Abstract: A method for producing hollow fibrous membranes includes the steps of mixing a ceramic powder with a binder to form a paste having a sufficient viscosity to be extruded without heating, characterized in that said binder is a binder dissolved in water or another simple solvent or a thermosetting binder or an inorganic binder or a combination of said binders; extruding the paste to the form of hollow fibers by means of a spinneret; supporting the hollow fibers leaving the spinneret on a roller conveyor comprising a pair of rollers which rotate in opposite directions away from each other where the fibers contact the rollers; and sintering the hollow fibers. These membranes are used for microfiltration, ultrafiltration or gas separation. The fibrous membranes have an external diameter of 0.1-3 mm and a wall thickness of 10-500 &mgr;m.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced bioactive ceramic implant, wherein a base form is made from fibrous material and interspaces between the different fibers are filled using chemical vapor phase infiltration. The fibrous material is coated with a composition which optimizes the bonding with the infiltrant. Preferably, a calcium-phosphate compound is brought between the fibers, which are preferably of the continuous-fiber type.

Abstract: A reactor for carrying out gas/liquid/solid phase reactions, comprises a housing (1) which encloses an essentially closed reaction chamber (2) for holding a first liquid phase, the solid phase and a gas phase fed through the chamber; at least one feed (3), connected to the reaction chamber, for feeding a first liquid phase to the reaction chamber (2); at least one hollow fiber (4), the wall of which defines an internal flow channel for at least removing a second liquid phase, such that exchange of matter can take place between the reaction chamber (2) and the flow channel through the wall of hollow fiber (4); at least one discharge (6), connected to the flow channel, for removing the second liquid phase; at least one gas inlet (7) and at least one gas outlet (8), connected to reaction chamber (2) such that, in the use position, the at least one gas inlet (7) opens essentially into the bottom of the reaction chamber (2) and the at least one gas outlet (8) is located essentially at the top of the reaction chamb

Abstract: A gas-generating preparation suitable for being used in an air bag includes ammonium nitrate, a derivative of guanidine and one or more metal carbonates as a deflagration catalyst. By using one or more metal carbonates as a deflagration catalyst, higher burning rates and a lower burning temperature are achieved than if metal oxides such as copper(II) oxide are used as a deflagration catalyst.

Abstract: In order to separate metals and/or metal alloys of different melting points from one another, a mixture of these metals and/or metal alloys is brought to a temperature at which the metal or the metal alloy of relatively low melting point is molten and the metal or the metal alloy of relatively high melting point is in the solid state. The solid constituents are separated from the melt, use being made of washing column with at least one filter which withstands the temperature of molten metal. Each of the filters is arranged in the wall of a separate pipe which extends through the washing column. The mixture is fed to one end of the washing column and moves along the pipe or pipes, towards means arranged at the opposite side of the washing column for removing solid crystalline material. The melt passes via the filter or filters into the pipe or pipes, and flows in countercurrent to the mixture situated on the outside of the pipe or pipes, towards a melt discharge.

Abstract: Method and equipment for the detection and identification of particles in a suspension with the aid of acoustic signals, directed at at least one measurement volume within the suspension, via reception of acoustic reflection signals, conversion of the acoustic reflection signals into electrical reflection signals, counting the number of electrical reflection signals which have an amplitude in excess of a predetermined value and converting the count into numbers of particles which are larger than a certain size, at least one curve being composed on the basis of a cumulative count of the number of reflection signals which have an amplitude in excess of a specific value as a function of the amplitude and the at least one curve being compared with predetermined standard cumulative count curves and material properties, particle concentration, particle size distribution and/or particle characteristics, such as particle shape, particle size and standard deviation thereof, are deduced from the comparison.

Abstract: Membrane gas adsorption is conducted wherein the gas phase contains mercury in the gaseous state and the liquid phase containing at least one oxidizing agent for mercury such that the mercury in the gaseous state is absorbed into the liquid phase, and an oxidation/reduction reaction between the mercury and the oxidizing agent takes place in one step.

Abstract: Method for producing a high temperature resistant exchanger. The exchanger is made from a number of tubes sealingly connected to a pipe plate which is further connected to an enclosure. The pipe plate is realised by positioning enclosure and tubes in a mould and pouring a ceramic slurry which is subsequently sintered.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for shaping a rotationally-symmetrical surface in a material, where the material is rotated about an axis and a rotating element is placed in contact with the rotating material. The rotating element is provided with a symmetrical, coherent shaping edge, or is provided with such an edge at one end, or as an alternative, is a shaping head which travels around a symmetrical, coherent contour. The axis of rotation of the rotating element is then placed at an angle to the axis of rotation of the material and, during shaping, a force is exerted on the rotating element such that the shaping edge or the shaping head is held in contact with the material and such that the lateral position of the shaping edge or the contour around which the rotating element travels in operation remains approximately constant with respect to the material. The shaping edge/contour has an acircular shape and the orientation thereof is kept approximately constant with respect to the material during shaping.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for assaying a proteolytic enzyme comprising: (a) incubating an enzyme-containing sample with an immobilized fluorescence-quenched peptide having the formula Que-Sub-Flu-Spa-Car or Flu-Sub-Que-Spa-Car wherein Sub is a peptide chain containing a specific cleavage site for said proteolytic enzyme; Flu is a fluorophore; Que is a quencher capable of absorbing fluorescent radiation emitted by the fluorophore; Spa is a direct bond or a spacing chain; and Car is a water-insoluble and/or macromolecular carrier; (b) optionally separating the liquid from the carrier material; (c) irradiating said carrier material and measuring fluorescence. Also disclosed are immobilized substrates containing specific amino acid sequences for use in such an assay, especially in an assay for aggrecanase, and metalloproteinase-1, -3 and -13 activity.

