Abstract: A sound source signal from a target sound source is allowed to be separated from a mixed sound which consists of sound source signals emitted from a plurality of sound sources without being affected by uneven sensitivity of microphone elements. A beamformer section 3 of a source separation device 1 performs beamforming processing for attenuating sound source signals arriving from directions symmetrical with respect to a perpendicular line to a straight line connecting two microphones 10 and 11 respectively by multiplying output signals from the microphones 10 and 11 after spectrum analysis by weighted coefficients which are complex conjugate to each other. Power computation sections 40 and 41 compute power spectrum information, and target sound spectrum extraction sections 50 and 51 extract spectrum information of a target sound source based on a difference between the power spectrum information.

Abstract: Disclosed is an oxide catalyst for use in catalytic oxidation or ammoxidation of propane or isobutane in the gaseous phase, which comprises a composition represented by the Mo1VaSbbNbcZdOn (wherein: Z is at least one element selected from the group consisting of tungsten, chromium, titanium, aluminum, tantalum, zirconium, hafnium, manganese, iron, ruthenium, cobalt, rhodium, nickel, palladium, platinum, zinc, boron, indium, germanium, tin, lead, bismuth, yttrium, gallium, rare earth elements and alkaline earth metals; and a, b, c, d, and n are, respectively, the atomic ratios of V, Sb, Nb, Z and O, relative to Mo), wherein 0.1?a<0.4, 0.1<b?0.4, 0.01?c?0.3, 0?d?1, with the proviso that a<b, and n is a number determined by and consistent with the valence requirements of the other elements present. Also disclosed is a process for producing an unsaturated carboxylic acid or an unsaturated nitrile by using the above-mentioned oxide catalyst.

Abstract: The invention provides an iron sulfide characterized in that it comprises FeS2, Fe1−XS, Fe3O4 and FeSO4, and that the secondary particles thereof, have a 50% volume-cumulative particle diameter of from 20 to 300 &mgr;m. The invention also provides a process for producing an iron sulfide comprising the steps of introducing (a) ferrous sulfate monohydrate having a d50 of from 20 to 300 &mgr;m and (b) not less than stoichiometric amount of at least one sulfur compound selected from elemental sulfur and hydrogen sulfide into the fluidized bed of a furnace and then fluidizing, burning, and reacting the ingredients at a temperature of from 350 to less than 630° C., a superficial velocity of 0.1 m/sec or higher, and a pressure of 1 atm or higher using air as a fluidizing gas. The present invention is useful, for example, in a process of coal liquefaction or heavy-oil hydrocracking.