Abstract: In a comparator circuit having a differential amplifier, which makes a logical judgment by comparing an input voltage with a reference voltage, generates and outputs a resulting output voltage thereof, a current source generates and supplies a bias current of a predetermined minute current to the differential amplifier, and a first inverter circuit inverts a differential voltage from the differential amplifier. An adaptive bias current generator circuit detects the bias current of the current source, and a through current of the first inverter circuit. The adaptive bias current generator circuit generates and supplies an adaptive bias current for executing adaptive bias current control to the differential amplifier to allow the differential amplifier to operate with the bias current upon no logical judgment, and to allow the differential amplifier to operate by using the adaptive bias current obtained by increasing the bias current upon logical judgment.

Abstract: A vehicular passenger detection system includes a load detection device configured to detect a load that acts upon a seat that is installed upon a vehicle, a passenger seating detection device configured to determine whether or not a passenger is seated upon the seat, in accordance with a result of a detection of the load detection device, and a fault recording device configured to record an information of a fault that has occurred upon either the load detection device or the passenger seating detection device. The fault recording device includes a fault determination device configured to determine whether or not the information of the fault is information of a fault for which a repair is required.

Abstract: A sauna cabinet is humidified and heated without airborne perceivable water drops by the use of a fine spray. The user can thus remain comfortably in the sauna cabinet that is free of airborne perceivable water drops. The user's view is also not clouded by mist. Accordingly, the user can enjoy viewing images and reading books in the sauna cabinet, and a user's sensible temperature distribution in the sauna cabinet is also uniform. This sauna equipment thus provides uniform temperature and humidity even in a large bathroom. The sauna equipment includes a first circulator and a second circulator for circulating air in the sauna cabinet, an air heater for heating supplied air, and a water atomizer for turning supplied water into fine water drops.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compound having a superior serotonin 5-HT2C receptor activating action, which is represented by the formula wherein A is —OR1 or —S(O)pR2, R1 and R2 are the same or different and each is a hydrogen atom, a hydrocarbon group optionally having substituent(s), or a heterocyclic group to optionally having substituent(s), and p is 0, 1 or 2, or a salt thereof.

Abstract: A method which visualizes the distribution of a local electric field formed near a sample 2 is disclosed. A primary electron beam 1 which passes through the local electric field formed near the sample 2 is deflected by the local electric field, secondary electrons which are generated and emitted from a detection element provided downstream of an orbit of the deflected primary electron beam 1 are detected by a secondary electron detector 6, and an image formed based on the detected signal and a scanning electron beam image obtained by scanning the sample 2 are synthesized thus visualizing the distribution of the local electric field in multiple tones. Due to such an operation, it is possible to provide a method for visualizing the distribution of a local electric field in which the distribution of a local electric field can be obtained in multiple tone and in real time by performing image scanning one time using a usual electron beam scanning optical system.

Abstract: An ophthalmic device is provided with a photographing optical system that photographs an eye fundus; an illumination optical system that illuminate the eye fundus; a split target projection optical system that projects a split target for focusing the photographing optical system on the eye fundus; an alignment target projection optical system that projects an alignment target (AL) for aligning the photographing optical system with an examining eye; an observation optical system that displays optical images of the eye fundus; and a pseudo-target display processing unit that takes an observation video signal output by the observation optical system in, detects at least one of positions of the split target and the alignment target in the observation video signal, and displays a pseudo-target on the monitor in accordance with the detected position.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a plasma display panel that can suppress the generation of cracks in a dielectric layer, and also improve the yield, and a method for manufacturing such a display panel. A dielectric layer on a front panel is designed to have a two-layer structure in which a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer are laminated, and the first dielectric layer is formed through processes in which, after printing or applying a dielectric paste containing a glass frit onto a front substrate so as to cover display electrodes formed thereon as a stripe pattern, drying and firing the resulting substrate at a temperature not less than a softening point of the glass frit, and the second dielectric layer is formed on the first dielectric layer by using a sol-gel method.

Abstract: A duplexer includes an acoustic wave element having a first terminal and a second terminal; a substrate; a first columnar conductor electrically connected to the first terminal, and drawn to a back surface of the substrate while partially in the substrate; a second columnar conductor electrically connected to the second terminal, and drawn to the back surface of the substrate while partially in the substrate. Additionally, a first ground pattern region is between the first columnar conductor drawn part and the second columnar conductor drawn part on the back surface of the substrate; a second ground pattern region is electrically connected to the first ground pattern region and arranged in the part not including the part between the first columnar conductor drawn part and the second columnar conductor drawn part; and a third columnar conductor electrically is connected to the first ground pattern region while partially in the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the aeration of liquid media by tube aeration, special tube modules contained therein and the use of a device for the aeration of liquid media.

