Abstract: Peptide fragments of the p17 gag protein of HIV-1 from Clade C of from about 30 to about 50 amino acids, including the region extending from position 75 to position 129, raise antibodies recognizing other subtypes, including Clade A, Clade B, Clade E as well as peptides of non-coextensive but overlapping portions of the p17 gag protein. DNA sequences can be used to encode for the peptides of interest.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a triangular-pyramidal cube-corner retroreflective sheet constituted with triangular-pyramidal cube-corner retroreflective elements useful for signs including traffic signs and construction work signs, license plates of automobiles and motorcycles, safety materials of clothing and life preservers, markings of signboards, and reflectors of visible-light, laser-beam, and infrared-ray reflective sensors, in which a lateral face (c) using one of the base edge (x) of triangular-pyramidal reflective elements arranged in a close-packed state on a base plane (X-X') and facing each other by sharing the base edge (x) on the base plane (X-X') as one side is pentagonal, other faces (a, b) sharing one of ridge lines starting with apex (H) of the triangular-pyramidal reflective elements are quadrangular, and the height (h) from the apex (H) up to the base plane (X-X') is substantially larger than the height (h') from the apex (H) up to a substantially horizontal plane (virtual plane Z-Z') i

Abstract: In a mask protective device comprising a frame, the size of which is set to surround a mask pattern, and a transparent thin film 12 spread and fixed to the frame to close one opening of the frame, the periphery of the transparent thin film 12 is bonded to an end face 11a at one opening of the frame 11 by adhesives 41 applied on the whole surface of the end face 11a to cover and close the opening of the frame 11.A string-like bead 42 is formed on an end face 11b at the other end opening of the frame 11 by linearly applying adhesives, for bonding the frame 11 to the mask 17, all around the end face 11b of the frame 11. The string-like bead 42 formed on the end face 11b at the other opening of the frame 11 can be formed helically, formed in two lines arranged inside and outside in parallel with each other which have respective discontinuities at different places to have openings allowing the communication between the inside and the outside the mask protective device, or the like.

Abstract: A curable dental adhesive composition of the type including polymerizable monomer and polymerization initiator may be easily prepared and applied to a tooth surface by using a tool which includes fibrous or sponge material, adapted to fit within a person's mouth, and carrying at least part of the polymerization initiator. Polymerizable monomer and any remaining polymerization initiator as well as filler and other ingredients may be brought into contact with the tool to form the curable composition just prior to applying the composition to the tooth surface. The tool may be part of a kit which also includes a container for polymerizable monomer and, as necessary, one or more additional containers for remaining polymerization initiator(s), fillers, etc. No separate mixing container is required.

Abstract: A method for producing acrylic acid from propylene at high efficiency by two-stage catalytic oxidation using a single fixed bed shell-and-tube heat exchanger type reactor is provided. The method comprises dividing the shell space of said reactor into an upper space and lower space with a partition plate, allowing a heating medium to circulate in each of the spaces substantially independently of each other, and carrying out the vapor phase oxidation under specific conditions. Said specific conditions including providing a first stage catalyst layer at lower portion of each of the reaction tubes, a second stage catalyst layer at upper portion thereof and an inert substance layer therebetween, and making void ratio of the inert substance layer 40-99.5%.

Abstract: A nitro group-containing naphthoquinone derivative represented by the following general formula: ##STR1## wherein R is a monovalent hydrocarbon group having a nitro group, and a ring A may be substituted with a substituent.This compound is a novel substance and is useful as an electron-transporting agent for an electrophotosensitive material. The electrophotosensitive material using the electron-transporting agent is highly sensitive, exhibits favorable repetitive properties, and makes it possible to favorably form images for extended periods of time.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polymerization catalyst for alpha-olefins and a process for polymerizing alpha-olefins. The catalyst comprises a component having a transition metal compound supported on a carrier and an aluminoxane. The carrier may be pre-treated with an organometallic compound, a halogen-containing silicon compound or an aluminoxane. Alternatively, the above two catalyst components are subjected to preliminary polymerization of olefins. The catalyst of this invention enables the production of a spherical polymer having a good particle size distribution, an excellent bulk density and a narrow molecular weight distribution in a slurry polymerization method or a vapor-phase polymerization method, particulary the vapor-phase polymerization method. When applied to the copolymerization of at least two olefins, the catalyst has excellent polymerization activity such that an olefin copolymer having a narrow molecular weight distribution and a narrrow composition distribution is obtained.

