding, following or intermediate the blood chamber and blood reservoir chamber, which construct a blood circuit.