Abstract: There are provided a sample conveyance system and a sample conveyance method capable of conveying a sample in a more stable manner than in the related art corresponding to a conveyance method using an electromagnetic actuator. A driving unit 208 applies a first voltage to a first coil 207a located on a front side in a traveling direction of a holder 202, which is selected to attract or repel the holder 202, to excite the first coil 207a and applies a second voltage having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the first voltage to at least one or more of second coils 207b among coils 207 adjacent to the first coil 207a except for the coils 207 in the front side in the traveling direction to excite the second coil 207b, and a control unit 210A estimates a position of the holder 202 based on a value of a current flowing through a winding 206 of the first coil 207a.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preventing transmission of influenza, wherein said method comprises administering an effective amount of a compound to a patient having an influenza virus infection, herein referred to as “index patient”, wherein the compound has one of the formulae (I) and (II), or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt. The compound to be used in the present invention reduces infectivity of the influenza virus of the index patient, and therefore, reduces the risk of the index patient to trigger an influenza epidemic or an influenza pandemic as compared to a control patient.

Abstract: An information processing terminal that performs falsification verification at the time of bootstrapping thereof includes: a state sensor that senses a connection of an external connector or a data reception via the external connector, to judge whether or not a program stored in the information processing terminal is in a rewritable state; a flag storage that stores a flag referred to at the time of bootstrapping of the information processing terminal therein; a flag controller that turns on the flag according to a judged result that the program is in the rewritable state by the state sensor to record the turn-on flag in the flag storage; and a falsification verifier that judges whether or not it is necessary to carry out falsification verification according to a status of the flag, and performs falsification verification of the program only in the case in which the flag in the flag storage is turned on, at the time of bootstrapping of the information processing terminal.

Abstract: A deposit removal method including a first process of stripping at least part of a deposit that has deposited on inner walls of a reaction chamber and/or a surface of components located inside the reaction chamber where a deposited film is formed from the inner walls of the reaction chamber and/or the surface of components located inside the reaction chamber; and a second process of physically removing the stripped deposit.

Abstract: A chemical-reaction inducing means is provided in an exhaust line connecting a processing space for subjecting a substrate or a film to plasma processing to an exhaust means, and at least either an unreacted gas or byproduct exhausted from the processing space are caused to chemically react without allowing plasma in the processing space to reach the chemical-reaction inducing means, thereby improving the processing ability of the chemical-reaction inducing means to process the unreacted gas or byproduct.

Abstract: A chemical-reaction inducing means is provided in an exhaust line connecting a processing space for subjecting a substrate or a film to plasma processing to an exhaust means, and at least either an unreacted gas or byproduct exhausted from the processing space are caused to chemically react without allowing plasma in the processing space to reach the chemical-reaction inducing means, thereby improving the processing ability of the chemical-reaction inducing means to process the unreacted gas or byproduct.

Abstract: A button-type alkaline battery not causing increase of the pressure inside the battery and liquid leakage contains zinc or zinc alloy in the negative electrode and a hydrogen occluding alloy in the positive electrode.

Abstract: A method of forming a silicon-based thin film according to the present invention comprises introducing a source gas containing silicon fluoride and hydrogen into a vacuum vessel, and using a high frequency plasma CVD method to form a silicon-based thin film on a substrate introduced into the vacuum vessel, wherein a luminous intensity attributed to SiF? (440 nm) is not smaller than a luminous intensity attributed to H? (656 nm), thereby providing a photovoltaic element with excellent performance at a low cost as compared with a conventional one, a method of forming a silicon-based thin film with excellent characteristics in a short process cycle time at a further increased film-forming rate, a silicon-based thin film formed by the method, and a photovoltaic element comprising the silicon-based thin film with excellent characteristics, adhesion, and resistance to the environments.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stable astaxanthin-containing powdery composition which is obtained by drying a suspension containing a ground Haematococcus alga containing astaxanthin, a surfactant, an antioxidant, an excipient and water and to a process for preparing the same. According to the present invention, there can be provided an astaxanthin-containing powdery composition wherein astaxanthin present in Haematococcus alga has been efficiently stabilized to improve its storage stability for a long term and which is excellent in flowability as a powder, easy to handle and can be easily subjected to solvent extraction without degrading the astaxanthin.

Abstract: The invention provides a mercury-free alkaline cell which does not generate a hydrogen gas. The alkaline cell according to the invention contains a positive electrode, a negative electrode comprising zinc alloy powder, a separator which separates the positive electrode from the negative electrode, an alkaline electrolyte, a positive electrode can imparted with the positive electrode, a negative electrode can imparted with the negative electrode which has a tin-coated layer formed after subjected to a surface treatment with an electrically conductive polymer and comes in contact with the negative electrode via the tin-coated layer and a gasket interposed between the positive electrode can and the negative electrode can.

Abstract: The invention provides a mercury-free alkaline cell which does not generate a hydrogen gas. The alkaline cell according to the invention is composed of: a positive electrode; a negative electrode containing zinc alloy powder; a separator which separates the positive electrode from the negative electrode; an alkaline electrolyte; a positive electrode can imparted with the positive electrode, a negative electrode can imparted with the negative electrode, the negative electrode can having a tin-coated layer subjected to a thermal treatment at a melting point (232° C.) of tin or higher and coming in contact with the negative electrode via the tin-coated layer; and a gasket interposed between the positive electrode can and the negative electrode can.

