Abstract: The first smectic liquid crystal composition of the invention has a voltage gradation parameter L of less than 0.6, said parameter being defined by the equation L=S.sub.H /S.sub.O with the proviso that: a liquid crystal cell filled with a liquid crystal composition is placed between a pair of polarizing plates arranged in the crossed Nicols state; a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal cell to form a hysteresis curve showing a correlation between the voltage and a transmittance; and a tangent line I.sub.R of the hysteresis curve within a region wherein the transmittance steeply increases intersects a tangent line I.sub.F of the hysteresis curve within a region which is adjacent to the voltage-steep increase region and which is on the higher-voltage side at an intersection point P. In the above equation, S.sub.

Abstract: The olefin polymerization catalyst of the invention is formed from a Group IVB transition metal compound represented by the following formula (I) and an organoaluminum oxy-compound or a compound which reacts with the transition metal compound to form an ion pair. In the olefin polymerization process of the invention using this catalyst or a catalyst formed from a Group IVB transition metal compound represented by the following formula (II) and an organoaluminum oxy-compound or a compound which reacts with the transition metal compound to form an ion pair, an olefin (co)polymer having a high molecular weight can be obtained with high polymerization activities, and besides an olefin copolymer having a high comonomer content can be obtained even if a comonomer is used in a small amount. ##STR1## wherein, M is a transition metal of Group IVB, at least one of R.sup.1 is an aryl group and the remainder is hydrogen or the like, R.sup.2 is hydrogen, an alkyl group or the like, R.sup.3 and R.sup.

Abstract: Constant balance of a varying load, particularly a window shade or blind, is maintained by providing a lifting force, preferably from a spring, through a mediating mechanism including a variable pitch screw arrangement, such that the mechanical advantage of the mediating mechanism changes to allow the continuously decreasing spring force to apply an appropriate lifting force at all times. The variable pitch screw preferably takes the form of a twisted bar.

Abstract: A liquid crystal compound represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR1## wherein R is a linear alkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, X and Y are both a hydrogen atom, or one of them is a hydrogen atom and the other is a fluorine atom, m is an integer of 0 to 5, n is an integer of 1 to 5, and C* is an asymmetric carbon atom. Since the liquid crystal compounds of the present invention have an anti-ferroelectric phase or a ferrielectric phase and the anti-ferroelectric phase or a ferrielectric phase has a highly practical phase sequence and wide temperature range, they are of great industrial value.

Abstract: Provided are an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal composition consisting essentially of (a) a swallow-tailed compound of the formula (1), (b) an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compound of the formula (2), and (c) a phenyl ester compound of the formula (3), and a liquid crystal display device using the composition, ##STR1## The above anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal composition has an anti-ferroelectric phase in a broad temperature range, has a high response time I in the transition from an anti-ferroelectric state to a ferroelectric state and a proper response time II in the transition from a ferroelectric state to an anti-ferroelectric state, and can therefore provide an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal display device having high display quality.

Abstract: An ethylene/.alpha.-olefin copolymer obtained by copolymerizing ethylene with an .alpha.-olefin of 3 to 20 carbon atoms in the presence of a catalyst for olefin polymerization comprising an organoaluminum oxy-compound (a) and at least two kinds of transition metal compounds (b). This ethylene/.alpha.-olefin copolymer has high melt tension and high flowability. A graft modified ethylene/.alpha.-olefin copolymer obtained by graft polymerizing the above-mentioned ethylene/.alpha.-olefin copolymer with a polar monomer. An ethylene copolymer composition comprising the above-mentioned graft modified ethylene/.alpha.-olefin copolymer and polyolefin. The ethylene/.alpha.-olefin copolymer of the invention is excellent in moldability. From this copolymer, a film having high transparency and high mechanical strength can be produced. The graft modified ethylene/.alpha.-olefin copolymer of the invention is excellent in heat stability and moldability.

Abstract: According to this invention, an amorphous or pseudo-boehmite-type hydrated alumina gel and an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate as starting materials are reacted in an aqueous medium to give a method of producing a process for producing an alkali aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salt which is industrially low-cost and has high productivity. Furthermore, by using a gibbsite-type hydrated alumina, a lithium aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salt can be synthesized by a migration method.The lithium aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salt and the sodium aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salt obtained by the processes of the present invention have excellent compoundability in pigments and resins.In addition, these complex salts have no foaming hazards at the time of processing the resins and are useful as resin fillers for halogen capturing property, infrared ray absorbing property and excellent transparency.

