Abstract: Gas samples withdrawn from within a reactor vessel (or process in general), as well as from one feed gas thereto, are passed to gas analyzers for particular components or impurities desired to be measured. The response time of the reactor analysis system employed is advantageously minimized by the elimination of dead gas space within the system and the provisions for rapid purging of the system or of individual gas analyzer feed lines. The flexibility of the system to measure both particular gas sample components and periodically present impurities using the same analytical instruments is generated by the addition of an in-line reaction system comprised of reactant addition means and/or catalyst means to individual sample lines leading to particular analytical instruments.

Abstract: A membrane support, reagent and method determines, in vitro, skin irritation properties of individual compounds and/or mixtures is disclosed. The material to be tested is applied directly to the membrane support. The material may penetrate the membrane and diffuse into the reagent and cause a response, for example, the production of a precipitate. The test material may also alter or destroy the membrane and/or disrupt covalently linked dye molecules attached to the membrane and diffuse into the reagent to produce an additional or alternate response--for example, color. The sum of these two responses is proportional to the deleterious response elicited by the material on the human skin.

Abstract: A color changing device for monitoring the time-temperature storage history, i.e. shelf life, of perishable products. The device is constructed of an activator tape, containing an activator composition matrix, an indicating tape, containing an indicating composition matrix and an optional barrier matrix between the activator tape and the indicating tape. At least one matrix is a pressure sensitive adhesive. The activating composition, e.g. an organic acid such as citric acid, diffuses through the barrier and/or indicating matrix to continuously contact the indicating composition, e.g. an acid-base dye indicator such as 2,2',4,4',4",-pentamethoxy triphenylmethanol, to produce a visually observable color change at the temperature being monitored. The color intensifies with time and temperature, as more activator composition diffuses into the indicating matrix.

Abstract: A liquid transport system provides controlled flow of liquid in a liquid flow zone between two surfaces wherein one surface includes a plurality of projections, or raised areas, arranged substantially throughout the surface in the liquid flow zone and an aperture for allowing the introduction of liquid between the two surfaces. In a preferred embodiment the projections on the first surface are arranged in parallel spaced rows and parallel spaced columns. The second surface may be one surface of a layer of a diagnostic assay element.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to immunochemical detection procedures, e.g., using both Western blotting and direct immunoassays, for Factor V/Va and Factor V/Va fragments, which can thus be used; (a) in a predictive manner to evaluate the existence and/or extent of a thrombotic complication; (b) to monitor the efficacy of prophylaxis for a thrombotic condition; and (c) as a means to evaluate potential risk of hemorrhage during thrombolytic therapy.

Abstract: A disposable blood holding cassette for haemostatic measurements. A single unit is provided having a blood sample container with three separate pressurized blood sample reservoirs. A waste blood collection reservoir is connected to the blood sample container, and connected thereto via first, second and third blood sample tubes. A punching station is provided to accurately punch first and second of the blood sample tubes, simulating haemostasis function in vitro. Measurements may be made of the haemostatic and thrombolytic function of recently sampled blood. The entire device is disposable, isolating any contaminated blood from clinical personnel.

Abstract: A micro-titre test plate includes a thermoplastic incubation tray having an array of a plurality of wells extending therethrough, a filter, and a thermoplastic harvester tray for supporting the filter sheet. The harvester tray has a plurality of apertures therethrough arranged to be registerable with the bottoms of the wells in the incubation tray. To prevent cross-talk between the wells along the filter, the facing surfaces of the harvester tray and incubation tray are provided with mating ridges and grooves circumscribing the juncture of each well and aperture. In one embodiment, the ridges and grooves are thermally bonded to one another to provide a fluid-impervious barrier trapping respective filter disks in the juncture of each well and aperture. In another embodiment, the harvester tray is formed of a pair of apertured, thermoplastic sheets nested with respective thermally bonded grooves and ridges to trap the filter, the harvester tray being not necessarily bonded to the incubation tray.

Abstract: Colorimetric, fiber optic sensors for measuring pH, PCO.sub.2 and/or other chemical parameters of the blood. The sensors are fabricated using a single optical fiber, which is provided with a chamber at its distal end containing a pH sensitive dye. Located distal to the chamber is a white reflective surface located within 0.04" from the end of the optical fiber, which enhances the performance of the sensor.

