Abstract: A therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy is disclosed which contains elastase as active ingredient.

Abstract: A centrifugal separator comprises a centrifugation chamber, gas inlet ports for introducing a gas into the centrifugation chamber so as to whirl the gas, a clean gas discharge pipe provided on the upper portion of the centrifugation chamber, and a guide member secured to the lower portion of the centrifugation chamber. The guide member has an annular groove, outer fine holes made in the groove, a guide portion projecting conically inward the centrifugation chamber, and an inner hole made in the center of the guide portion. A gas including particles is introduced into the centrifugation chamber, in which the particles are separated. The separated particles are trapped in the groove with gas, then discharged from the outer holes. The clean gas removed of the particles is guided by the guide member to direct to the gas discharge pipe, at the same time the particles with gas toward the guide member also are guided by the guide member to be subjected to the centrifugal force.

Abstract: A low pressure casing structure of a single shell type which houses, in a low pressure casing, a turbine rotor having turbine blades mounted thereon in a multiplicity of stages, including a heat admitting portion located in an upper central part of the low pressure casing and formed therein with a steam admitting port for admitting turbine driving steam therethrough into the interior of the casing, turbine diaphragms rigidly secured to an inner surface of the casing for supporting stationary blades arranged in a multiplicity of stages axially of the turbine in association with the turbine blades of the turbine rotor, exhausted steam chambers each located at one of opposite ends of the casing axially of the turbine for receiving steam of low temperature and low pressure exhausted thereinto after doing work in the turbine, and a shell of the casing connecting the steam admitting portion to the exhausted steam chambers.