Abstract: Image compression is accomplished by dividing an image into blocks which are encoded and compressed by finding similarities among the blocks. Image quality and speed are increased through several mechanisms such as varying the size of the blocks when image edges or test is present, by comparing the image blocks to prestored image patterns rather than other portions of the image, using raw data rather than compressed data under certain conditions and the use of inspection areas to increase the possibility of finding the most similar area quickly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a CVJ boot in which contact pressure of crest portions closer to a large-diameter mounting portion on the compressed side of a bellows portion is reduced when slant faces forming a root portion of a bending point obtained by the S-shaped bend come into contact with each other, thereby increasing durability.

Abstract: In a shadow process mode, a scanner reads out an original with a first exposure lamp in a first scanning operation. The readout image data is stored in an image memory via an I/O control unit. In the second scanning operation, the scanner reads out the original with a second exposure lamp having an illumination direction different from that of the first exposure lamp. The image data read out in the second scanning operation and the data stored in the image memory are subtracted for each pixel by a subtractor. The difference thereof is compared with a predetermined value in a comparator. The compared result is output to a selector, whereby a desired image data is provided to a printer processing unit via the I/O control unit.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to offer a magnetic recording medium comprising a substrate and a magnetic film formed on the substrate, wherein the substrate is formed using a conductive material and a surface of said substrate is processed by electroetching. As this magnetic recording medium has excellent surface characteristics, excellent durability and small spacing loss, its recording and play back characteristics are excellent.

Abstract: In an injection molding machine which comprises a mold composed of a fixed mold attached to a fixed platen and a movable mold attached to a movable platen, and a driving source for driving the movable platen to open and close the mold, a distance sensor detects, as a platen interval, a distance between two positions preliminarily selected on the fixed platen and the movable platen and produces a distance detection signal. A pressure sensor detects a clamping pressure applied by the driving source and produces a pressure detection signal. A control unit controls the driving source to adjust the platen interval and the clamping pressure through a plurality of steps in response to the distance detection signal and the pressure detection signal.

Abstract: Disclosed are a novel fructosylamine deglycase characterized by the specificity to amadori compounds of catalyzing oxidation of the compounds to produce an .alpha.-ketoaldehyde, an amine derivative and hydrogen peroxide; a method of producing the novel enzyme by cultivating microorganisms belonging to the genus Candida and having an ability of producing the novel enzyme; and a method of quantitative determination of amadori compounds by applying the novel enzyme to a sample containing amadori compounds to measure the amount of the hydrogen peroxide to be formed by the oxidation reaction or measure the amount of the oxygen to be consumed by the reaction to thereby obtain the amount of the amadori compounds from the measured value. The invention provides a novel enzyme characterized by the high specificity to the reaction with amadori compounds, especially that having therein a saccharide moiety as bonded to the .epsilon.

Abstract: This invention relates to a magnetic recording apparatus which includes a magnetic head and device for moving a magnetic recording medium with respect to the magnetic head and makes recording to and reproduction from the magnetic recording medium, comprising a sliding member which comes into sliding contact with a magnetic recording medium made of a composite material containing glass-like carbon and at least one inorganic compound selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides and metal borides so that the sliding characteristics with respect to the medium can be improved and the recording/reproduction characteristics can be kept stable for a long period of time without damaging the medium due to reduced frictional resistance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a glasslike carbon composite material which has reduced surface friction and excellent wear resistance and durability, because of the addition of specific ultrafine ceramic particles as a reinforcing material to a main component of glasslike carbon. The present invention further provides a method for preparing such a glasslike carbon composite material, as well as a method for preparing a glasslike carbon material.