Abstract: A fixer (heater) includes a heat roller and a pressure roller pressing each other. The fixer heats a heated material by passing the heated material through a press region where the heat roller and the pressure roller meet. The fixer further includes an external heat roller heating the pressure roller from outside the pressure roller. A transit time taken for any given point on the heated material to pass through the press region is less than or equal to 2.3×10?2 sec. The surface temperature, T1 (° C.), of the heat roller and the surface temperature, T2 (° C.), of the pressure roller satisfy T1-T2?100 (° C.), and preferably satisfy T1-T2?70 (° C.). The load on the heat roller is reduced, and so is the power consumption.

Abstract: Featured are an image processing apparatus, method and a medium including an image processing program. The image processing apparatus includes an image inputting means for inputting an image, a character/line drawing region extracting means for extracting a character/line drawing region from the input image, a pseudo-density region extracting means for extracting a pseudo-density region from the input image, an image contracting means for contracting images in an extracted pseudo-density region, an extracted character/line drawing region, and a region other than the pseudo-density region and the character/line drawing region, by mutually different methods, and an image outputting means for outputting the contracted image.

Abstract: A method is proposed for improving the layout efficiency in laying out electronic components, which is applicable to information processing equipment, to accelerate the layout of electronic components. First, a first two-dimensional plan view including various electronic component members is preset using a drafting software platform. Subsequently, the two-dimensional plan view is converted to a text file and all the relevant data of the electronic components contained in the two-dimensional plan view are encoded in the text file. Then, all of the electronic component members contained in the first two-dimensional plan view are displayed in a second two-dimensional plan view, and a function selection menu is generated by an arithmetic process. Therewith, a user is able to select the data of the electronic component contained in the text file via the function selection menu to perform the layout operations for a printed circuit board.

Abstract: An optical pickup in an optical disk reproducing device is operable to switch operations between a low-power operation mode and a high-power operation mode, and includes a liquid crystal element and a polarization beam splitter, which together attenuate, only in the low-power operation mode, a laser beam emitted by a laser diode onto an optical disk. The liquid crystal element is turned ON only in the low-power operation mode to serve as a polarization rotating element. Working with the polarization beam splitter, the polarization rotating element attenuates a polarized component of the incident light on the optical disk.

Abstract: Mutant strains of Rhodococcus equi are disclosed, and vaccines comprising same.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to filtration cassettes, and, more particularly to methods of fabricating cross-flow filtration cassettes. Cassettes of the invention are characterized, in part, by a series of sealing channels which selectively seal the filtrate and retentate ports to prevent undesired flow. The sealing channels have formed barriers on either side thereof which create side-walls for precisely controlling the flow of the sealant during the cassette formation. Filtration cassettes of the present invention can be manufactured from conventional membrane and flow screen components and can utilize both injection molding and vacuum assisted resin transfer molding fabrication processes.

Abstract: A ?? analog-to-digital converter has a ?? modulation section which executes ?? modulation, and a digital filter which filters a digital signal output from the ?? modulation section. The digital filter has gain properties that one of dips of a gain of the digital filter corresponds to a noise frequency which is, for example, the commercial frequency 60 Hz. Especially, the lowest frequency of the dips corresponds to the noise frequency.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: forming an insulating layer on a single crystal semiconductor substrate; forming a non-crystalline semiconductor layer on the insulating layer; forming an insulating film on the non-crystalline semiconductor layer; forming an opening section for exposing a part of a surface of the single crystal semiconductor substrate through the insulating film, the non-crystalline semiconductor layer and the insulating layer; forming a single crystal semiconductor layer embedded in the opening section so as to have contact with the non-crystalline semiconductor layer; removing the insulating film and the insulating layer while the single crystal semiconductor layer supporting the non-crystalline semiconductor layer above the single crystal semiconductor substrate; forming a single-crystallized semiconductor layer obtained by single-crystallizing the non-crystalline semiconductor layer using the single crystal semiconductor layer as a seed by providing a thermal tr

Abstract: A surround surveillance system mounted on a mobile body for surveying surroundings around the mobile body includes an omniazimuth visual system, the omniazimuth visual system includes at least one omniazimuth visual sensor including an optical system capable of obtaining an image with an omniazimuth view field area therearound and capable of central projection transformation of the image into an optical image, and an imaging section including an imaging lens for converting the optical image obtained by the optical system into image data, an image processor for transforming the image data into at least one of panoramic image data and perspective image data, a display section for displaying one of a panoramic image corresponding to the panoramic image data and a perspective image corresponding to the perspective image data and a display control section for controlling the display section.

