Abstract: A method of recovering valuable materials from lithium batteries wherein a lithium/transition metal composite oxide is used as a positive electrode active material. In this disposal method, a sheeted positive electrode having a positive electrode active material disposed on a positive electrode collector is immersed in an oxalic acid solution. By virtue of this oxalic acid treatment (step 240), any lithium element contained in the positive electrode active material can be leached into the oxalic acid solution. Using oxygen gas produced by a reaction between the positive electrode active material and oxalic acid, attachments, such as the positive electrode active material, can be self-detached from the positive electrode collector. The transition metal element contained in the positive electrode active material is converted by the oxalic acid treatment to insoluble transition metal compounds (oxalate, oxide, etc.).

Abstract: The state of a polysilicon film formed by excimer laser annealing an amorphous silicon film is to be evaluated. When the amorphous silicon film is annealed to form a polysilicon film, linearity or periodicity presents itself in the spatial structure of the film surface of the polysilicon film formed depending on the energy applied to the amorphous silicon during annealing. This linearity or periodicity is processed as an image and represented numerically from the image by exploiting the linearity or periodicity. The state of the polysilicon film is checked based on the numerical results.

Abstract: The state of a polysilicon film formed by excimer laser annealing an amorphous silicon film is to be evaluated. When the amorphous silicon film is annealed to form a polysilicon film, linearity or periodicity presents itself in the spatial structure of the film surface of the polysilicon film formed depending on the energy applied to the amorphous silicon during annealing. This linearity or periodicity is processed as an image and represented numerically from the image by exploiting the linearity or periodicity. The state of the polysilicon film is checked based on the numerical results.

Abstract: The state of a polysilicon film formed by excimer laser annealing an amorphous silicon film is to be evaluated. When the amorphous silicon film is annealed to form a polysilicon film, linearity or periodicity presents itself in the spatial structure of the film surface of the polysilicon film formed depending on the energy applied to the amorphous silicon during annealing. This linearity or periodicity is processed as an image and represented numerically from the image by exploiting the linearity or periodicity. The state of the polysilicon film is checked based on the numerical results.

Abstract: An artificial blood vessel which has excellent long-term patency and can be used stably in a living body for a long time. The artificial blood vessel has improved durability under pulsation and can withstand puncturing. The artificial blood vessel is made of an elastomer containing a multiplicity of cells throughout the structure thereof and comprises a layer (A) containing closed cells having no communicability therebetween; and a layer (B) containing open cells having mutual communicability therebetween. The surface of the layer (B) which is contiguous to the inner surface of the layer (A) and the wall surfaces of the open cells are coated with a thin film of crosslinked protein of biological origin. The layer (A) may be incorporated with a knitted or woven fabric which is not degradable in a living body. The layer (B) may further contain a synthetic resin short fiber distributed throughout the layer.

Abstract: A transmission line switching system includes transmission terminal matrix switches, reception terminal matrix switches and monitor circuits. Switching to and returning of the switching from any of the standby transmission lines are performed by connection of each of the matrix switches. An output from a control signal transmitter is connected to switching destination and switching returning destination transmission lines via the transmission matrix switch before the switching and returning of the switching, and control signals supplied through the transmission lines are received by a control signal receiver via the monitor circuit, thereby checking normality of the transmission lines.

Abstract: Disclosed is an artificial blood comprising a vessel wall that is comprised of plural layers and is porous as a whole, wherein an innermost layer has open-cell structure in which pores are connected through each other, and has a thickness of not less than 5 .mu.m or more and not more than 2/3 of the thickness of the vessel wall. Also disclosed is a process for preparing an artificial blood vessel, comprising the steps of; solidifying a layer that has been formed on the surface of a rod-like substrate by coating a solution comprising a polymeric compound, followed by desolvation to make a rod; coating a solution having the same composition as the solution comprising a polymeric compound, on the inner surface of the rod, and spraying a powder which is insoluble to the polymeric compound solution thereon; solidifying the polymeric compound solution coated on the inner surface of the rod, followed by desolvation; and removing the powder from the polymeric compound.

Abstract: A three stage switching apparatus freely connects N input terminals and N output terminals and includes a first stage, a second stage, a third stage, and a connecting circuit. The first stage is constituted by at least N/n first matrix switches. The second stage is constituted by at least 2n-1 second matrix switches. The third stage is constituted by at least N/n third matrix switches. The connecting circuit connects the input terminals and the first stage, the first stage and the second stage, the second stage and the third stage, and the third stage and the output terminals such that the number of paths connecting an arbitrary one of the input terminals and an arbitrary one of the output terminals is 2n.

Abstract: A medical tube characterized in that it dilates at its cut ends toward the external surface when it is cut at any random portion transversely relative to its longitudinal direction.The patency of the sutured portion may be maintained in good condition over a long time, since pannus formation in the internal cavity can be obviated at the sutured portion between an organ of a living body and an artificial medical tube.

Abstract: A solid state image sensor is disclosed which includes a photosensitive region consisting of a group of first vertical shift registers formed of a plurality of charge transfer devices, light receiving areas, which are located between adjacent ones of the group of first vertical shift registers, electrically separated from one other by a channel stop region and capable of accumulating a charge, and read-out gate sections transferring signal charges of the light receiving areas to corresponding one of the first vertical shift registers, a storage section consisting of a group of second vertical shift registers electrically connected to one end of the vertical shift registers, a charge transfer horizontal shift register electrically connected to one end of the second vertical shift registers, and a section for field-reading out the signal charges in the photosensitive areas, the potentials of the read-out gate sections during the light receiving and accumulating period are selected to be different between the pe

Abstract: A control circuit for signal transmission which comprises a plurality of field effect transistors (which will be hereinafter referred to as simply FETs) with gates of high resistance is disclosed. In this case, the sources and drains of the FETs are connected commonly and connected in parallel to a signal transmission path, their gates are supplied with different voltages, and the mutual conductances among the FETs are selected to be reduced gradually.

Abstract: A thin film resistor is formed of polycrystalline silicon which contains 2 to 45 atomic percent of oxygen and wherein the resistivity of the polycrystalline silicon film varies as a function of the amount of oxygen contained in the film and wherein the resistivity is substantially higher than polycrystalline silicon not containing oxygen.