Abstract: The invention provides a medicament comprising a sialic acid derivative represented by the following formula and have superior solubility and absorbability. A solid dispersion comprising a water-soluble macromolecule such as hvdroxypropylmethylcellulose and a sialic acid derivative dispersed in the water-soluble macromolecule and represented by the following formula (I): [R1 represents a steroid compound residue; R2 represents hydrogen atom or a C1-C4 alkyl group, R3 represents a C1-C15 alkyl group etc.; X represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom], e.g., 3&agr;-[N-(5-acetamido-3,5-dideoxy-2-O-methyl-&agr;-D-glycero-D-galacto-2-noneuropyranosonyl)amino]cholestane.

Abstract: Since sulfonamide derivatives of the present invention show strong inhibitory activity against cysteine protease such as calpain papain, cathepsin B, cathepsin H, cathepsin L, they can be used as remedies for muscular dystrophy, cataract, myocardial infarction, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophia, osteoporosis, hypercalcemia or the like.

Abstract: In a numerical control system, a plurality of machine tools are provided each having a tool spindle, a tool magazine for storing primary tools along with spare tools respectively associated with some of the primary tools, and a tool changer for changing tools between the tool spindle and the tool magazine. A system control host computer included in the system divides the operational period of each machine tool into a plurality of operational period sections and calculates prospective used times of primary tools which are programmed to be used on the tool spindle in accordance with at least one numerical control program within each of the operational period sections. The host computer then estimates primary tools whose lives will expire within each operational period section, based upon cumulative past used times, the prospective used times and life times of the primary tools and searches for tool number data of spare tools associated with the estimated primary tools.

Abstract: A numerical control system is provided wherein numerical controllers associated with machine tools are respectively coupled to auxiliary controllers communicating with a host computer. Each auxiliary controller has a memory for storing revision values which respectively correspond to primary and spare tools being stored in a tool magazine of the associated machine tool. When a spare tool is attached to a tool spindle of the associated machine tool in place of a primary tool, each auxiliary controller reads out a corresponding revision value from the memory and transfers it to the associated numerical controller. Thus, a corresponding one of tool dimension compensation values being stored in a memory of the associated numerical controller is revised or modified by the revision value transferred thereto so as to adapt itself for the spare tool being used on the tool spindle.