Abstract: An electrical insulating vapor grown carbon fiber containing a vapor grown carbon fiber having a fiber diameter of 0.01 to 0.5 &mgr;m, wherein the surface thereof is partially or entirely coated with an electrical insulating material and a method of producing thereof is disclosed.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image processing circuit having a first mode that corrects an offset between a first image and a second image that are adjacent to each other to synthesize the first image and the second image into a new third image, and a second mode that corrects an offset between the third image and a fourth image that are adjacent to each other to synthesize the third image and the fourth image into a new fifth image.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for varying the gradation characteristics of the image, by inputting an image signal, detecting the histogram distribution characteristics of pixel values constituting the image represented by the inputted image signal and converting the detected histogram characteristics into arbitrary histogram characteristics. Thus the gradation characteristics of plural images obtained from a same portion of the object can be converted into desired gradation characteristics, and the gradation characteristics of an image obtained by a substrate image processing apparatus can be converted close to the gradation characteristics of the taken original images, whereby the deterioration in the efficiency of diagnosis can be prevented.

Abstract: The present invention provides a battery charge and discharge system whereby a cost reduction can be achieved due to a reduction in count of components constituting the system, and a battery charge and discharge system which controls the charge of an auxiliary battery installed separately from a main battery, has a slave with the auxiliary battery mounted thereon, which is communicably connected with a master and controls the permission/inhibition of the charging of the auxiliary battery based on the judgments of whether or not the master is in sleep mode.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for varying the gradation characteristics of the image, by inputting an image signal, detecting the histogram distribution characteristics of pixel values constituting the image represented by the inputted image signal and converting the detected histogram characteristics into arbitrary histogram characteristics. Thus the gradation characteristics of plural images obtained from a same portion of the object can be converted into desired gradation characteristics, and the gradation characteristics of an image obtained by a substrate image processing apparatus can be converted close to the gradation characteristics of the taken original images, whereby the deterioration in the efficiency of diagnosis can be prevented.

Abstract: A fine carbon fiber having a multilayer structure having stacked cylindrical carbon sheets and a center axis having a hollow structure. The fine carbon fiber has an outer diameter of 2 to 300 nm and an aspect ratio of 10 to 15,000, and at least one cylindrical carbon sheet layer among the multiple layers is folded at an end part of the carbon fiber and continued to another cylindrical carbon sheet. The folded and continued cylindrical carbon sheets form a cylindrical structure opened at the end part.

Abstract: There are provided an image display apparatus and an image display method, which are capable of clearly indicating to an observer subtle differences between two images of the same subject obtained at different times, without the need for complex image processing, and a storage medium storing a program for implementing the image display method. Two images of the same subject obtained at different times are inputted. A stereo display device displays the two inputted images in a manner enabling an observer to fuse the two inputted images together for stereoscopic viewing. A control means controls the stereo display device to display the two inputted images such that the two images are projected separately into the left and right eyes of the observer.

Abstract: A fine carbon fiber having an outer diameter of about 1 to about 80 nm and an aspect ratio of 10 to 30,000, comprising a hollow center portion and a multi-layer sheath structure of a plurality of carbon layers, the layers forming annual rings, wherein the sheath-forming carbon layers form an incomplete sheath, i.e., the carbon layers are partially broken or disrupted in a longitudinal direction, and the outer diameter of the carbon fiber and/or the diameter of the hollow center portion are not uniform in a longitudinal direction. The carbon fiber is obtained by instantaneously reacting a carrier gas at a high temperature and an organic compound gas kept at a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the transition metal compound and has a conductivity equivalent to that of a conventional vapor phase method and is useful as a filler material in resins, rubbers, paints and the like.

Abstract: When a single X-ray image is formed by compositing a plurality of partial X-ray images, level differences among partial images are corrected. The level difference values at the boundary portions among partial images are statistically calculated using information of an image captured before the partial images to be corrected, and calculating correction values. An image is corrected using the calculated correction values. A system for calculating the correction values, and a system for correcting the partial images are built and driven independently.

Abstract: A molded polymer article comprises a main molded body having on the surface thereof a hydrophilic polymer layer, the article being obtained by polymerizing both a monomer having a hydrophilic group and coated on the surface of a hydrophilic mold, and a polymerizable composition consisting essentially of a monomer and/or oligomer and placed in the mold. The hydrophilic polymer layer has excellent adhesiveness to the main body of the molded polymer article and excellent durability, so that the high hydrophilic property can be maintained, even when the article is exposed to external forces such as friction, over a long period of time. The molded articles are therefore useful as, in particular, contact lenses.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide an image acquisition apparatus which can acquire an image which prevents a stripe pattern originating from a scattered ray removing grid from interfering with observation when X-rays are radiated by using the scattered ray removing grid. An image acquisition apparatus of the invention radiates X-rays by using a scattered ray removing grid (11) and two-dimensionally samples an X-ray transmission distribution on an object (2) to be imaged at desired sampling intervals. This apparatus includes an image acquisition means for acquiring an image by setting the intervals of elements of the scattered ray removing grid, without moving the scattered ray removing grid, such that the spatial frequency of a stripe pattern, in the image, which originates from the scattered ray removing grid becomes 40% or more of a sampling frequency that is the reciprocal of the sampling intervals.

