Abstract: A polyurethane resin is composed of a polyol component, a polyisocyanate component and optionally, a chain extender component. At least a portion of the polyol component or chain extender component is a siloxane polyol component represented by the following formula (1) and/or formula (2): ##STR1## wherein R means an alkyl group, R' denotes a hydrogen atom or C.sub.1-5 alkyl group, k, l and m stand for 1-250, 0-5 and 0-50 respectively, and n is an integer of 1-3 in the formula (1) and an integer of 2-3 in the formula (2). A thermal recording material containing the polyurethane resin as a heat-resistant layer is also disclosed.

Abstract: New Method of buffering silicon and similar semiconductor wafers with appropriate metal oxide layers which, in turn, have been found to be excellent substrates for MOS depositions without interaction with the semiconductor surface, and novel buffered wafers produced thereby.

Abstract: A flexible, draw-formed laminate for a safety glazing comprising a transparent, thermoplastic carrier film which is shrink-stable during laminating formation of such safety glazing bonded to at least one layer of plasticized polyvinyl butyral, such film having a greater tensile modulus than that of the layer of plasticized polyvinyl butyral. The carrier film is preferably flexible polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate having one or more functional performance coatings or layers on its surface such as a multi-layered solar radiation control stack.

Abstract: A process and structure for depositing metal lines in a lift-off process is disclosed. The process comprises the deposition of a four-layer structure or lift-off stencil, comprising a first layer of a lift-off polymer etchable in oxygen plasma, a first barrier layer of hexamethyldisilizane (HMDS) resistant to an oxygen plasma, a second lift-off layer and a second barrier layer. Once these layers are deposited, a layer of photoresist is deposited and lithographically defined with the metal conductor pattern desired. The layers are then sequentially etched with oxygen and CF.sub.4, resulting in a dual overhang lift-off structure. Metal is then deposited by evaporation or sputtering through the lift-off structure. Following metal deposition, the stencil is lifted-off in a solvent such as N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP).

Abstract: Compositions comprising polyamides, polyolefins and ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers useful as compatibilizers, related processes and articles made therefrom. A composition comprising from 50 to 99.4 percent by weight of a polyolefin, from 0.5 to 50 percent by weight of a polyamide, from 0.1 to 10 percent by weight of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer comprising from 50 to 95 mole percent ethylene groups and from 5 to 50 mole percent vinyl alcohol groups and less than 5.0 mole percent and preferably less than 2.0 mole percent unhydrolyzed vinyl acetate groups.

Abstract: An erasably markable luminescent article formed of a coated substrate that is markable with dry wipe inks without causing permanent discernible distortion of the substrate. The surface after marking is substantially fully erasable. The surface is provided by a smooth coating of cured lacquer perferably a radiation cured lacquer, for example, electron beam radiation cured urethane acrylate. The luminescent appearance results from a phosphorescent layer between the substrate and an unpigmented cured lacquer coating.

Abstract: The improved friction facing has a porous, resilient fused metallic matrix with a second metal having a lower boiling point being infused into and alloyed with the matrix.

Abstract: A composite nickel-phosphorus alloy plated metal sheet excellent in strippability and having a Vickers hardness of at least 500 Hv, which comprises: a composite nickel-phosphorus alloy plating layer as a lower layer, formed on at least one surface of a metal sheet, in which Ni.sub.3 P particles and fluorocarbon polymer particles are uniformly dispersed; and a fluorocarbon polymer layer as an upper layer formed by melting the fluorocarbon polymer particles which are exposed on the surface of the composite nickel-phosphorus alloy plating layer as the lower layer. The sum of a phosphorus content in the composite nickel-phosphorus alloy plating layer as the lower layer and a phosphorus content in the Ni.sub.3 P particles is from 1 to 15 wt. % relative to the composite nickel-phosphorus alloy plating layer as the lower layer, and a content of the fluorocarbon polymer particles in the composite nickel-phosphorus alloy plating layer as the lower layer is from 0.3 to 15.2 wt.

