Abstract: A peptide is disclosed which is represented by the formula:H-X-Gly-Trp-Lys-His-Trp-Val-Tyr-Tyr-Thr-Cys-Cys-Pro-Asp-Thr-Pro-Tyr-Leu-Asp -Y -Zwherein one of X and Y stands for a single bond, an amino acid residue selected from the class consisting of Asp, Glu, Lys and a divalent group represented by the formula, ##STR1## (wherein n stands for an integer in the range of 1 to 17), or a peptide residue formed by peptide linkage of two to ten amino acid residues of at least one species selected from the class mentioned above, the other of X and Y stands for an amino acid residue selected from the class consisting of Asp, Glu, Lys and a divalent group represented by the formula, ##STR2## (wherein n stands for an integer in the range of 1 to 17), or a peptide residue formed by peptide linkage of two to ten amino acid residues of at least one species selected from the class mentioned above and Z stands for a hydroxyl group or an amino group, and two cysteinyl mercapto groups in the Cys-Cys moiety may be interlinked to

Abstract: Disclosed are new indole derivatives of the following general formula (I): ##STR1## and a process for producing the derivatives (I) by irradiating a solution of a triazolylnaphthalene derivative of the following general formula (II) in a solvent with light: ##STR2## wherein R' represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, a nitro group or a ##STR3## groups, n represents a number of 1 to 2, and when n is 2, two R groups may be either the same or different from each other and R.sub.n is the same as R'.sub.n or represents a ##STR4## group ortho-condensed with the naphthalene ring: W and Z each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, a carboxyl group or an ester group thereof, n represents a number of 1 or 2, and when n is 2, two W groups and two Z groups may be either the same or different from each other, respectively.

Abstract: A shaped body of a refractory or other functional inorganic compound of a metal, e.g., borides, carbides, silicides, etc. of titanium, zirconium, niobium and the like in a plate-like form can be prepared by an in situ reactive sintering method in which a metal-made flat reaction capsule is filled with a mixture of the reactant powders to form a powder compact which is ignited at a periphery while the capsule is under hydraulic compression so that the exothermic reaction is efficiently and almost instantaneously propagated within the plane of the plate-like powder compact. The liquid compression medium communicates to an accumulator filled with a compressed gas so that the otherwise unavoidable sudden pressure decrease due to the shrinkage of the powder compact can be compensated by the expansion of the compressed gas to keep constancy of the pressure.

Abstract: A direction finding method and apparatus for a radio signal source, modulated by a digital information signal and existing in a heavy interference environment, is based on cyclic crosscorrelation. The direction finding technique exploits the second order periodicity of a transmitted signal having digital modulation, whereby the technique is immune to narrow-band interference. Radio frequency signals are received by two spaced antennas, and the signal of interest can be considered as a cyclostationary process. The signal time of arrival difference between the two antennas is determined using a cyclic crosscorrelation method. This is implemented by sending the electrical signals, developed by the antennas, through a variable delay device, then to a balanced mixer. The composite signal from the mixer is sent to a band-pass filter whose center frequency is equal to the baud rate of the signal of interest.

Abstract: An improved mains outlet and method of operating the same that automatically and safely distinguishes between the conditions of human or animal contact with the outlet terminals and contact with appliances such as light bulbs and consumer products, to prevent any substantial voltage or power from being drawn in the former case and automatically applies substantially full mains voltage when the appliance is connected to the outlet.

Abstract: An energy substraction medical imaging system which is used for imaging a body part impregnated with a radio-opaque dye such as iodine is provided. The system includes an electron beam target having a target surface which, when excited by a high-energy electron beam, generates radiation having strong K.sub..alpha. at energy levels slightly above and slightly below the K-edge energy level of the dye. The target surface is preferably formed of a compound containing lanthanum, such as lanthanum oxide. The target may also be formed of a compound containing a material having a K.sub..alpha. line at an energy level slightly above the dye K-edge and a material with K.sub..alpha. line slightly below the dye K-edge or with separate sections containing such materials which are alternately excited. The target is excited by a high-energy electron beam from a suitable source, the electron beam having sufficient energy to provide a high photon yield at the K.sub..alpha.

