Abstract: A high temperature heat integration method of making carbon black. A method of making carbon black is described, including reacting a carbon black forming feedstock with hydrogen gas in a plasma reactor to produce effluent gas containing carbon black and unused hydrogen, cooling the effluent gas for further processing, and recycling the unused hydrogen back into the carbon black forming process, where the unused hydrogen gas is pre-heated in a heat exchanger to a temperature up to the reaction temperature in the reactor before being recycled into the carbon black forming process. The heat exchanger for use in such process is also described.

Abstract: There is provided a novel compound of the general formula I in which each of R8 to R10 is hydrogen, aryl, C1-6 alkyl, trialkylsilyl or acyl; R1 to R5 are individually selected from hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-6 alkoxy and acyloxy; R6 and R7 are H, C1-4 alkyl, trialkylsilyl or acyl; X is O or NR, and R is H or Me; in which any of the alkyl groups including alkyl groups in alkoxy, acyl and acyloxy groups may be substituted by aryl, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, hydroxyl, trialkylsiloxy or acyloxy groups; with the proviso that R2 and R3 are not both OH when R4 is H or OH, R1 and R5 are both H, and X is O. The amide compounds (X is NR) are analogues of epigallocatechin gallate or epicatechin galate, with an amide bond in place of the natural ester bond, with resistance to hydrolysis by esterase enzymes. The ester compounds (X is O) have a different hydroxylation pattern on the B ring as compared to the natural products.

Abstract: A catechin is modified in at least one position (most preferably in the 3-position of the C-ring) to increase its lipophilicity. Contemplated catechins are demonstrated to have significantly improved antibacterial properties, likely due to catastrophic membrane damage.

Abstract: A topically administrable pharmaceutical composition comprising (A) zinc phthalocyanine complex, (B) as carrier for the complex, (i) a N-alkylpyrrolidone together with a pharmaceutically acceptable co-solvent for the complex, (ii) dimethyl sulphoxide or a mixture thereof with a pharmaceutically acceptable co-solvent for the complex, (iii) a liposome, or (iv) a N,N-dialkylbenzamide or a mixture thereof with a pharmaceutically acceptable co-solvent for the complex, and (C) a gelling agent.

Abstract: An assembly table for roof trusses has open parallel channels located on the table which contain jig stops. The jig stops are moveable along their respective channels by means of a connector head which can be raised and lowered from a gantry carriage located on a gantry which spans the table and runs along tracks located on each side of the table. The respective movements and operation of the gantry, gantry carriage and connector head are controlled by a computer.

Abstract: Compounds of the general formula: ##STR1## in which R is a lower alkyl group, and R.sub.1 is a tri-lower alkylmethylcarbonyl group, the structure elements --A.sub.1 --A.sub.2 --, A.sub.3 --A.sub.4 -- or A.sub.5 --A.sub.6 -- each represent ethylene or vinylene, or the elements --A.sub.1 --A.sub.2 -- and --A.sub.3 --A.sub.4 -- each represent ethylene and --A.sub.5 --A.sub.6 -- represents vinylene, their optical isomers and their salts exhibit valuable pharmaceutical properties.

Abstract: A substantially pure enzyme which hydrolyzes a polymer containing an .alpha. 2,8-linked N-acetyl neuraminic acid is obtained from K1-specific bateriophages and used for assays of bacterial polysaccharides in samples such as cerebrospinal fluid for testing for various disorders such as bacterial meningitis, septicemia, bacteremia, and the like. The enzyme may also be used therapeutically in treating such disorders by attacking cells which have an increased level of a polymer containing an .alpha. 2,8-linked N-acetyl neuraminic acid.