Abstract: The method for producing the disclosed material comprises chemical vapor depositing on the substrate a substantially columnar, intermediate layer of tungsten and chemical vapor depositing on the intermediate layer a non-columnar, substantially lamellar outer layer of a mixture of tungsten and tungsten carbide. The tungsten carbide comprises W.sub.2 C, W.sub.3 C, or a mixture of both wherein the ratio of the thickness of the tungsten intermediate layer to the thickness of the outer layer is at least: (a) 0.35 in the case of tungsten plus W.sub.2 C in the outer layer, (b) 0.6 in the case of a mixture of tungsten and W.sub.3 C in the outer layer and (c) 0.35 in the case of mixtures of tungsten and W.sub.2 C and W.sub.3 C in the outer layer. The chemical vapor deposition steps are carried out at pressures within the range of 1 Torr to 1,000 Torr and temperatures within the range of about 300.degree. to about 650.degree. C.

Abstract: A fiber-reinforced metal comprising glass fibers and a matrix metal, said glass fibers having a nitrogen content of at least 8 atomic %. The fiber-reinforced metal has a high tensile strength and elasticity.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium which comprises a non-magnetic substrate, a Cr undercoat layer formed on the substrate, and a quaternary alloy layer formed on the undercoat layer. The alloy layer consists of the following composition by atomic percent1.ltoreq.Cr.ltoreq.182.ltoreq.Ta.ltoreq.973.ltoreq.Co.ltoreq.971.ltoreq.Pt.ltoreq.10provided that the atomic percent of Cr, Ta and Co is 100 in total and the atomic percent of Pt is based on the total of Cr, Ta and Co.

Abstract: A portable, direct current electric generator uses a salt water solution as an electrolyte. An outer housing in the form of an open-topped, rectangular box is provided, and an inner housing having a compartment for receiving the salt water electrolyte is placed within the outer housing. A space is provided between at least one of the walls of the inner housing and a wall of the outer housing, and provision is made to supply air to this space. The inner housing member has an aperture in the side facing the air space, and an air cathode member is secured in this aperture. The air cathode member is air-permeable, but is impervious to water on the side facing the air space. A metal anode, preferably made of magnesuim, aluminum, or a magnesium-aluminum alloy, is removably secured to a removable cover placed over the open top of the inner and outer housing members to extend into the salt water solution within the inner housing member.

Abstract: Disclosed are a platinum alloy electrocatalyst having high activity and a long life comprising an electrically conductive carrier and dispersed in, and deposited on it, a platinum-iron-cobalt-copper quaternary ordered alloy composed of 40 to 70 atomic % of platinum, 9 to 27 atomic % of iron, 9 to 27 atomic % of cobalt and 9 to 27 atomic % of copper, and an electrode for an acid electrolyte fuel cell which electrode comprises the platinum alloy electrocatalyst, a water-repellent binder and a conductive and acid-resistant supporting member, the electrocatalyst and the water-repellent binder being bonded to.

Abstract: An ionizing solvent comprising sulfur dioxide and methyl chloroformate, ethyl chloroformate or sulfolane is added as a co-solvent in an electrolyte having a Lewis Acid salt of an active metal oxide of an electrochemical cell to increase cell performance and to prevent freezing.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte tube for sodium sulfur cells, having an outer surface of a roughness defined by an arithmetical mean deviation of the profile (R.sub.a) of not exceeding 2.0 .mu.m and a maximum height of the profile (R.sub.max) of not exceeding 15 .mu.m, is produced by leveling the outer surface of the solid electrolyte tube in a state of green body, bisque fired and calcined body, or fired body, by means of a finishing apparatus such as a centerless grinding machine, external cylindrical grinding machine, lathe, or the like. The solid electrolyte tube having a smooth and even surface can be prevented from crack formation due to local concentration of Na ion, S, sodium polysulfide and thermal stress thereon, so that it can improve durability and reliability.

Abstract: An Sn or Pb/Sn alloy heat-treated at 170.degree. C. or higher for a given period of time is applied to the surface of a collector to make a lead storage battery which is improved in terms of its chargeability upon left overdischarged.

Abstract: Wavelength response of volume holograms is altered by contact with a dry film diffusion element.