Abstract: A reagent test strip (10,10') includes a support medium (12,12') having a handle portion (14,14') and a reagent support portion (16,16'). A reagent (18,18') is fixedly adhered to the reagent support portion (16,16'). A cover (20,20') is mounted on the support medium (12,12') and over the reagent (18,18'). The cover (20,20') defines a capillary chamber (28,28') having two open ends (30,30') and a predetermined volume only over the reagent surface (19) for drawing a predetermined amount of liquid (32,32') into the capillary chamber (28,28') to quantitatively react all of the liquid with the reagent (18,18'). The cover (20,20') is the only structure over the reagent surface (19,19') and is spaced thereover only sufficiently to establish the predetermined volume for acting as a capillary. Methods of using and manufacturing the reagent test strip (10,10') are also disclosed.

Abstract: A reactor system for increased production of olefinic gasoline incorporating the integration of olefins to gasoline conversion under moderate severity conditions in contact with medium pore catalyst with oxygenates to olefin conversion. The effluent product of the olefins to olefin conversion is passed to an olefins to gasoline and/or distillate (MOGD) conversion zone for olefin upgrading. Liquid recycle requirements, feed throughput and/or the number of MOGD fixed bed stages are reduced for the MOGD process and overall process costs are lowered. The process includes the use of common catalyst handling and regeneration steps for the integrated processes.

Abstract: A moving boundary device for monitoring the time-temperature storage history, i.e. shelf life, of perishable products. The device is constructed of an activator tape, containing an activator composition in an activator matrix, an indicating tape, containing an indicating composition in an indicator matrix in which the matrices are adhered together to form a wedge-shaped composite matrix, preferably by means of a pressure sensitive adhesive. The device operates by allowing the activating composiiton, e.g. an organic acid such as citric acid, to diffuse through the increasingly thicker composite matrix to continuously contact the indicating composition, e.g. an acid-base dye indicator such as 2,2',4,4',4",-pentamethoxy triphenylmethanol, to produce a visually observable color change at the temperature being monitored. The color change appears as a moving boundary at the color/non-color interface which moves transversely along the length of the device toward the thicker end of the composite matrix.

Abstract: In order to simplify the operation for determination of the acid-base status of blood, composed of the values for pH, pCO.sub.2 and the base excess BE, the base excess BE is determined through measurement of the pH-value at a pCO.sub.2 of about 0 mn Hg. The pH-values may be determined photometrically, in which case the indicator solution for measuring the actual blood-pH is an aqueous solution of 40 micromol/l bromthymol blue plus 0.2 g/l sodium dodecylsulfate plus 1% ethanol; and for measurement of the base excess BE is an aqueous solution of 65 micro mol/l naphtholphthalein plus 0.2 g/l sodium dodecylsulfate plus 15% dimethylsulfoxide, which are measured at a wavelength of 635 nm. If desired, one may use a single solution for measuring both actual blood-pH as well as the base excess BE, composed of 16 micromol/l bromthymol blue plus 34 micromol/l naphtholphthalein plus 0.15 g/l sodium dodecylsulfate, which is measured at 615 nm wavelength.

Abstract: A method for reducing the amount of ammonia released into the air in a livestock enclosure by the decomposition of livestock excrement or urine by applying to areas of the enclosure where livestock excrement or urine accumulates an ammonia scavenging composition that contains an aliphatic polycarboxylic acid in an amount sufficient to scavenge a portion of the ammonia which is generated due to the decomposition of the livestock excrement or urine, thereby reducing the amount of ammonia released into the air within the enclosure.

Abstract: A method of treating a body fluid so as to inactivate protozoa in said fluid comprises mixing the body fluid with an effective amount of a photosensitizing agent which will bind to cell-free protozoa and/or protozoan-infected cells, and then exposing the resulting mixture to visible light to inactivate the protozoa. An apparatus for use in the method includes at least one container which contains a body fluid containing protozoa and an effective amount of a photosensitizing agent to bind to the protozoa. The apparatus has at least one wall which is permeable to visible light.

