Abstract: An object of the present invention is to easily search data from a recording medium on which different types of data items are recorded. A storing apparatus is disclosed, that comprises a signal processing unit for acquiring first type data and second type data and processing them, a serial number assigning unit for sequentially assigning a serial number to the first type data and the second type data processed by the signal processing unit in the acquired order regardless of the first type data or the second type data, and a storing unit for storing the first type data and the second type data corresponding to the serial number.

Abstract: A three-dimensional composite of silica spheres interconnected by resin is provided having a three-dimensional network structure including silica particles having the following structural and dynamic characteristics and a resin present in the internal pores of said network:(a) three-dimensionally interconnected spherical silica particles having a diameter of 6 to 30 .mu.m;(b) on the surface of said spherical silica particles, a specific surface area of 300 to 400 m.sup.

Abstract: A display screen of an image display section is divided into an image display area for displaying an image and an operation panel display area, an image (base image) imaged by an X-ray CT apparatus, for example, is displayed on the upper part (base area) of the image display area, an image (match image) imaged by a MRI apparatus is displayed in the middle part (match area), and an operation panel, which is composed of an operation panel display area 2 of the image display section and respective operation keys for aligning the images, is displayed thereon. When the operation panel is operated and fit points are provided to the images or a region of interest (ROI) is set on the base image, a CPU aligns and composes the respective images based on the fit points or ROI, and displays the fusion image on the lower part (fusion area) of the image display area. As a result, both the images can be compared with each other visually.

Abstract: A method for preparing a three dimensionally connected silica spheres-resin composite, which comprises hydrolyzing and polymerizing a low molecular weight polyalkoxysilane in the presence of an acid catalyst in a mixed solution of the low molecular weight polyalkoxysilane and a water-soluble polymer in a solvent mixture of water and alcohol to obtain a three dimensional connected silica spheres, impregnating the three dimensional connected silica spheres with at least one material selected from resin-forming monomers and resin-forming prepolymers, and curing the material. The composite obtained by the above method retains its strength even at high temperatures where the organic matter undergoes pyrolysis or burnout.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for forming a high-quality surface display image at high speed is provided. From raw data input by a medical image diagnosis apparatus, gray-level volume data and binary volume data in which a region-of-interest is extracted by binarizing are obtained. The binary volume data is subjected to ray-casting and projected onto a screen. A depth image formed of pixels on the screen and a distance between the screen and the surface (surface voxel) of a display object is obtained. The coordinates of the surface voxels are calculated from the depth image. Surface normals are obtained from voxel values of the gray-level volume data and a voxel values in the vicinity, and a shaded image is formed on the basis of surface normals.

Abstract: A three-dimensional network structure comprising three-dimensionally interconnected spherical silica particles, having specific physical characteristics including diameter, pores on the surfaces of the particles, cross-sectional areas of the bonds interconnecting the spherical silica particles, elasticity modulus, voids content, and silica content, the surfaces of the spherical silica particles being wholly or partly covered with a water-soluble polymer, the network structure being able to remain substantially intact when heat-treated and being able to undergo machining. There is also provided a method of making a three-dimensional network structure comprising spherical silica particles, comprising hydrolyzing and polymerizing a low polymer of an alkoxysilane in a mixed solution containing the alkoxysilane low polymer and a water-soluble polymer in a mixed solvent composed of water and an alcohol in the presence of an acid catalyst.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are specialized in utilizing a two dimensional histogram for designating a ROI including accurate functional information of a lesion in tissues. A pair of medical images imaged at an identical position of a patient under different imaging conditions is provided by an image providing element. Each of the images extends two-dimensionally and consists of a plurality of pixels. A two-dimensional histogram is calculated by a histogram calculating element and displayed by a histogram displaying element. The histogram projects a function between pixel intensities of the images and frequencies of the pixel intensities. A desired region is then designated by a region designating element on the histogram displayed. Finally, pixels of the plural images equal in pixel intensities to pixels composing the desired designated region are specified by a pixel specifying element as a finally designated ROI.

Abstract: An imaginary plane and a projection plane are set on both sides of three-dimensional image data to be parallel to each other. A plurality of projection rays are projected from the imaginary plane onto the projection plane. Sampling points for pixel values are set on each projection ray. Pixel values at the sampling points are interpolated by using the three-dimensional image data. The maximum value, integral value, standard deviation, and the like of such interpolated pixel values on the projection rays are projected on the projection plane when the sampling points are set, constant sampling periods are set, but the sampling start points are determined by using random numbers for the respective projection rays. With this operation, the phases of the sampling points on all the projection rays are set to be different from each other, thereby preventing moire, on a projected image, which occurs when interpolated pixel values periodically vary.

Abstract: Organic group modified silica particles modified by at least one of an alkyl group of a carbon number of 1-6 and a substituted alkyl group of a carbon number of 1-6; a method of producing such modified silica particles comprising the steps of preparing an alcohol solution containing an alkoxy silane having at least one of an alkyl group of a carbon number of 1-6 and a substituted alkyl group of a carbon number of 1-6, and ethylsilicate, mixing an alcohol ammonia water solution into this alcohol solution under stirring, and allowing the alkoxy group to hydrolyze completely; and a resin composition consisting of such modified silica particles and a resin.

Abstract: An improved silver staining technique is disclosd for the detection of a biocomponent contained in a support medium. The technique includes fixing the support medium with a fixing agent, pretreating the thus-fixed support medium with a sensitizer, treating the resultant support medium with a silver staining solution and then developing the thus-treated support medium with a reducing agent. In one aspect of the invention, thiourea is incorporated in either one or both of the fixing agent and sensitizer. In another aspect of the invention, thiosulfate is contained in the reducing agent. According to the invention, improved stainability and contrast are obtained. Also disclosed is a silver staining kit.