Abstract: When a film is rewound, light is applied from light-emitting units to the film, and light that has passed through the film is detected by light-detecting units to detect a plurality of inclined defects in the film based on a change in the intensity of the light transmitted through the film. Slits oriented in the direction of the inclined defects are disposed in front of the light-emitting units and the light-detecting units. Detected signals outputted from the light-detecting units are transmitted to a processing device and processed thereby. The processing device processes the signals by approximating a maximum value array of extremal values of the signals in respective reference lengths of the film, with two functions in zones, and identifying a boundary between the zones as a position where a defect disappears.

Abstract: A microscopic optical system which is used in an ultraviolet range of short wavelengths and has good off-axis performance, such as chromatic aberration of magnification. The optical system has an objective optical system for forming an intermediate image of a specimen and a relay optical system for imaging the intermediate image again. The relay optical system has a first lens group and a second lens group, and at least one convex lens of at lease one of the first and second lens groups is formed from quartz.

Abstract: A wavefront measuring apparatus and a wavefront measuring method are capable of performing optical measurement on a test optical system, including an immersion optical system, with comparable ease of handling to that of the conventional measuring method using a concave member, and substantially independently of reflection that may occur at the surface closest to the test optical system among the surfaces of an optical member for reflecting light exiting from the test optical system. The wavefront measuring apparatus has a light source, a reference light path in which a reference member for producing reference light is disposed, and a test light path in which the test optical system is disposed. A plano-convex optical member with a wall thickness approximately equal to the radius of curvature of a convex surface thereof is disposed in the test light path in such a manner that a plane surface thereof faces toward the test optical system.

Abstract: A sheet package producing system for producing a sheet package having a predetermined number of sheets or X-ray films is provided. A cutting/stacking device forms the sheets by cutting continuous sheet at a regular length, and for stacking the sheets in the predetermined number. A covered sheet stack producing device inserts the stacked sheets into a protective cover, to obtain a covered sheet stack. A packaging device packages the covered sheet stack to obtain the sheet package. The cutting/stacking device, the covered sheet stack producing device and the packaging device are connected in series with one another. Those devices are balanced in line capacity balance relative to one another. In a preferred embodiment, the cutting/stacking device includes a supply module for feeding the continuous sheet. A cutter module cuts the continuous sheet to obtain the sheets. A stacker module stacks the sheets in the predetermined number.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel 5-substituted picolinic acid compounds of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R1 and R2 are independently H, C2-C6 acyl or halo-substituted benzoyl; and R3 is —C(O)O—C1-C6 alkyl, C(O)OH, CN, CONH2, CONHCH3, CON(CH3)2, 1-methyltetrazole or 2-methyltetrazole, with the proviso that when R2 is acetyl and R3 is methoxycarbonyl, R1 is not H; and that when R3 is CN, CONH2, CONHCH3, CON(CH3)2, 1-methyltetrazole or 2-methyltetrazole, R1 and R2 are H. The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising compound of the present invention, which is useful in the treatment of IL-1 and TNF mediated diseases or the like. The present invention further relates to a process for producing the compounds of the formula (I).

Abstract: An ultraviolet microscope optical system includes a light source emitting light in a region of wavelengths shorter than 300 nm; an illumination optical system; an objective lens system; an imaging optical system; and a photographing device.

Abstract: This invention provides terpenoid lactone compounds, and processes for producing the terpenoid lactone compounds, which comprise cultivating Oidiodedron griseum FERM BP-5778 and then isolating the terpenoid lactone compounds from the fermentation broth. The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the terpenoid lactone compound, which is useful in the treatment of IL-1 and TNF mediated diseases or the like.

Abstract: An ultraviolet microscope optical system includes a light source emitting light in a region of wavelengths shorter than 300 nm; an illumination optical system; an objective lens system; an imaging optical system; and a photographing device. The ultraviolet microscope optical system further includes a wavelength selective device, which satisfies the following condition: (To·&dgr;)/(Tm·&Dgr;)>2 where To is a transmittance at the center of a selected wavelength region, &dgr; is a half width at full maximum expressed in nanometers, Tm is an average transmittance in the region of wavelengths longer than 300 nm, and &Dgr; is a sensitive wavelength region of the photographing device, expressed in nanometers, in the region of wavelengths longer than 300 nm.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking a predetermined number of X-ray films has a sheet member holding device disposed above a stacking position for temporarily holding at least a first X-ray film, and an actuating device for displacing the sheet member holding device from the stacking position to drop the X-ray film held by the sheet member holding device into the stacking position. The apparatus is capable of stacking a plurality of X-ray films highly accurately and efficiently in the stacking position while avoiding damage to the X-ray films.

Abstract: A microscopic optical system which is used in an ultraviolet range of short wavelengths and has good off-axis performance, such as chromatic aberration of magnification. The optical system has an objective optical system for forming an intermediate image of a specimen and a relay optical system for imaging the intermediate image again. The relay optical system has a first lens group and a second lens group, and at least one convex lens of at lease one of the first and second lens groups is formed from quartz.

Abstract: This invention provides terpenoid lactone compounds, and processes for producing the terpenoid lactone compounds, which comprise cultivating Oidiodedron griseum FERM BP-5778 and then isolating the terpenoid lactone compounds from the fermentation broth. The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the terpenoid lactone compound, which is useful in the treatment of IL-1 and TNF mediated diseases or the like.