Abstract: An oxidizable charge is oxidized in a gaseous phase reaction. The oxidizable charge and an oxidizing gas flow simultaneously and separately through a distribution zone made of a ceramic material. In at least a part of the distribution zone, the oxidizable charge and the oxidizing gas flow through a multiplicity of passages of a dimension so small that any flame resulting from oxidation of the oxidizable charge will be quenched. The oxidizable charge and oxidizing gas are then mixed in a mixing zone made from a ceramic material defining a multiplicity of spaces with passages having a dimension comparable to the dimension of the passages in the distribution zone. The mixture of gases then flows through a reaction zone made from a ceramic material defining another multiplicity of passages having dimensions comparable to those in the distribution zone.

Abstract: A tubing system (18) connects a source (10) of tap water with a container (20) holding an item to be sterilized. Powdered buffers, detergents, and corrosion inhibitors are deposited in a well (34) along with an ampule (46) containing a sterilant, such as peracetic acid. The ampule includes an exterior wall (80) which defines an interior volume (82) and a linear vent passage (84) extending from the exterior wall to a central region of the interior volume. A gas permeable liquid impermeable membrane (100) is mounted across a vent aperture (86) which is disposed adjacent the geometric center of the interior volume. The volume is filled less than half way full with the liquid sterilant such that in all orientations of the ampule (FIGS. 4A-C), an upper surface (98) of the sterilant remains below the vent aperture. A pump (50) recirculates the water through the container, the tubing system, and the well to dissolve the powdered reagents.

Abstract: Scavenger compositions are disclosed, which have utility for effecting the sorptive removal of hazardous gases containing Group II-VII elements of the Periodic Table, such as are widely encountered in the manufacture of semiconducting materials and semiconductor devices. Gas sorption processes including the contacting of Group II-VII gaseous compounds with such scavenger compositions are likewise disclosed, together with critical space velocity contacting conditions pertaining thereto. Further described are gas contacting apparatus, including mesh structures which may be deployed in gas contacting vessels containing such scavenger compositions, to prevent solids from being introduced to or discharged from the contacting vessel in the gas stream undergoing treatment.

Abstract: In an ammonia synthesis process a nitrogen-hydrogen gas is reacted partially over a catalyst at a pressure in the range 30.degree.-120.degree. C., ammonia is separated as liquid after cooling the reacted synthesis gas and unreacted synthesis gas is recycled. The liquid ammonia is evaporated in heat exchange with reacted synthesis gas to provide the required cooling effect. Such heat exchange is effected using a heat exchange surface (as in a plate-fin heat exchanger) of at least 1.5 m.sup.2 per kg mol per hour of ammonia to be condensed, with cold-end temperature approach of less than 80.degree. C. and a hot-end temperature approach of less than 5.degree. C. whereby exploit the heat effect of, inter alia, the non-ideality of ammonia to provide product gaseous ammonia at a convenient pressure with minimal mechanical refrigeration.

Abstract: An automated, close-loop system for controlling the autoclave cure of fiber reinforced composites uses multiple expert systems hosted on different microprocessors running concurrently to control the cure process. This qualitative process controller uses sensory feedback to determine matrix material state-of-cure and then makes control decisions and executes control commands to the autoclave to attain desired material properties. The sensory information is interpreted and translated into a qualitative cure-state description by a system known as a parser hosted on a 68000 processor. The cure state description is then analyzed by the expert system known as the thinke hosted on another 68000 processor. The control decisions are determined using symbolic logic programmed as a rule-based paradigm generated from a human expert on the cure process. Once made, these control decisions are then posted to a blackboard hosted on an 80286 processor for execution by the autoclave feedback controller.

Abstract: A multi-layer analytical element for analyzing body fluids includes a light transmitting and water impermeable support having provided thereon a fist non-fibrous porous layer, a second non-fibrous porous layer, and a fibrous porous layer in this order, the three porous layers being bonded together in one piece with an adhesive locally applied in such a manner that small through-holes are formed so as not to substantially interfere with uniform penetration of the liquid. At least one of the non-fibrous porous layers contains a reagent composition which undergoes a detectable optical change in the presence of a component to be analyzed, which optical change is detectable in the first non-fibrous porous layer, and wherein the non-fibrous porous layer comprises polysulfone. The analytical element enables dry analyses with improved precision independently of the hematocrit value of samples.