Abstract: Provided is a cancer stem cell mass from which cells incapable of forming cancer are substantially removed and which has a characteristic property of reproducing a layered structure of a cancer tissue; a process for producing the cancer stem cell mass; and use of the cancer stem cell mass. A human cancer tissue was repeatedly grown in a NOG mouse, separated cancer cells from the grown cancer tissue, and tested and compared various cancer cell culture processes. As a result, a cancer stem cell composition which is homogeneous and is substantially free of the coexistence of cells capable of forming cancer and cells incapable of forming cancer in a mixed state can be produced successively by employing an attached culture process using a serum-free stem cell culture medium rather than a generally employed floating culture process.

Abstract: A touch panel including an oxide semiconductor film having conductivity is provided. The touch panel includes a transistor, a second insulating film, and a touch sensor. The transistor includes a gate electrode; a gate insulating film; a first oxide semiconductor film; a source electrode and a drain electrode; a first insulating film; and a second oxide semiconductor film. The second insulating film is over the second oxide semiconductor film so that the second oxide semiconductor film is positioned between the first insulating film and the second insulating film. The touch sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode. One of the first and second electrodes includes the second oxide semiconductor film.

Abstract: The stability of a step of processing a wiring formed using copper, aluminum, gold, silver, molybdenum, or the like is increased. Moreover, the concentration of impurities in a semiconductor film is reduced. Moreover, the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device are improved. In a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, an oxide film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film, and a pair of conductive films being in contact with the oxide film and including copper, aluminum, gold, silver, molybdenum, or the like, the oxide film has a plurality of crystal parts and has c-axis alignment in the crystal parts, and the c-axes are aligned in a direction parallel to a normal vector of a top surface of the oxide semiconductor film or the oxide film.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with favorable electric characteristics is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer, and first to third conductive layers. The oxide semiconductor layer includes a region in contact with the first insulating layer, the first conductive layer is connected to the oxide semiconductor layer, and the second conductive layer is connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The second insulating layer includes a region in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer, and the third conductive layer includes a region in contact with the second insulating layer. The oxide semiconductor layer includes first to third regions. The first region and the second region are separated from each other, and the third region is located between the first region and the second region. The third region and the third conductive layer overlap with each other with the second insulating layer located therebetween.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes front-wheel and rear-wheel driving systems, and a control system. The front-wheel driving system includes a first travel motor mechanically coupled to a front wheel of a vehicle and a first accumulator electrically coupled to the first travel motor. The rear-wheel driving system includes a second travel motor mechanically coupled to a rear wheel of the vehicle and a second accumulator electrically coupled to the second travel motor. The control system includes one or more processors and one or more memories communicably coupled to the one or more processors, and controls the first and second travel motors. When a difference between an SOC of the first accumulator and an SOC of the second accumulator is greater than a threshold value, the one or more processors change a torque distribution ratio between the first and second travel motors from a reference distribution ratio.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with favorable electrical characteristics is provided. A semiconductor device with stable electrical characteristics is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, a third insulating layer, a fourth insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, and a first conductive layer. The second insulating layer is positioned over the first insulating layer and the island-shaped semiconductor layer is positioned over the second insulating layer. The second insulating layer has an island shape having an end portion outside a region overlapping with the semiconductor layer. The fourth insulating layer covers the second insulating layer, the semiconductor layer, the third insulating layer, and the first conductive layer, is in contact with part of a top surface of the semiconductor layer, and is in contact with the first insulating layer outside the end portion of the second insulating layer.

Abstract: A molded product production device that includes a molding die having an inner circumferential surface defining a cavity with upper and lower openings, the cavity into which the molding material is to be filled, a lower punch provided so as to be inserted into the cavity from the lower opening thereof and vertically move, the lower punch having a lower punch surface and a lower punch release agent holding portion which is provided at a lower side of the lower punch surface and capable of holding a release agent, an upper punch provided so as to be inserted into the cavity from the upper opening thereof and vertically move, the upper punch having an upper punch surface, and a lower punch release agent supply means which supplies the release agent to the lower punch release agent holding portion when being exposed outside the cavity.

Abstract: In a molded body production device, a release agent injection means applies a release agent onto an upper punch surface by injecting the release agent toward the upper punch surface in a state that an upper punch is located above an upper end surface of a molding die, and applies the release agent onto a lower punch surface and an inner circumferential surface exposing above the lower punch surface by injecting the release agent toward the lower punch surface in a state that the lower punch surface is located into the cavity and below the upper end surface of the molding die, before the molding material is filled into the cavity. This makes it possible to prevent the molding material from bonding to the upper punch surface, the lower punch surface and the inner circumferential surface defining the cavity.

Abstract: In a molded body production device, a release agent injection means applies a release agent onto an upper punch surface by injecting the release agent toward the upper punch surface in a state that an upper punch is located above an upper end surface of a molding die, and applies the release agent onto a lower punch surface and an inner circumferential surface exposing above the lower punch surface by injecting the release agent toward the lower punch surface in a state that the lower punch surface is located into the cavity and below the upper end surface of the molding die, before the molding material is filled into the cavity. This makes it possible to prevent the molding material from bonding to the upper punch surface, the lower punch surface and the inner circumferential surface defining the cavity.

Abstract: A molded product production device that includes a molding die having an inner circumferential surface defining a cavity with upper and lower openings, the cavity into which the molding material is to be filled, a lower punch provided so as to be inserted into the cavity from the lower opening thereof and vertically move, the lower punch having a lower punch surface and a lower punch release agent holding portion which is provided at a lower side of the lower punch surface and capable of holding a release agent, an upper punch provided so as to be inserted into the cavity from the upper opening thereof and vertically move, the upper punch having an upper punch surface, and a lower punch release agent supply means which supplies the release agent to the lower punch release agent holding portion when being exposed outside the cavity.

