Abstract: When an outer circumference of a clamping portion 25 and an outer circumference of a circular outer circumference 26 are restrained by a die 6 while inserting a non-circular punch 5 into a circular hole 28, paddings 27, 27 are pressed by a semi-circular inner circumference of the die 6 to thereby be forced into interior of the circular hole 28. The volume of the paddings 27, 27 is set to be substantially the same as a volume obtained by subtracting the volume of a non-circular hole 23 in an extension shaft 2 from the volume of the circular hole 28. The circular hole 28 is deformed, and the paddings 27, 27 forced into the circular hole 28 abut with inclined planes 52, 52 of the punch 5, whereby the non-circular hole 23 is formed in the extension shaft 2.

Abstract: A process quantity measurement method with which an engine output is accurately measured in a relatively simple manner. Torque of an engine is measured based on the amount of torsion of the output shaft of the engine, and an engine output is obtained based on the measured torque. On the other hand, an engine output is calculated based on input and output heat quantity, and a difference between the engine output based on the torque and the engine output based on the input and output heat quantity is obtained in advance. When the engine is operated, the previously obtained difference is added to the engine output that is based on the calculated input and output heat quantity to obtain the engine output.

Abstract: A clear fluorescence image is easily obtained irrespective of variation of scattering due to variation of the depth of a focus position in a specimen.

Abstract: The invention provides a multiphoton-excitation observation apparatus comprising a light-source unit for emitting pulsed laser light; an observation apparatus main unit for irradiating a specimen with laser light emitted from the light-source unit and observing fluorescence emitted from the specimen; an incidence adjusting device, disposed between the light-source unit and the observation apparatus main unit, for adjusting the beam diameter of the laser light emitted from the light-source unit; and a control apparatus for controlling the incidence-adjusting unit according to the depth of an observation plane in the specimen.

Abstract: A clear fluorescence image is easily obtained irrespective of variation of scattering due to variation of the depth of a focus position in a specimen.

Abstract: When an outer circumference of a clamping portion 25 and an outer circumference of a circular outer circumference 26 are restrained by a die 6 while inserting a non-circular punch 5 into a circular hole 28, paddings 27, 27 are pressed by a semi-circular inner circumference of the die 6 to thereby be forced into interior of the circular hole 28. The volume of the paddings 27, 27 is set to be substantially the same as a volume obtained by subtracting the volume of a non-circular hole 23 in an extension shaft 2 from the volume of the circular hole 28. The circular hole 28 is deformed, and the paddings 27, 27 forced into the circular hole 28 abut with inclined planes 52, 52 of the punch 5, whereby the non-circular hole 23 is formed in the extension shaft 2.

Abstract: A process quantity measurement method with which an engine output is accurately measured in a relatively simple manner. Torque of an engine is measured based on the amount of torsion of the output shaft of the engine, and an engine output is obtained based on the measured torque. On the other hand, an engine output is calculated based on input and output heat quantity, and a difference between the engine output based on the torque and the engine output based on the input and output heat quantity is obtained in advance. When the engine is operated, the previously obtained difference is added to the engine output that is based on the calculated input and output heat quantity to obtain the engine output.

Abstract: The invention provides a multiphoton-excitation observation apparatus comprising a light-source unit for emitting pulsed laser light; an observation apparatus main unit for irradiating a specimen with laser light emitted from the light-source unit and observing fluorescence emitted from the specimen; an incidence adjusting device, disposed between the light-source unit and the observation apparatus main unit, for adjusting the beam diameter of the laser light emitted from the light-source unit; and a control apparatus for controlling the incidence-adjusting unit according to the depth of an observation plane in the specimen.

Abstract: To provide a simple examination method of buffer capacity of saliva without influence by examiner's subjectivity and an examination instrument to carry out suitably the examination method, an examination instrument, in which two to ten kinds of chemical liquids each containing a pH indicator having a transition interval within a pH range of 3.0 to 7.0 and capable of easily discriminating its indicated color at two or more stages and an acid in an amount so as to exhibit a different pH value within a pH range of 1.5 or more but lower than 3.0 when water in the same amount as that of saliva to be examined is added at a temperature of 25° C.

Abstract: In a pretreatment instrument and a pretreatment method of saliva, used for identification and quantitation of Streptococcus mutans in saliva by the immunochromatographic method utilizing an antigen-antibody reaction, the instrument includes a swab and a mixing container for saliva and a treatment liquid, the swab having a stick and a soft synthetic resin-made sponge capable of absorbing a predetermined amount or more of saliva, and the mixing container being made of a transparent or translucent soft synthetic resin and comprising a bag-like portion formed integrally with and continuously to a constricted portion as the end of a tapering introduction portion having an opening thoroughly larger than the sponge, wherein the constricted portion and the bag-like portion have elasticity such that the sponge can be squashed by a finger pressure in a state that the sponge is inserted therein; the constricted portion has a width such that a pressure can be applied by fingers and has a shape such that when the sponge i

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition for an oral cavity that contains the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, which is safe and effective without imparting bacterial resistance.

