Abstract: A lure according to the disclosure comprises a main body having one surface and the other surface having different patterns. A pattern on one surface has a part provided with a pattern of the other surface.

Abstract: Provided is a soft lure in which interference in movements between adjacent wobbling portions in a front-rear direction is reduced. A soft lure according to one embodiment has a body and a plurality of legs each projecting out from a side of the body and arranged along a moving direction of the soft lure. The legs wobble in accordance with water flow when the soft lure moves. At least one leg among the plurality of legs has a connected portion connected with the body (trunk) where a thickness in an upper-lower direction is smaller than a thickness in the moving direction, and has a substantially middle portion situated outer from the connected portion. In the middle portion of the leg, a thickness in the upper-lower direction is larger than a thickness in the moving direction.

Abstract: One object is to provide a fish collecting device having a simple structure whereby free rotation of a propeller is prevented in casting, and the propeller can rotate freely under water. The propeller body is formed of one metal plate or an integral resin mold; a front end stopper and a rear end stopper are formed of bent or projected parts of the propeller body at the front end and rear end of the propeller body, and a rotary shaft, inserted through holes formed in the front end stopper and the rear end stopper, has a rotation restricting portion for contacting the propeller body. Free rotation of the propeller body in casting can be restricted by a simple structure wherein the rotation restricting portion contacts the propeller body and the rotary shaft engages with the propeller body such that the propeller body is unrotatable with respect to the rotary shaft.

Abstract: One object is to provide a jig head including a sinker head and a hook readily replaceable with new one. A jig head includes: a sinker head including an eye to which a fishing line is to be attached; and a hook portion including a shank fixed on the sinker head at one end thereof, and a bend continuous to the other end of the shank and bent in a predetermined direction. The hook portion includes a wide portion widened to form a plane at the one end of the shank. The sinker head includes: an intermediate member having a hook engagement portion configured to be removably engaged with the wide portion; an intermediate member-receiving hole portion configured to receive therein the intermediate member; and an intermediate member-fixing means configured to removably fix the intermediate member in the intermediate member-receiving hole portion.

Abstract: Provided is a soft lure in which interference in movements between adjacent wobbling portions in a front-rear direction is reduced. A soft lure according to one embodiment has a body and a plurality of legs each projecting out from a side of the body and arranged along a moving direction of the soft lure. The legs wobble in accordance with water flow when the soft lure moves. At least one leg among the plurality of legs has a connected portion connected with the body (trunk) where a thickness in an upper-lower direction is smaller than a thickness in the moving direction, and has a substantially middle portion situated outer from the connected portion. In the middle portion of the leg, a thickness in the upper-lower direction is larger than a thickness in the moving direction.

Abstract: One object is to provide a fish collecting device having a simple structure whereby free rotation of a propeller is prevented in casting, and the propeller can rotate freely under water. The propeller body is formed of one metal plate or an integral resin mold; a front end stopper and a rear end stopper are formed of bent or projected parts of the propeller body at the front end and rear end of the propeller body, and a rotary shaft, inserted through holes formed in the front end stopper and the rear end stopper, has a rotation restricting portion for contacting the propeller body. Free rotation of the propeller body in casting can be restricted by a simple structure wherein the rotation restricting portion contacts the propeller body and the rotary shaft engages with the propeller body such that the propeller body is unrotatable with respect to the rotary shaft.

