Abstract: A method for measuring fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) in a sample, which comprise the following steps: (1) reacting, in an aqueous medium, FGF-23 in a sample with magnetic particles, a first antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, and a second antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, to form on the magnetic particles an immunocomplex comprising the first antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23. FGF-23, and the second antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23; (2) collecting the magnetic particles in the reaction mixture after step (1) by magnetic force, and separating the magnetic particles collected by magnetic force from the other components: and (3) measuring the immunocomplex on the magnetic particles separated in step (2). The present invention provides a method for measuring FGF-23 in a sample, which have a high sensitivity and have a wide measurement range.

Abstract: A method for measuring fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) in a sample, which comprise the following steps: (1) reacting, in an aqueous medium, FGF-23 in a sample with magnetic particles, a first antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, and a second antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, to form on the magnetic particles an immunocomplex comprising the first antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, FGF-23, and the second antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23; (2) collecting the magnetic particles in the reaction mixture after step (1) by magnetic force, and separating the magnetic particles collected by magnetic force from the other components; and (3) measuring the immunocomplex on the magnetic particles separated in step (2). The present invention provides a method for measuring FGF-23 in a sample, which have a high sensitivity and have a wide measurement range.

Abstract: Unlike conventional reagent storing means of an analyzing unit having a cold-storage function, replacement reagent storing means having no cold-storage function requires reagent management of a higher order. An automatic analyzer is provided that manages the placing elapsed time for a reagent vessel in replacement reagent storing means 2, compares the placing elapsed time for the reagent with a permissible placing limit value stored as one of analysis parameters for each analysis item, and determines as to whether or not the placing elapsed time exceeds permissible limit value. In this way, the analyzer prevents the degradation of the reagent and automatically transfers the reagent to an analyzing section for performing measurement.

Abstract: Unlike conventional reagent storing means of an analyzing unit having a cold-storage function, replacement reagent storing means having no cold-storage function requires reagent management of a higher order. An automatic analyzer is provided that manages the placing elapsed time for a reagent vessel in replacement reagent storing means 2, compares the placing elapsed time for the reagent with a permissible placing limit value stored as one of analysis parameters for each analysis item, and determines as to whether or not the placing elapsed time exceeds permissible limit value. In this way, the analyzer prevents the degradation of the reagent and automatically transfers the reagent to an analyzing section for performing measurement.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer includes: first reagent storing means for storing a plurality of the reagent containers; second reagent storing means for storing a replacement reagent container in addition to the first reagent storing means; transfer means for transferring the reagent container from the second reagent storing means to the first reagent means; and a storing portion for storing the reagent container discharged from the second reagent storing means. The automatic analyzer includes control means for exercising control such that the information write means writes reagent information on the information recording medium immediately before the reagent container is transferred from the second reagent storing means to the first reagent storing means or immediately before the reagent container is discharged from the second reagent storing means to the storing portion.

Abstract: A method for measuring fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) in a sample, which comprise the following steps: (1) reacting, in an aqueous medium, FGF-23 in a sample with magnetic particles, a first antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, and a second antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, to form on the magnetic particles an immunocomplex comprising the first antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, FGF-23, and the second antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23; (2) collecting the magnetic particles in the reaction mixture after step (1) by magnetic force, and separating the magnetic particles collected by magnetic force from the other components; and (3) measuring the immunocomplex on the magnetic particles separated in step (2). The present invention provides a method for measuring FGF-23 in a sample, which have a high sensitivity and have a wide measurement range.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, an auxiliary unit, a sound volume acquisition unit, and a control unit. The fuel cell supplies an electric power to a sound generating device that generates a sound. The auxiliary unit allows the fuel cell to generate the electric power. The sound volume acquisition unit acquires information that is related to at least one of the volume of the sound that is generated by the sound generating device and the volume of an environmental sound. The control unit controls the operations of the auxiliary unit, based on the information acquired by the sound volume acquisition unit.

