Abstract: When a controller performs a defrosting operation in which frost on an outdoor heat exchanger is caused to be melted, the controller is configured to perform a first defrosting control in which a switching state of a switching device is set to a first state, after the controller performs the first defrosting control, perform a second defrosting control in which the switching state of the switching device is set to a second state, and after the controller performs the second defrosting control, perform a third defrosting control in which the switching state of the switching device is set to the first state.

Abstract: A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes: a compressor; an indoor heat exchanger; an outdoor heat exchanger including first and second outdoor heat exchangers; a bypass flow passage causing a discharge side of the compressor to communicate with the first or second outdoor heat exchanger; a flow control valve at the bypass flow passage; and a controller performing a heating operation in which the first and second outdoor heat exchangers operate as an evaporator and the indoor heat exchanger operates as a condenser and a simultaneous heating and defrosting operation in which part of refrigerant the compressor discharges is supplied to one of the first and second outdoor heat exchangers through the bypass flow passage, the other of the outdoor heat exchangers operates as an evaporator, the indoor heat exchanger operates as a condenser, and an upper limit frequency of the compressor changes to a value higher than in the heating operation.

Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a main circuit in which a compressor, a flow switching device, an indoor heat exchanger, a pressure reducing device, and a plurality of parallel heat exchangers connected in parallel with each other are connected by pipes, a bypass pipe, a flow control device provided to the bypass pipe and configured to adjust a flow rate of refrigerant flowing through the bypass pipe, an evaporating pressure sensor configured to measure an evaporating pressure of the refrigerant, and a controller. The air-conditioning apparatus is configured to operate in a normal heating operation mode and a heating-defrosting operation mode. When an operation associated with the normal heating operation mode is switched to an operation associated with the heating-defrosting operation mode, the controller adjusts an opening degree of the flow control device using the evaporating pressure in the parallel heat exchanger and a driving frequency of the compressor.

Abstract: A composition for suppressing trypsin activity is disclosed. The composition contains a bacterium belonging to a genus Paraprevotella as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A spark plug including a center electrode that has a large-diameter portion having an outside diameter that is largest in the center electrode. The large-diameter portion is retained at a rear facing surface in an axial hole of an insulator. A metal shell has a diameter increased portion on a rear end side with respect to the center electrode, the diameter increased portion having an inside diameter that is increased toward the rear end side. The insulator has a first portion which is a portion of the insulator in a region from a rear end of the rear facing surface to a front end of the diameter increased portion. The first portion has a thickness that is the largest in the region, and is disposed at least on an outer periphery of the large-diameter portion.

Abstract: Provided is a polarization source having high oxygen resistance and capable of stably transitioning the spin polarization of electron to nucleus even in an environment where oxygen exists. A polarization source for dynamic nuclear polarization containing a molecule represented by the following general formula. One to six of Z1 to Z10 each represent N, and the others each independently represent C—R. R represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent. n represents an integer of 1 to 4.

Abstract: Disclosed is a composition of a polarization source dispersed in an aqueous medium. Preferably, the polarization source forms a composite with a host. As the aqueous medium, a hydrogel is also usable in addition to water.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition for suppressing trypsin activity, comprising: a bacterium belonging to a genus Paraprevotella as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A spark plug including a center electrode that has a large-diameter portion having an outside diameter that is largest in the center electrode. The large-diameter portion is retained at a rear facing surface in an axial hole of an insulator. A metal shell has a diameter increased portion on a rear end side with respect to the center electrode, the diameter increased portion having an inside diameter that is increased toward the rear end side. The insulator has a first portion which is a portion of the insulator in a region from a rear end of the rear facing surface to a front end of the diameter increased portion. The first portion has a thickness that is the largest in the region, and is disposed at least on an outer periphery of the large-diameter portion.

Abstract: In the spark plug, an insulator is held by a metal shell via a packing. The packing includes a base material and a metal layer formed on a surface of the base material. In a cross section including the axial line, of distances between end points of the metal layer on a first contact surface of the insulator that contacts with the metal layer and first points which are intersections of the first contact surface and first perpendiculars extending to the first contact surface from first corners at which a first surface and third surfaces of the base material intersect each other is longer than a thickness of the metal layer at a middle position on the third surface that corresponds to half a length measured along the third surface.

Abstract: A spark plug that allows a heat transfer member to be fixed to an insulator in a simple manner. The spark plug includes: a tubular insulator extending in an axial line direction from a front side to a rear side; and a tubular metal shell fixed to an outer circumference of the insulator and having an external thread formed on a part of an outer circumferential surface thereof, wherein the insulator has a groove formed on a portion, of an outer circumferential surface thereof, that overlaps the external thread of the metal shell in the axial line direction, a heat transfer member mounted in the groove is in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the metal shell, and a portion of the heat transfer member is disposed in the groove of the insulator.

Abstract: Disclosed is a spark plug having a ground electrode in which a weld zone is formed a tip and electrode base. The weld zone has: a back region exposed at an opposite surface of the electrode base; a joint region at which the tip is joined; and a connection region connects the joint region and the back region without being exposed at side surfaces of the electrode base. In a cross section of the ground electrode taken through the side surfaces of the electrode base along a plane passing through the centers of the top and bottom surfaces of the tip, a value of a width of the top surface of the tip being divided by a width of the facing surface of the electrode base is greater than 0.3, and a maximum width of the connection region is larger than a width of the back region.

