Abstract: A lawn mower includes a traveling driver, a mower motor, and at least one controller. At least one controller is configured to control the traveling driver in accordance with an operation of a user getting on the lawn mower, control the traveling driver to cause the lawn mower to travel autonomously, on a basis of information detected on the lawn mower, and control the mower motor. The lawn mower includes a lawn detection device configured to detect a condition of a portion of lawn on a front side in a traveling direction, and a position acquisition device configured to acquire self-position information. The at least one controller controls the traveling driver in such a manner that the lawn mower preferentially travels on a portion of lawn that needs to be mowed.

Abstract: There are provided an acetalsulfonate derivative useful as an intermediate for medicines and agricultural chemicals, a process for industrially producing the derivative, and a process for industrially producing a styrene oxide derivative from the acetalsulfonate derivative or from a mandelic acid derivative. A process for producing an acetalsulfonate derivative which comprises a first step of esterifying a mandelic acid derivative to form a mandelic ester derivative, a second step of protecting the mandelic ester derivative by an acetal to form an acetal derivative, a third step of reducing the acetal derivative to form an ethanediol derivative and a fourth step of reacting the ethanediol derivative with a sulfonyl chloride derivative. A process for producing a styrene oxide derivative which comprises a deprotecting step of deacetalizing the acetalsulfonate derivative and a step of epoxidizing the sulfonate derivative obtained in the deprotecting step with the aid of a base catalyst.

Abstract: A process for producing a phenyllactic acid derivative comprises hydrogenating a phenylpyruvic acid derivative in the presence of a catalyst containing at least one element selected from the Group VIII elements of the periodic table. The process provides a phenyllactic acid derivative useful as an intermediate in the production of pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals. The process uses as a starting material a phenylpyruvic acid derivative which is easily synthesized. The process is simpler in operation and provides a higher yield than conventional processes.

Abstract: Novel condensed benzene derivatives having prolyl endopeptidase inhibitory, anti-hypoxic, and anti-amnesic activities are disclosed. The compounds are represented by the following (I), ##STR1## wherein A represents a methylene, ethylene, or propylene group, B represents a methylene or ethylene group, m denotes an integer of 0-5, X and Y, which may be same or different, individually represent a methylene group or sulfur atom, R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, a carboxyl, lower alkyloxycarbonyl, hydroxymethyl, or formyl group, R.sup.2 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, nitro, or amino group, R.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, and the dotted line may optionally be present. They are useful as a medicine for treating or preventing cerebral circulation disorder, cerebral metabolism disorder, or memory disturbance.