Abstract: Method of producing a bromine compound having an aliphatic unsaturated bond which includes reacting a compound having an aliphatic unsaturated bond represented by the following general formula (1) with bromine:R.sup.1 --O--Ar.sup.1 --Y--Ar.sup.2 --O--R.sup.2 (1)to produce a bromine compound represented by the following formula (2):R.sup.3 --O--Ar.sup.1 --Y--Ar.sup.2 --O--R.sup.4 (2)wherein Ar.sup.1, Ar.sup.2 and Y are the same as defined in the above general formula (1) , and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are groups obtained by saturating the unsaturated groups of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 in the above general formula (1) with bromine, respectively.The reaction is carried out in the presence of a solvent which is inactive in the reaction, and a substantial amount of the heat of reaction is removed from a reaction system by the vaporization of the solvent or bromine. A high-purity bromine compound in high yield which is useful as flame retardant, can be obtained.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for preparing a 2-isoxazoline compound represented by formula (1) and a 2,5-diamino-1,6-diphenyl-3-hydroxyhexane compound obtainable by reducing the 2-isoxazoline compound and represented by formula (6): ##STR1## wherein Ph is phenyl; and each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represents hydrogen, acyl, alkyloxycarbonyl, arylalkyloxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, arylalkylaminocarbonyl, arylaminocarbonyl, alkyl, arylalkyl, aryl, alkylsulfonyl, acylalkylsulfonyl, or arylsulfonyl, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are linked to each other to form divalent acyl. These compounds are useful as intermediates in the synthesis of medicines such as retrovirus protease inhibitors including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors.

Abstract: An antisettling agent for aqueous paints giving excellent settling-preventing properties to aqueous paints is provided. The antisettling agent is produced by the following process: A polyamide, which is obtained by reacting a primary diamine having 2 to 12 carbon atoms with, in an amount excess to the diamine, a dimer dicarboxylic acid obtained by polymerizing an unsaturated fatty acid (common name: dimer acid) or a mixture of a dimer acid with another dicarboxylic acid having 3 to 21 carbon atoms and/or a monocarboxylic acid having 2 to 22 carbon atoms, is neutralized with a neutralizing base, and then the neutralized polyamide is dispersed in a medium mainly composed of water.

Abstract: An everting tube structure comprises: a flexible collapsible tube having a first open end and a second open end, the flexible collapsible tube having a first portion proximate the first open end and a second portion, the first portion having a first part adjacent the first open end and a second part adjacent the second portion, the second portion having been folded at an angle to the first portion and wound around the second part of the first portion to form a hollow cylinder; and a tube member having an open end, the first open end of the tube being fluid-tightly, circumferentially attached to the open end of the tube member. Thus, the present invention provides an everting tube structure of simple construction, which can be easily produced, which allows easy and/or self-administration, and which has an enhanced self-guiding ability.

Abstract: Provided is a vinyl chloride resin composition for powder molding comprising:(1) 100 parts by weight of a vinyl chloride resin powder having an average polymerization degree p of 600 to 3000 and an internal pore volume of 0.20 ml/g or more,(2) 80 to 150 parts by weight of a trimellitic ester having an alkyl group with a principal chain having an average carbon number n of 6 to 9, and(3) 5 to 25 parts by weight of a fine vinyl chloride resin having an average polymerization degree q of 400 to 1300 and a primary grain size distribution of two modes in which a smaller mode falls in a grain size range of 0.1 to 0.4 .mu.m and a larger mode falls in a grain size range of 0.9 to 1.4 .mu.m,wherein the parts by weight L of the trimellitic ester shown in (2), p and n each described above have the relation satisfying an equation (I):5<[{(n-8).times.5+L}/p].times.100<12 (I)This vinyl chloride resin composition is improved in a coldproof property and a thermal degradation resistance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for crosslinking an isoprene-isobutylene rubber with resins, and a crosslinked rubber product obtained by said method. According to the present invention, there are provided:a method for crosslinking an isoprene-isobutylene rubber, which comprises adding, to 100 parts by weight of an isoprene-isobutylene rubber, 8-25 parts by weight of an alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin and 0.3-10 parts by weight of an epoxy resin such as bisphenol A epoxy resin, anda crosslinked rubber product obtained by the above method.