Abstract: Disclosed is a spark plug having a ground electrode in which a weld zone is formed a tip and electrode base. The weld zone has: a back region exposed at an opposite surface of the electrode base; a joint region at which the tip is joined; and a connection region connects the joint region and the back region without being exposed at side surfaces of the electrode base. In a cross section of the ground electrode taken through the side surfaces of the electrode base along a plane passing through the centers of the top and bottom surfaces of the tip, a value of a width of the top surface of the tip being divided by a width of the facing surface of the electrode base is greater than 0.3, and a maximum width of the connection region is larger than a width of the back region.

Abstract: An electrode tip for a spark plug, wherein Pt is contained as a main component, 7% by mass or more of Rh is contained, and a total content of Pt and Rh is greater than or equal to 95% by mass. The electrode tip includes: a narrow portion having the same cross-sectional shape in a direction of an axis; and a wide portion which is adjacent to the narrow portion and has a cross-sectional area, in a radial direction, which is greater than the narrow portion.

Abstract: An electrode tip for a spark plug, wherein Pt is contained as a main component, 7% by mass or more of Rh is contained, and a total content of Pt and Rh is greater than or equal to 95% by mass. The electrode tip includes: a narrow portion having the same cross-sectional shape in a direction of an axis; and a wide portion which is adjacent to the narrow portion and has a cross-sectional area, in a radial direction, which is greater than the narrow portion.

Abstract: A spark plug comprises a ground electrode including a chip whose one end has a cylinder shape having a diameter A from 0.8 to 1.2 mm and whose main component is a noble metal, and an electrode base material. In the ground electrode, a portion of the other end of the chip is joined to the electrode base material through a fused portion. The spark plug also comprises a chip-and-base-material interface in which the chip and the electrode base material contact each other and which is surrounded by the fused portion. In a cross section passing through a center axis, a distance between an end point Pa7 located on the chip-and-base-material interface and an end point Pa5 located on an interface between the chip and the fused portion is equal to or greater than 0.7 times the diameter A.

Abstract: A spark plug comprises a ground electrode including a chip whose one end has a cylinder shape having a diameter A from 0.8 to 1.2 mm and whose main component is a noble metal, and an electrode base material. In the ground electrode, a portion of the other end of the chip is joined to the electrode base material through a fused portion. The spark plug also comprises a chip-and-base-material interface in which the chip and the electrode base material contact each other and which is surrounded by the fused portion. In a cross section passing through a center axis, a distance between an end point Pa7 located on the chip-and-base-material interface and an end point Pa5 located on an interface between the chip and the fused portion is equal to or greater than 0.7 times the diameter A.

Abstract: (Problem to be Solved) There is to be provided a method for extracting low-molecular-weight proteins/peptides contained in a body fluid sample, particularly, in serum or plasma. (Means for Solution) The method according to the present invention comprises the steps of (a) to (e): (a) adding reagent 1 containing urea and thiourea and reagent 2 containing a reducing agent to the body fluid sample, mixing them, subsequently dropping the mixture into reagent 3 containing 90% or more of an organic solvent, and mixing them; (b) stirring at a low temperature the mixed solution obtained in step (a); (c) centrifuging at a low temperature the stirred solution obtained in step (b) and removing the supernatant; (d) adding reagent 4 containing an organic solvent and an acid to the precipitate obtained in step (c) and mixing them; (e) stirring at a low temperature the mixed solution obtained in step (d); and (f) centrifuging at a low temperature the stirred solution obtained in step (e) and recovering the supernatant.

Abstract: A method for extracting low-molecular-weight proteins/peptides contained in a body fluid sample, particularly, in serum or plasma. The method includes the steps of (a) to (e): (a) adding reagent 1 containing urea and thiourea and reagent 2 containing a reducing agent to the body fluid sample, mixing them, subsequently dropping the mixture into reagent 3 containing 90% or more of an organic solvent, and mixing them; (b) stirring at a low temperature the mixed solution obtained in step (a); (c) centrifuging at a low temperature the stirred solution obtained in step (b) and removing the supernatant; (d) adding reagent 4 containing an organic solvent and an acid to the precipitate obtained in step (c) and mixing them; (e) stirring at a low temperature the mixed solution obtained in step (d); and (f) centrifuging at a low temperature the stirred solution obtained in step (e) and recovering the supernatant.

Abstract: A method for extracting low-molecular-weight proteins/peptides contained in a body fluid sample, particularly, in serum or plasma. The method includes the steps of (a) to (e): (a) adding reagent 1 containing urea and thiourea and reagent 2 containing a reducing agent to the body fluid sample, mixing them, subsequently dropping the mixture into reagent 3 containing 90% or more of an organic solvent, and mixing them; (b) stirring at a low temperature the mixed solution obtained in step (a); (c) centrifuging at a low temperature the stirred solution obtained in step (b) and removing the supernatant; (d) adding reagent 4 containing an organic solvent and an acid to the precipitate obtained in step (c) and mixing them; (e) stirring at a low temperature the mixed solution obtained in step (d); and (f) centrifuging at a low temperature the stirred solution obtained in step (e) and recovering the supernatant.