Abstract: This invention provides an optical information recording medium whose recording thin film is made of three components of GeTe, Sb.sub.2 Te.sub.3 and Sb derived from a GeTe alloy, an Sb.sub.2 Te.sub.3 alloy and excess Sb and which is capable of recording, reproduction and erasure. By this, optical disk files which have a stable cycle characteristic and are practically useful can be realized.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor is disclosed, comprising an electrically conductive substrate having thereon and a light-sensitive layer, said light-sensitive layer comprising an electric charge generating layer and an electric charge transporting layer, wherein the electric charge generating layer contains an electric charge generating organic pigment having positive hole transporting properties and a pyrylium compound represented by the formula (I) or (II): ##STR1## wherein X is an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom; R.sub.1 to R.sub.5 are each a hydrogen atom, and alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a benzyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted styryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, and Z.sup..crclbar. is an anion.

Abstract: A 5H-dibenzo [a,d] cycloheptenylidene derivative and a 5H-dibenzo [1,d] cycloheptenylidene derivative represented by the following general formula [I]: ##STR1## wherein X is --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 -- or --CH.dbd.CH--; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are alkyl groups, aralkyl groups, aromatic groups or heterocyclic groups, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, alkoxy groups or halogen atoms; and Ar.sub.1 is an aromatic group or a heterocyclic group, process for producing those derivatives, and electrophotographic photosensitive member using the same.

Abstract: The invention presents an electrophotographic photosensitive material possessing a surface layer excellent in wear resistance, without adversely affecting the photosensitive characteristics, wherein a photosensitive layer and a surface protective layer containing a thermoset silicone resin are laminated in this order on a substrate surface, and the silicone resin of the surface protective layer is hardened by a hardening catalyst mainly composed of a compound of the general formula (I) or an acid salt thereof which is selected from the group consisting of: a phenol salt, an octylic acid salt, a p-toluenesulfonic acid salt and a formic acid salt ##STR1##

Abstract: A resin for toner containing fine particles with a particle size passing through a 200 mesh sieve of not greater than 10% by weight.

Abstract: A developer for developing electrostatic latent images comprises a toner and a fine silica powder; said fine silica powder being treated with an aminosilane coupling agent having a tertiary amino group represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 represent the same or different substituents, provided that the total of the carbon atom number of R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 is not less than 8,and having an oxidation potential of not more than 800 mV.

Abstract: Organometal-containing polymers having side chains of the formula I ##STR1## in which, for example, M is Si, X is O, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are hydrogen and R.sup.4 to R.sup.6 are each methyl and which have an average molecular weight between 1,000 and 1,000,000, are suitable for the preparation of dry-developable photoresists, such as are required for the generation of structured images, in particular in microelectronics.

Abstract: The present invention provides an IR-ray absorptive compound having a specific structural formula and an optical recording medium. The IR-ray absorptive compound has excellent characteristics that absorption in the infrared region is large and improved in solvent solubility.In corporation of the IR-ray absorptive compound into a thin film containing an organic coloring matter of an optical recording medium has remarkably improved the storage stability and the light resistance of the medium. Further the high solubility in solvents prevents formation of a solid in the recording layer, whereby the optical recording medium having a low noise level can be obtained.

Abstract: Heat activated method for developing and improving the definition of a patterned heat-photoresist layer as applied to a substrate surface of different material, such as a semiconductor slice, in the fabrication of an electronic structure or photomask, through the use of a reactive species of oxygen including monatomic oxygen or ozone in an oxygen-containing gas. A layer of photoresist material upon being selectively exposed to an energy source, such as ultraviolet radiation, X-ray, or E-beam radiation acquires a predetermined patterned definition therein because of chemical changes in the photoresist material which is photosensitive. After such selective exposure, the photoresist layer is characterized by a differential reactivity which is heightened by a chemical or a physical change occurring in either one of the exposed or unexposed portions of the layer of photoresist material enabling the selective removal thereof.

