Abstract: Proposed are an N-(.alpha.-acyloxyethyl) compound, e.g., (N-(.alpha.-acetoxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone, which is a novel compound and can be converted into an industrially very important N-vinyl compound, e.g., N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, by a thermal decomposition reaction under relatively mild conditions as well as a method for the preparation of such an N-(.alpha.-acyloxyethyl) compound. The N-(.alpha.-acyloxyethyl) compound can be synthesized in a high yield by the addition reaction of an NH group-containing compound, e.g., 2-pyrrolidone, with a vinyl carboxylate, e.g., vinyl acetate, in the presence of an alkaline compound such as alkali metal hydroxides.

Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus is arranged to convert input analog color-difference signals into digital color-difference signals, form a digital chrominance signal by using the digital color-difference signals, multiplex the formed digital chrominance signal onto the digital color-difference signals, convert the formed digital signal into an analog signal, and separate the analog signal into color-difference signals and a chrominance signal. With this arrangement, it is possible to simplify the arrangement of the apparatus and reduce the size, weight and cost thereof.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an analog image signal clamp and an A/D converter that converts the analog image signal into an m bit digital signal. The clamp is controlled in accordance with an n+1 (m>n) bit digital image signal converted by the A/D converter and an n bit digital image signal portion of the m bit digital image signal is processed.

Abstract: A verification circuit comprising a CPU, a RAM connected with the CPU and a data A is written therein, an I/O port connected at input thereof an output of said CPU and an output of the RAM for receiving the data A from the RAM, a plurality of drivers each connected with the output of the RAM via said I/O port, the drivers being turned on while a control signal is "1" and turned off while the control signal is "0", a PROM connected with an output of the driver, the data A written in said PROM when the control signal is "1", and a data B to be compared with the data A is read from the PROM when the control signal is "0", a reference voltage having H and L levels, a plurality of analog switches each issuing H level of the reference voltage while the data A is "1" and L level of the reference voltage while the data A is "0", and a plurality of comparators each having one input terminal connected with an output of the analog switch and the other input terminal connected with the output of the PROM.

Abstract: A PROM writer capable of writing data in a PROM by a writing algorithm other than that stored in the memory thereof without requiring the change of the system program. The PROM writer comprises a first memory storing a system program and a first writing algorithm, a second memory for storing data to be written in a PROM, a CPU which gives a command to write the data stored in the second memory in the PROM according to the system program, a third memory for storing a second writing algorithm, and an interface for storing the second writing algorithm in the third memory. The CPU gives a command to write the data stored in the second memory in the PROM by the second writing algorithm according to the system program.

Abstract: The invention provides a means for greatly saving the thermal energy consumption in the dehydrating distillation of an aqueous solution of a carboxylic acid such as acetic acid by use of an azeotropically distilling entrainer boiling at a lower temperature than the carboxylic acid and immiscible with water. The improvement proposed by the invention comprises taking at least a part of the entrainer phase separated from the condensate coming from the column top or at least a part of the side-cut fluid abstracted from the refluxing fluid inside the column, evaporating the thus taken fluid into vapor and introducing the vapor into the distillation column at a stage for the introduction of the starting feed or below.

Abstract: A novel and effective catalyst system is provided for application in the preparation of alkenyl esters of carboxylic acids by transesterification reaction. The catalyst system consists of a palladium compound as the main ingredient and a cocatalyst formed of an alkali metal compound and a copper compound, at least one of which is a halide. The catalyst ingredients are adsorbed on a solid catalyst carrier, so that repeated use of the combined catalyst or a continuous operation of the reaction can easily be facilitated.

Abstract: In a device in which a positive or negative pneumatic pressure source is coupled with a controlled system through a first electromagnetic valve and the controlled system is coupled with a negative or positive pneumatic pressure source through a second electromagnetic valve or opened therethrough to the air, and which is adapted so that the first and second electromagnetic valves are controlled to open or close to thereby set an air pressure in the controlled system, a deviation between the pressure of the controlled system and the set pressure is detected and the detected deviation signal is converted by a pulse converter into a pulse of the duty ratio or frequency corresponding to the deviation, by which pulse the first and second electromagnetic valves are controlled to open or close.