Abstract: The present invention provides a water-dispersed acrylic PSA composition suitable for forming a PSA sheet. The PSA composition contains 0.5 to 15 parts by weight of an acrylic copolymer (polymer H) with a Tg of 30° C. to 120° C. in relation to 100 parts by weight of an acrylic copolymer (polymer L) with a Tg of ?70° C. to ?50° C. The polymer L is obtained by polymerization of a monomer starting material comprising 60 wt % or more of an alkyl (meth)acrylate with a C8-C12 alkyl group; and 0.5 to 10 wt % of a radical polymerizable monomer with a carboxyl group.

Abstract: A programmable signal processing circuit has an instruction processing circuit (23, 24, 26), with an instruction set that comprises a depuncture instruction. The instruction processing circuit (23, 24, 26) forms the depuncture result by copying bit metrics from a bit metrics operand and inserting one or more predetermined bit metric values between the bit metrics from the bit metric operand in the depuncture result. The instruction processing circuit (23, 24, 26) changes the relative locations of the copied bit metrics with respect to each other in the depuncture result as compared to the relative locations of the copied bit metrics with respect to each other in the bit metric operand, to an extent needed for accommodating the inserted predetermined bit metric value or values.

Abstract: A semiconductor optical integrated circuit includes: a semiconductor substrate; a light reflecting portion and a gain region, on the semiconductor substrate; a first optical waveguide connecting the reflecting portion and the gain region; and a second optical waveguide in conjunction with the first optical waveguide and having a larger optical absorptance than the first optical waveguide.

Abstract: The present invention provides prophylactic and therapeutic methods of treating the ductal epithelium of an exocrine gland, in particular a mammary gland, for disease, in particular cancer. The methods comprise contacting the ductal epithelium of the exocrine gland with an epithelium-destroying gent, preferably by ductal cannulation, so as to realize a prophylactic or therapeutic effect.

Abstract: A packaging wrapper consisting of a film intended to be closed by two twists on either side of an article to be packaged, characterized in that the film comprises, on the internal side in relation to the article to be packaged, a sealing coating placed along two transverse strips on either side of the article to be packaged and extending parallel to an axis passing through the two twists. The film may additionally comprise two lengthwise strips of sealing coating extending on either side of the strips of sealing coating extending on either side of the article to be packaged, perpendicularly to the said transverse strips in the regions of formation of the twists. These sealing coatings may be either cold-sealing coatings or heat-sealing coatings.

Abstract: A method of forming a highly dispersed ceramic powder slurry is provided prising forming an aqueous based slurry of a ceramic powder and a polyelectrolyte at an acidic pH and adjusting the pH of the slurry to an alkaline value.

Abstract: An evaporation-cooled gas insulated electrical apparatus comprising, in a housing, an electrical device generating heat when in operation, a condensable refrigerant convertible between liquid and vapor phases, and a noncondensable, electrically insulating gas. The condensable refrigerant and the noncondensable gas are selected so that the ratio V.sub.g /V.sub.1 of the gas phase volume V.sub.g and the liquid phase volume V.sub.1 is between 1 and 10, and so that the specific weight of the noncondensable gas is smaller than the specific weight of the vapor of the condensable refrigerant during operation, and so that the noncondensable gas and the condensable refrigerant vapor are separated due to the difference in their specific weights.

Abstract: An ash tray of the drawer type is movably installed in an instrument panel of an automotive vehicle. The ash tray in its right position functions to receive ash of a cigarette in its ash receiving cavity formed on its right side, and can take its reverse position upon being turned upside down so as to disable it from receiving cigarette ash while enabling to store articles at an article storing section formed on its reverse side, so that the ash tray becomes useful even for a nonsmoker.

Abstract: A method for preventing discoloration of the area around an indentation in spot welding is provided in which the weld zone and its surrounding area are masked with a non-oxidizing gas such as argon gas, helium gas, nitrogen gas or a mixture of argon gas and carbon dioxide gas from ambient atmospheric air and spot welding is carried out in the atmosphere of the non-oxidizing gas to prevent the discoloration from occurring at the weld zone of a metal sheet under the influence of heat during spot welding.

Abstract: A self-cleaning system and method for dispersing aggregates in a fluid medium is provided. The system is comprised of first and second members operatively associated to form an internal chamber and having an inlet to the chamber for admitting the fluid to be treated. At least one of the members is biased toward the other whereby the introduction of a fluid medium to be treated into the chamber under an operating pressure in the range of from about 50 to about 1,000 psid (3.5 to 70.3 kg/cm.sup.2) provides an elongated orifice between the first and second members having a transverse dimension or width of from about 1 to about 1,500 micrometers for egress of the fluid medium. As the fluid passes through the elongated orifice, aggregates contained therein are dispersed. The system is self-cleaning by virtue of the biased nature of at least one of the members toward the other, thereby providing longer onstream operation and requiring less servicing.