Abstract: A new rigid polyvinyl chloride foam is provided which has been improved with respect to the thickness of its non-foamed layer and the surface properties including its tensile strength and compressive strength. The foam can be produced preferably by mixing (per hundred resin) dioctyl phthalate and 4-20 phr of an impact-resistance modifier such as a methyl methacrylate acid-butadiene-styrene copolymer with a composition 100 phr of vinyl chloride resin, 5 phr of processing aid, 2 phr of a heat stabilizer, 0.5 phr of a lubricant, 0.75 phr of a foaming agent and 0.75 phr of boric acid, and then extruding the resulting mixture from a single-screw extruder.

Abstract: A vertical axis wind turbine blade comprising a blade body with a leading edge and trailing edge there between being generally parallel to each other with a series of a given intersecting triangulation of troughs along the enire blade length with each trough so intersecting transversally the trailing edge and being a upwardly given taper in direction of the leading edge by approximately 80 percent of the blade width and therewithal each trough is formed into a wind channelling containment of equispaced troughs there upon being adjacent with each other along the blade length and with the trough width therein respectively changing the wind driven air columns for a maximum transferring of energy to the blades on the windward side by a higher pressure building up while going into the troughs, while there about on the opposite side there is a reversal type of effect being cause by a pressure drop across the troughs by a lowering of air pressure flows into the troughs to therein cause an effect of speeding up the v

Abstract: A method for forming a fiber-reinforced metal sheet including the steps of preparing a wire preform in which fibers and a matrix are combined together; arranging regularly a plurality of wire preforms in a predetermined direction in a side-by-side relation; irradiating simultaneously using a CO.sub.2 laser beam, and a YAG laser beam the regularly arranged wire preforms to elevate the temperature of the wire preforms; and pressing the wire preforms by rollers while the wire preforms are at the elevated temperature.

Abstract: An aromatic hetero ring-containing polyimide comprising substantially equal equivalent amount of (1) structural units of Group 1 and (2) structural units of Group 2, wherein the structural units of Group 1 comprise (i) from 30 to 100 mol % of a unit of the formula: ##STR1## wherein X is S, O or NH, and (ii) from 0 to 70 mol % of a unit of the formula: ##STR2## wherein Ar.sub.1 is ##STR3## wherein each of y, y.sub.1, and y.sub.2 and y.sub.3 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group or a halogen atom, and each of Z, Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 is a single bond, --O--, --CH.sub.2 --, ##STR4## --C--, --SO.sub.2 --, --C(CH.sub.3).sub.2 -- or --C(CF.sub.3).sub.2, and the structural units of Group 2 comprise (i) from 70 to 100 mol % of a unit of the formula: ##STR5## and (ii) from 0 to 30 mol % of a unit of the formula: ##STR6## wherein Ar.sub.2 is ##STR7## wherein Z, y and y.sub.

Abstract: A fast switching ferrite phase shifter is disclosed featuring both reciprocal operation and fast switching speeds. Reciprocal operation in transmit and receive modes is achieved by employing two latching, toroidal non-reciprocal phase shifters; one for transmitting and one for receiving. The exemplary embodiment utilizes input and output circulating devices which include a Faraday rotator and septum polarizer for appropriately routing signals through one or the other of the phase shifters depending upon the direction of input signal propagation. The phase shifter achieves fast switching since the latching, toroidal, non-reciprocal phase shifters are transversely magnetized devices and are disposed entirely within a waveguide so that the generated magnetic field is confined entirely within the waveguide. The phase shifters do not intersect the waveguide walls and, thus, during a switching operation, the magnetic field is not switched through conductive waveguide walls.

Abstract: The alloys of this invention illustrate good property on erosion resistance. The compositions of these alloys are C: more than 0.09 wt. % and less than 1.7 wt. %, Si: 2.5 wt. % or less, Mn: 10-25 wt. %, Cr: 6-20 wt. %, V: more than 4 wt. % and less than 7 wt. % , N: 0.1 wt. % or less, and Fe: the rest. Optional small content is Ni and /or Mo.

