Abstract: When producing an object by subsequent solidification of material layers 1 at places corresponding to the object there is a problem of limited production speed because the scanning speed or laser power of the light beam scanning the material layer 1 cannot be increased at will, if the light beam 4 used for solidification is focused as required for exact resolution. According to the invention this problem is solved by providing a variable focusing device 8 in the light beam 4, whereby the focus of the light beam 4 can be varied during the solidification of the layer 1. Thus, a different focus, laser power and scanning speed can be used in different regions of the layer 1.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by successive solidification of layers of a powder material at points corresponding to a cross-section of said object using electromagnetic or particle radiation comprises support means having an upper side for supporting the object thereon at a determined elevation, elevation adjustment means for varying the elevation, means for applying a layer of the material onto the upper side or onto another layer formed on the upper side, and irradiation means for irradiating the layer of the material at the points corresponding to a cross-section of the object. For reducing the production time of the object the apparatus further comprises a prefabricated base plate on the upper side, the base plate being made of a material which the powder material adheres to when being solidified, and means for removably connecting the base plate to the upper side of the support means.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image support medium; a charging member for charging the surface of the image support medium in contact with the surface of it; an exposure device for irradiating with light the surface of the image support medium charged by the charging member to form a static latent image; a developing device for supplying developer to the static latent image formed on the image support medium to develop the latent image and for removing the leftover developer on the image support medium; a transfer device for transferring the developer image, which has been developed on the image support medium by the developing device, to a member to be transferred; and a scraping member for scraping foreign matter such as dust and paper particles on the image support medium.

Abstract: An rf surface coil for MRI is described. The surface coil is made of a trace of a high conductivity material having a length, width and thickness and having a surface defined by the length and the width. The coil has a radius and a longitudinal axis at the center of the coil. The trace is arranged in a loop with one end in proximity to the other end with the surface facing the inside of the loop, wherein the surface is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the coil. The ratio of the width of the coil to the radius of the coil is 0.3 or greater and the thickness of the trace is sufficient to provide an rf skin effect. Circuit designs for inductively coupling the decoupling the surface coil from a volume coil during rf excitation are also described.

Abstract: 6-Alkoxy derivatives of Ara-G, and pharmaceutically acceptable esters thereof, are described as being useful in tumour therapy. Novel pharmaceutically acceptable esters, their preparation and pharmaceutical formulations containing them are also disclosed.

Abstract: A magnet resonance imaging system is described having an open magnet structure that provides a remote region of background field homogeneity for imaging. The system includes spatial encoding gradient coils and an rf coil. The open magnet structure has a primary magnet with two primary pole pieces connected by a primary ferromagnetic core for internal flux. Each primary pole piece has a surface facing away from the primary magnet. Located between the two primary pole pieces is a bias magnet having two bias pole pieces connected by a bias ferromagnetic flux pathway for internal flux. The bias magnet has polarity opposite to the primary magnet. Each bias pole piece has a surface facing away from the bias magnet and in a direction the same as the surfaces of the primary pole pieces. Superposition of the magnetic fields of the primary magnet and bias magnet provide a region of substantial background field homogeneity remote from the magnets in said direction.

Abstract: A small block having a particular configuration that fills up an information recording area without clearances is set. The small block made up by giving marks of different values to cells arrayed in a direction of at least one row and column is selected as a modulation block. A primary pattern corresponding to recording-object information is extracted in the units of small blocks, the extracted patterns are associated with the modulation pattern in the units of cells in one-to-one correspondence, and their exclusive-ORs are calculated respectively. A secondary pattern is recorded by a process that small blocks composed of marks representing the values of the exclusive-ORs are arrayed in the units in order in the information recording area.

