Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for reducing a chromium-containing material at a high chromium reduction degree. In the method of the present invention, a mixture of a feedstock containing chromium oxide and a carbonaceous reductant is heated and reduced by radiation heating in a moving hearth furnace. The average rate of raising the temperature of the mixture in the reduction is preferably 13.96° C./s or higher in the period from the initiation of the radiation heating of the mixture until the mixture reaches 1,114° C.

Abstract: A reproduction signal evaluation method according to the present invention relates to adjustment of an edge portion between a shortest mark and a shortest space in a data sequence including marks and spaces in combination that is recordable on an information recording medium. In a pattern including a shortest mark and a shortest space adjacent before or after the shortest mark, a shift amount of an edge of the shortest mark is obtained from a differential metric calculated regarding one of a first pattern in which a space adjacent to the shortest mark and not adjacent to the shortest space is longer than the shortest space; and a second pattern in which a mark adjacent to the shortest space and not adjacent to the shortest mark is longer than the shortest mark.

Abstract: Disclosed is a resistant starch-rich starch which satisfies the requirements (a), (b), (c) and (d), below: (a) showing a resistant starch content, measured by the AOAC Official Method 2002.02 for measuring resistant starch, of 60% or more; (b) showing a molecular weight peak in the range from 6×103 or larger to 4×104 or smaller; (c) showing a molecular weight dispersion of 1.5 or larger to 6.0 or smaller; and (d) showing a gelatinization enthalpy, measured by differential scanning calorimetry over the range from 50° C. to 130° C., of 10 J/g or smaller.

Abstract: An optical recording method includes the steps of: encoding record data to generate encoded data which is a combination of marks and spaces; classifying the encoded data according to a combination of a mark length of the mark, a space length of a first space that immediately precedes the mark, and a space length of a second space that immediately succeeds the mark; generating a write pulse train for forming the mark, in which at least one of a leading end edge position, a trailing end edge position and a pulse width of the write pulse train is changed according to a classification result; and irradiating the optical disc medium with the write pulse train generated to form the plurality of marks on the optical disc medium.

Abstract: A reproduction signal evaluation method according to the present invention relates to adjustment of an edge portion between a shortest mark and a shortest space in a data sequence including marks and spaces in combination that is recordable on an information recording medium. In a pattern including a shortest mark and a shortest space adjacent before or after the shortest mark, a shift amount of an edge of the shortest mark is obtained from a differential metric calculated regarding one of a first pattern in which a space adjacent to the shortest mark and not adjacent to the shortest space is longer than the shortest space; and a second pattern in which a mark adjacent to the shortest space and not adjacent to the shortest mark is longer than the shortest mark.

Abstract: An image recording device includes a first detecting unit, a recording unit, and a control unit. The first detecting unit detects a position of a perforation pre-formed in a recording sheet. The recording unit records an image on the recording sheet based on printing data. The control unit is configured to imaginarily divide the recording sheet into a first region including a portion where the perforation is pre-formed, and a second region excluding the first region based on the position of the perforation detected by the first detecting unit. The control unit prohibits the recording unit from recording the image on the first region and controls the recording unit to record the image at least partially on the second region.

Abstract: A packaging handle includes a grip extending in a horizontal direction, first and second descending parts bent downward and extending continuously from both ends of the grip, respectively, first and second string supports extending in a horizontal direction continuously from lower ends of the first and second descending parts, respectively, first and second hollow ascending parts upward rising continuously from the first and second string supports at positions apart from the first and second descending parts, respectively, first and second string stopping protrusions protruded in directions toward the first and second descending parts from surfaces of the first and second ascending parts, which are opposed to the first and second descending parts, respectively, first and second through holes formed vertically in the first and second string supports, respectively, and first and second insertion holes formed by opening bottoms of the first and second hollow ascending parts, respectively.

Abstract: A reproduction signal evaluation method according to the present invention relates to adjustment of an edge portion between a shortest mark and a shortest space in a data sequence including marks and spaces in combination that is recordable on an information recording medium. In a pattern including a shortest mark and a shortest space adjacent before or after the shortest mark, a shift amount of an edge of the shortest mark is obtained from a differential metric calculated regarding one of a first pattern in which a space adjacent to the shortest mark and not adjacent to the shortest space is longer than the shortest space; and a second pattern in which a mark adjacent to the shortest space and not adjacent to the shortest mark is longer than the shortest mark.

Abstract: A package for a paper slip stack, which can steadily and stably store the paper slip stack bundled by a packaging sheet and can be easily released from the packaging sheet after being contained in a paper holder. The paper slip stack is formed by alternately interlocking half parts (5a and 5b) of twofold paper slips (5) with one another oppositely in their folded directions so as to stack the paper slips in piles in their mutually interconnected state. The slips are bundled by a packaging sheet (3) which is provided with a tab (4) that protrudes outward from one side of the paper slip stack. A frangible part is formed anywhere in a longitudinal direction of the packaging sheet so as to be broken or cut by a tensioning force produced by pulling the tab.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a first error pattern caused by a shift of a bit relating to a recording mark or a space of a shortest length and a second error pattern caused by an edge shift of the recording mark are used. For each of a plurality of error patterns, a pattern shift obtained by normalizing a difference between a square of a Euclidean distance between the error pattern and a reproduction signal and a square of a Euclidean distance between a correct pattern and the reproduction signal, using a square of a Euclidean distance between the correct pattern and the error pattern is detected. Length and phase errors are calculated by a sum of, or a difference between, a first pattern shift amount obtained by normalization performed using the first error pattern and a second pattern shift amount obtained by normalization performed using the second error pattern.