Abstract: One object is to provide a jig head including a sinker head and a hook readily replaceable with new one. A jig head includes: a sinker head including an eye to which a fishing line is to be attached; and a hook portion including a shank fixed on the sinker head at one end thereof, and a bend continuous to the other end of the shank and bent in a predetermined direction. The hook portion includes a wide portion widened to form a plane at the one end of the shank. The sinker head includes: an intermediate member having a hook engagement portion configured to be removably engaged with the wide portion; an intermediate member-receiving hole portion configured to receive therein the intermediate member; and an intermediate member-fixing means configured to removably fix the intermediate member in the intermediate member-receiving hole portion.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus including: an image pickup element operable to output an image signal, the image pickup element having a plurality of sensor pixels; a noise pixel extraction unit operable to extract a candidate pixel as a candidate of a pixel that includes sudden noise in a second image signal based on a first image signal captured at a first timing, the second image signal captured at a second timing after the first timing, and a third image signal captured at a third timing after the second timing by the image pickup element; and a correction unit operable to correct a pixel value of at least one candidate pixel in the second image signal extracted by the noise pixel extraction unit.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus requiring a large dynamic range captures an image including a moving image with an increased dynamic range without degrading resolution. In an imaging apparatus 100, an L/S separation unit 3 generates a long-signal and a short-signal based on a video signal output from an imaging unit 1, which includes an image sensor having a first group of pixels that accumulate charge for a first charge accumulation time and a second group of pixels that accumulate charge for a second charge accumulation time. A saturation detection unit 4 detects whether the long-signal is saturated. A saturated part of the long-signal is replaced with an interpolated long-signal, which is a signal having the same signal level as the long-signal obtained by interpolation using the short-signal. A selector unit 8 outputs the resulting long-signal as a corrected long signal.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus reduces flicker occurring under fluorescent lamp illumination in real time and also effectively reduces noise of a captured image generated by low-sensitive pixel areas fixed on an imaging surface. The imaging apparatus obtains a first image signal including no flicker element and a second image signal including a flicker element for each frame, and calculates a gain correction coefficient for eliminating the flicker element in the second image signal based on the first and second image signals, eliminates the flicker element from the second image signal based on the gain correction coefficient, and combines the first and second image signals to generate an image signal from which the flicker element has been eliminated. The imaging apparatus also effectively reduces noise of a captured image generated by low-sensitive pixel areas fixed on an imaging surface by changing the charge accumulation time of pixels depending on each frame.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus enables flicker correction with small errors even when illumination changes in the image capturing environment or when the imaging apparatus is moved. In an imaging apparatus 100, an imaging unit 1 obtains an image-A signal including no flicker element and an image-B signal including a flicker element for each frame, an image-B gain calculation unit 3 calculates a correction coefficient for eliminating the flicker element included in the image-B signal based on the image-A signal and the image-B signal, an image-B gain correction unit 5 eliminates the flicker element from the image-B signal based on the correction coefficient, and an image A/B combining unit 6 combines the image-A signal and the image-B signal. In this manner, the imaging apparatus 100 generates an image signal from which the flicker element has been eliminated.

Abstract: A method is provided for elevating the stability of peptides containing the sequence -Asp-Gly- or -Asn-Gly- by preventing these sequences from changing into succinimide compounds or &bgr;-transition compounds. The method comprises adding an organic acid to a solution of peptides containing these sequences to bring the pH value of the solution to a pH of between 5 and 6.5 followed by freeze-drying. In one embodiment, sucrose or mannitol is added together with the organic acid. Freeze-dried medicinal compositions obtained by using the method have excellent stability. In one embodiment of the invention, compositions produced by the method are provided and comprise hirudin or hirudin variants.

Abstract: Provided is a chimeric HV1/HV3 hirudin analog useful as an anti-coagulant, exhibiting higher anti-thrombin activity and less tendency to cause bleeding than hirudin HV1. Also provided are a method of producing hirudins and hirudin analogs, as well as other proteins, employing secretion vectors, and transformed microorganisms such as E. coli. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising various hirudins or the chimeric HV1/HV3 hirudin analog of the present invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided is a chimeric HV1/HV3 hirudin analog useful as an anti-coagulant, exhibiting higher anti-thrombin activity and less tendency to cause bleeding than hirudin HV1. Also provided are a method of producing hirudins and hirudin analogs, as well as other proteins, employing secretion vectors, and transformed microorganisms such as E. coli. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising various hirudins or the chimeric HV1/HV3 hirudin analog of the present invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier are also disclosed.

Abstract: A casting handle with a trigger includes a grip area section disposed behind the trigger, a rear section disposed in the rear of the grip area section, and a small-diameter intermediate section interposed between the grip area section and the rear section. The grip area section is expanded both vertically and laterally. The rear section has a vertical height less than the corresponding height of the grip area section. This forms a flat upper surface positioned sufficiently rearward with respect to the grip area section that the wrist of an angler's hand holding the casting handle does not interfere with the casting motion. The constricted cross-section, intermediate section has a lateral width and a vertical height respectively less than the corresponding width and height of the rear section. Consequently, the casting handle allows smooth casting, thumbing and pumping operations as well as improving the angler's ability to operate the fishing rod.