Abstract: Improved method for detecting and/or counting the appearance of hematopoietic progenitor cells which comprises the steps of mixing a blood sample with a reagent capable of detecting immature cells without employing any immunological techniques, obtaining cell information about the thus treated sample using a particle analyzer and constructing a cell distribution profile, delineating a portion of the profile as a zone in which at least one subclass of hematopoietic progenitor cells appear, and counting the cells within the zone. The method is capable of detecting the appearance of hematopoietic progenitor cells in a simple and positive manner.

Abstract: An electronic mail system in which a mail management method is improved in order to reduce the complexity and labour of handling transmitted information so that its convenience is increased. In an electronic mail system in which a plurality of data processing systems exchange messages through mailboxes MB utilizing the stored and forward system, the data processing system which receives a mail M transferred from the mailbox MB is provided with an electronic mail terminal utility. When the data processing system receives the mail M, the electronic mail terminal utility classifies a data file written in the mail M according to specific data contained in the mail M and stores the data file in an appropriate folder based on a result of the classification.

Abstract: A reversible display medium capable of repeatedly exhibiting a transparent state and a light-scattering state by an action of at least one of heat, electric field, and magnetic field, the medium comprising a substrate having thereon a recording layer comprising a side-chain high molecular weight liquid crystal, which is a copolymer comprising at least a liquid-crystal monomer component and a non-liquid-crystal monomer component having a substituent capable of making a hydrogen bond.

Abstract: A method for producing an optical element, the method comprising the steps of: forming a liquid crystal polymer layer on a sheet-form substrate; forming a surface protective layer on the liquid crystal polymer layer; and carrying out a heat-treatment for crosslinking the liquid crystal polymer, or the method comprising the steps of: forming a liquid crystal polymer layer on a sheet-form substrate; carrying out a first heat-treatment for controlling the multidomain structure of the liquid crystal polymer layer; forming a surface protective layer on the liquid crystal polymer layer; and carrying out a second heat-treatment for crosslinking the liquid crystal polymer layer.

Abstract: A data recording medium having a well-recognizable recording layer which reversibly changes in degree of light scattering when externally stimulated. One embodiment of the data recording medium of the present invention comprises (a) a visible data recording layer, the degree of light scattering of which reversibly changes when externally stimulated, (b) a transparent substrate layer, (c) a low refractive layer having a lower refractive index than the transparent substrate layer, (d) a colored substrate layer and (e) a magnetic recording layer, laminated in this order. Another embodiment of the data recording medium comprises (a) a visible data recording layer, (b) a first transparent substrate layer, (c) a low refractive layer, (d) a second transparent substrate layer and (e) a colored magnetic recording layer, laminated in this order.

Abstract: An optical element comprising a polymer liquid crystal composition having an optically anisotropic multi-domain structure which is formed by crosslinking a composition containing a polymer liquid crystal. Since the multi-domain structure is stabilized by crosslinking, the element exhibits excellent reproducibility in restoring white turbidity.

Abstract: An optical element which exhibits a great improvement in durability even after repeated use. The optical element comprising a substrate having thereon (a) a recording layer comprising a liquid crystal polymer composition and (b) a surface protective layer in this order, in which the protective layer comprises a plurality of layers laminated such that the hardness thereof increases from the layer adjacent to the recording layer toward the uppermost layer in order, or the protective layer comprises a plurality of layers laminated such that the glass transition point thereof becomes higher from the layer adjacent to the recording layer toward the uppermost layer in order. Furthermore, the layer adjacent to the recording layer preferably has a pencil hardness of HB or higher and the uppermost layer preferably has a pencil hardness of 3 H or higher.

Abstract: A light modulation device with high density, high sensitivity, and excellent stability while having a simple construction and a non-destructive memory reading method using the same are disclosed. The light modulation device comprises a high polymeric liquid crystal film comprising a uniaxially orientated side chain type high polymeric liquid crystal containing a photochromic compound, and it modulates light in the wavelength region in which the photochromic compound has no absorption by making use of a change in refractive index anisotropy of the high polymeric liquid crystal film which has been caused by photoisomerization of the photochromic compound. The device is useful as a stable and high-density optical computing device or an erasable optical memory material.

Abstract: A reagent for analyzing leucocytes comprises (a) at least one ionic surfactant, being either a cationic or an amphoteric surfactant, in an amount sufficient for lysing erythrocytes and causing damage to a part of cell membranes of leucocytes; (b) at least one organic compound having a hydrophobic group and an acidic group which has a negative charge in an aqueous solution in an amount sufficient for a preserving leucocyte morphology by combining with a cationic component in leucocytes; (c) a nonionic surfactant; and (d) a buffer for adjusting pH.

Abstract: An electronic mail system in which a mail management method is improved in order to reduce the complexity and labour of handling transmitted information so that its convenience is increased. In an electronic mail system in which a plurality of data processing systems exchange messages through mailboxes MB utilizing the stored and forward system, the data processing system which receives a mail M transferred from the mailbox MB is provided with an electronic mail terminal utility. When the data processing system receives the mail M, the electronic mail terminal utility classifies a data file written in the mail M according to specific data contained in the mail M and stores the data file in an appropriate folder based on a result of the classification.

Abstract: A reversible display medium comprising substrate 1 having thereon recording layer 2 containing a side chain type high polymeric liquid crystal capable of repeatedly and reversibly switching between a transparent state and a light-scattered state by the action of heat, an electrical field or a magnetic field, wherein said side chain type high polymeric liquid crystal is a copolymer comprising at least one liquid crystal monomer unit and at least one non-liquid crystal monomer unit having a hydrogen bond-forming substituent, e.g., a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, a sulfonic group or a phosphoric group. The display medium is excellent in durability on repeated use, heat sensitivity, display contrast, and record preservability.

