Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a multilayer wiring layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, a first wiring formed on the multilayer wiring layer and configured to be applied with a first potential, an upper inductor formed on the multilayer wiring layer and configured to be applied with a second potential different from the first potential, an inorganic insulating film formed on the multilayer wiring layer, the first wiring, and the upper inductor, and an organic insulating film formed on the inorganic insulating film and disposed so as to cover the inorganic insulating film located between the first wiring and the upper inductor in plan view. Here, between the first wiring and the upper inductor, an opening portion exposing a part of the upper surface of the inorganic insulating film is formed in the organic insulating film.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip includes a lower wiring layer, a multilayer wiring layer formed on the lower wiring layer, and an upper wiring layer formed on the multilayer wiring layer. Here, a thickness of a wiring provided in the lower wiring layer is larger than a thickness of each of a plurality of wirings provided in the multilayer wiring layer, and a thickness of a wiring provided in the upper wiring layer is larger than the thickness of each of the plurality of wirings provided in the multilayer wiring layer. A lower inductor which is a component of a transformer is provided in the lower wiring layer, and an upper inductor which is a component of the transformer is provided in the upper wiring layer.

Abstract: A trocar is used by inserting a distal end thereof into a body cavity of a patient. The trocar includes: an inner tube that has a center pipeline; an outer tube that is disposed so as to cover an outer periphery of the inner tube and has a front end that is positioned rearward of a front end of the inner tube; an annular channel that is formed between the inner tube and the outer tube and has an ejection port at the front end position of the outer tube; and a flow control member that is provided on the inner tube at a position forward of the front end of the outer tube and facing the ejection port, the flow control member having an inclined surface located at the rear end that slants radially outward.

Abstract: When sucking a fluid within a body cavity, foreign matter included in the fluid which exceeds the filtering diameter of a filtering apparatus may cause clogging of the filtering apparatus. Another concern is that a body cavity membrane getting stuck to a suction port of a suction tube may lead to the suction port being closed off. In response to such problems as these, provided is a suction apparatus, comprising a suction tube, and a filter member. The suction tube has side holes formed in a tube wall on a body cavity-side tail end part. The filter member has a tubular cap shape and covers a tail end aperture of the suction tube and the side holes, is formed from a foam body with an average aperture opening of 500-1000 ?m, and has a thickness of 7.5 mm or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides an operation field-securing device that secures an operation field by being deployed within the body cavity. The operation field-securing device includes at least three elongated parts extending radially in a deployed state; and curved parts, the number of which is the same as that of the elongated parts. Each pair of the two adjacent elongated parts is connected at their one ends by the curved part. Each of the curved parts is convex toward a side opposite to the elongated part. In the deployed state, the curved parts are arranged circumferentially. By deforming the curved parts, the operation field-securing device is capable of being brought into either one of a contracted state where a distance between the adjacent elongated parts is shortened by making the elongated parts close to each other and the deployed state where the distance between the elongated parts is expanded.

Abstract: A body-wall-contact-type water tank (12) is equipped with: a water-tank body for storing a fluid to be supplied into a body cavity, and positioned so as to contact a body wall (120); a through-hole which conveys the fluid stored in the water-tank body into the body cavity via an incision formed in the body wall (120), and which is formed in the bottom section of the water-tank body; and a connecting means for connecting, in a fluid-tight manner, the water-tank body to the body wall (120) and/or to a retractor (110) attached to the incision.

Abstract: The present invention provides an operation field-securing device that secures an operation field by being deployed within the body cavity. The operation field-securing device includes at least three elongated parts extending radially in a deployed state; and curved parts, the number of which is the same as that of the elongated parts. Each pair of the two adjacent elongated parts is connected at their one ends by the curved part. Each of the curved parts is convex toward a side opposite to the elongated part. In the deployed state, the curved parts are arranged circumferentially. By deforming the curved parts, the operation field-securing device is capable of being brought into either one of a contracted state where a distance between the adjacent elongated parts is shortened by making the elongated parts close to each other and the deployed state where the distance between the elongated parts is expanded.

Abstract: When sucking a fluid within a body cavity, foreign matter included in the fluid which exceeds the filtering diameter of a filtering apparatus may cause clogging of the filtering apparatus. Another concern is that a body cavity membrane getting stuck to a suction port of a suction tube may lead to the suction port being closed off. In response to such problems as these, provided is a suction apparatus, comprising a suction tube, and a filter member. The suction tube has side holes formed in a tube wall on a body cavity-side tail end part. The filter member has a tubular cap shape and covers a tail end aperture of the suction tube and the side holes, is formed from a foam body with an average aperture opening of 500-1000 ?m, and has a thickness of 7.5 mm or more.

Abstract: In a three-dimensional image forming device for forming a phantom three-dimensional image in accordance with an image of an inner face of a tubular structure to be observed, luminance information of pixels corresponding to a prescribed range of each frame image of the tubular structure is obtained under prescribed lighting conditions when an imaging device with an optical axis extending to an axial direction of the tubular structure moves, a relative distances in a depth direction between points and an objective lens is calculated in accordance with the luminance information, pixels corresponding to the prescribed range of each frame image in the inner face of the tubular structure is arrayed in reflection of the relative distance, and the arrayed pixels are combined for a plurality of the frame images to form a three-dimensional image of the inner face of the tubular structure.

