Abstract: An apparatus adapted for confocal imaging of a non-flat specimen comprising a light source for producing a light beam, imaging optics adapted to focus the light beam into at least one spot on a surface of a specimen, and a detector adapted to receive and detect light reflected from the specimen surface. The light source comprises an optical system for converting a coherent beam into a plurality of beams, each of which is modified by a moving diffuser within a range of movement that is correlated to the detector's integration time.

Abstract: The invention describes a two-stage optical amplifier adapted for inserting OADM in the mid-stage, and an integrated assembly designed for implementing the amplifier in a way suitable for forming unidirectional and bi-directional configurations useful in optical networks. One of them is a so-called east-west configuration for a bi-directional transmission, where each direction of the optical transmission is served by the two-stage optical amplifier the 1st stage of which belongs to one integrated assembly, and the 2nd stage—to another assembly.

Abstract: A biologically resorbable nerve guide rail with a microporous guide tube of polymers of hydroxycarboxylic acids, where the porosity allows a metabolism through the tube wall, but prevents the passage of cells, and optionally several monofilaments of polymers of hydroxycarboxylic acids located in the guide tube, is characterized in that the inner surface of the tube and/or the surface of the monofilaments have an orientation aid for longitudinally oriented colonization with Schwann's cells.

Abstract: An image displaying apparatus employs quartz wave plates and displays images of high contrast. The quartz wave plates in the image displaying apparatus are each arranged between a polarizing beam splitter of a color separating-combining unit and a reflective spatial light modulator. Each of the quartz wave plates is made of two elementary quartz plates. An angle formed between slow axes of the two elemental quartz plates is within a range of 5 minutes to 15 minutes from a right angle.

Abstract: A stencil printing machine includes a rotatable printing drum including an outer peripheral wall of ink impermeable material. A stencil paper is mounted around the surface of the outer peripheral wall. An ink supplying mechanism includes an ink supplying unit in the maximum printing area of the outer peripheral wall of the printing drum and causes ink to be supplied from the ink supplying unit to the surface of the outer peripheral wall. A pressure roller presses a fed print sheet against the outer peripheral wall.

Abstract: A howling control apparatus and howling control method for controlling time up to the cancellation of howling suppression according to a howling occurrence situation, thereby eliminating the repetition of howling suppression and cancellation. A howling detecting section (104) detects howling based on the band level and the band level average value and measures time for which no howling occurs, a waiting time setting section (105) decides waiting time to be set this time from time for which no howling occurs and a previous waiting time, and a gain control section (106) causes a gain that is set to a howling suppressing section (107) to be retuned to a normal value during the waiting time.

Abstract: An image displaying apparatus is capable of maintaining the contrast ratios of displayed images even if the f-value of an optical system of the apparatus is lowered to provide bright images, efficiently utilizing a beam from a light source, minimizing the size and weight of the optical system, and being easy to manufacture. The image displaying apparatus includes first to third reflective polarizing plates (120, 121, 122) provided for first to third reflective spatial light modulators (130, 131, 132), respectively. The reflective polarizing plates polarize and separate beams to be injected into the reflective spatial light modulators. In the image displaying apparatus, a color separating optical system has a larger effective diameter than a color composition prism (140).

Abstract: The inventive subject matter relates to a glutamate receptor, DNA which encodes the receptor, a transformed cell expressing the receptor, a method for producing the receptor, a method for identifying an agonist, antagonist, or allosteric modulator for glutamic acid, a method for identifying an agonist for glutamic acid, an antibody to the receptor, and processes for making glutamate receptor modulators and pharmaceutical compositions comprising said modulator.

Abstract: The compounds of formula I in which the given substituents have the meanings as given in the description, are novel effective PDE4 inhibitors.

Abstract: An optical pickup having a simple structure and that is capable of recording using a plurality of wavelengths is provided, comprising a primary laser light source for emitting a primary laser light having a first wavelength and that is of sufficient power for recording, an integrated device further comprising a secondary laser light source for emitting a secondary laser light having a second wavelength that is longer than the first wavelength and that is of sufficient power for recording as well as light receiving elements for receiving the light of the primary and secondary laser lights, and a polarized light beam splitter having polarization selectivity in respect of the secondary laser light.

Abstract: A screw axis and a guide axis are provided in parallel in a base plate, and both sides of an optical pickup are supported by the screw axis and the guide axis. The base plate is provided with a first supporting portion for supporting one end portion of the screw axis in a side of a driven gear, and a second supporting portion for supporting another end portion of the screw axis. The first supporting portion has a first elastic member which presses the screw axis in an axial direction of a turn table, and the second supporting portion is provided with a second elastic member and a tilt adjusting screw which are opposed to each other with holding a collar therebetween in the axial direction of the turn table. One end portion of the screw axis is rotatably fitted to the collar, and the collar is pressed toward the tilt adjusting screw by the second elastic member.