Abstract: This invention provides terpenoid lactone compounds, and processes for producing the terpenoid lactone compounds, which comprise cultivating Oidiodedron griseum FERM BP-5778 and then isolating the terpenoid lactone compounds from the fermentation broth. The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the teipenoid lactone compound, which is useful in the treatment of IL-1 and TNF mediated diseases or the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel 5-substituted picolinic acid compounds of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R1 and R2 are independently H, C2-C6 acyl or halo-substituted benzoyl; and R3 is —C(O)O—C1-C6 alkyl, C(O)OH, CN, CONH2, CONHCH3, CON(CH3)2, 1-methyltetrazole or 2-methyltetrazole, with the proviso that when R2 is acetyl and R3 is methoxycarbonyl, R1 is not H; and that when R3 is CN, CONH2, CONHCH3, CON(CH3)2, 1-methyltetrazole or 2-methyltetrazole, R1 and R2 are H. The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising compound of the present invention, which is useful in the treatment of IL-1 and TNF mediated diseases or the like. The present invention further relates to a process for producing the compounds of the formula (I).

Abstract: The invention relates to a confocal microscope which has high resolving power and a great focal depth and is capable of observing a sample in real time, so that a fine stereoscopic structure of a highly integrated IC or the like can be inspected, and provides a confocal microscope in which a pinhole substrate 2 having a plurality of pinholes, located at a position of an image formed by an objective 4, is illuminated by light coming from a light source 1 to focus light passing through pinhole substrate 2 onto a sample 6 by objective 4 so that an image is formed thereon, light reflected at sample 6 is again focused onto pinhole substrate 2 through objective 4 to form an image thereon, light passing through pinhole substrate 2 is focused by a relay lens 7 or the like to re-form an image in the form of a sample image, and sample 6 is scanned with light by high-speed rotation of pinhole substrate 2 to obtain a reconstructed image of sample 6, wherein a longitudinal chromatic aberration-producing optical element 5

Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing a macrocyclic lactone compound, which comprises cultivating Actinoplanes sp. FERM BP-3832, in the presence of L-proline, L-hydroxyproline or L-nipecotic acid, and then isolating a macrocylic lactone compound from the fermentation broth. The compounds produced by this process include a compound of the following formula: The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same, which is useful as immunosuppressive, antimycotic, antitumor agent or the like.

Abstract: A confocal unit that can be removably attached to a microscope body to construct a confocal microscope that is compact and suffers a minimal loss of brightness. A relay optical system for use in the confocal microscope has a compact structure with a reduced overall length and requires a reduced number of lens elements. A scanning disc placed at the image position of an objective lens is illuminated with light from a light source. Light passing through the scanning disc illuminates a specimen through the objective lens. Light reflected from the specimen passes through the objective lens again to form an image near the scanning disc. Light passing through the scanning disc passes through a relay optical system to form a specimen image. The scanning disc is rotated at high speed to scan the specimen with illuminating light at high speed, thereby obtaining a specimen image. The image is received with an image pickup device.

Abstract: A gas turbine plant having a compressor, gas turbine, and combustor, comprising a cooling system adapted to cool the wall of the combustor by means of air compressed by the combustor when the load of the gas turbine and/or the combustion load of the combustor is low, and an additional cooling system adapted to cool the wall of the combustor by means of a cooling medium different from the air in addition to the cooling by means of the air when the load of the gas turbine is increased.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel 5-substituted picolinic acid compounds of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently H, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 acyl or halo-substituted benzoyl; and R.sup.3 is --C(O)O--C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C(O)OH, CN, CONH.sub.2, CONHCH.sub.3, CON(CH.sub.3).sub.2, 1-methyltetrazole or 2-methyltetrazole, with the proviso that when R.sub.2 is acetyl and R.sup.3 is methoxycarbonyl, R.sup.1 is not H; and that when R.sup.3 is CN, CONH.sub.2, CONHCH.sub.3, CON(CH.sub.3).sub.2, 1-methyltetrazole or 2-methyltetrazole, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are H.The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising compound of the present invention, which is useful in the treatment of IL-1 and TNF mediated diseases or the like.The present invention further relates to a process for producing the compounds of the formula (I).

Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing a macrocyclic lactone compound, which comprises cultivating Actinoplanes sp. FERM BP-3832, in the presence of L-proline, L-hydroxyproline or L-nipecotic acid, and then isolating a macrocyclic lactone compound from the fermentation broth. The compounds produced by this process include a compound of formula (I). The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same, which is useful as immunosuppressive, antimycotic, antitumor agent or the like.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope includes a cantilever having a probe on its free end, a displacement measuring unit for measuring a displacement of the cantilever caused by an interaction between a specimen and the probe, and a tube actuator for supporting the cantilever and the displacement measuring unit and controlling the position of the probe in a three-dimensional manner, the actuator and the probe being arranged coaxial with each other. The apparatus also includes a special microscopic optical system including a pupil modulating element and an oblique illumination optical system for obliquely illuminating the specimen, which together constitute an optical microscope capable of high-power observation of optically transparent specimens.