Abstract: A body-wall-contact-type water tank (12) is equipped with: a water-tank body for storing a fluid to be supplied into a body cavity, and positioned so as to contact a body wall (120); a through-hole which conveys the fluid stored in the water-tank body into the body cavity via an incision formed in the body wall (120), and which is formed in the bottom section of the water-tank body; and a connecting means for connecting, in a fluid-tight manner, the water-tank body to the body wall (120) and/or to a retractor (110) attached to the incision.

Abstract: A body cavity observation apparatus includes a treatment tool to be inserted into a body cavity of a subject with an insertion tool as a guide, an observation section attached to an opening of a body wall of the subject, a monitor for displaying the body cavity captured by the observation section, and a marker position-detecting device for detecting a position of a marker part applied to the treatment tool or insertion tool from an image showing the body cavity captured by the observation section. The marker position-detecting device includes a pixel extracting device for extracting a group of pixels in the same color as the color of the marker part from the image and a calculation device for calculating a position of the barycenter of the group of pixels as a position of the marker part.

Abstract: According to a body cavity interior observing apparatus of the present invention, a non-tracked region to be displayed can be switched between a first non-tracked region and a second non-tracked region which is larger than the first non-tracked region, and in a search for an affected area in which it is preferable to track a treating instrument in order to consistently align the position of treating instrument to the central part of the screen, the first non-tracked region having a smaller non-tracked region is selected, while in a treatment of an affected area in which a treating instrument is moved in a wide range of area, the second non-tracked region having a larger non-tracked region is selected, thereby an appropriate monitor screen can be provided in searching for an affected area and in treating an affected area.

Abstract: In a three-dimensional image forming device for forming a phantom three-dimensional image in accordance with an image of an inner face of a tubular structure to be observed, luminance information of pixels corresponding to a prescribed range of each frame image of the tubular structure is obtained under prescribed lighting conditions when an imaging device with an optical axis extending to an axial direction of the tubular structure moves, a relative distances in a depth direction between points and an objective lens is calculated in accordance with the luminance information, pixels corresponding to the prescribed range of each frame image in the inner face of the tubular structure is arrayed in reflection of the relative distance, and the arrayed pixels are combined for a plurality of the frame images to form a three-dimensional image of the inner face of the tubular structure.

Abstract: According to a body cavity interior observing apparatus of the present invention, a non-tracked region to be displayed can be switched between a first non-tracked region and a second non-tracked region which is larger than the first non-tracked region, and in a search for an affected area in which it is preferable to track a treating instrument in order to consistently align the position of treating instrument to the central part of the screen, the first non-tracked region having a smaller non-tracked region is selected, while in a treatment of an affected area in which a treating instrument is moved in a wide range of area, the second non-tracked region having a larger non-tracked region is selected, thereby an appropriate monitor screen can be provided in searching for an affected area and in treating an affected area.

Abstract: A body cavity observation apparatus comprising: a treatment tool to be inserted into a body cavity of a subject with an insertion tool as a guide, an observation section attached to an opening of a body wall of the subject, a monitor for displaying the body cavity captured by the observation section, and a marker position-detecting device for detecting a position of a marker part applied to the treatment tool or insertion tool from an image showing the body cavity captured by the observation section; wherein the marker position-detecting device comprises: a pixel extracting device for extracting a group of pixels in the same color as color of the marker part from the image, and a calculation device for calculating a position of the barycenter of the group of pixels as a position of the marker part.

Abstract: A laparoscope supporting device which is attached to a body wall face of an examinee and supports a laparoscope to be inserted in a body cavity of the examinee by using an inserting tool as a guide, the device comprises: a grasping portion that grasps the inserting tool; and a support portion that supports the grasping portion in a movable manner in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: A body cavity diagnostic system includes a medical procedure instrument for practicing a surgical procedure on an affected part within a body cavity of a patient, a body cavity diagnostic unit for optically capturing an image of an interior of the body cavity, the body cavity diagnostic unit being fixedly put in an incision formed in a body wall of the patient; and a monitor unit for magnifying and displaying a desired part of the image on a monitor screen. Either one of the medical procedure instrument and the cannula is provided with a position representation mark on its distal end. A part of the image detected the mark detection element is trimmed and magnified so as to be displayed in a center area of the monitor screen.

Abstract: .alpha.-L-aspartylphenylalanine lower alkyl esters are prepared by a process wherein fumaric acid, ammonia and a lower alkyl ester of L-phenylalanine are contacted with a culture or treated culture of a microorganism belonging to the genus Pseudomonas, and being capable of producing a .alpha.-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine lower alkyl ester from fumaric acid, ammonia and a lower alkyl ester of L-phenylalanine.

Abstract: .alpha.-L-aspartylphenylalanine lower alkyl esters are prepared by a process wherein L-aspartic acid and a lower alkyl ester of L-phenylalanine are contacted with a culture or treated culture product of a microorganism belonging to the genus Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, Torulopsis, Rhodotorula or Sporobolomyces and being capable of producing a .alpha.-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine lower alkyl ester from L-aspartic acid and a lower alkyl ester of L-phenylalanine.

Abstract: A new polysaccharide including allose as a constituent sugar and further characterized by galactose as a major constituent sugar is described. The polysaccharide is produced extracellularly by cultivation of Pseudomonas viscogena strains in nutrient medium.