Abstract: A reciprocating vibrator able to prevent detachment of a spindle even without an outer cover, that is, a vibration linear actuator provided with a ring-shaped weight 20 having a permanent magnet 30, 31 at its inner circumference side, a first plate spring 40 fastened to a first end face 20a of this weight 20 at outer circumference side tail parts 41a, 42a, a second plate spring 50 fastened to a second end face 20b of the weight 20 at outer circumference side tail parts 51a, 52a, and a stator supporting the first and second plate springs 40, 50 and having an excitation coil 60 generating a reciprocating vibrating magnetic field with respect to the weight 20 at an inner circumference side of the permanent magnet 30, 31, wherein the stator further has a metal end plate 70 fastening the second plate spring 50 by the ring-shaped plate part 53.

Abstract: A reciprocating vibrator able to prevent detachment of a spindle etc.

Abstract: A reciprocal vibration generator occupying a small area on a board and able to be mounted by solder reflow, the reciprocal vibration generator provided with a cylindrical case body in which a weight is suspended and supporting a flat spring, a permanent magnet attached to the bottom side of the weight, and a bottom lid carrying an air core toroidal core for making the weight vibrate in the up-down direction by magnetic attraction or magnetic repulsion of this permanent magnet and closing a bottom opening of the case body. The bottom lid is an insert molded board comprised of three terminal boards insulated and separated by a molding plastic. Outside surfaces at the recesses of the terminal boards projecting down from the bottom surface of the molding plastic form board connection patterns for solder reflow.

Abstract: A reciprocal vibration generator occupying a small area on a board and able to be mounted by solder reflow, the reciprocal vibration generator provided with a cylindrical case body in which a weight is suspended and supporting a flat spring, a permanent magnet attached to the bottom side of the weight, and a bottom lid carrying an air core toroidal core for making the weight vibrate in the up-down direction by magnetic attraction or magnetic repulsion of this permanent magnet and closing a bottom opening of the case body. The bottom lid is an insert molded board comprised of three terminal boards insulated and separated by a molding plastic. Outside surfaces at the recesses of the terminal boards projecting down from the bottom surface of the molding plastic form board connection patterns for solder reflow.

Abstract: A memory access system includes a memory, a processor unit, and a memory interface unit. The processor unit includes an operation-request generating unit and an operation-request sending unit. The operation-request generating unit generates an operation request for an operation which is to be performed on the data stored in the memory, and the operation-request sending unit sends the operation request to a memory interface unit. The memory interface unit includes an operation-request storing unit, an operation performing unit, and an operation-result sending unit. The operation-request storing unit receives and stores the operation request. The operation performing unit operates independently of the processor unit so as to access the memory based on the operation request, and perform the operation on the data. The operation-result sending unit sends a result of the operation to the processor unit.

Abstract: In a circuit design support system, a logic minimizing unit receives data indicating a functional specification of a desired circuit and minimizes logical sequences of the desired circuit. A cell assignment unit assigns cells to each of minimized logical sequences determined by the logic minimizing unit and generates data on a circuit configuration of the desired circuit. The cells are logic units. A load/timing check unit receives the data on the circuit configuration and simultaneously executes a load check and a timing check. The load check determines whether or not the circuit configuration has a load driving ability within a tolerable load driving ability. The timing check determines whether or not the circuit configuration has a delay time of a signal within a tolerable delay time.

Abstract: A control mechanism for shifting the rotational phase transmitted from an engine, and for controlling the timing of the intake and exhaust valves. A first gear mechanism integrally rotates with respect to a timing pulley, and has a set of inner peripheral gear teeth. A second gear mechanism integrally rotates with respect to a camshaft, and has a set of outer peripheral gear teeth. The number of gear teeth of the first gear mechanism is greater than that of the second gear mechanism. This gear ratio generates a rotational phase shift of the timing pulley with respect to the camshaft, in order to vary the opening and closing timing of the intake and exhaust valves. A drive means drives the first gear mechanism in order to vary the phase shift and to control the opening and closing timing of the intake and exhaust valves in accordance with the operating state of the engine.

Abstract: A rule base processing system for processing rules with an inference engine is provided with a control block and a number of knowledge source blocks containing the rules. The control block contains a knowledge source list of the knowledge source blocks and a function name through which the control block may be called as a subprogram. The knowledge source blocks contain priority sequence tables in which the sequence of execution of the rules is arranged and can be externally controlled. Each rule in the knowledge source contains a number of detailed rules from which an optimum rule is selected.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for shifting a phase between shafts in an internal combustion engine. A phase shifting device for shifting a rotational phase of the driven shaft to the drive shaft and an amplifying gear mechanism having a plurality of gears are disposed between the drive shaft and driven shaft. The amplifying gear mechanism amplifies the amount of phase shifting when the phase shifting is made by the phase shifting device and rotates all the gears integrally when no phase shifting is made.

Abstract: A digital signal of data and synchronization words is distributed to a plurality of circuit paths and transformed into non-return-to-zero inverted (NRZI) signals for application to a plurality of stationary parallel magnetic heads for recording the distributed NRZI signals along first parallel tracks on a magnetic tape when driven toward one end thereof and along second parallel tracks interleaved with the first tracks when the tape is driven toward the other end thereof. Each of the transducers has a differential characteristic with which the recorded signal is detected as a ternary signal, the detected signal is converted to a binary signal to recover the original digital signal. The synchronization word is detected from the recovered digital signal to generate a timing signal indicative of the position of each binary digit of the data word with respect to the detected synchronization word.