Abstract: A reagent for measuring immature leukocytes which comprises: (1) a polyoxyethylene-based nonionic surfactant having the general formula (I) in a sufficient amount capable of fixing cytoplasms and cell membranes of immature leukocytes:R.sub.1 --R.sub.2 --(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O ).sub.n --H (I)where R.sub.1 is an alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group having 10 to 25 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 is --O--, --(C.sub.6 H.sub.4)--O-- or --COO--; and n is an integer of 10 to 40, (2) a solubilizing agent in a sufficient amount capable of damaging cell membranes of blood cells other than immature leukocytes and shrinking them, (3) an amino acid in a sufficient amount capable of stabilizing cytoplasm and cell membrane of immature leukocytes, and (4) an aqueous medium, which adjusts pH value in the range of 5.0 to 9.0, osmolarity in the range of 150 to 600 mOsm/kg and electric conductivity in the range of 6.0 to 9.0 mS/cm, respectively.

Abstract: A font management system includes a font memory for storing a plurality of fonts each having a plurality of attributes and a system RAM containing a priority register table. The font memory has a receiving buffer in which is stored a font selection code transmitted from a host computer. The font selection code contains attribute information and is used to select a single font from among the plurality of the fonts. The system further includes a central control operation unit, in which the attribute information contained in the font selection code is compared with attribute information stored in the font memory in the order of priorities of the fonts stored in the system RAM. The system can select a desired font having attribute information in agreement with the attribute information contained in the font selection code at a high speed.

Abstract: A TiAl intermetallic compound source and a boride which is less stable than TiB.sub.2 are mixed and melted, followed by solidification to form a TiB.sub.2 -dispersed TiAl-based composite material in which the TiB.sub.2 is contained in an amount of 0.3 to 10% by volume. In this process, the dispersed TiB.sub.2 particles become very fine, so that the hardness as well as the elongation and bending strength of the TiAl material are improved by the finely dispersed TiB.sub.2 particles.

Abstract: Reagents for enabling leukocytes to be classified and counted lyse erythrocytes and act on leukocytes to stabilize them are disclosed. The reagents contain polyoxyethylene-based surfactants, and may contain hyperosmotic or hypoosmotic agents and solubilizing agents. One embodiment of the invention contains surfactants selected from the anionic and nonionic polyoxyethylene-based surfactants having 18-30 repeating oxyethylene units per molecule. A second embodiment of the invention contains nonionic polyoxyethylene surfactants only, having 20-100 repeating oxyethylene units per molecule, does not employ either saponin or quaternary ammonium compounds, and provides for adjustment of the pH of the resulting solutions. The invention allows leukocytes to be classified into as many as five types, each type to be quantified, and enables the detection of abnormal cells, when used in conjunction with particulate analysis flow cytometers employing the RF method and the DC method.

Abstract: An image data processor for use in an image forming apparatus in which image data of one page are received from outside and bit data based on the image data are supplied to a printing portion in a predetermined quantity each time such that a whole of an image of the one page is printed, the image data processor comprising: an analysis means for sequentially analyzing the image data received from the outside; a data formulating means for sequentially formulating the bit data in accordance with analytic results of the image data by the analysis means; first and second memories for storing the bit data formulated by the data formulating means; the first memory having a memory capacity enabling storage of the predetermined quantity of the bit data; an output means for outputting to the first memory, the bit data stored in the second memory; and a supply means for supplying to the printing portion, the predetermined quantity of the bit data stored in the first memory.

Abstract: In a printing system having insertable font cartridges, a font managing apparatus selects fonts when there is a change in the font to be printed. For example, when a font cartridge is detached or interchanged, the font managing apparatus detects the interchange or detachment of the font cartridge and reselects another font. The font managing apparatus can also change the attributes of the font to be printed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a print data processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus for receiving print data from an external unit, converting the received print data into dot image data at every one of bands defined by dividing an image area of one page, and outputting the dot image data to a printer so as to form all the image of one page corresponding to the print data on a piece of printing paper. In the print data processing apparatus, print data received from the external unit are sequentially analyzed and converted into intermediate data, and the converted intermediate data are stored in a first storage unit. Thereafter, an edit controller judges which band the intermediate data stored in the first storage unit belong to, and registers judged band information of the intermediate data in a band table of a further storage unit.

Abstract: A new printer having a memory for storing dot image data to be printed, wherein two modes, that is, a full bit map mode for storing a page of data and a strip map mode for a smaller size of data than a page of data is stored alternately in two memory areas in the memory are provided, and the full bit map mode or the strip map mode is selected according as the size of image data is smaller than or not. In the full bit map mode, the bit data are sent to the printing means after all the bit data of a page has been stored in the bit map memory, while in the strip may mode an image of one page is divided into a plurality of image portions and the bit data is written/read to and from the bit map memory in the unit of image portion.In a new printing method, the size of an image of one page to be printed is obtained first. Then, if the obtained size of image is smaller than the capacity of a bit map memory for storing bit data, the full bit map mode is set; otherwise the strip map mode is set.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a mechanism for forming a visual image on a sheet of paper and a plurality of sheets supply mechanisms each including a sheet storage cassette detachably incorporated therein. A detector for detecting the attaching operation of the sheet storage cassettes in each of the sheets supply mechanisms is also provided. An automatic selecting circuit, which is responsive to the detector, automatically selects the sheets supply mechanisms for which the attaching operation has been detected by the detector. A signal is generated to disable the automatic selecting circuit. The disabling signal enables operation without a cassette attached to the sheets supply mechanism irrespective of the sheet size selected.