Abstract: In a method for the manufacture of N-formylaspartic acid anhydride which comprises reacting a mixture of aspartic acid, formic acid and acetic anhydride in the presence of an entraining organic solvent, the improvement comprising adding to the mixture, prior to or during the course of reaction, an oxide, hydroxide, or a salt of a metal. The above compound is used as an intermediate in the manufacture of alpha-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester which is a sweetening agent.

Abstract: An elevator passenger traffic measuring system distributes passengers whose destination floors cannot be determined to each of origin-destination floor pairs in accordance with an elevator car position, an incoming passenger number and an outgoing passenger number at each floor, and registered car calls, using probability weights for the origin-destination floor pairs which are determined by previous traffic measurements. The system then estimates the number of passengers for each of the origin-destination floor pairs in accordance with the distributed passengers, and the passengers who moved the corresponding one of the origin-destination floor pairs.

Abstract: A process for producing a high yield of N-carbobenzoxy-L-aspartic anhydride from N-carbobenzoxy-L-aspartic acid in a very short period using commercially acceptable reaction conditions is disclosed. The process is characterized by reacting N-carbobenzoxy-L-aspartic acid with acetic anhydride in the presence of a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal salt of acid, an organobasic compound or an acid having a dissociation constant of 5.times.10.sup.-2 or more.