Abstract: A thermal fixing developer material for electrophotography is provided. This developer material is adapted for use as a main component of an electrostatic toner, and the toner produced by using this developer material exhibits excellent release properties upon thermal fixing, and in particular, upon thermal fixing at low temperature, and therefore, is free from offset and contamination of carrier, photosensitive material, heat roller, and the like. Such a toner is also provided with high blocking resistance. The developer material of this invention comprises a wax of a propylene-based copolymer having a particular molecular weight, a particular melting point, and a particular compositional distribution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wrestling ear guard comprising a pair of substantially identical mirror image, roughly inverted triangular shaped guards comprising a cup member formed of thin, relatively stiff, resilient sheet material having an inner concave surface and an outer convex surface, a first padded layer applied to the inner concave surface and comprising a roughly inverted triangular portion and outwardly and upwardly extending strap members integral with the triangular member at the upper top corners thereof, a second padded layer applied to the outer convex surface and comprising a roughly inverted triangular member corresponding in size to the inverted triangular portion of the first padded layer and being partially compressed over the outer surface thereof, the second layer being secured about its periphery to the first padded layer whereby the cup member is confined between the first padded layer and the second padded layer.

Abstract: There is provided a silica-containing diene rubber composition superior in resiliene (which is an indication of rolling resistance), at least equal, in tensile strength and abrasion resistance, to carbon black-containing diene rubber compositions, and good in processability and hardness property. The silica-containing diene rubber composition is characterized by containing, as the diene rubber component, a hydroxyl group-containing diene rubber having a weight-average molecular weight of 50,000 or more, or a blend of the hydroxyl group-containing diene rubber and other diene rubber.

Abstract: A process for purifying an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal or a ferrielectric liquid crystal, which comprises the following steps 1 to 4,step 1: preparing a liquid crystal solution of an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal or a ferrielectric liquid crystal to be purified in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent,step 2; bringing the liquid crystal solution into contact with at least one adsorbent selected from the group consisting of zeolite, alumina and silica gel to separate the liquid crystal solution from the adsorbent,step 3; precision-filtering the resultant liquid crystal solution, andstep 4; removing the solvent from an obtained filtrate and recovering a purified liquid crystal,according to which process, there can be easily obtained a high-purity liquid crystal which shows a specific resistance value of at least 5.times.10.sup.12 .OMEGA..multidot.cm and a small thermal decomposition ratio, and which is therefore suitable as a raw material for a liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: An adhesive composition for dental or surgical treatment comprising (A) 2 to 24 parts by weight of an organic boron compound, (B) 0.002 to 0.5 part by weight of a photopolymerization initiator, (C) 75 to 97 parts by weight of a polymerizable monomer mixture comprising 2 to 20% by weight of a monomer containing an acidic group and 80 to 98% by weight of a monomer containing no acidic group, and (D) optionally, 250 parts or less by weight of a filler.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a porous or microporous film of a high molecular weight polyolefin excellent in strength and air-permeability and suitable for use in filtering materials, separators for aqueous electrolyte batteries, separator films for batteries, separator films for electrolytic capacitors, and air-permeable films; for moisture-permeable water-proof use such as paper diapers and house-wrapping films; and for other uses such as cloths, package and printing, as well as a process for producing same. The feature of the present invention resides in an aspect that the film is composed of fibrils comprising extended-chain crystals and lamellar crystals and/or fibrils comprising helicoidal crystals.This porous film of a high molecular weight polyolefin is produced by subjecting an air-impermeable film of a high molecular weight polyolefin to thermal treatment followed by, if necessary, a stretching treatment and/or a thermosetting treatment.

Abstract: A process for olefin polymerization, including polymerizing or copolymerizing an olefin in the presence of an olefin polymerization catalyst composed of: a fine particle carrier; (A) a transition metal compound of a Group IVB metal of the periodic table, containing a ligand having a cyclopentadienyl skeleton; (B) an aluminoxane compound; and optionally (C) an organoaluminum compound, wherein said aluminoxane compound has an alkyl groups to aluminum ratio of 1.3 to 2.1; said transition metal compound (A) and said organoaluminum oxy-compound (B) and said organoaluminum compound being supported on the fine particle carrier; and said solid catalyst having a bulk density of 0.3 g/cm.sup.3 to 0.5 g/cm.sup.3 and a fluidity index of 45 to 70 and an olefin polymerization process using the olefin polymerization catalyst; and an olefin prepolymerized catalyst obtained by prepolymerizing the catalyst, and an olefin polymerization process using the olefin prepolymerized catalyst.

