Abstract: A method of fabricating a superplastically formable strip or a superplastically formable foil from TiAl6V4 with a thickness of no more than 0.9 mm, preferably less than or equal to 0.5 mm, comprises the steps: a) hot rolling a sheet metal made of TiAl6V4; b) thermal pre-treatment of the hot-rolled sheet metal at a temperature between 650 and 850° C.; and c) cold rolling the hot-rolled and thermally pre-treated sheet metal at a forming rate of at least 30%, wherein the forming rate per single pass amounts to between 1 and 15%, to form a strip or a foil with a thickness of no more than 0.9 mm, wherein the cold-rolled strip or the cold-rolled foil is not annealed.

Abstract: A polymer affinity matrix for the binding of one or more substances in a fluid or removing said substance(s) from the fluid and/or decreasing the amount or concentration thereof in said fluid with a view to preventing, eliminating or reducing undesired activation of components in said fluid is described, as well as a method for removing said substance(s) from the fluid and/or decreasing the amount or concentration thereof in said fluid, a method for the production of said matrix, use of said matrix and a kit comprising said matrix. The polymer affinity matrix comprises a solid support, a spacer and a ligand, containing arginine as a binding unit.

Abstract: A machine (1) for extracorporeal blood treatment comprises a device (2) for ultrafiltration of a liquid through a semi-permeable membrane (3) of a blood treatment device (4), a first sensor (11) for ultrafiltration rate through the membrane, a second group of sensors (13) for measuring a trans-membrane pressure, and a programmed controller (14) for calculating a maximum ultrafiltration rate as a function of the transmembrane pressure. The machine is suitable for kidney failure treatments, such as hemofiltration and hemodiafiltration. In a relatively short time the machine enables a large quantity of corporeal blood to be removed from the patient.

Abstract: The invention relates to an operating element for operating a device, especially an X-ray apparatus, in the form of a touch screen, said touch screen has a touch sensitive screen surface an is provided with a calibration routine for calibrating the touch screen. The invention is characterized in that during a start-up phase of the apparatus, the touch screen is configured in such a manner that it can be used as an activation element for activating the calibration routine.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a biocompatible polymer composition for an article comprising a surface intended to contact blood, tissue, skin, epithelial layers, wounds, cells in culture fluids, body fluids, dialysis fluids, therapeutic fluids, or mixtures thereof for removal or infusion. The invention also relates to a method for the preparation of an article comprising the biocompatible polymer composition and a use thereof.

Abstract: A polymer affinity matrix for the binding of one or more substances in a fluid for removing said substance(s) from the fluid and/or decreasing the amount or concentration thereof in said fluid with a view to preventing, eliminating, or reducing undesired activation of components in said fluid is described, as well as a method for removing said substance(s) from the fluid and/or decreasing the amount or concentration thereof in said fluid, a method for the production of said matrix, use of said matrix and a kit comprising said matrix. The polymer affinity matrix comprises a solid support, a space and a ligand, containing arginine as a binding unit.

Abstract: This invention discloses methods and devices useful for eliminating or reducing the adverse effects associated with the use of a variety of therapeutic fluids. It is proposed herein that the source of such side effects (e.g. fever and septic shock) is the oligonucleotides present in the fluid and that using the ultrafiltration and adsorption methods and devices disclosed in the invention one can minimize the risk of these adverse effects often associated with dialysis treatment.

Abstract: The present invention includes a co-polymer film which can be applied over a surface of an article to form a continuous surface that is more biocompatible and has a smoother surface morphology than an untreated article. In general the co-polymer film of the invention can be formed by providing a hydrophobic polymer block, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with functional —OH end groups and reacting the —OH ends with a conventional monomer or prepolymer of a film-forming polymer capable of reacting with —OH groups. Such reactions are exemplified, using as reactive PDMS a triblock copolymer of the polylactone-polysiloxane-polylactone (PL-PDMS-PL) type, or silicone polyesters. The —OH groups of the polylactone blocks can react with any of a variety of isocyanates in a suitable solvent to form a polymer having PDMS incorporated with its structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to an operating device for a diagnostic imaging unit. The operating device has a selection key for activating preset operating values and parameters of the imaging unit, and a setting key for manually setting operating values and parameters of the imaging unit. It also has a display element for displaying set operating values and parameters of the imaging unit. In accordance with the invention, the operating device makes available simultaneously with the display element either only the selection key or only the setting key.

