Abstract: The invention relates to a medium for cultivating and producing mites, and especially mites belonging to at least one of the following species: Dematophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, Blomia kulagini or tropicalis, Pyroglyphus africanus, and Euroglyphus maynei. This medium is free from human or animal elements or proteins and comprises, in effective amounts, a plurality of amino acids in particulate form with a particle size of less than 250 &mgr;m, or in lyophilised form.

Abstract: A machine for creating a batch of blanks out of a pile of blanks and for removing the batch of blanks from the pile consists of a fixed stop positioned along one surface of the blanks, a jogging device disposed opposite the fixed stop, a movable stop positioned in a line with the fixed stop, a separating device arranged adjacent the fixed stop for engaging an upper surface of the pile to raise the pile to create a free space, a conveyor insert movable from a position outside of the pile into the free space for transferring the blanks raised by the separator out of the pile as a batch of blanks.

Abstract: Acetals and ketals of benzopyran glycosides, prepared by condensing a benzopyran glycoside with a carbonyl compound using a chloroformate ester as condensing agent, show enhanced activity in treating capillary fragility and related pathologies, as well as effectiveness in modifying the evolution of diabetic cataracts.