Abstract: The invention provides a gold-supporting catalyst comprising gold nanoparticles and a carrier consisting of porous ceramic obtained by firing a mixture comprising an aluminum compound, a lime component, and a plastic clay containing 1% by mass or less of feldspars and quartz, wherein the gold nanoparticles are supported in an amount of 0.01 to 10 parts by mass on the carrier based on 100 parts by mass of the carrier.

Abstract: A system for communicating through a public telephone network includes a terminal side adapter which connects either a telephone set or a non-telephone terminal (such as a gas meter terminal) to the telephone network. Communication with the non-telephone is normally scheduled during the early morning hours to minimize conflict with normal telephone usage. Communication with the non-telephone terminal is initiated from a data center. A center side adapter unit makes a predetermined sequence of calls during predetermined time zones, and each of these calls is quickly interrupted without being answered at the terminal side. However the sequence of interrupted calls signals the terminal side adapter unit to telephone the data center and to connect the non-telephone terminal to the telephone network. If the terminal side adapter unit receives an incoming call outside the time zones, or if a call received within a time zone is not quickly interrupted, the incoming call is routed to the telephone set.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing thermoplastic duplication plates having a relief image transcribed thereto from a matrix which has a relief pattern in complemental relation to the transcribed relief image. To this end, a thermoplastic resin sheet is fed onto a rotating cylinder heated to a predetermined temperature and is then transported towards a transcription station carried by the rotating cylinder while it clings to the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder. At the transcription station, the thermoplastic resin sheet then heated to a semi-fluidized state is registered or aligned with the matrix being moved in a linear direction substantially tangential to the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder. During passage through the transcription station, the thermoplastic resin sheet is transferred onto the matrix with the material penetrating deep into indentations in the matrix.