Abstract: A method for discriminating a chemical/physical quantity comprises exposing a sensor array consisting of a plurality of sensor members exhibiting differing response ranges with respect to a chemical/physical quantity to stimulation and discriminating the cause of the stimulation from the order in which the sensor members produce lowest significant (discriminable) output levels.

Abstract: A method for producing a material for a fiber-reinforced composite article is disclosed which comprises preparing an apparatus composed of a belt and at least one fiber-separating and throwing device, setting the belt in motion and the roller in rotation, feeding a mixture of matrix thermoplastic resin fibers (a) and reinforcing fibers (b) to the roller, causing the roller to separate the fibers and throw the separated, fibers, and allowing the thrown fibers to pile up on the moving belt, thereby giving rise to a mat wherein the ratio of the fibers (a) and (b) successively increases or decreases in the direction of thickness of the mat.

Abstract: A sabot separator includes a sabot separation cylinder equipped with a pair of rail electrodes extending axially and connected with a muzzle end of a barrel of a projectile accelerator. An electrical power source is connected between the rail electrodes and applies a voltage to the rail electrodes for producing a force in a direction for decelerating the accelerating sabot. When the sabot enters the sabot separation cylinder, an electric current flows through the sabot and the sabot is suddenly stopped by a braking force resulting from the flow of the electric current.

Abstract: Solid-electrolyte fuel cell electrode material in the form of a membrane formed on a solid electrolyte surface from a powder obtained by pulverizing a sintered body obtained by sintering a mixture of lanthanum-based electrode material and 5 to 50 mol % platinum.

Abstract: A micromotion stage comprises a stationary plate and a moving plate connected by six links each consisting of a stacked piezoelectric element serving as an actuator, a holder fixed at one end of the stacked piezoelectric element, a capacitance type displacement gage retained by the holder and a target member fixed at the other end of the stacked piezoelectric element to have a part thereof face a tip portion of the capacitance type displacement gage across a small gap. Change in the distance between the holder and the target member caused by expansion or contraction of the stacked piezoelectric element and indicative of a change in the link stroke can be detected by the capacitance type displacement gage.

Abstract: A catalyst for the hydrogenation of CO and CO.sub.2 consists essentially of a metal oxide and gold. Synthesis of methanol and hydrocarbons by hydrogenation of CO and CO.sub.2 comprises establishing contact between a gaseous mass consisting of CO, CO.sub.2, and hydrogen and a catalyst consisting essentially of a metal oxide and gold.

Abstract: An atomic force microscope includes a vibrator which imparts vibration between a probe and a sample such that a relative vertical vibration and a relative lateral vibration are superimposed. A method of observing a sample with the microscope includes the steps of imparting phase-controlled vertical and lateral vibration between a sample and a probe so that the probe moves along a straight line or a ring relative to the sample, controlling the direction of the straight line or the ring, and measuring the amplitude and/or the phase of the bending vibration and/or the torsional vibration of a cantilever excited by the vibration.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting arm movement is provided that is structurally light and simple, does not cause patients to feel restrained, is capable of controlling arm movements with a large degree of freedom and can effectively help patients to make everyday arm movements under their own volition, and to perform functional exercises.

Abstract: The invention provides a recombinant plasmid containing a sequence encoding any genes inserted between 5' and 3' self-cleavage ribozymes. The recombinant plasmid can be amplified in vivo as well as in vitro while growing the host cell. When obtaining RNA transcripts of the inserted sequence, the recombinant plasmid does not require a restriction enzyme digestion step (run-off transcription) since cis-acting ribozymes perform self-catalyzed cleavage at 5' and 3' sides of the inserted sequence once it is transcribed. In this specific example, the trans-acting RNA enzyme sequence is inserted between 5' and 3' cleavage ribozymes. However, the trans-acting ribozyme sequence in the recombinant plasmid can be replaceable with any other sequence (e.g., antisense RNA, RNAs of HIV-1, HDV and other RNA viruses etc.). This construct is especially useful since each unit, consisting of 5' processing ribozyme, inserted sequence, and 3' processing ribozyme, can be connected in tandem.

Abstract: A laser guided discharge machining apparatus includes a vacuum chamber in which pressure can be reduced to 3000 Pa or below and in which a workpiece is accommodated as well as a discharge electrode that emits charged particles. A laser beam is used to guide the discharge to thereby enable parts of the workpiece to be discharge machined which are not in a direct line from the discharge electrode.

Abstract: A substituted fluorine-containing .beta.-indolebutyric acid compound represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein Y stands for one member selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl group, alkoxy group, amino group, and alkylamino group, at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 stands for one member selected from the group consisting of halogen atom, alkyl group, alkoxy group, aryl group, nitro group, amino group, and alkylamino group, and the remaining one, if any, for a hydrogen atom, a plant growth regulating agent having as a substantial main component thereof the substituted fluorine-containing .beta.-indolebutyric acid compound, and a method for regulating the length of roots sprouting from plant seeds and the length of hypocotyls by causing adhesion of the substituted fluorine-containing .beta.-indolebutyric acid compound to the plant seeds.