Abstract: A thermoplastic resin composition having laser marking ability, which comprises a thermoplastic resin and at least two kinds of metal oxides, the content of total metal oxides being 0.001 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of said thermoplastic resin; and a keyboard having keys composed of the above composition.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polycyclic compound represented by the following formula (I):R.sup.1 --X.sup.1 --[A.sup.1 --X.sup.2 ]--[A.sup.2 --X.sup.3 ]--R.sup.2 (I)wherein R.sup.1 is a (halogenated) alkyl group of 6 to 16 carbon atoms, X.sup.1 is --O-- group or a single bond, A.sup.1 is a biphenylene group, a phenylene group or the like, A.sup.2 is 1-fluoro-3,4-dihydronaphthalene or the like, X.sup.2 and X.sup.3 are each --COO--, a single bond or the like, and R.sup.2 is an optically active group of 4 to 20 carbon atoms which has at least one asymmetric carbon atom. Also disclosed are a liquid crystal material consisting of the polycyclic compound, a liquid crystal composition comprising the liquid crystal material, and a liquid crystal element. This novel polycyclic compound is optically active and capable of being in a smectic phase in a wide temperature range including room temperature. The polycyclic compound can be used as a ferroelectric liquid crystal material or an antiferroelectric liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A purified acid addition salt of a (2S, 3S, 5S)-2,5-diamino-1,6-diphenyl-3-hydroxyhexane, e.g., (2S, 3S, 5S)-2-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-3-hydroxy-5-amino-1,6-diphenylhexane, is obtained from its mixture, in an arbitrary ratio, with its (2S, 3S, 5R) stereoisomer in the presence of an inorganic or organic acid. The desired (2S, 3S, 5S) acid addition salt may be recovered from the mixture by, for example, recrystallization. These purified acid addition salts are useful as intermediates in the synthesis of medicines such as retrovirus protease inhibitors including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors.

Abstract: An adhesive resin composition contains at least a partially or wholly graft-modified .alpha.-olefin/aromatic vinyl compound random copolymer having a graft quantity of an unsaturated carboxylic acid or its derivative ranging from 0.01 to 30% by weight. A laminate comprises (I) a polyester resin layer or a polycarbonate layer, (II) an adhesive layer formed from the above-mentioned adhesive resin composition and (III) a saponified olefin/vinyl acetate copolymer layer. The adhesive resin composition is free from lowering of adhesive strength even when contacted with, for example, hot water. The laminate has excellent gas barrier properties and is capable of being subjected to retorting treatment.

Abstract: A method of terminating a gas phase polymerization of an olefin to be conducted subsequent to producing a polyolefin by feeding a gaseous olefin into a fluidized bed reactor to polymerize the gaseous olefin while holding solid particles containing a catalyst in a fluid state, said method comprising introducing a deactivator in the fluidized bed reactor through at least two deactivator introduction ports of the fluidized bed reactor so as to terminate the gas phase polymerization. The height of the fluidized bed is generally at least 3 m. The deactivator is preferably introduced through deactivator introduction ports disposed at heights Ha=-0.3 D to 0.3 D (a) and Hb=0.3 D to 2.0 D (b) (D is the inside diameter of the fluidized bed reactor (cm)). After the termination of the polymerization, the gas phase polymerization can directly be resumed.

Abstract: A method of producing an inflation film which includes the steps of melting an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin in an extruder, extruding the molten polyolefin from a screw die, and blowing a gas into a molten tubular film formed by extrusion. An apparatus for producing an inflation film which includes an extruder provided with a first screw, and a screw die having an L/D of at least 5 and is provided at the end of the extruder, wherein the screw die includes a second screw which rotates independently of the first screw, a mandrel coupled to the end of the second screw and rotates together with the second screw, an outer tube die in which the mandrel is inserted, and a gas passage extending in the second screw and in the mandrel. An inflation film is composed of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin having a tensile strength at break of greater than 1660 kg/cm.sup.2 in a machine direction and greater than 1600 kg/cm.sup.2 in a transverse direction, an impact strength of greater than 9500 kg.