Abstract: In the disclosed process for forming a fine pattern in a semiconductor device, an upperlayer polymeric film so photosensitive to ultraviolet light as to be opague to deep ultraviolet light upon exposure to ultraviolet light is formed on an underlayer resist photosensitive to deep ultraviolet light, provided on an underlaying layer, optionally with an interlayer formed as a barrier or isolation layer therebetween. After the upperlayer polymeric film is exposed through a mask to ultraviolet light to form therein areas opague to deep ultraviolet light with the other areas remaining transparent to deep ultraviolet light, the upperlayer polymeric film serves as a mask for the underlayer resist in subsequent blanket exposure to deep ultraviolet light. After removal of the upperlayer polymeric film and the interlayer if any, the underlayer resist is developed to form a pattern.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for forming a pattern using a photosensitive composition comprising a polymeric azide and a high-molecular weight copolymer or polymer. The photosensitive composition comprises a copolymer containing at least a water-soluble non-photosensitive monomeric unit having an electrolytic functional group, a monomeric unit having an azido group and an electrolytic functional group and a high-soluble high molecular weight copolymer or polymer which exhibits reciprocity law failure characteristic.

Abstract: A phenolic resin composition comprising units of formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a halogen and R.sub.2 is a lower alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and said units of formula (I) are made by condensing the corresponding halogen-substituted resorcinol of formula (A): ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 is defined above, with the corresponding para-lower alkyl-substituted 2,6-bis(hydroxymethyl)-phenol of formula (B): ##STR3## wherein R.sub.2 is defined above, and wherein the mole ratio of A:B is from about 0.5:1 to 1.7:1. This phenolic resin may be mixed with photoactive compounds (e.g. 1,2-napthoquinone diazide sensitizers) to prepare a light-sensitive composition useful in a method for forming a positive photoresist image.

Abstract: Positive working polyamic acid photoresist compositions are disclosed having improved high resolution upon image development and exhibiting stable photosensitivity and superior dielectric performance. The compositions comprise polyamic acid condensation products of an aromatic dianhydride and an aromatic di-primary amine wherein a percentage of the diamine comprises special dissolution inhibiting monomers. The compositions may be further improved by the presence of particular supplemental additives.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an infrared absorbent composition comprising at least one of the metal complex compounds represented by formulae (I) or (II): ##STR1## wherein [Cat] represents a cation necessary for neutralizing the complex; n represents 1 or 2; M represents Cu, Co, Ni, Pd, or Pt; and R represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group; and two R's in the same ligand may combine with each other to form a ring.

Abstract: A method for continuously processing a silver halide color photographic material comprising a support having thereon at least one silver halide emulsion layer with a color developing bath which contains at least one primary aromatic amine color developing agent, wherein at least one compound represented by formular (I) is present in said silver halide emulsion layer in an amount of from 3 to 10 mol % per mol of coupler in the layer in which the compound is added, and said silver halide color photographic material is processed with said color developing bath where the replenishment rate is from 20 ml to 200 ml per square meter of the silver halide color photographic material processed ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.

Abstract: A method of forming a color image which comprises subjecting a silver halide color reversal photographic material to imagewise exposure and then to color reversal processing, said color reversal photographic material comprising a support having provided thereon at least one red-sensitive emulsion layer, at least one green-sensitive emulsion layer and at least one blue-sensitive emulsion layer wherein the emulsion layers have an average silver iodide content of up to 5 mol %, and wherein the peak sensitivity of the red layer is in a range between 615 and 640 nm, wherein on the shorter wavelength side, 80% of the peak is in a range between 600 and 633 nm, 50% of the peak is in a range between 585 and 625 nm and 25% of the peak is in a range between 570 and 615 nm, and wherein on the longer wavelength side, 80% of the peak is in a range between 620 and 648 nm, 50% of the peak is in a range between 625 and 655 nm and 25% of the peak is in a range between 630 and 665 nm, wherein the wavelength difference between t

Abstract: Near-infrared absorbers which contain phthalocyanine derivatives in which the four benzene rings contained in the molecule independently have 1 to 4 substituents are light and thermal resistant and possess high molar extinction coefficients. Such near-infrared absorbers are useful in optical recording media, near-infrared absorption filters, and liquid crystal display devices.