Abstract: A complex comprising at least one substance selected from the group consisting of an osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor, an analogue thereof and a variant thereof, which is bound to at least one substance selected from the group consisting of a polysaccharide and a polysaccharide derivative. The complex has a prolonged retention in the bloodstream after administration, making it useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of bone metabolic diseases.

Abstract: To provide a toothbrush having fully workable long bristles on the top end for easily brushing even a comparatively flat face without making a hardly hit part and without up-and-down movement influenced by recessions and projections of bristle bunches on the rear side, all of the bristle bunches on the rear side comprise mixed bristle bunches of long and short bristles, lines connecting respectively bristle top ends of the long and the short bristles are approximately parallel to a flat planting surface on the rear side, and an effective height of main bristles on the top end of the head is higher 1 mm or more than the height of the line connecting the bristle top ends of the short bristles on the rear end, and is higher than the height of the line connecting the bristle top ends of the long bristles on the rear end.

Abstract: To provide a composition for an oral cavity, not giving resistance to the objective bacteria, having safety for a human body, and having effects for a short time, suppressing the formation of the biofilm effectively, and not reacting to indigenous bacteria and saliva which does not relate to the formation of the biofilm in an oral cavity, the composition contains a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of Asp Tyr Gln Ala Lys Leu Ala Ala Tyr Gln Lys Glu Leu.

Abstract: To provide a pre-treatment kit for saliva and a pre-treatment method for saliva for identification and quantitation of mutans streptococci in human saliva by the immunochromatographic method, which can eliminate mucin in saliva and prevent mutans streptococci from chaining and aggregation in a simple method, the pre-treatment kit is constructed of (A) an aqueous solution containing sodium hydroxide, (B) a tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffer solution containing tartaric acid and/or citric acid, and (C) a nonionic surfactant and/or an amphoteric surfactant, wherein the component (C) is previously mixed with or prepared separately from the component (A) and/or the component (B), and further (D) a pH indicator having a color transition range of pH 5 to 9 is previously mixed with or prepared separately from the component (A) or the component (A) having the component (C) previously mixed therewith, and/or the component (B) or the component (B) having the component (C) previously mixed therewith.

Abstract: Evaluation of dental caries activity, i.e., the released amount of an acid from dental plaque can be made in a simple manner in a short time by using a kit for evaluating dental caries activity, in which a pH indicator having an indicator range of pH 3.5 to 8.0 and a sugar are carried on or impregnated in an absorptive material of the kit, a pH value of the absorptive material before evaluation test is adjusted to be higher than the indicator range of the pH indicator, and dental plaque taken from a subject is directly applied thereon, and dental caries activity is evaluated with change of color of the absorptive material.

Abstract: To provide an examination method of buffer capacity of saliva and an examination instrument of buffer capacity of saliva, by which the buffer capacity of saliva of a subject can be examined simply without being influenced by an amount of saliva and preciously without being influenced by the subjectivity of an examiner, an end portion of an absorptive material in a predetermined shape, containing a pH indicator at least having one or more color transition range of pH 4.0 to 7.0 and an acid, is dipped in saliva to allow the saliva to penetrate into the absorptive material, and a buffer capacity of the saliva is examined from a distance where a color to be exhibited by the pH indicator has changed by the penetrated saliva from a predetermined place of the absorptive material and a distance where the saliva has penetrated from a predetermined place of the absorptive material.

Abstract: To accurately examine a caries risk in a short time, the synthetic peptides having the amino acid sequence composed of the formula of Asn Ala Lys Ala Thr Tyr Glu Ala Ala Leu Lys Gln Tyr Glu Ala Asp Leu Ala Ala Val Lys Lys Ala Asn Ala Ala is used as an antigen, and an antibody value of secretory immunoglobulin A in human saliva against said antigen is measured.

Abstract: To provide a pre-treatment kit for saliva and a pre-treatment method for saliva for identification and quantitation of mutans streptococci in human saliva by the immunochromatographic method, which can eliminate mucin in saliva and prevent mutans streptococci from chaining and aggregation in a simple method, the pre-treatment kit is constructed of (A) an aqueous solution containing sodium hydroxide, (B) a tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffer solution containing tartaric acid and/or citric acid, and (C) a nonionic surfactant and/or an amphoteric surfactant, wherein the component (C) is previously mixed with or prepared separately from the component (A) and/or the component (B), and further (D) a pH indicator having a color transition range of pH 5 to 9 is previously mixed with or prepared separately from the component (A) or the component (A) having the component (C) previously mixed therewith, and/or the component (B) or the component (B) having the component (C) previously mixed therewith.

Abstract: A complex comprising at least one substance selected from the group consisting of an osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor, an analogue thereof and a variant thereof, which is bound to at least one substance selected from the group consisting of a polysaccharide and a polysaccharide derivative. The complex has a prolonged retention in the bloodstream after administration, making it useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of bone metabolic diseases.