Abstract: A chemically bonded olefin block copolymer consists essentially of chemically bonded polypropylene and poly(ethylene-co-propylene). The block copolymer is obtained by a process of (1) introducing a Ziegler polymerization catalyst based on titanium and propylene to a first polymerization zone (a) and polymerizing the propylene in the polymerization zone (a) for a period of 0.01 to 0.130 seconds and withdrawing an effluent stream of polypropylene, catalyst, solvent and unreacted propylene therefrom; (2) introducing the effluent stream to a second polymerization zone (b) together with ethylene dissolved in a solvent and carrying out a polymerization reaction in the second polymerization zone (b) for a period of 0.01 to 0.130 seconds; and (3) recovering the block copolymer.

Abstract: New therapeutic agents of carboxylic acid derivatives are disclosed, which are represented by the compounds of the following formula (I) or its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, ##STR1## These compounds are useful as a matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) inhibitors.

Abstract: A method of directly precipitating a spherical amorphous silica in a high yield by adding a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a coagulation growing agent in a step of neutralizing the alkali silicate with an acid. The CMC having a particular etherification degree and a particular polymerization degree is added in an amount of from 1 to 100% by weight reckoned as SiO.sub.2 with respect to silica in the alkali silicate, whereby the whole silica particles turn into spherical amorphous silica particles having high sphericalness. There can be obtained spherical amorphous silica particles having a BET specific surface area of from 25 to 800 m.sup.2 /g, an apparent specific gravity of from 0.1 to 0.8 and a particle diameter of from 0.2 to 50 .mu.m cheaply and in a high yield.

Abstract: A method of treating polyolefin comprises (i) a ligand-decomposition step of contacting polyolefin, which is obtained by the use of a transition metal compound containing ligands having cyclopentadienyl skeleton, with a ligand decomposer, such as water, oxygen, alcohol, alkylene oxide or peroxide, to decompose the ligands contained in the polyolefin, and (ii) a ligand-removal step of heating the polyolefin contacted with the ligand decomposer to remove the decomposed ligands from the polyolefin. According to this method, the residual ligands having cyclopentadienyl skeleton, which are contained in the polyolefin produced by the use of a transition metal compound containing ligands having cyclopentadienyl skeleton, are decomposed and removed from the polyolefin, whereby polyolefin diminished in odor development in the molding process can be obtained.

Abstract: This invention relates to lens type functional retroreflective sheeting having retroreflective regions and visual functionality presenting regions, the retroreflective sheeting comprising:a base sheet consisting of a support comprising a functional resin layer containing a functional pigment having light-storing or fluorescent properties, microspherical lens-embedding regions in which microspherical lenses are densely distributed on the surface of the functional resin layer of the support so as to form a mono-layer, and microspherical lens-free regions in which substantially no microspherical lens is embedded and the functional resin layer is exposed;a transparent protective film disposed above the microspherical lens-bearing surface of the base sheet; andbonds at which said base sheet and said transparent protective film are partly bonded together. This lens type functional retroreflective sheeting not only afford good visibility to viewers positioned in the direction of the light source (e.g.

Abstract: A process for producing a cycloolefin random copolymer, which comprises(1) copolymerizing (a) ethylene or both ethylene and an alpha-olefin having at least 3 carbon atoms with (b) a cycloolefin such as octahydronaphthalenes and bicyclo[2,2,1]hept-2-ene in the presence of (c) a catalyst formed from a soluble vanadium compound and an organoaluminum compound at least one of which has halogen, in (d) a liquid phase composed of a hydrocarbon medium to form a solution of a cycloolefin random copolymer, and(2) contacting the resulting copolymer solution with (e) an adsorbent containing a metal cation.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser of this invention, having a structure of an element composed of: carrier block layers, formed bilaterally externally of an active layer in section which is formed in the vertical direction from the surface of the element, for reducing a light guiding function of the active layer; wave guide layers provided bilaterally externally of said carrier block layers and clad layers provided so that the wave guide layers are sandwiched in between the clad layers. This invention overcomes a dilemma inherent in the conventional weakly guiding laser and LOC structured laser in terms of designing the device for controlling a guided mode. The present invention also solves the problems in terms of attaining higher outputting and a low dispersion of the radiation beams and improving a beam profile.