Abstract: A method for producing ceramics reinforced with three-dimensional fibers, which entails: a) setting a filter plate in contact with one surface of a three-dimensional fiber preform and a porous metallic plate in contact with said filter plate; b) setting a slurry in contact with a surface of the preform opposite to the one surface; c) exerting pressure on the slurry and, at the same time, subjecting the preform to vacuum aspiration through the filter plate, thereby obtaining a composite having an impregnated preform, the impregnation being effected in a single step; d) heating the composite; and e) firing the resultant composite.

Abstract: A nitrogen-containing perfluoroalkyl bromide, a novel compound to the art, is represented by the formula, ##STR1## wherein Rf.sub.1 and Rf.sub.2 independently stand for a perfluoroalkyl group of one to five carbon atoms, provided that Rf.sub.1 and Rf.sub.2 are 1) separated from each other, 2) directly bonded to each other, 3) bonded to each other through the medium of an oxygen atom, or 4) bonded to each other through the medium of a nitrogen atom. This novel compound is produced by decarbonylating a nitrogen-containing perfluorocarboxylic acid bromide represented by the formula, ##STR2## by exposure to an ultraviolet light.

Abstract: In a breakover type surge protection device utilizing punch-through that comprises a second semiconductor region forming a first pn junction with a first semiconductor region, a third semiconductor region forming a second pn junction with the second semiconductor region and a fourth semiconductor region forming a third pn junction with the first semiconductor region at a place apart from the second semiconductor region, the second semiconductor region is constituted of a punch-through suppression region portion disposed to cover the corners of the third semiconductor region and a punch-through generation region portion disposed at a place where its thickness can be made uniform. Fabricating surge protection devices according to this configuration reduces variation among their breakover currents and hold currents and increases their surge absorption capacity.

Abstract: A leg structure for a walking robot includes first and second input links rotatably attached to a robot body, a connecting link connected with the second input link at a point whose position can be varied, and an output link connected at one end with the distal end of the connecting link and connected at an intermediate point thereof with the first input link. When the leg structure is to be converted for use as an arm mechanism, the connecting link and the output link are passed beyond the singular point where they lie on a straight line, whereby the angle between the connecting link and the output link moves through the 180.degree. boundary between the leg and arm operating states and the driving mode of the output link is changed from low speed and high torque to high speed and low torque.

Abstract: A nitrogen-containing perfluoroalkanoyl peroxide is provided which is represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein Rf.sub.1 and Rf.sub.2 independently stand for an alkyl group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms, provided that Rf.sub.1 and Rf.sub.2 are joined to each other in one of the three patterns of union, 1) direct union, 2) union through the medium of an oxygen atom or 3) union through the medium of a nitrogen atom to form one of the three rings, i.e. five-membered ring, six-membered ring or seven-membered ring.

Abstract: A micromanipulator comprises a pair of hand modules each of which includes a circular base plate with three connection points, an end-effector consisting of a circular moving plate and a finger attached to the moving plate, the moving plate being disposed above the base plate and having three connection points offset 60 degrees from those of the base plate, six metal links disposed between the base plate and the moving plate, six actuators provided on the six metal links for extending and contracting them, six first metal wire members connected between one end of the six metal links and the three connection points of the base plate so that two wire members are connected with each connection point of the base plate to be inclined in opposite directions, and six second metal wire members connected between the other end of the metal links and the three connection points of the moving plate so that two wire members are connected with each connection point of the moving plate to be inclined in opposite directions.

Abstract: An anisotropic superconductor junction device consisting of a lower superconducting layer and an upper superconducting layer separated by a barrier layer, in which the upper and lower superconducting layers and the barrier layer each have a (103) crystal orientation in which the c axis is arranged in the same direction at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the plane of the junction.

Abstract: An oxide type solid lubricant is formed of a powder of a fired composite ceramic material resulting from heating a mixture of BaZrO.sub.3 and Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 powders in which the Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 content is up to 80% by weight.

Abstract: A method of deformation measurement using speckle interferometry comprises the steps of forming a series of speckle images at specified time intervals by using an interferometer to superpose a laser beam reflected from the object whose deformation is to be measured and a laser beam not affected by the object, storing the speckle images in a memory as they are formed, using the difference between the speckle image stored before the deformation and a second speckle image stored in the course of the deformation to measure the deformation between the times that the two speckle images were recorded, repeating this process for successive pairs of speckle images up to the one recorded after completion of the deformation, and adding together the individual deformation measurements obtained.