Abstract: A supporting system is provided on a saxophone for offering assistance to the player, and includes pressure sensors monitoring the touch pieces of the keys, power assisting units equipped with torque motors provided for the keys and a controller connected to the pressure sensors and the power assisting units; a conversion table for depressed touch pieces and another conversion table for released touch pieces are prepared in the controller, and different relations between the finger force and the amount of current to be supplied to the torque motor are respectively defined in the conversion tables, respectively; the amount of current to be supplied is read out from the conversion tables depending upon the increase and decrease of finger force so that the player quickly closes the tone whole with the padded cup without curious key touch.

Abstract: In order to realize a small and light key actuating apparatus for actuating a key which is rotatably supported with respect to a frame, a key actuating apparatus (7) is provided which includes a polymer transducer (9) for rotatably moving the key (3) by using a deformation of the transducer, wherein the transducer which is substantially formed in a plate shape includes: a polymer film (15) which is dielectric and made from an elastically deformable polymer material; and a pair of electrodes (17) arranged at both sides of surfaces of the polymer film, and the transducer is deformed corresponding to switching between an application of voltage and a lack of voltage between the electrodes.

Abstract: A key actuating system (1) of a keyboard musical instrument is provided which helps quickly push the keys by reducing reaction force with respect to force of pushing the keys during manual operation, and which supports a person having less strength to play the keyboard musical instrument. The key actuating system for a keyboard musical instrument generates a sound when a key (3) is pushed including: a pressure detection sensor (11) detecting a pushing pressure on the key; a status detection sensor (13) detecting a movement status of the key: an actuator (15) actuating the key in a pushing direction of the key; and a control portion (19), when the pressure detection sensor detects the pushing pressure and the status detection sensor detects motion of the key, controls operations of the actuator in order to maintain the detected pressure by the pressure detection sensor at a pressure threshold which is in a range larger than 0 and smaller than a pushing pressure on the key which is necessary for making a sound.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, an auxiliary unit, a sound volume acquisition unit, and a control unit. The fuel cell supplies an electric power to a sound generating device that generates a sound. The auxiliary unit allows the fuel cell to generate the electric power. The sound volume acquisition unit acquires information that is related to at least one of the volume of the sound that is generated by the sound generating device and the volume of an environmental sound. The control unit controls the operations of the auxiliary unit, based on the information acquired by the sound volume acquisition unit.

Abstract: In order to provide a sound-absorbing body which has both a thin thickness and improved sound-absorption characteristics with regard to a low tone range sounds, the sound-absorbing body (1) includes: an organic hybrid sheet (2) constituted from an organic low-molecular material which is spread in a matrix polymer; and a gastight air cell (3) which is closely provided at a backside (2a) of the organic hybrid sheet, wherein the organic hybrid sheet indicates both a sound-absorption peak of a random incidence sound-absorption coefficient at a frequency band of 400 Hz or lower and another sound-absorption peak when the organic hybrid sheet is vibrated by applying air vibration caused by sound, because of adhering the organic hybrid sheet to the gastight air cell.

Abstract: In a musical keyboard instrument, a keyboard having a plurality of keys that pivotally move about a frame is mechanically isolated from a tone generator having a plurality of operating members allowing musical tones to be generated in response to the keys being depressed. A plurality of key-depression detection devices are arranged for the keys so as to detect the key-depression operations applied to the keys. A drive control device drives the operating members so as to generate musical tones in response to key-depression signals output from the key-depression detection devices upon detection of the key-depression operations applied to the keys. Thus, it is possible for the player, in particular, a weak person, to easily and rapidly perform key-depression operations, thus realizing desired musical performance of the musical keyboard instrument.

Abstract: A key actuating system (1) of a keyboard musical instrument is provided which helps quickly push the keys by reducing reaction force with respect to force of pushing the keys during manual operation, and which supports a person having less strength to play the keyboard musical instrument. The key actuating system for a keyboard musical instrument generates a sound when a key (3) is pushed including: a pressure detection sensor (11) detecting a pushing pressure on the key; a status detection sensor (13) detecting a movement status of the key: an actuator (15) actuating the key in a pushing direction of the key; and a control portion (19), when the pressure detection sensor detects the pushing pressure and the status detection sensor detects motion of the key, controls operations of the actuator in order to maintain the detected pressure by the pressure detection sensor at a pressure threshold which is in a range larger than 0 and smaller than a pushing pressure on the key which is necessary for making a sound.