Abstract: A magneto-optical disk including a transparent substrate, pit strings containing information formed in spiral or concentric form on a surface of the transparent substrate, a magneto-optical recording medium layer for covering the surface of the transparent substrate having the pit strings formed thereon, and magneto-optical recording areas formed by spiral or concentric flat portions between adjacent pit strings. An optical pickup for reproducing pit information and magneto-optically-recorded information from the magneto-optical disk. A magneto-optical disk drive for recording and reproducing information on the magneto-optical disk. The magneto-optical disk has a memory capacity which is twice the memory capacity of a conventional magneto-optical disk having ROM, and is accessed at high speeds.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to display white and black colors simultaneously in addition to a color display, in a birefringence control type liquid crystal display device using a high polymer film in optical compensation plate. In the birefringence control type liquid crystal display device using a high polymer film in the optical compensation plate, the product d.DELTA.n of a cell gap d and a refractive index anisotropy .DELTA.n of the liquid crystal cell is set in a range of 1700 nm to 1950 nm, the difference (d.DELTA.n-d.sub.R n.sub.R) of the d.DELTA.n of the liquid crystal cell and the product d.sub.R .DELTA.n.sub.R of a refractive index anisotropy .DELTA.n.sub.R and a film thickness d.sub.R of the phase difference plate is set in a range of 750 nm to 850 nm, the crossing angle of the orientation direction of the upper side of the liquid crystal layer and the slow axis of the phase difference plate is set in a range of 80.degree. to 100.degree.

Abstract: An amorphous magnetic thin film of TbDyFeCo alloy is described, which is a multi-layer film formed by alternatively laminating a TbFeCo layer and a DyFeCo layer on a substrate and has an axis of easy magnetization perpendicular to a film surface, wherein, when the composition of the magnetic thin film is represented by Tb.sub.x Dy.sub.y (Fe.sub.l-z Co.sub.z).sub.1-(x+y) and when x, y, and z are within ranges of 0<x.ltoreq.0.12, 0<y.ltoreq.0.12, and 0<z.ltoreq.0.30, a condition to be satisfied by x and y is 0.25.ltoreq.x/(x+y). Consequently, an inexpensive magneto-optical recording medium with an improved C/N ratio is manufactured.

Abstract: A color filter of the present invention includes: a conductive layer having low conductivity regions; and a plurality of colored regions included in a colored layer on the conductive layer, wherein each of the colored regions has a concave portion at a position corresponding to each of the low conductivity regions.

Abstract: In an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by laser sintering the object is produced by successive solidification of layers of a powder material at points corresponding to a cross-section of said object using radiation for solidifying said powder material. The apparatus includes a support having a substantially plane upper side for supporting the object, a material applying device for applying a layer of the material onto the upper side or onto another layer formed on the upper side, and a solidification device for solidifying a layer of the material by irradiation. The material applying device has a coating device and a drive for displacing the coating device in a direction parallel to the upper side of the support.

Abstract: A swing phase control for an artificial knee joint is provided with a cylinder (1) having one end closed by a head member (2) and the other end closed by a base member (3), a piston reciprocally movable within the cylinder in axial direction thereof and having a piston rod (6) passing outwards through a bore provided in the head member (2) for connection with the thigh part of a prosthesis. The head member (2) comprises a channel (12) with a check valve (13) providing a communication of the ambient with a head side first chamber (9) defined by the piston (7). The first chamber (9) communicates through a throttle passage with the base side second chamber (10) defined by the piston (7). The base member (3) comprises a vent bore (23) connecting the second chamber (10) with the ambient and a first spring (22) biasing the piston (7) towards the head member (2). Thus the swing phase control has good damping properties for movement of different speed.

Abstract: An anchoring member is provided which comprises a shaft 2 to be fastened to a bone and a head 3 for connection with a rod 10, the head having a substantially U-shaped cross-section and being connected with the shaft 2 at the base 5 thereof, the head further comprising two free legs 6, 7 defining a channel 4 for receiving the rod 10. The free legs 6, 7 are provided with an internal thread 8 extending in direction of the legs. A fastening member 11 and a member 12 embracing the legs at the outside thereof are provided. In order to allow not only straight rods, but also curved rods to be received and thus to allow an individual adaptation to the conditions of the spinal column to be treated the free legs have an external thread 9 and the member 12 has an internal thread cooperating therewith. The fastening member 11 comprises a thread cooperating with the internal thread 8 to allow the fastening member to be screwed in.

