Abstract: Provided is a method for inducing pluripotent stem cells to differentiate into somatic cells in a culture medium containing a heparin binding growth factor, the method comprising bringing cells into contact with a conjugate of a laminin E8 fragment and a growth factor binding domain-containing fragment of a heparan sulfate proteoglycan. According to the present invention, pluripotent stem cells can be induced to differentiate into any desired somatic cells in a highly efficient manner.

Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrator has a first frequency region where the phase difference between a pickup signal representing the vibration of the piezoelectric vibrator and a drive signal that drives the piezoelectric vibrator does not monotonously change in accordance with the frequency of the drive signal and a second frequency region where the phase difference monotonously changes in accordance with the frequency of the drive signal. A method for controlling a piezoelectric driving apparatus including the piezoelectric vibrator controls the frequency of the drive signal in such a way that pickup voltage representing the amplitude of the pickup signal is fixed in the first frequency region and controls the frequency of the drive signal in such a way the pickup voltage is fixed with the phase difference maintained smaller than or equal to a prespecified value in the second frequency region.

Abstract: A control method for a piezoelectric drive device having a vibrating portion including a piezoelectric element and a transmitting portion, synthesizing longitudinal vibration and flexural vibration by energization to the piezoelectric element to vibrate the vibrating portion and make elliptic motion of the transmitting portion, and moving a driven member by the elliptic motion of the transmitting portion, includes controlling a movement amount of the driven member by changing amplitude of the longitudinal vibration with amplitude of the flexural vibration kept constant.

Abstract: An endoscope comprises an insertion portion including a distal end portion having a longitudinal axis. The distal end portion includes an inner surface forming a recess, a first channel extending in a first direction and configured to receive a treatment instrument, the first channel including a first opening disposed at the inner surface of the recess, a raising base disposed in the recess and configured to direct a distal end of the treatment instrument received in the first channel, and a second channel including a second opening disposed at the inner surface, the second channel configured to discharge a first liquid to inside of the recess via the second opening.

Abstract: The end effector 10 includes a joint section 11 connected to a robotic arm 220, a working section 14 for performing work on an object 500, an actuator 40 is located between the joint section 11 and the working section 14 and moves the working section 14 in a first direction in which the joint section 11 and the working section 14 are aligned, a piezoelectric element 45 that drives an actuator 40.

Abstract: A device includes a stack above a substrate in a first direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate, the stack including conductive layers; a semiconductor layer neighboring the stack in a second direction parallel to the surface of the substrate; a memory layer between the first stack and the semiconductor layer; memory cells between the conductive layers and the semiconductor layer; a first transistor connected between one end of the semiconductor layer in a third direction parallel to the surface of the substrate and crossing the second direction and a first interconnect in the first direction; and a second transistor connected between the other end of the semiconductor layer and a second interconnect in the first direction.

Abstract: There is provided a control method for a piezoelectric driving device including a vibrating body including a piezoelectric element for driving and configured to vibrate when a driving signal is applied to the piezoelectric element for driving, a section to be driven that is driven by the vibration of the vibrating body, and a driving-signal generating section configured to generate the driving signal using a pulse signal generated based on a target pulse duty ratio. When the target pulse duty ratio is smaller than a predetermined value, the driving signal generated by the driving-signal generating section is an intermittently generated periodic signal.

Abstract: A control method for a piezoelectric drive device having a vibrating portion including a piezoelectric element and a transmitting portion, synthesizing longitudinal vibration and flexural vibration by energization to the piezoelectric element to vibrate the vibrating portion and make elliptic motion of the transmitting portion, and moving a driven member by the elliptic motion of the transmitting portion, includes controlling a movement amount of the driven member by changing amplitude of the longitudinal vibration with amplitude of the flexural vibration kept constant.

Abstract: A piezoelectric drive device for vibrating a vibrating body to make a tip of a protruding part make a rotational motion of drawing an elliptic orbit to thereby drive a driven member, wherein the vibrating body includes a substrate, a driving piezoelectric element configured to vibrate the substrate, and a detecting piezoelectric element configured to detect a vibration of the substrate, the driving piezoelectric element includes a first driving piezoelectric element for making the vibrating body perform a stretching vibration in a first direction, and a second driving piezoelectric element for making the vibrating body perform a flexural vibration in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the detecting piezoelectric element is arranged with the first driving piezoelectric element in the first direction, and there is provided a voltage control section for controlling a magnitude of a voltage to be applied to the first driving piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A method of controlling a piezoelectric motor as a piezoelectric drive device having a vibrator including piezoelectric elements, a rotor as a driven unit that moves at a target speed by vibration of the vibrator, and drive signal generation units that generate drive signals and output the drive signals to the piezoelectric elements, includes intermittently outputting the drive signals to the piezoelectric elements by the drive signal generation units, wherein a time when output of the drive signals is stopped is shorter than a time from when output of the drive signal is stopped to stoppage of the vibration.

Abstract: There is provided a control method for a piezoelectric driving device including a vibrating body configured to vibrate when a driving signal including a periodic signal is applied to a piezoelectric element for driving, a section to be driven that is driven by the vibration of the vibrating body, and a driving-signal generating section configured to generate the driving signal using a pulse signal generated based on a target pulse duty ratio. The driving-signal generating section detects voltage amplitude generated in the piezoelectric element for driving and generates the target pulse duty ratio based on the voltage amplitude. The driving signal includes an intermittent signal formed by an output period in which the periodic signal is output and a suspension period in which the output of the periodic signal is suspended. The driving-signal generating section detects the output-period voltage amplitude and does not detect the suspension-period voltage amplitude.

