Abstract: The present invention is in the field of surfactants to extract a platinum group metal or gold, in particular palladium, from organic compositions. In particular, the invention concerns the use of surfactants to back-extract a platinum group metal or gold, in particular palladium, from organic compositions further comprising an extractant of said platinum group metal or gold, in particular palladium from an aqueous solution.

Abstract: The present invention is in the field of surfactants to extract a platinum group metal or gold, in particular palladium, from organic compositions. In particular, the invention concerns the use of surfactants to back-extract a platinum group metal or gold, in particular palladium, from organic compositions further comprising an extractant of said platinum group metal or gold, in particular palladium from an aqueous solution.

Abstract: Membranes of the invention comprise a hybrid silica film on a organic polymer support. The silica comprises organic bridging groups bound to two or more silicon atoms, in particular at least 1 of said organic bridging groups per 10 silicon atoms. The membranes can be produced by dry chemistry processes, in particular plasma-enhanced vapour deposition of bridged silane precursors, or by wet chemistry involving hydrolysis of the bridged silane precursors. The membranes are inexpensive and efficient for separation of small molecules and filtration processes.

Abstract: Compounds of formula (I), are cannabinoid CB1 receptors, useful, inter alia in the treatment of obesity: wherein A1 is hydrogen, —COOH, or tetrazolyl, and A2 is hydrogen, —COOH, tetrazolyl, —CN, —CF3, —COR6, —SO2R6, —OR7, —NR7R8, —NHCOR6, and —NR7SO2R8 provided that one of A1 and A2 is either —COOH or tetrazolyl; p is 0 or 1 and A3 is phenyl or cycloalkyl, either of which is optionally substituted with R4 and/or R5; q is 0 or 1; R1 is a bond, or —(CH2)aB1(CH2)b— wherein a and b are independently 0, 1, 2 or 3 provided that a+b is not greater than 4, and B1 is —CO—, —O—, —S—, —SO—, —SO2—, —CH2—, —CHOH— or —NR7—; R2 is a bond, —CH2)aB1(CH2)b— or —[(CH2)aB1(CH2)b]n-A4-[(CH2)cB2(CH2)d]m— wherein a, b, and B1 are as defined for R1; B2 is as defined for B1, c and d are independently 0, 1, 2 or 3; with the proviso that a+b+c+d is not greater than 6, n and m are independently 0 or 1 and A4 is a monocarbocyclic or monoheterocyclic ring, having 3 to 8 ring atoms, optionally substituted with one or more of —F, —Cl, —Br,

Abstract: The present invention relates to the alignment and coupling of an optical waveguide fiber to an optical component. The method includes the steps of providing an optical component and forming an optical fiber alignment pin on a surface of the optical component. The method further includes the steps of providing an optical waveguide fiber, aligning an end of the optical waveguide fiber with the optical fiber alignment pin, and fusing the end of the optical waveguide fiber to the optical fiber alignment pin.

Abstract: New monoclonal murine-IgG.sub.1 antibody obtainable from a new hybridoma-cell line, binding to an epitope of the human interleukin-2 receptor that differs from Tac, inhibiting the binding of human interleukin-2 to its receptor, and appropriate for the treatment, prophylaxis, and diagnosis of interleukin-2-dependent diseases in humans.