Abstract: A polishing method can bring a polishing surface to the optimum condition for polishing, without using a dummy wafer, before resuming polishing, thereby eliminating the cost of dummy wafer. The polishing method includes carrying out a stand-by operation during a polishing-resting time period, carrying out a preparatory process to polishing, after completion of the stand-by operation, by dressing a polishing surface while supplying a polishing liquid to the polishing surface, and starting polishing of a workpiece after completion of the preparatory process to polishing. A determination as to whether to carry out the preparatory process to polishing after completion of the stand-by operation may be made based on the total operating time of the stand-by operation or the total effective number of the stand-by operations.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: an image pickup section for converting, into image data, pixel signals obtained by picking up an image of an object; and an image processing section for performing predetermined image processing on the image data obtained as a result of conversion by the image pickup section. The image pickup section includes: an X-Y addressable image sensor for accumulating, in an image pickup area thereof, pixel signals of an object obtained by image pickup; and a conversion means for sequentially reading out pixel signals contained in each of processing units, converting the pixel signals into image data, and outputting the image data, the processing units each being an area of a predetermined size defined by dividing the image pickup area of the image sensor into rectangular blocks of a predetermined size and adding a predetermined number of pixels to each rectangular block in vertical and horizontal directions of the rectangular block.

Abstract: In a solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell, with a frame including a frame body main part placed along a peripheral edge portion of a membrane, a plurality of first retaining portions which are arrayed so as to protrude from an inner edge of the frame body main part and which retain the front surface side of the membrane, and a plurality of second retaining portions which are arrayed so as to protrude from the inner edge of the frame body main part and which retain the back surface side of the membrane, the first retaining portions and the second retaining portions are so arrayed that retaining positions of the membrane by the first retaining portions and retaining positions of the membrane by the second retaining portions are alternately placed.

Abstract: Provided is a process in which cyclization of a compound having, in a molecule, a formyl group and a double bond which allow carbonyl-ene cyclization, the compound existing as a mixture of optical isomers thereof, increases the ratio of a particular optical isomer not only in a cyclized compound, but also in an unreacted compound. The process comprises performing, in the presence of a specified aluminum complex represented by the general formula: [Al2(L1)n(L2)3-n]m, cyclization of a compound having, in a molecule, a formyl group and a double bond which allow carbonyl-ene cyclization, the compound existing as a mixture of optical isomers thereof, to increase the ratio of a particular optical isomer.

Abstract: A signature generating device generating digital signature data for certifying authenticity of information of a person, and obfuscating the information. The signature generating device includes a storage unit storing attribute information concerning the person and a private key corresponding to the attribute information, an obfuscated information generating unit selecting one or more pieces of dummy information in relation to the attribute information, and generating the obfuscated information including the attribute information and the dummy information; and a public key obtaining unit obtaining a public key corresponding to the attribute information and public keys respectively corresponding to the dummy information.

Abstract: A device for detecting a cholinesterase-inhibiting substance comprising a basal layer fixed at the bottom of a container, and a cholinesterase-containing reaction layer which is fixed on the basal layer, wherein the basal layer and the cholinesterase-containing reaction layer comprises a hydrophilic photo-crosslinkable resin.

Abstract: A sealing device includes a housing that rotatably accommodates a rotary shaft, a plurality of guide parts that extend along at least one of a radial direction and an axial direction of the rotary shaft and that impart flow velocity components in the rotation direction of the rotary shaft to fluid passing through therebetween, a partition part that connects ends of the plurality of guide parts and that serves as a partition between spaces between the plurality of guide parts and an outside space, a first seal part that is an annular protrusion extending in the radial direction, that forms a first gap with respect to the rotary shaft or the housing, and that blocks fluid flowing toward the plurality of guide parts, and a second seal part that is an annular protrusion, that forms a second gap with respect to the rotary shaft or the partition part, and that blocks fluid flowing through the outside space.

Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus of a transdermal absorption preparation includes an adhesive sheet supplying part to feed out a band-like first adhesive sheet into a runway, wherein the adhesive sheet has at least an adhesive layer comprising an adhesive and a liquid component compatible with the adhesive, a drug liquid application part to apply a given amount of a drug liquid to an adhesive face, and a traveling section for impregnation which is set in the runway after the drug liquid application part, during which the adhesive sheet is run for a period necessary for the applied drug liquid to soak into the adhesive layer without contact of the drug liquid coated face of the adhesive layer with other members.

Abstract: A device includes a vial for a spirit level. The vial has at least a first and a second region, and the second region directly adjoins the first region. A marker body is provided in the vial, and the marker body in a leveled condition of the vial is disposed in the first region. One of the at least two regions is darkened and thereby the marker body is partially visible outside the leveled condition of the vial.

Abstract: The electronic component mounting line includes a computing unit for calculating a print position of solder paste printed on board-side electrodes, an electronic component placement device for placing an electronic component onto the board-side electrodes by referencing the print position of the solder paste, a placement position control device for controlling the placement position of the electronic component by referencing the print position of the solder paste, a bonding device for melting the solder paste to bond the electronic component and the board-side electrodes to each other, and a mounting-position control device for controlling the mounting position of the electronic component by referencing the board-side electrode position. In this configuration, position control responsive to displacement of the electronic component by the self alignment effect exerted by the molten solder paste is fulfilled.