Abstract: A filter structure including inlet and outlet members between which is sandwiched a suitable filtration media, such as activated carbon and mechanical filters, either being taken alone or in combination with one another. The upper inlet member is provided with substantially circular arrays of openings being arranged at spaced intervals about imaginary circles of different diameters and having a common center. The openings further removed from the common center of the imaginary circles are of greater diameter. The surface in which the openings are provided tapers downwardly and outwardly from the aforementioned common center causing liquid deposited thereon to seek passage through the openings furthest removed from the aforesaid common center. The second, lower member is provided with three (3) sets of arrays similar to that provided in the upper inlet member.

Abstract: A method for solubilizing particulate or colloidal materials in wastewater treatment comprising the steps of cultivating aerobic bacteria in the presence of oxygen in an activator solution containing a food source until the level of the food source drops below 50 mg/l of soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) and said bacteria begin producing increased amounts of enzymes which solubilize particulate or colloidal materials thereby producing activated bacteria and thereafter contacting said activated bacteria or enzymes with said particulate or colloidal materials under conditions which solubilize said particulate or colloidal materials. The method is particularly useful for solubilizing particulate and/or colloidal materials containing insoluble starch, grease, fat and protein with enzymes such as amylase, lipase and/or protease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a single crystalline magnesia spinel film on a single crystalline silicon substrate by the use of the vapor-phase epitaxial method.According to the method of the present invention, at first a first single crystalline magnesia spinel layer having a compositional ratio of magnesium maintained at a nearly stoichiometric compositional ratio is epitaxially grown in a vapor-phase on the single crystalline silicon substrate, and then a second single crystalline magnesia spinel layer having a compositional ratio of magnesium which decreases upward is epitaxially grown in a vapor-phase on the first single crystalline magnesia spinel layer. In the event that a Si film is grown on the single crystalline magnesia spinel film formed by the method of the present invention, out of atoms of Mg and Al taken in the Si film in the initial growth stage of the Si film, a concentration of Mg atoms which react more actively upon Si can be reduced.

Abstract: Purified Clausenamide of the formula ##STR1## is obtained by extraction of leaves of Clausena lansium followed by purification, Reduction products, ethers, etc. can be produced. The compounds are effective in treating hypoxia and amnesia.

Abstract: A method for producing pigment flakes in the shape of thin plates. A chamber is provided which is placed under vacuum and a gas, which is capable of forming a plasma upon its exposure to a plasma generating device, was fed to the interior of the chamber device. The plasma is created within the chamber which forms a film upon a surface within the chamber. The film is converted to flakes which are then removed from the interior of the chamber.

Abstract: An oil characteristic improvement process and device therefor including methodology whereby the specific gravity and viscosity of heavy oil feedstock is reduced. The process includes the steps of forming a mixture of the heavy oil feedstock and one or more organic reagents having a terminal hydroxyl group and heating the mixture from 300.degree. F. to 750.degree. F. in a reactor vessel while simultaneously exposing the mixture to a ferrous metal. In connection with this process, the present invention is also directed to a tubular reactor vessel, the inner walls of which include ferrous metal, the inner diameter and length of the tubular vessel being chosen such that the flow rate of the heavy oil through the vessel is such that the residence time within the vessel ranges from 600 to 6000 seconds, the heat flux through the walls of the vessel is less than 20,000 BTU/hr/sq.ft.

Abstract: A visualizing method for three dimensional standing wave sound field comprises the steps of mixing into a liquid medium a large number of fine particles of the same density as said liquid medium and exposing the liquid medium containing the fine aparticles to a three dimensional standing wave sound field produced by ultrasonic waves thus causing the fine particles to move to positions where the amplitude of the sound pressure is minimum, the sound pressure distribution of the three dimensional standing wave sound field being visualized by the distribution of the fine particles.

Abstract: A thiophene derivative polymer comprising repeating units of the formula: ##STR1## (wherein R stands for one member selected from the group consisting of ##STR2## and a polymer composition having the polymer doped with an anion and consequently possessing a semiconducting characteristic.