Abstract: Device for the transfer of material and/or heat from one medium stream to another medium stream is assembled from interconnected modules, each module having a number of hollow membrane fibres or tubes, which fibres or tubes are designed to be flowed through by a first medium, while a second medium can flow outside the fibres of tubes, and the ends of the fibres of tubes projecting a sealed manner through module walls lying essentially opposite each other and open into chambers with orifices for the supply and discharge of the medium, the supply orifice and the discharge orifice of adjacent modules being in register and being connected to each other in a fluid-tight manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced bioactive ceramic implant, wherein a base form is made from fibrous material and interspaces between the different fibers are filled using chemical vapor phase infiltration. Preferably, a calcium-phosphate compound is brought between the fibers, which are preferably of the continuous-fiber type.

Abstract: A vehicle seat with a frame supporting a sitting portion, a backrest and a headrest situated above the backrest, the backrest comprising a back support part extending by a top part to a position adjacent the headrest and connected to the frame by a coupling which, during a forward displacement of the frame, from a predetermined acceleration, allows a displacement of at least a part of the back support part against the forward displacement, over a distance predetermined by stopping members arranged between the back support part and the frame, wherein at least the top part of the back support part is arranged for displacement relative to the adjoining headrest which is mounted in such a manner that during the displacement of the back support part allowed by the coupling, the headrest remains stationary relative to the frame.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of non-bacterial plasminogen activators in the manufacture of a topical medical preparation for the treatment of slow- or non-healing wounds. In addition, the present invention relates to a composition comprising a physiologically acceptable carrier and an effective amount of a non-bacterial plasminogen activator, with the exclusion of t-PA. Finally, the present invention is directed to a method of treatment of slow- or non-healing wounds comprising the topical application of a non-bacterial plasminogen activator to the site of a wound.

Abstract: Method and equipment for the detection and identification of particles in a suspension with the aid of acoustic signals, directed at at least one measurement volume within the suspension, via reception of acoustic reflection signals, conversion of the acoustic reflection signals into electrical reflection signals, counting the number of electrical reflection signals which have an amplitude in excess of a predetermined value and converting the count into numbers of particles which are larger than a certain size, at least one curve being composed on the basis of a cumulative count of the number of reflection signals which have an amplitude in excess of a specific value as a function of the amplitude and the at least one curve being compared with predetermined standard cumulative count curves and material properties, particle concentration, particle size distribution and/or particle characteristics, such as particle shape, particle size and standard deviation thereof, are deduced from the comparison.

Abstract: A method for extracting metals from metal-containing materials, especially waste, by pyrohydrolysis. The metal-containing materials which contain at least one or more of the metals from the group consisting of Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, Cu, Sn (as Sn(0) and Sn(II)), As, Sb, Au, Ag and Bi, are made to react at 700-1100.degree. C., advantageously 800-900.degree. C., with a gas composition which at least comprises 25-45% by volume of water vapor, 0-12% by volume of carbon dioxide, 2-20% by volume of hydrogen chloride, 0-15% by volume of carbon monoxide, the remainder being nitrogen and possibly oxygen. The metals from the above-mentioned group are extracted in the form of volatile metal chlorides.

Abstract: The patent application describes a sandwich-type immunoassay for the detection and/or quantitation of collagen degradation products in biological samples such as blood, serum, plasma, sputum and cell cultures. The immunoassay uses a first antibody directed at an epitope present on a collagen molecule at a distance of up to 165 amino acids from a collagen telopeptide crosslink site, and a second antibody directed at another epitope of the crosslinked collagen molecule.

Abstract: Internal combustion engine with exhaust gas recirculation and turbocharger. The branch (9) connecting the exhaust duct (4) and the inlet duct (5) is situated upstream of the exhaust turbine (6) and downstream of the inlet compressor (7). This branch (9) discharges into the inlet duct via a venturi (10). The regulation of the quantity of exhaust gas is controlled by controlling the exhaust-pressure-regulating devices. These may comprise a turbine with variable geometry.

Abstract: In order to remove organic constituents from an aqueous stream, the aqueous stream is combined with an adsorbent consisting of small particles to produce a dispersion in order to bind the contamination by adsorption on the small particles. The dispersion is concentrated to produce a slurry and the adsorbent is then regenerated by oxidation. The particles of the adsorbent are smaller than 200 .mu.m and the oxidation can take place as partial oxidation at a temperature of between 25 and 130.degree. C. and a pressure of between 1 and 3 bars. A reduction in volume of at least 90% is achieved on concentration to produce a slurry and the method is carried out continuously.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a composite material wherein by dynamic densification of an amount of granular or powdered relatively brittle material or a mixture of one or more of such materials, a continuous porous product is obtained, whereafter, by infiltration thereof with a second material, the brittle material particles are embedded in a continuous network of the second material. The invention further relates to a composite comprising ceramic particles embedded in a continuous matrix of a second material, obtainable by a method according to the invention, and to products manufactured from such composite.