Abstract: An optical recording method for recording information by irradiating an optical disc medium with a modulated write pulse train of laser light variable over a plurality of power levels such that a plurality of marks are formed on the optical disc medium, edge positions of each of the marks and a space between adjacent two of the marks being utilized for recording of the information.

Abstract: An image recording device includes a first detecting unit, a recording unit, and a control unit. The first detecting unit detects a position of a perforation pre-formed in a recording sheet. The recording unit records an image on the recording sheet based on printing data. The control unit is configured to imaginarily divide the recording sheet into a first region including a portion where the perforation is pre-formed, and a second region excluding the first region based on the position of the perforation detected by the first detecting unit. The control unit prohibits the recording unit from recording the image on the first region and controls the recording unit to record the image at least partially on the second region.

Abstract: A rice improver containing a gelatinized product of an acid-treated waxy type starch or a gelatinized product of an oxidation-treated waxy type starch, wherein a cold water solubility of the rice improver in pure water at 25 degrees centigrade is equal to or higher than 50%, wherein a content of a fraction of a granular material sieved over 0.5 mm-opening (32 mesh) sieve in the rice improver is smaller than 5% by weight, and wherein a total of contents of said acid-treated waxy type starch and said oxidation-treated waxy type starch over the whole rice improver is equal to or larger than 50% by weight.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing metallic iron, which is operable at low temperature. The present invention relates to a method for producing a metallic iron, which comprises heating and reducing a raw material mixture containing a carbonaceous reducing agent and an iron oxide-containing material to produce the metallic iron, wherein the carbonaceous reducing agent has a volatile content of 20 to 60 mass %, a gas derived from the carbonaceous reducing agent is a CO—CO2—H2 gas, and the method comprises forming solid Fe3C by heating the raw material mixture in an atmosphere containing the CO—CO2—H2 gas, melting the Fe3C, and carburizing a reduced iron through the molten Fe3C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for efficiently manufacturing a titanium oxide-containing slag from a material including titanium oxide and iron oxide, wherein a reduction of titanium dioxide is suppressed and the electric power consumption is minimized. The method includes the steps of: heating a raw material mixture including titanium oxide, iron oxide, and a carbonaceous reductant, or the raw material mixture further including a calcium oxide source, in a reducing furnace; reducing the iron oxide in the mixture to form reduced iron; feeding the resultant mixture to a heating melting furnace; heating the resultant mixture in the heating melting furnace to melt the reduced iron and separate the reduced iron from a titanium oxide-containing slag; and discharging and recovering the titanium oxide-containing slag out of the furnace.

Abstract: Silkworms which have (i) a DNA encoding a transcriptional regulator operably linked downstream of a promoter of a DNA encoding a protein specifically expressed in the silk gland and (ii) a DNA encoding TRACP5 operably linked downstream of a target promoter of the transcriptional regulator were produced. The result showed that active TRACP5b was produced from the silkworms. This means that TRACP5 produced from the silk gland of the silkworms undergoes processing in the silk gland that is similar to the processing taking place at bone resorption sites.

Abstract: A driver circuit includes first and second switching elements connected in series to two ends of an electric voltage source. A driven load having a capacity is connected to a connection line connecting the first and second switching elements to each other. An inverter inverts a control signal into an inverted control signal applied to the second switching element. When the first switching element is turned on by the control signal and the second switching element is turned off by the inverted control signal, a drive voltage is applied from one of the two ends of the electric voltage source to the driven load. When the first switching element is turned off by the control signal and the second switching element is turned on by the inverted control signal, an electric charge of the driven load is discharged to another of the two ends of the electric voltage source.

Abstract: A calculation of a reliability value |Pa?Pb|?Pstd, representing represents a maximum likelihood decoding result on a portion which corresponds to a start or termination edge of a recording mark and has a high probability of error occurrence by a maximum likelihood decoding method, is performed on each combination of a predetermined mark length and a space length immediately before the mark and each combination of the mark length and a space length immediately after the mark. Based on the calculation result, a recording parameter is optimized, and recording reflecting the optimized recording parameter is performed.

Abstract: A writing condition adjusting apparatus according to the present invention adjusts a writing condition using first and second recording patterns. The first recording pattern is used to adjust a writing condition for recording marks and spaces, of which the lengths are equal to or longer than a predetermined recording length, while the second recording pattern is used to adjust a writing condition for recording marks and spaces, of which the lengths are shorter than the predetermined recording length by one recording unit length. If it has been decided that the writing condition that has once been determined by making the write adjustment on such marks that are shorter by one recording unit length needs to be adjusted again, a signal index value that has been defined based on the first recording pattern is set to be a target value.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photoelectric converter. According to the present invention, a photoelectric converter comprises a plurality of substrates, which are located adjacent to each other and on which a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices are two-dimensionally arranged, either scan circuits or detection circuits, at least, that are arranged on two opposing sides of the photoelectric converter, whereby scanning directions either from the scan circuits or from the detection circuits, which are arranged on the two opposing sides, are capable of being set so as to be performed in like directions.