Abstract: The growth rate of an animal is stimulated by administering to the animal a growth promoting amount of a compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5, which can be the same or different, are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxy having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and halogen; X is selected from carbonyl and a ketal group of the formula ##STR2## wherein R.sub.6 and R.sub.7, which can be the same or different, are each selected from hydrogen and alkyl having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; A is a linear or branched alkylene having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and R.sub.8 and R.sub.9, which can be the same or different, are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or 2-hydroxy-alkyl wherein the alkyl group has 2 to 4 carbon atoms, or R.sub.8 and R.sub.

Abstract: A package for food products, comprises a flat base constituting a support formation for a food product, a generally trough-shaped transparent cover which can be fitted to cover the product with its open edge resting on the flat base, and a flexible transparent wrapper which can envelop the flat base and the transparent cover. The flat base has appendages which can project beyond the open edge of the cover and are selectively orientable between a packaging position in which the appendages are folded against the transparent cover, and a consumption position in which, the wrapper having been removed, the appendages extend outwardly from the flat base.

Abstract: A catheter introducer has a tubular sheath with a relatively rigid tubular body and a soft flexible tubular tip for reducing sheath buckling tendencies.

Abstract: Non-toxic wildlife shot pellets for shotgun shells are formed from bismuth or a bismuth alloy.

Abstract: A back-up pad is provided over an anvil surface of a back-up plate, and between the anvil surface and a sealing surface of a sealing die, in an apparatus for forming seals between layers of film material. The back-up pad has a slip surface on one side thereof and a spring surface on an opposite side thereof, the slip surface opposing the sealing face of the die so that the layers of film material pass between the sealing die and the back-up pad during seal formation. The spring surface is comprised of a plurality of outwardly extending resilient spring loops that act against the back-up plate during seal formation, the spring loops resiliently urging the layers of film material against the sealing face to effect seal formation between the film layers while cushioning the film layers to prevent damage to the film layers due to drag between layers and the die face.

Abstract: A crystallizable sugar is plasticized and then blended with shortening and flour to form an extrudable blend containing 15% by weight moisture or less, which then is extruded. The extruded blend requires little or no additional heat treatment or drying to form a food product having cookie-like characteristics.

Abstract: A parallel operating system for A.C. output converters of high frequency PWM inverters of an instantaneous current valve control type is provided with a current minor loop for controlling the instantaneous value of the output current. The current of each inverter minor loop is adapted to be supplied with a command value from a voltage major loop and a command value corresponding to the load current to be borne by each converter derived from the load current, as the command value for the current to be output by the converter for maintaining the output voltage at a sine wave.

Abstract: The dew points of condensible hydrocarbon and water in a gas stream are determined independently in a single run by observing changes in intensity of light scattered from a mirror surface which is cooled to below both of the dew points. A decrease in intensity denotes the hydrocarbon dew point while an increase in intensity denotes the water dew point. The apparatus is simple and operates automatically. The mirror surface has a first polished and highly reflective portion and a second, roughened, less reflective portion. The intensity of scattered light is preferably monitored separately for each mirror portion.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for feeding whole produce items, especially those with peels, to a centrifugal slicer so as to maximize the amount of whole slices and retention of peel includes an insert block with a central vertical infeed passage, a plurality of horizontal radially extending passages from the central passage, the end of the passageway shaped to allow the product being sliced to wedge in the passageways and prevent product bounce and roll during slicing.

Abstract: A detector of quantity of electricity of the invention for detecting an amplitude value from the quantity of AC electricity, comprising sampling means for sampling the quantity of AC electricity at a cycle T which is 1/4 of the rated cycle of quantity of AC electricity, and operating means for operating the amplitude value on the basis of the sampling values, operates with the following formula:y(o).sup.2 +3.multidot.{y(T).sup.2 +y(2T).sup.2 }+y(3T).sup.2where, y(t-nT) is expressed as y(nT).

Abstract: A pelletized mixture of gypsum, carbonaceous material and pyrite is charged to a travelling grate where the charge is heated under suitable conditions to produce a solid sintered material which has a broad spectrum of applications due to its chemical and physical properties and a gaseous effluent containing sulfur dioxide, sulfur or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A magnetic field compensating apparatus having a plurality of compensating units comprising a plurality of serial coils each of which is disposed concentrically along the main magnetic field and symmetrically with regard to a plane perpendicular to the main magnetic field and a plurality of power sources which separately supply currents to these compensating units, and made in such a manner that a plurality of error magnetic field components are generated by each of the compensating units, a compensating magnetic field is obtained by the whole of a plurality of the compensating units, and each of the currents supplied to the compensating units is decided in accordance with a constitution of a corresponding compensating unit.

