Abstract: Washing apparatus is provided for handheld baskets, particularly shopping baskets, wherein a washing tunnel has an entrance end and an exit end and conveyor means for supporting baskets and conveying them from the entrance end to the exit end. A series of spray nozzles are arranged within the tunnel and connected to a source of cleaning liquid that is operatively under pressure. The conveyor means comprises a pair of laterally spaced conveyors arranged to move in unison whilst operatively supporting two opposite peripheral edges of a shopping basket in an inverted orientation as the basket is conveyed from the entrance end to the exit end. Retaining means such as a longitudinally extending skid or the like are provided over at least a part of the length of the tunnel to inhibit lifting of shopping baskets off the conveyors.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tissue bulking agent comprising a particulate micro-porous bioinert ceramic material, in the form of spheres, having interconnected pores. Pores on the surface of each sphere are connected to pores inside such sphere via blow-holes and the internal pores are in turn interconnected, so that in addition to a high porosity, the spheres have a high permeability to gas and liquid. The bulking agent is disposed inside a syringe and is activated by impregnating the particles with traces of a bioactive resorbable bioceramic or by the in situ impregnation with serum from the blood of a patient. The particles are mobilised for injection by mixing the particles with a bio-suitable carrier gel or a viscous, lubricating carrier liquid. Thereafter, the activated and mobilised bulking agent is injected into the tissue in the area to be treated or bulked, such as the pelvic floor or urinary sphincter.