Abstract: To achieve an accurate bending operation in a specific direction on a joystick-type bending lever, an endoscope includes: a bending operation mechanism including a bending lever configured to be tilted in all directions including a first direction, a second direction, a third direction, and a fourth direction corresponding to bending directions in up, down, left, and right directions, respectively, of a bending portion; a long hole provided in the bending operation mechanism, and an engagement pin provided on an operation portion and configured to engage with the long hole. The engagement pin is guided into the long hole and the bending operation mechanism is supported such that the bending operation mechanism is movable relative to the operation portion.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: an insertion portion including a bending portion; a lever configured to be capable of, by being tilted, pulling a bending operation wire that bends the bending portion; and a bending operation mechanism including a play part configured to, when the lever is tilted in a predetermined direction, maintain the bending portion in a state of not bending, up to a predetermined tilting amount. The bending operation mechanism includes a sub-rotation pivot provided at a position that is away in an axial direction of the lever from tilting supports of the lever in the respective tilting directions and configured to tilt the lever in a predetermined direction, and a stopper configured to, when the lever is rotated by a predetermined angle via rotation of the sub-rotation pivot, stop the rotation of the sub-rotation pivot through abutment with the lever.

Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrator has a first frequency region where the phase difference between a pickup signal representing the vibration of the piezoelectric vibrator and a drive signal that drives the piezoelectric vibrator does not monotonously change in accordance with the frequency of the drive signal and a second frequency region where the phase difference monotonously changes in accordance with the frequency of the drive signal. A method for controlling a piezoelectric driving apparatus including the piezoelectric vibrator controls the frequency of the drive signal in such a way that pickup voltage representing the amplitude of the pickup signal is fixed in the first frequency region and controls the frequency of the drive signal in such a way the pickup voltage is fixed with the phase difference maintained smaller than or equal to a prespecified value in the second frequency region.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an insertion portion, a distal end rigid member, and a channel tube. The distal end rigid member is provided on a distal end side with respect to the bending portion of the insertion portion, and includes an illumination window, an observation window, and a treatment instrument opening. As the distal end rigid member moves relative to the bending portion in a distal end direction of a longitudinal axial direction, the distal end rigid member can change from a first state in which a distance between a proximal end surface of the distal end rigid member and a distal end surface of the bending portion is fixed to a first distance to a second state in which the distance is equal to a second distance longer than the first distance.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a device includes a stack above a substrate in a first direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate, the stack including conductive layers; a semiconductor layer neighboring the stack in a second direction parallel to the surface of the substrate; a memory layer between the first stack and the semiconductor layer; memory cells between the conductive layers and the semiconductor layer; a first transistor connected between one end of the semiconductor layer in a third direction parallel to the surface of the substrate and crossing the second direction and a first interconnect in the first direction; and a second transistor connected between the other end of the semiconductor layer and a second interconnect in the first direction.

Abstract: Provided are a porous metal body that is excellent in terms of corrosion resistance and that is suitable for a collector for batteries such as lithium-ion batteries, capacitors, or fuel cells; and methods for producing the porous metal body. A production method includes a step of coating a porous nickel body with an alloy containing at least nickel and tungsten or a metal containing at least tin; and a subsequent step of a heat treatment. Another production method includes a step of forming a nickel-plated layer on a porous base and then continuously forming an alloy-plated layer containing at least nickel and tungsten or tin, a step of removing the porous base, and a step of reducing metal. Such a method can provide a porous metal body in which tungsten or tin is diffused in a porous nickel body or a nickel-plated layer.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: a coil spring which is helically wound around an outer periphery of a treatment instrument channel disposed in an insertion section, the coil spring including a distal end which is fixed to the insertion section on a distal end portion side with respect to a bending portion; and a slide member disposed on a proximal end side of the coil spring, the slide member provided for applying an operation force for deforming the coil spring so as to increase a bending strength of at least a portion of the coil spring corresponding to the inside of the bending portion.

Abstract: There is provided a control method for a piezoelectric driving device including a vibrating body including a piezoelectric element for driving and configured to vibrate when a driving signal is applied to the piezoelectric element for driving, a section to be driven that is driven by the vibration of the vibrating body, and a driving-signal generating section configured to generate the driving signal using a pulse signal generated based on a target pulse duty ratio. When the target pulse duty ratio is smaller than a predetermined value, the driving signal generated by the driving-signal generating section is an intermittently generated periodic signal.

Abstract: There is provided a control method for a piezoelectric driving device including a vibrating body configured to vibrate when a driving signal including a periodic signal is applied to a piezoelectric element for driving, a section to be driven that is driven by the vibration of the vibrating body, and a driving-signal generating section configured to generate the driving signal using a pulse signal generated based on a target pulse duty ratio. The driving-signal generating section detects voltage amplitude generated in the piezoelectric element for driving and generates the target pulse duty ratio based on the voltage amplitude. The driving signal includes an intermittent signal formed by an output period in which the periodic signal is output and a suspension period in which the output of the periodic signal is suspended. The driving-signal generating section detects the output-period voltage amplitude and does not detect the suspension-period voltage amplitude.