Abstract: The present invention provides a polymeric dispersant that is to be blended in an aqueous pigment dispersion in which a pigment is finely dispersed in a stable manner and at a high level, the aqueous pigment dispersion enabling preparation of an aqueous inkjet ink capable of recording an image excellent in adhesiveness and durability on plastic media and textiles. The polymeric dispersant is a polymer that includes a constituent unit (i) derived from styrene, a constituent unit (ii) derived from methyl methacrylate and/or the like, a constituent unit (iii) derived from 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate and/or the like, a constituent unit (iv) derived from 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and/or the like, and a constituent unit (v) derived from methacrylic acid, and at least part of carboxy groups is neutralized with an alkali.

Abstract: A sound reproduction device is configured to store a head of a user and reproduce sound. The sound reproduction device includes: a headrest portion; a partition portion attached to the headrest portion so as to protrude forward relative to a front surface of the headrest portion; a speaker disposed in the partition portion; and a sound absorbing structure provided in at least a part of the inner surface of the partition portion excluding a region corresponding to an output surface of the speaker.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ultraviolet semiconductor light-emitting element that allows a user to easily confirm whether or not it is driven to emit the deep ultraviolet light. An ultraviolet semiconductor light-emitting element according to the present invention includes a single crystal AlN substrate, an n-type AlGaN layer, an active layer, and a p-type AlGaN layer. The n-type AlGaN layer is formed on the single crystal AlN substrate. The active layer is formed on the n-type AlGaN layer. The active layer has a light emission peak wavelength of 250 nm or more and 280 nm or less. The p-type AlGaN layer is formed on the active layer. The C concentration in the single crystal AlN substrate is 3×1017 atoms/cm3 or more.

Abstract: An operation situation detection device includes: at least one microphone that is provided in a chamber to detect a first operation sound which is an operation sound occurring when a predetermined operation is performed in the chamber; a memory that stores in advance a second operation sound which is a typical sound likely to occur when the operation is performed; a calculator that calculates a similarity between the first operation sound and the second operation sound; and a determinator that determines that the operation has been performed, when the similarity is a predetermined value or higher.

Abstract: A seat state sensing device includes a first vibration detector that is installed in a seat of a vehicle, detects vibration, and outputs a first vibration signal, a second vibration detector that is installed in a vehicle body near the seat, detects vibration, and outputs a second vibration signal, a first calculation unit that calculates a similarity between the first vibration signal input from the first vibration detector and the second vibration signal input from the second vibration detector, and a sensing unit that senses a seat state including at least one of a slide position of the seat in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body, a reclining angle of the seat, and an orientation of the seat with respect to the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, based on the similarity calculated by the first calculation unit.

Abstract: A method of preventing dialysis shift or renal death includes administering to a primary glomerular disease or nephrosclerosis patient with a serum creatinine level of 2.0 mg/dl or more and less than 3.0 mg/dl a sustained-release preparation including, as an active ingredient, a compound represented by formula (I): wherein R represents hydrogen or a pharmacologically acceptable cation, such that the compound represented by formula (I) is administered at 220 to 260 ?g per day.

Abstract: A noise controller includes: a noise detector; a control filter that performs signal processing on a noise signal using a control factor; a speaker that reproduces an output signal from the control filter; an error microphone that detects a residual noise at a control point; a transmission characteristics correction filter that performs signal processing on the noise signal, using characteristics of sound transmission from the speaker to the error microphone; a factor updater that updates the control factor; a correction filter that performs signal processing on an output signal from the control filter, using the characteristics of sound transmission; a subtractor that subtracts, from an error signal indicative of the residue noise, an output signal from the correction filter; and an effect measuring unit that measures a noise reduction effect at the control point based on a difference between an output signal from the subtractor and the error signal.

Abstract: A noise controller includes: a noise detector; a control filter that performs signal processing on a noise signal using a control factor; a speaker that reproduces an output signal from the control filter; an error microphone that detects a residual noise at a control point; a transmission characteristics correction filter that performs signal processing on the noise signal, using characteristics of sound transmission from the speaker to the error microphone; a factor updater that updates the control factor; a correction filter that performs signal processing on an output signal from the control filter, using the characteristics of sound transmission; a subtractor that subtracts, from an error signal indicative of the residue noise, an output signal from the correction filter; and an effect measuring unit that measures a noise reduction effect at the control point based on a difference between an output signal from the subtractor and the error signal.

Abstract: A molecular beam epitaxy apparatus includes a radical generator for generating a radical species, a molecular beam cell for generating a molecular beam or an atomic beam, and a vacuum chamber for accommodating a substrate therein, in use, the substrate being irradiated with the radical species and the molecular beam or the atomic beam in vacuum, to thereby form, on the substrate, a crystal of a compound derived from the element of the radical species and the element of the molecular beam or the atomic beam.

Abstract: Disclosed is a noise control apparatus which reduces noise at a position away from a head of a passenger in a seat in a room under a noisy environment created by a noise source. The apparatus includes: a weight sensor, and control speakers installed in the seat; a noise detector which detects the noise from the noise source, and outputs a noise signal; a control circuit which obtains the noise signal, and outputs a control signal for reducing the noise to the speakers; and a memory which stores control coefficients each used to generate the control signal for reducing the noise at a position which becomes higher from the seat as the corresponding weight becomes heavier. The circuit reads a coefficient corresponding to a detected weight or a correlation value from the coefficients, and outputs the control signal generated using the noise signal and the read coefficient to the speakers.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a radical generator which can produce radicals at higher density. [Means for Solution] The radical generator includes a supply tube 10 made of SUS, a hollow cylindrical plasma-generating tube 11 which is connected to the supply tube 10 and which is made of pyrolytic boron nitride (PBN). A first cylindrical CCP electrode 13 and a second cylindrical CCP electrode 30 are disposed outside the plasma-generating tube 11. A coil 12 is provided so as to wind about the outer circumference of the plasma-generating tube 11 at the downstream end of the first CCP electrode 13. A thin connecting tube 23 extending from the bottom of the plasma-generating tube 11 is inserted into the supply tube 10.