Abstract: This invention describes blood treating material having the capacity to selectively remove endotoxin and cytokine inducing substances from blood or plasma by extracorporeal adsorption for therapeutic septic shock treatment. The endotoxin adsorption ligands of the invention are oligopeptides synthesized from amino acids having a pk>7.2 such as arginine, lysine or histidine, using a polycondensation step such that the resultant oligopeptides exhibit a high degree of polydispersity. Also provided are methods and devices using an adsorbent having a polydisperse oligopeptide of the invention immobilized on a solid state support medium for removing endotoxin from the blood of human or animal subject.

Abstract: The invention relates to a display and a control element for a control device for an X-ray unit. The triggering of an X-ray shot can be blocked automatically upon reaching a thermal loading limit for an X-ray source, where the display can display a period of time which the X-ray source requires in order to leave the thermal loading limit again. The triggering of an X-ray can be unblocked by operating the control element despite the thermal loading limit having been reached. In line with the invention, the display and the control element are integrated in a common break-time key.

Abstract: This invention provides methods and compositions for using nitric oxide in a photoradiation pathogen inactivation process for whole blood and blood components to improve pathogen kill and to improve preservation of the quality of the blood components. This invention provides methods for using nitric oxide in combination with oxygen, photosensitizers, quencher and/or glycolysis inhibitor, and compositions comprising blood components decontaminated by these methods. Nitric oxide is provided using nitric oxide gas, or nitric oxide generators such as L-arginine, and/or N-acetyl-cysteine. This invention also provides compositions suitable for photoradiation pathogen inactivation that include fluid comprising a blood component, a photosensitizer, and dissolved nitric oxide. This invention provides decontamination systems useful for performing the methods of this invention and methods for making the decontamination systems.

Abstract: The present invention includes a co-polymer film which can be applied over a surface of an article to form a continuous surface that is more biocompatible and has a smoother surface morphology than an untreated article. In general the co-polymer film of the invention can be formed by providing a hydrophobic polymer block, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with functional —OH end groups and reacting the —OH ends with a conventional monomer or prepolymer of a film-forming polymer capable of reacting with —OH groups. Such reactions are exemplified, using as reactive PDMS a triblock copolymer of the polylactone-polysiloxane-polylactone (PL-PDMS-PL) type, or silicone polyesters. The —OH groups of the polylactone blocks can react with any of a variety of isocyanates in a suitable solvent to form a polymer having PDMS incorporated with its structure.

Abstract: The present invention includes a co-polymer film which can be applied over a surface of an article to form a continuous surface that is more biocompatible and has a smoother surface morphology than an untreated article. In general the co-polymer film of the invention can be formed by providing a hydrophobic polymer block, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with functional —OH end groups and reacting the —OH ends with a conventional monomer or prepolymer of a film-forming polymer capable of reacting with —OH groups. Such reactions are exemplified, using as reactive PDMS a triblock copolymer of the polylactone-polysiloxane-polylactone (PL-PDMS-PL) type, or silicone polyesters. The —OH groups of the polylactone blocks can react with any of a variety of isocyanates in a suitable solvent to form a polymer having PDMS incorporated with its structure.

Abstract: A terminal of a telephone switchboard installation with one dialing and one service and/or input keyboard and one or more indicator device(s) and a cradle for the hand set. The terminal includes, on the upper side of the terminal a sliding part, which is formed by the upper side which accommodates the keyboards and sometimes includes an indicator device. In one position, the sliding part operationalizes an additional keyboard or indicator device which is located beneath it. This additional keyboard may be designed as a targeted dialing key set, an alpha-numerical input keyboard, etc., and in addition, the keyboard may be replaced with a bank of lamps indicating lines in use.

Abstract: The invention relates to a threading tool for internal threads with a cutter holder which is displaceably mounted on a cutter holder carrier shaft co-axial to the main axis of the rotatable tool which coincides with the thread axis during the cutting process, whereby the said cutter holder shaft is moved forwards and backwards periodically with the forward feed corresponding to the thread pitch in the direction of the main axis in the thread chasing operation by a cam control with a camshaft co-axial to the cutter holder shaft and rotating with a differential speed relative thereto, whereby through a corresponding radial displacement of the cutter holder the cutter is raised during return travel and in the thread chasing operation is set to engage lower and lower from one thread chasing operation to the next up to the final cutting depth.

Abstract: An arrangement for producing rotational energy, particularly for generating thrust gases in rocket combustion chambers using hypergolically reacting propellants, comprises a rocket combustion chamber having a closed end and a gas discharge end with an impeller mounted in the closed end. The impeller has a plurality of spaced vanes which extend radially and which define flow ducts therebetween having discharge ends which extend substantially tangential to the combustion periphery. The apparatus includes means for directing hypergolically reacting propellant components into the combustion chamber at a location in which they are deposited at the inner radial ends of the flow ducts. The oxygen carrier propellant is supplied radially inside of the other propellant component so that it forms a cooling veil along the impeller.