A blood processing filter for removing undesirable components from liquid containing a blood component or blood, comprises a sheet-shaped filter element and a hard container that includes an inlet-side container element and an outlet-side container element that are disposed to clamp the filter element, and has an internal space separated by the filter element into an inlet space and an outlet space, wherein the filter element includes a pair of filtering surfaces disposed on the inlet space side and the outlet space side, the inlet-side container element and the outlet-side container element are provided with a gripper that clamps and compresses outer edge portions of the pair of filtering surfaces, the filter element is compressed to have a thickness of a portion clamped by the gripper being 0.05 times or more and 0.5 times or less larger, and the hard container is provided with a steam-permeable portion having steam permeability.

A method and apparatus for making specific absorbent structures with an absorbent layer with absorbent material with therein substantially longitudinally extending strips that are free of absorbent material, using or having thereto a moving endless surface with receptacle(s) with specific longitudinally extending rods; and specific absorbent structures obtained therewith, suitable for absorbent articles, such as diapers and sanitary napkins.

A bodily fluid absorbent matrix adapted to restrict a wet feeling against the wearer's skin after the absorbent matrix in a bodily fluid absorbent wearing article having absorbed bodily fluids and a method for manufacturing the absorbent matrix. A bodily fluid absorbent wearing article has an absorbent matrix formed of aggregate of bodily fluid absorbent material between a liquid-permeable first sheet and a liquid-impermeable second sheet. The member includes hydrophilic fibers as the bodily fluid absorbent material. Density of the absorbent matrix changes so as to increase from the first sheet toward the second sheet in thickness direction of the absorbent matrix. A planar orientation index of the hydrophilic fibers also changes so as to increase in the thickness direction of the absorbent matrix.

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating absorbent article having multiple layers, and deformed zones of targeted performance, and colored regions, the method comprising the steps of forming discrete features on at least one layer, printing colored regions on at least one layer, integrating multiple layers to form an absorbent assembly, and cutting the absorbent assembly into individual absorbent articles, wherein the steps are carried out continuously.

A unit for making absorbent pads of absorbent articles including a drum for forming the absorbent pads and a hood for feeding a first and a second absorbent material to at least part of the peripheral surface of the drum; the hood has a chamber for mixing the first and the second absorbent materials and an opening for dispensing the first and the second absorbent materials facing at least part of the peripheral surface of the drum; the unit includes at least a first and a second duct for feeding the second absorbent material into the hood and means for distributing the second absorbent material both of the first feed duct and of the second feed duct; the first and the second are connected to the same distribution means.

The invention concerns a bioreactor obtained by compressing a mixture of an enzyme, a conductor and chitosan. The conductor can consist of carbon nanotubes. This bioreactor can be produced according to the following steps: preparing a mixture of powders in which the proportion of enzyme powder relative to a carbon nanotube powder is of the order of 50/50 by weight; preparing a viscous solution of chitosan in a ratio of 5 to 15 (in mg) of chitosan to 0.75 to 1.25 (in ml) of acetic acid diluted to 0.4 to 0.6% by volume in water; adding the viscous chitosan to the mixture of powders in a proportion be weight of 3 to 5 of powder to 5 to 10 of chitosan; carrying out a first compression followed by light grinding; carrying out a second compression to produce a pellet; and drying at ambient temperature.

A low cost transdermal patch comprises water soluble microneedles and has good performance. A transdermal patch comprises a microneedle sheet, which comprises a plurality of water soluble microneedles, moisture permeable sheet, wherethrough water vapor passes, and a reinforcing film. The reinforcing film is adhered, by an adhesive layer having an adhesive strength less than that of an adhesive layer, onto an outer surface of the moisture permeable sheet, which is the side opposite the skin opposing surface. The reinforcing film includes a water vapor barrier sheet, which blocks the passage of water vapor through at least a first area, and a removable portion around the water vapor barrier sheet. The removable portion is configured such that it can be separated from and peeled off the water vapor barrier sheet.

Disclosed is a single-serve capsule for preparing a beverage, comprising a capsule member that includes a capsule bottom and a filling end, a cavity being formed between the capsule bottom and the filling end for holding a powdery or liquid beverage substrate. A filter element is placed between the beverage substrate and the capsule bottom, said filter element comprising a nonwoven fabric which is placed in the region of the capsule bottom.

A method of making an article includes mixing a filler material and a polymer matrix material to produce a composite material, introducing the composite material produced by the mixing into a mold of a desired shape, and removing an article having the desired shape from the mold. The resulting article has a water absorption of less than about one percent and the filler material comprises vitreous china.

A porous membrane comprising PTFE blended with PFSA is disclosed.