Abstract: Disclosed is a noise control apparatus which reduces noise at a position away from a head of a passenger in a seat in a room under a noisy environment created by a noise source. The apparatus includes: a weight sensor, and control speakers installed in the seat; a noise detector which detects the noise from the noise source, and outputs a noise signal; a control circuit which obtains the noise signal, and outputs a control signal for reducing the noise to the speakers; and a memory which stores control coefficients each used to generate the control signal for reducing the noise at a position which becomes higher from the seat as the corresponding weight becomes heavier. The circuit reads a coefficient corresponding to a detected weight or a correlation value from the coefficients, and outputs the control signal generated using the noise signal and the read coefficient to the speakers.

Abstract: A catalyst deterioration diagnosis apparatus includes an upstream side air-fuel ratio detector, a downstream side air-fuel ratio detector, an air-fuel ratio variation integrator that integrates the output variations of the respective air-fuel ratio detectors when a diagnosis running condition is satisfied, and a determiner that determines catalyst deterioration when the output variation integrated value of the upstream side air-fuel ratio detector exceeds a predetermined integration ending threshold, and further when a ratio between the output variation integrated value of the two detectors exceeds a predetermined determination threshold. The air-fuel ratio variation integrator holds the integrated values when the diagnosis running condition becomes unsatisfied before the integrated value of the upstream side air-fuel ratio detector reaches the integration ending threshold.

Abstract: A reactive-species supply device is configured to supply a treatment gas to an electric discharge space, for thereby supplying at least a reactive species formed in a plasma, to an object. The reactive-species supply device includes (a) at least one pair of electrodes configured to form the electric discharge space and (b) an electrode protection device configured to protect the electrodes from the treatment gas. Also disclosed is a surface treatment apparatus that includes the reactive-species supply device.

Abstract: A noise controller includes a first control unit that outputs a control signal for outputting sound for reducing noise to a first speaker, a first characteristic circuit that generates a signal by performing convolution, using a transfer characteristic from the second speaker to a second sound collector, on a control signal output from the first control unit to a second speaker, a subtractor that subtracts the signal generated by the first characteristic circuit from an output signal of a second sound collector and outputs a resultant signal. The first control unit generates the control signal to be output to the first speaker while the output signal from the subtractor serves as a reference signal so that an output signal of the first sound collector is minimized, and outputs the control signal to the first speaker.

Abstract: A reception circuit includes a control signal generation circuit that generates a first enable signal based on a strobe signal and a second enable signal based on a core clock signal and a pointer control signal. A pattern data generation circuit generates determination pattern data from the first enable signal. An asynchronous transfer circuit latches the determination pattern data based on the first enable signal and the strobe signal and outputs determination data corresponding to the latched determination pattern data based on the second enable signal and the core clock signal. A determination circuit determines a timing for generating the pointer control signal based on the determination data. A set value calculation circuit calculates a transfer set value based on the determination result of the determination circuit. The control signal generation circuit updates the pointer control signal based on the transfer set value.

Abstract: A molecular beam epitaxy apparatus includes a radical generator for generating a radical species, a molecular beam cell for generating a molecular beam or an atomic beam, and a vacuum chamber for accommodating a substrate therein, in use, the substrate being irradiated with the radical species and the molecular beam or the atomic beam in vacuum, to thereby form, on the substrate, a crystal of a compound derived from the element of the radical species and the element of the molecular beam or the atomic beam.

Abstract: A reception circuit includes a control signal generation circuit that generates a first enable signal based on a strobe signal and a second enable signal based on a core clock signal and a pointer control signal. A pattern data generation circuit generates determination pattern data from the first enable signal. An asynchronous transfer circuit latches the determination pattern data based on the first enable signal and the strobe signal and outputs determination data corresponding to the latched determination pattern data based on the second enable signal and the core clock signal. A determination circuit determines a timing for generating the pointer control signal based on the determination data. A set value calculation circuit calculates a transfer set value based on the determination result of the determination circuit. The control signal generation circuit updates the pointer control signal based on the transfer set value.

Abstract: A reactive-species supply device is configured to supply a treatment gas to an electric discharge space that is formed by at least one pair of electrodes, for thereby supplying at least a reactive species formed in a plasma, to an object through a reactive-species output port. The reactive-species supply device includes (a) a reactive-species outlet passage disposed between the electric discharge space and the reactive-species output port and (b) an earth ground member disposed in a portion of the reactive-species outlet passage. The portion of the reactive-species outlet passage is distant, by a given distance, from the reactive-species output port. Also disclosed is a surface treatment apparatus that includes the reactive-species supply device.

Abstract: A radical generator includes a supply tube, a plasma-generating tube, a coil winding about an outer circumference of the plasma-generating tube, for generating an inductively coupled plasma in the plasma-generating tube, an electrode for generating a capacitively coupled plasma in the plasma-generating tube and adding the capacitively coupled plasma to the inductively coupled plasma, and a parasitic-plasma-preventing tube including a dielectric material which extends from a bottom of the plasma-generating tube to an opening of the supply tube in a space between the bottom and the opening, and a tip part thereof is inserted into the supply tube to cover an inner wall of the supply tube for preventing a generation of a parasitic plasma between the electrode and the inner wall of the supply tube.