Abstract: A liquid thrombin preparation is prepared by reacting a unit of prothrombin with less than 5 units of thromboplastin in the presence of calcium, contacting the resultant thrombin with a phosphate buffer, and diluting and filtering the suspension. The filtrate is then applied sequentially to an anion-exchange agarose column and a cation-exchange agarose column and the thrombin fraction is step-wise eluted from the latter column with phosphate buffered saline. Liquid thrombin preparations thereby obtained have specific activities greater than 1,600 U/mg and can be used in haemostasis.

Abstract: A transfer unit for transporting heavy loads from station to station for work to be carried out on the load on a grillage divided up into a plurality of passageways, rails being mounted in the passageways for carriages or bogies carrying jacks for lifting a beam on each carriage to raise the load from the grillage with means for driving the carriages or bogies in synchronism and fairing jacks for lining up the load on the grilling or on the beam.