Abstract: The inner surface of a fixing roller is divided into two areas in the lengthwise direction thereof. In one of the areas where the increase rate of the surface temperature of the fixing roller is small, and improper fixing to recording paper is likely to occur, black heat resistant coating is applied to the inner surface of the fixing roller to improve heat absorption. In addition, in the other area where the surface state of the inner surface of the fixing roller is non-uniform, and heat absorption is not stable, transparent heat resistant coating is applied to the inner surface of the fixing roller to stabilize the heat absorption. It is attempted in this manner to make uniform the temperature of the fixing roller in the lengthwise direction thereof and thus to make uniform the fixing in the whole paper-passing area.

Abstract: A method of making a radiolabeled pyrimidine nucleoside or nucleotide is described. In the method, a stannylated pyrimidine nucleoside or nucleotide is contacted in an aqueous solution with a radioactive iodide, bromide, chlorine or astatine ion in the presence of an acidic hydrogen peroxide oxidizing solution comprising at least a 3:1 ratio of 30% hydrogen peroxide to 1N acid (v/v), whereby a water soluble pyrimidine nucleoside or nucleotide labeled with radioactive iodine, bromine, chlorine or astatine is formed. Kits suitable for practicing the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A hetero-junction bipolar transistor includes: a substrate; a first conductive type collector layer disposed on the substrate; a second conductive type base layer having an external base region; and a first conductive type emitter layer having a bandgap larger than the bandgap of the base layer disposed in this order, wherein the emitter layer includes a first emitter layer, an etching stop layer, and a second emitter layer disposed in this order starting from the substrate side; a base electrode is formed on the etching stop layer or the first emitter layer disposed on the external base region; a region of the first emitter layer on the base layer has a thickness such that the region is substantially depleted at all voltages applied when the transistor is normally operated; the second emitter layer has an electron affinity equal to or smaller than an electron affinity of the first emitter layer; and the etching stop layer has an electron affinity larger than the electron affinity of the first emitter layer,

Abstract: An anchoring member is provided with a shaft 2, 12 for anchoring in a bone and a head 3, 53 with a substantially U-shaped cross-section for connection with a rod 9, 59, the head having a base 5, 55 connected with the shaft 2, 12 and two free legs 6, 7; 56, 57 forming a channel for receiving the rod 9, 59. The two legs have an internal screw thread 8, 58 and an external screw thread 8', 58'. A nut member 11, 61 comprises an internal thread which embraces the outside of the legs and cooperates with the external screw thread and a locking member 10 has a thread cooperating with the internal screw thread of the legs. The anchoring member further comprises a spring member 19, 79 acting onto the rod 9, 59 to be received in order to, on the one hand, obtain a rigid connection between the anchoring member and the rod and, on the other hand, to allow an easy manipulation for precisely adjusting the position between the anchoring member and the rod before finally locking the position.

Abstract: A signal input device which includes an operation panel having an input area in which data are input by touching the operation panel, a plurality of sensors located at different places on the operation panel, the sensors receiving vibrations propagated from a touched point on the operation panel, a detection circuit for detecting times at which the sensors receive the vibrations, an arithmetic means for identifying the position of the touched point, a memory means for storing numerical values whereby the input area is divided into a plurality of minor areas, and means for judging which minor areas the touched points belong to, on the basis of the arithmetic results of the numerical values and data about the positions of the touched points.

Abstract: A prophylactic and therapeutic agent for circulatory disorders, comprising a pyrazolone derivative of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom, an aryl group, an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms or an alkoxycarbonylalkyl group having a total carbon number of 3 to 6; R.sub.2 represents a hydrogen atom, an aryloxy group, an arylmercapto group, an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms or hydroxyalkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 taken together represent an alkylene group having 3 to 5 carbon atoms; R.sub.