Abstract: A first unit obtains a gradation conversion characteristic for equalizing a histogram of an input image. A second unit obtains an inverse characteristic of a gradation conversion characteristic for equalizing a histogram of an image to which a predetermined gradation conversion is applied. A third unit composites the gradation conversion characteristic obtained by the first unit and the inverse characteristic obtained by the second unit. A fourth unit performs fitting on the composited characteristic obtained by the third unit with a lower degree function. Gradation of the input image is converted based on the composited characteristic after the processing by the fourth unit.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an image reading portion for outputting image data of an image read, and a signal processing portion for receiving the image data from the image reading portion and outputting a signal to an external device. The signal processing portion includes an image data transmitting system for transmitting the image data from the image reading portion as is, a histogram system for producing data concerning a histogram from the image data from the image reading portion and a histogram transmitting system for transmitting the data concerning the histogram produced by the histogram system in parallel with the image data transmitting system. Alternatively, an X-ray detecting apparatus including an X-ray image detecting portion for outputting image data of a detected image may be utilized in place of the image reading apparatus.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus using a solid state image sensor has the capability of correcting an image signal including an intensity variation due to the variation in the intensity of a radiation from a radiation source and also including an intensity variation due to the variation in conversion efficiency of photoelectric conversion elements in such a manner that only the variation in conversion efficiency is corrected thereby suppressing an artifact which would occur in conventional apparatus. A shading distribution (distribution data) is measured by sensing an X-ray through no object to be examined or through an object whose transmittance to the X-ray is well known. The component of the X-ray intensity distribution is separated from the obtained shading distribution data thereby obtaining a pixel-to-pixel variation in conversion efficiency of the solid state image sensor. The image signal is corrected based on the pixel-to-pixel variation in conversion efficiency obtained.

Abstract: By providing a movable grid for eliminating the scattered component of radiation entering a radiation image pickup unit and a controller for controlling the moving speed of the movable grid corresponding to variation of the intensity of the radiation, the grid can be controlled based on a predetermined radiation irradiating time.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus for reading images on films of different sizes and outputting read image data includes a film sensor for sensing the dimension of at least one side of each film and a control module for operating the apparatus so that at least one of the reading process and outputting process is performed under a parameter setting set beforehand in accordance with a signal from the film sensor. When a reading start instruction is issued from a control panel, a film width detecting circuit performs film sensing, thereby determining the film width of each film. Based on the film width, reading parameter values such as a pixel pitch, a density range, and a data transfer destination are selected from among those that are beforehand set through the control panel. Table update is made for a density linear conversion table according to the film width and an interpolation coefficient according to the pixel pitch.

Abstract: Hepatic diseases can be prevented or treated by administering an isoprenylamine derivative represented by the general formula (II) ##STR1## [wherein n represents an integer of 4-12, m represents an integer of 0-3, Ar represents a phenyl group, a furyl group, a thienyl group or a pyridyl group, said group being optionally substituted with one or more of an alkyl group of 1-4 carbon atoms, and alkoxy group of 1-4 carbon atoms, a methylenedioxy group, a hydroxy group or a halogen atom, and R represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group of 1-4 carbon atoms] or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof at a daily dose of 0.01-500 .mu.g/kg.A lipid emulsion of the compound (II) is particularly useful and can be administered at a remarkably lowered dose as compared with other pharmaceutical preparations.

Abstract: There is disclosed a multidrug resistance inhibitor for overcoming a multidrug resistance of cancer, or an agent for enhancing the activity of anti-cancer agents, which comprises as an active ingredient a compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: ##STR1## wherein n is an integer of 5 to 12,R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each independently benzyl, of which a phenyl ring may be substituted by 1 to 5 substituents selected from hydroxy, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkoxy and halogen, and/or by methylenedioxy, with the proviso that R.sub.1 and R.sub.

Abstract: Isoprene derivatives of formula (I) ##STR1## wherein m is an integer of 0 to 3,n is an integer of 5 to 12,A is cyclo(C.sub.3 -C.sub.6)alkylene, phenylene, fluorenylene, pyrrolidinylene, piperazinylene, 9-aza-3-oxabicyclo?3.3.1!-nonylene,R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each independently benzyl, of which a phenyl ring may be substituted by 1 to 5 substituents selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkoxy and halogen,X is a single bond or a divalent radical of --(CH.sub.2).sub.p NH--,p is an integer of 0 to 3, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Those compounds are useful as multidrug resistance inhibitors for overcoming multidrug resistance of cancer and agents for enhancing an activity of anti-cancer agents.

Abstract: A metal wire winding reel having a winding drum and a flange at each end is capable of engaging and releasing the metal wire end easily without shortening the reel life. An elastic end engaging member with the forward end thereof slightly bent outward along an outer peripheral edge of the flange defines a small clearance with the outer peripheral edge of the flange is mounted at least at one point in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the inside surface of the flange.