Abstract: In order to provide a sound-absorbing body which has both a thin thickness and improved sound-absorption characteristics with regard to a low tone range sounds, the sound-absorbing body (1) includes: an organic hybrid sheet (2) constituted from an organic low-molecular material which is spread in a matrix polymer; and a gastight air cell (3) which is closely provided at a backside (2a) of the organic hybrid sheet, wherein the organic hybrid sheet indicates both a sound-absorption peak of a random incidence sound-absorption coefficient at a frequency band of 400 Hz or lower and another sound-absorption peak when the organic hybrid sheet is vibrated by applying air vibration caused by sound, because of adhering the organic hybrid sheet to the gastight air cell.

Abstract: A supporting system is provided on a saxophone for offering assistance to the player, and includes pressure sensors monitoring the touch pieces of the keys, power assisting units equipped with torque motors provided for the keys and a controller connected to the pressure sensors and the power assisting units; a conversion table for depressed touch pieces and another conversion table for released touch pieces are prepared in the controller, and different relations between the finger force and the amount of current to be supplied to the torque motor are respectively defined in the conversion tables, respectively; the amount of current to be supplied is read out from the conversion tables depending upon the increase and decrease of finger force so that the player quickly closes the tone whole with the padded cup without curious key touch.

Abstract: In order to realize a small and light key actuating apparatus for actuating a key which is rotatably supported with respect to a frame, a key actuating apparatus (7) is provided which includes a polymer transducer (9) for rotatably moving the key (3) by using a deformation of the transducer, wherein the transducer which is substantially formed in a plate shape includes: a polymer film (15) which is dielectric and made from an elastically deformable polymer material; and a pair of electrodes (17) arranged at both sides of surfaces of the polymer film, and the transducer is deformed corresponding to switching between an application of voltage and a lack of voltage between the electrodes.

Abstract: A backscratcher which can be inserted into a space between clothes and the skin is capable of intensely scratching an itching area and has excellent usability. A backscratcher 10 has a shaft 12, a grip 11 provided at a base end of the shaft 12, a curved head potion 13 at a distal end of the shaft 12, and claws 14a and 14b branching off from a distal end of the head portion 13. The claws 14a and 14b have a substantially conical form, and base end portions thereof are integrally constructed with the head portion 13. Each tip end of the claws 14a and 14b is pointed to the extent that the end does not hurt the skin. On a base end of the grip 11 provided at the base end of the shaft 12, a hole for hooking 16 is formed. The backscratcher 10 is gripped with a hand on the grip 11 and moved with the two claws 14a and 14b at the distal end of the shaft 12 brought into contact with an itching area. Thus, the itching area can be intensely scratched with the plurality of the claws 14a and 14b.

Abstract: The present invention intended to achieve an outdoor tent of a type having an awning roof at its top and open peripheral sides, in which the roof has lower height to endure a strong gust of crosswind and which can have long depth and thus large floor space. An outdoor tent of a type having an awing roof at its top and open peripheral sides, the awing roof comprises: an awing (1), which includes left and right upright sides (100) which are trapezoidal, a zenith (100a) which is flat, and front and rear faces which are inclined to extend downward apart from each other; trapezoidal frames forming left and right sides for supporting the awing (1); and four bridge beams which are fixed at both ends thereof to corresponding corners of the trapezoidal frames so as to extend horizontally between the trapezoidal frames.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel compound having an excellent acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effect. That is, it provides a 4-substituted piperidine compound fluoride represented by the following formula, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or hydrates thereof (provided that 1-benzyl-4-[(5,6-dimethoxy-2-fluoro-1-indanon)-2-yl]methylpiperidine, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and hydrates thereof are excluded). wherein R1 and R2 represent substituents.