Abstract: There is disclosed an illumination device in which a light guide is adapted to emit the light from a face thereof and is provided with an area, on a face opposite to the light emitting face, for diffusing and/or reflecting the light introduced into the light guide from an end face thereof or is provided with uneven light emitting characteristics along the longitudinal direction of the light guide, and the center of the light source positioned at the end of the light guide is placed at a position aberrated from the normal line to said area, whereby attained are compactness, a low cost, a low electric power consumption, a high efficiency of utilization of the light emitted by the light source, and excellent and uniform illumination characteristics. There are also disclosed an image reading device and an information processing apparatus, equipped with the above-mentioned illumination device.

Abstract: A film semiconductor device comprises at least active semiconductor layer, inactive semiconductor layer, ohmic layer and metal layer respectively laminated sequentially one after another on the substrate. Electrodes are formed by the ohmic layer and the metal layer.

Abstract: A change-speed construction for a propelling system of a work vehicle. The construction has a neutral return mechanism for causing a stepless transmission to return to the neutral in response to disengagement of a main propelling transmission clutch. Then, when the clutch is engaged again to resume vehicle run after a temporary stop for e.g. replenishment of materials to be worked, the vehicle does not make a sudden start.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improvement in the process for making an aromatic carboxylic acid or its methyl ester from an aromatic compound having at least one methyl or formyl group bonded directly to a nuclear carbon atom of the aromatic ring. The process comprises effecting oxidation of said compound in the liquid phase with molecular oxygen or a gas containing the same with a catalyst comprising a heavy metal compound, and in the substantial absence of an aliphatic carboxylic acid as a solvent, whereby a reaction mixture comprising the acid is formed. If the ester is desired, the acid then is esterified with methanol. The improvement comprises carrying out the oxidation in the co-presence of a lithium compound at a concentration of 0.1-10 moles per mole of heavy metal compound. The lithium compound is at least partly soluble in the reaction mixture or reacts with an acid component of the reaction mixture to form a lithium compound soluble in the reaction mixture.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the recovery of aromatic carboxylic acid or ester thereof from the residue fraction of the oxidation or esterification reaction mixture resulting from the oxidation or oxidation and esterification of an aromatic compound having at least one methyl or formyl group directly bonded to a ring carbon atom. The process comprises treating the residue fraction with hydrogen and a hydrogenation catalyst.

Abstract: In the process for preparing dimethyl terephthalate by oxydizing p-xylene and/or methyl p-toluate with molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a heavy metal catalyst, esterifying the resulting oxidation reaction mixture with methanol, followed by submitting the resulting esterification reaction mixture to distillation to separate dimethyl terephthalate and fractions of lower boiling point than dimethyl terephthalate, and thereafter recycling to said oxidation step (A) the distillation residue containing said heavy metal catalyst and/or (B) the extract portion containing said heavy metal catalyst obtained by further extraction treatment of said distillation residue (A), the improvement which comprises contact-treating said distillation residue (A) or said extract portion (B) with methanol prior to recycling same.