Abstract: An apparatus for determining the functioning properties of cells which includes a sample containing chamber, a rotor disposed in the chamber and having a conical surface which faces the inner bottom surface of the chamber at an angle of not greater than 2.degree., a ray transmission path from which a ray is projected into a sample of a cell suspension between the rotor and the inner bottom surface, and a transmitted ray detection path from which transmittance from the sample is detected. The optical path length in the sample is not smaller than 1 cm. An adequate shear stress is applied to the sample by adjusting the gap between the rotor and the inner bottom surface and rotating the rotor. A fine response by the cells caused by the applied shear stress, particularly the aggregation of platelets in a platelet suspension, can be accurately and quantitatively determined with a high sensitivity.

Abstract: An exhaust gas cleaning catalyst composed of a refractory three-dimensional structure and a catalytically active substance supported thereon. That surface or part of the catalyst which makes contact with an exhaust gas is formed of numerous irregularly arranged protrusions composed of a refractory inorganic powder having a particle diameter of 5 to 300 micrometers or a mixture of it with refractory inorganic fibers and the catalytically active substance supported on the protrusions.

Abstract: A catalyst for purifying a diesel engine exhaust gas, said catalyst comprising a refractory three-dimensional structure having a gas filter function, a porous inorganic carrier supported on it, and (a) vanadium oxide and (b) at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, rhodium and palladium supported on the carrier, the amount of component (a) being in the range of 0.2 to 40.0 g as V.sub.2 O.sub.5 per liter of said structure and the amount of component (b) being in the range of 0.1 to 4.0 g as metal per liter of said structure.

Abstract: A pickup device for picking up sound generated by the vocal chords and transmitted through bones from the nasal bone. A microphone (11) is mounted on or embedded into an eyeglass-like assembly (13, 15). When the microphone is mounted as a nosepiece, it is made into direct contact with the nose so that it directly picks up vibration transmitted through the nasal bone. When the microphone is mounted on the eyeglass-like frame or embedded therein, it picks up vibration transmitted through the nosepieces and eyeglass-like frame. A cord (12) whose one end is electrically connected to the microphone is held by holding member extended from the eyeglass-like assembly (13, 15) so that the transmission of mechanical vibration to the microphone is prevented.

Abstract: A code conversion circuit especially suited for, but not limited to, use with a video display apparatus of a type in which the screen is arbitrarily divided into plural domains defined by horizontal scan lines, X.sub.i, and vertical section lines, Y.sub.j. A random access memory (RAM) used in the system stores local codes defining the video symbols to be displayed in the various domains on the screen. The code conversion circuit permits selective modification of the addresses applied to the RAM so that a picture element normally displayed in domain X.sub.i Y.sub.j can, in turn, be displayed in a domain X.sub.m Y.sub.n. Means are further provided for inverting the order in which the local codes read from the RAM are applied to the video display. Hence, the code conversion circuit is capable of rotating an image to be displayed about the center point of the display screen.

Abstract: An electrical resistor is manufactured by molding a mixture of the powders of tetrafluoropolyethylene, carbon and metal and then sintering the molded body. Terminals comprising a mixture of a powder of tetrafluoropolyethylene and a powder of soft metal are provided by simultaneously molding a lamination of the first mentioned mixture and the second mentioned mixture.