Abstract: A process is described for the production of substantially pure gamma-butyrolactone from a feed mixture containing a major amount of gamma-butyrolactone and a minor amount of diethyl succinate which comprises fractionally distilling the mixture in a fractionation zone in the presence of diethyl ethoxysuccinate and recovering from the fractionation zone an overhead vaporous product comprising gamma-butyrolactone which is substantially free from diethyl succinate and is liquid bottom product comprising diethyl ethoxysuccinate and diethyl succinate in admixture one with another. This procedure can be used to separate a gamma-butyrolactone rich fraction obtained by distillation in one or more stages of a crude reaction product obtained by hydrogenation of a C.sub.

Abstract: A method of treating human females who suffer from pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) comprises administering melatonin in sufficient doses to relieve the symptoms of PMS.

Abstract: A still picture picturephone communication system for transmitting and receiving a still picture over a telephone circuit including a handshaking process wherein prior to still picture transmission, identification code data indicating a function of the picturephone set is transmitted and received, and a decision is made as to whether the still picture is being transmitted or not. A designation code of a desired response waiting time within an identification code data used at the time of handshaking is formed, and the response is delayed by a period of time corresponding to the response waiting time. A still picture data is directly transmitted and received without handshaking. In addition character data including character information and the like can be transmitted and received, and by manipulating the picturephone set of one party the picturephone set of the other party can be made to transmit picture data therefrom. Furthermore, the picture sent from the called party can be transferred to a third party.

Abstract: A method of detecting amplitude value of AC electric quantity in electric power system, where five sampling values obtained in sampling performed in sequence at a period of 1/4 of the period of the rated frequency of the AC electric quantity are used, and the first through fifth sampling values are squared respectively and the squared values of the second and fourth sampling values are multiplied by four and the squared value of the third sampling value is multiplied by six and the sum total of these values is obtained, and then the sum total is divided by eight and its square root is estimated, thereby the amplitude value of the AC electric quantity is obtained. Even if the frequency of the AC electric quantity to be detected is varied about .+-.5%, its amplitude value can be operated with good accuracy and the operation result can be obtained at high speed.

Abstract: A constant-speed running control device for vehicles designed to control a vehicle speed by computing a rate of speed deviation change, and correcting acceleration in the event of a large rate of speed deviation change in order to change a controlled variable for the purpose of reducing the speed deviation. This control device has excellent convergence performance capable of maintaining a constant, stable vehicle speed without being affected by variations in cable hysteresis and in the amount of actuator operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing a chlorinated, brominated, radiobrominated, iodinated and/or radioiodinated aromatic or heteroaromatic compound, in which the (hetero)aromatic nucleus optionally comprises one or more additional substituents, by reacting the corresponding halogenated or diazonium-substituted compound in the presence of a water-soluble acid and of copper ions as a catalyst with a likewise water-soluble chloride, bromide radiobromide, iodide or radio-iodide, in which the reaction is carried out in the presence of one or more reduction agents, which are stable in acid medium, in a quantity exceeding the quantity of catalyst. The invention also relates to a composition suitable for diagnostic examination and to a kit for the preparation thereof. The invention further relates to a method and an equipment for the preparation of said composition.

Abstract: An inflation device for a balloon catheter has a pistol grip type handle with a trigger for releasing a screw plunger to enable rapid inflation and deflation of the balloon catheter. The trigger bias and thread angle of mating threads are selected to automatically release the plunger when a safe balloon catheter pressure is exceeded. A trigger guard is slidable over the trigger to prevent accidental operation and pressure release.

Abstract: A synchronism detector circuit wherein it is arranged so that two a.c. voltages the synchronism of which is to be determined are converted, respectively, into rectangular pulses, which pulses trigger a pair of one-shot multivibrators, respectively, the logical product of the outputs from these one-shot multivibrators is provided, and the thus provided logical product causes signals indicating the states of synchronism between the a.c. voltages to be output.