Abstract: An information recording medium comprising a substrate, and a recording layer formed thereon which comprises (a) a carbon-based material and (b) an optically reversible material whose optical characteristics can be reversibly changed, with the thermal decomposition temperature of the carbon-based material being higher than the melting point of the optically reversible material.

Abstract: A silver halide multilayer color reversal photographic material having improved color reproducibility comprises, in a blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, the combination of a monomethine cyanine spectral sensitizing dye and a thiazole quaternary salt having attached to a quaternary nitrogen atom thereof an alkenyl group having a double bond in the .beta.-position.

Abstract: A method of preparing a coupler dispersion in gelatin by separating the auxiliary coupler solvent using a hydrophilic membrane having a pure size less than 175 Angstroms.

Abstract: There is disclosed a silver halide light-sensitive photographic material containing a novel coupler represented by the following Formula I: ##STR1## wherein R represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; X and Y represent independently a hydrogen atom or a group capable of splitting off upon a reaction with an oxidation product of a developing agent; Z represents a benzene ring, a naphthalene ring or a the group of atoms necessary to form a 5 to 7-membered heterocyclic ring; and n represents an integer of 1 or 2.

Abstract: A photographic silver halide emulsion is disclosed in which the face centered cubic crystal lattice structure of the grains contain at adjacent cation sites metal ions chosen from group VIII, periods 5 and 6. The metal ions are placed at adjacent cation lattice sites by sensitizing the grains with oligomers each containing at least two of the group VIII metal ions.

Abstract: A light-sensitive silver halide photographic material having a support and, provided thereon, photographic component layers including at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing silver halide grains having a silver chloride content of not less tha 90 mole % and having been subjected to gold sensitization, said photographic component layer containing a gelatin of which isoelectric point being 4.0 to 5.0 and the film pH of said photographic component layer being not more than 6.0.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improvement relating to adhesion of samples onto a surface for nucleic acid hybridization assay to detect a target polynucleotide. In one aspect, the invention provides a method of adhering a tissue, cell or other target polynucleotide-containing sample to a substrate under nucleic acid hybridization assay compatible conditions. In another aspect, the method comprises a hybridization assay procedure. Also disclosed are kits for performance of such procedures.

Abstract: The present invention related to a sensitive method of detecting t(14;18) translocations arising from variable breakpoints in the J-region of the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus on chromosome 14. These breakpoints are typical abnormalities of human follicular lymphomas. In particular, the invention utilizes a sequence amplification by polymerase chain reaction in which primers are synthesized which are so designed that one primer will always flank the breakpoint in the J-region regardless of variation in the breakpoint. Consequently, the invention is a highly sensitive tool to detect minimal residual cells carrying the t(14;18) and has potential to identify patients with subclinical disease.

Abstract: A dye-providing composition comprises a water-soluble or -dispersible polymer, such as a vinylpyrrolidone polymer, and an imidazole leuco dye capable of providing a dye in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and a peroxidative substance. The weight ratio of polymer to leuco dye is from about 10,000:1 to about 100:1. The dye-providing composition can be included with a peroxidase substrate in a diagnostic test kit. A method for the determination of a ligand can be carried out using a peroxidase labeled-receptor for the ligand and the dye-providing composition described above. The method is particularly useful for the determination of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

Abstract: A method for assessing whether the lungs of a fetus are mature comprising obtaining a sample of the amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus and determining the presence or absence of phosphatidyl glycerol in the sample. The presence of phosphatidyl glycerol indicates that the fetus lungs are mature, and the absence indicates that the fetus lungs are not mature. More particularly, in one embodiment of the present invention, the presence of phosphatidyl glycerol is determined by adding phospholipase C to the amniotic fluid to convert the phosphatidyl glycerol to glycerol-3-phosphate. Then adding glycerol-3-phosphate oxidase to convert the glyerol-3-phosphate to dihydroxyacetone phosphate and hydrogen peroxide and then reacting the hydrogen peroxide with a substrate and peroxidase to form a visually detectable reaction product.