Abstract: A method of forming a silicon-based thin film according to the present invention comprises introducing a source gas containing silicon fluoride and hydrogen into a vacuum vessel, and using a high frequency plasma CVD method to form a silicon-based thin film on a substrate introduced into the vacuum vessel, wherein a luminous intensity attributed to SiF? (440 nm) is not smaller than a luminous intensity attributed to H? (656 nm), thereby providing a photovoltaic element with excellent performance at a low cost as compared with a conventional one, a method of forming a silicon-based thin film with excellent characteristics in a short process cycle time at a further increased film-forming rate, a silicon-based thin film formed by the method, and a photovoltaic element comprising the silicon-based thin film with excellent characteristics, adhesion, and resistance to the environments.

Abstract: A deposited film forming apparatus has a power applying electrode disposed above a flat plate type base member grounded, in a vacuum chamber, and a power source for supplying a power to the power applying electrode, the deposited film forming apparatus being constructed to supply the power from the power source to the power applying electrode so as to generate a plasma in a discharge space between the power applying electrode and a substrate disposed in opposition to the power applying electrode in the vacuum chamber and serving as an electrode in a pair with the power applying electrode, thereby decomposing a source gas introduced into the vacuum chamber to form a deposited film on the substrate, wherein the power applying electrode is fixed to the base member with the power applying electrode being isolated from the base member.

Abstract: A two-layer structured electric power application electrode including a non-split electrode consisting of a single planar plate and six split electrodes arranged on the non-split electrode so as to be electrically in contact with the non-split electrode is arranged on the upper side of a discharge chamber provided within a vacuum container such that the power application electrode faces a strip substrate in parallel. The split electrodes are arranged in such a manner as to form a planar plane, and the distance between the surfaces of the split electrodes facing the strip substrate and the strip substrate is uniform. The total area of the surfaces of the split electrodes facing the strip substrate is the same as the area of the non-split electrode on which the split electrodes are mounted. This improves the uniformity in plasma generated in the apparatus for forming a deposited film and enables cutting-down of the costs required to form deposited films.

Abstract: The surface shape of a power-applying electrode is altered in agreement with the curving of a substrate so that the electrode-substrate distance can be kept at a constant value. This enables formation of thin films having uniform film thickness in the substrate width direction even when the electrode-substrate distance is shortened in order to make film formation rate higher in deposited-film formation apparatus of a roll-to-roll system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stable astaxanthin-containing powdery composition which is obtained by drying a suspension comprising a ground Haematococcus alga containing astaxanthin; an antioxidant, an excipient and water and to a process for preparing the same.

Abstract: A deposited film forming apparatus is provided which has a power applying electrode disposed above a flat plate type base member grounded, in a vacuum chamber, and a power source for supplying a power to the power applying electrode, the deposited film forming apparatus being constructed to supply the power from the power source to the power applying electrode so as to generate a plasma in a discharge space between the power applying electrode and a substrate disposed in opposition to the power applying electrode in the vacuum chamber and serving as an electrode in a pair with the power applying electrode, thereby decomposing a source gas introduced into the vacuum chamber to form a deposited film on the substrate, wherein the power applying electrode is fixed to the base member with the power applying electrode being isolated from the base member. A deposited film forming method using the apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: A two-layer structured electric power application electrode including a non-split electrode consisting of a single planar plate and six split electrodes arranged on the non-split electrode so as to be electrically in contact with the non-split electrode is arranged on the upper side of a discharge chamber provided within a vacuum container such that the power application electrode faces a strip substrate in parallel. The split electrodes are arranged in such a manner as to form a planar plane, and the distance between the surfaces of the split electrodes facing the strip substrate and the strip substrate is uniform. The total area of the surfaces of the split electrodes facing the strip substrate is the same as the area of the non-split electrode on which the split electrodes are mounted. This improves the uniformity in plasma generated in the apparatus for forming a deposited film and enables cutting-down of the costs required to form deposited films.

Abstract: A deposited film-forming apparatus by means of high frequency plasma CVD and having a power application electrode arranged in a film-forming vacuum vessel, a high frequency power source connected to said power application electrode, a direct current power source which is connected to said power application electrode and is connected with said high frequency power source in parallel connection, a detector for detecting a symptom of occurrence of arc discharge, and an arc discharge preventive means for preventing occurrence of arc discharge based on said symptom of occurrence of arc discharge which is detected by said detector, wherein said arc discharge preventive means is connected between said power application electrode and said direct current power source such that said arc discharge preventive means is connected with said direct current power source in series connection and is connected with said high frequency power source in parallel connection.

Abstract: A deposited film forming apparatus has a vacuum chamber containing a power applying electrode spaced above a grounded flat plate base member. The power applying electrode is fixed to the base member with a plurality of electrically insulating fastening members, at positions effective to suppress deformation of the power applying electrode, wherein an electrically insulating spacer is placed between the power supplying electrode and the base member to electrically insulate said power applying electrode from the base member.