Abstract: A method for processing aqueous fermentation broths in a bioreactor vessel, in which a foam inhibitor is added to the fermentation broth in the bioreactor vessel in order to prevent the accumulation and buildup of foam in the bioreactor vessel caused by oxygen sparging of the fermentation broth contained therein. The aqueous fermentation broth processed in the bioreactor vessel is conveyed as a feed solution to an ultrafiltration system including a membrane for concentrating the aqueous fermentation broth. The ultrafiltration system is typically located downstream of the bioreactor vessel. The improvement involves reducing the amount of fouling of the membrane in the ultrafiltration system by adding to the aqueous fermentation broth in the bioreactor vessel as the foam inhibitor, an antifoam which is an oil based liquid in the form of droplets, the droplets of the oil based liquid antifoam being dispersed, encased, entrapped, and imbedded, within solid particles of a water soluble encapsulating material.

Abstract: A recombinant DNA comprising 3 fragments of Hepatitis B virus DNA recombined with a vector consisting essentially of 0.31 Kb replication orgin of SV40 DNA inserted into EcoRI cleavage site of Escherichia coli plasmid which is deficient in the 1.426-2.521 Kb region of inhibiting replication in mammalian cells, wherein each HBV DNA fragment is a 3.2 Kb BamHI fragment consisting of 1.9 Kb HBc gene and 1.3 Kb HBs gene, and said HBV DNA fragments are arranged in a head-to-tail tandem relationship wherein the HBc gene positions at the head and the HBs gene positions at the tail, mammalian cells transformed with the recombinant DNA, and a method of production of Hepatitis B virus proteins, i.e. HBsAg and/or HBeAg. These HBV proteins have the same immunological properties as those of the natural HBV proteins originated from human blood plasma and can be used for the preparation of HBV vaccine and diagnostic reagents.

Abstract: A method is described for transient production of a desired heterologous protein comprising: transfecting a eukaryotic host cell with a vector producing a trans-activating protein; transfecting the eukaryotic host cell with an expression vector comprising a stabilizing sequence downstream of a promoter and upstream of a DNA encoding the desired heterologous protein and a polyadenylation sequence downstream of which is a transcription terminatein site; culturing the transfected eukaryotic host cell under conditions favorable for production of said desired heterologous protein; and, recovering the desired protein in useful amounts within about one day to about fourteen days of transfection.

Abstract: The present invention provides purified polypeptides which comprises at least a portion of a a .delta.T cell receptor polypeptide, a .gamma.T cell receptor polypeptide, a .gamma..delta.T cell receptor complex or a .gamma..delta.T cell receptor complex. Substances capable of forming complexes with these polypeptides are also provided.Additonally, methods for detecting T cells which have within them or on their surfaces a polypeptide of the present invention are provided. Moreover, methods for diagnosing immune system abnormalities are provided which comprise measuring in a sample from a subject the number of T cells which have within them or on their surfaces a polypeptide of the present invention.

Abstract: A vector including a DNA sequence encoding a secretory signal sequence substantially identical to the secretory signal-encoding sequence of a glucoamylase gene from Saccharomyces diastaticus or S. cerevisiae; and upstream from the signal-encoding sequence, a DNA sequence capable of promoting transcription in yeast (e.g., a high yield promoter, such as the promoter of the triose phosphate isomerase gene), transcription of the signal-encoding sequence being under the control of the transcription-promoting sequence, a site for the insertion into the vector of a heterologous DNA sequence, in reading frame with the signal-encoding sequence. The vector is useful as an expression vector in yeast.

Abstract: A biochemical process and apparatus for use in the process are described. The process comprises reacting (a) a hydrophobic substrate with (b) a solution or dispersion comprising a hydrophilic substrate and an enzyme catalyst, by contacting through a porous thin membrane, wherein the hydrophobic and hydrophilic substrates are incompatible with each other. The apparatus comprises a main body and a porous thin membrane provided inside the main body so as to define therein at least two channels, wherein a hydrophobic substrate and a solution or dispersion comprising hydrophilic substrate and an enzyme catalyst are contacted through the thin membrane by passing them through the respective channels.