Abstract: An electromagnetic flowmeter has a measuring tube through which a fluid to be measured flows, a magnetic field applying section which applies a magnetic field to the fluid to be measured, and a couple of electrodes which pick up an electromotive force generated according to a flow rate of the fluid to be measured, wherein each of the electrodes has an interface processed by electropolishing.

Abstract: Regenerative selective catalytic reduction (RSCR) systems and process are provided whereby NOx levels in gases are reduced by mixing the gas with a reactant and then introducing the gas into an RSCR apparatus for treatment that entails heating the gas, causing the gas to undergo one or more catalytic reactions, and then directing the gas through a heat transfer area, to which the gas provides heat for use in connection with successive cycles of the RSCR process.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes a base with front and rear ends having a plurality of channel grooves separated by channel walls each including a piezoelectric extending to the rear end, a cover that is placed on the base to be in contact therewith and opposite to the face of the base that has the channel grooves, electrodes placed on at least part of the inner surface of each one of the channel grooves, a conductive resin electrically connected with the electrode plugging up each of the channel grooves at the rear end, and projections as a pressing means for pressing the top of the conductive resin at the rear end of each channel groove.

Abstract: A key structure applicable in an electronic device for pressing an electrical button of the electronic device is disclosed. The key structure includes an annulus section for fixing the key structure in the electronic device, and a pair of key sections, each of which extends from the annulus section and has a protruding section and a retention section, wherein the protruding section protrudes out of an inner wall of the key section to prevent the key section from sinking, and the retention section extends from at least one side of the key section to prevent the key section from protruding upwards. With each key section being additionally provided with the protruding section and the retention section, the key structure efficiently prevents the key sections from protruding upwards and sinking.

Abstract: The present invention provides a molding having excellent workability and a production method therefore. In addition, the present invention provides a molding with which a capacitor element having excellent electric properties can be obtained, and which has excellent workability that can be used to make a porous anode element for an electrolytic capacitor. The molding with a substratum has a sheet-shaped substratum and a molding which is provided on this sheet-shaped substratum such that the molding can be separated, in which the molding has a protective layer and a porous-body-forming layer, the protective layer includes resin as a main component, and the porous-body-forming layer includes valve action metal powder and binder resin.

Abstract: A twisted nematic liquid crystal display device conducts a display operation in Normally Black mode. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal cell and two polarizers. The liquid crystal cell includes two substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between them. The two polarizers face each other with the liquid crystal cell interposed between them. The liquid crystal display device further includes: a first optical compensator provided between one of the two polarizers and the liquid crystal cell so as to compensate for the wavelength dependence of the angle of rotation of polarized light passing through the liquid crystal layer in a black display state; and a second optical compensator provided between the first optical compensator and that polarizer so as to compensate for the wavelength dependence of the ellipticity of the polarized light passing through the liquid crystal layer in the black display state.

Abstract: [PROBLEMS] To provide a method by which desired optically active carboxylic acids may be prepared from a carboxylic acid having a carbon-carbon double bond through asymmetric hydrogenation with a catalyst consisting of a transition metal complex containing a water-soluble ligand and which permits easy separation of the used catalyst from the product by liquid-liquid separation alone and enables the recovery of an expensive transition metal and the reuse of the catalyst. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] Phosphines represented by the general formula (1): wherein X1 is oxygen or methylene; X2 is methylene, ethylene, trimethylene, 1,2-dimethylethylene, isopropylidene, or difluoromethylene; A is a Group IA alkali metal of the periodic table, hydrogen, or an ammonium ion; and a, b, c and d are each an integer of 0 or 1, with the proviso that the cases wherein the sum of a, b, c, and d is 0 are excepted.

Abstract: A parameter representing whether an effective density pixel exists in an objective image is calculated. As to each interest pixel in the objective image having one pixel neighboring a downstream side in a first direction, the interest pixel is defined as an effective density pixel when a first condition and a second condition is an effective density pixel are satisfied, and in other case, the interest pixel is defined as an ineffective density pixel. The objective image is converted to an update image on one-line reduced lines in the first direction. A parameter representing whether an effective density pixel exists in the update image is calculated. The conversion and the calculation are repeated about the update image as the objective image. When the objective image converts one line in the first direction, the number of continuous pixels of the effective density pixels spatially continuing is calculated based on each parameter.

Abstract: Machines existing in a plant are classified under a multilevel hierarchy and are displayed on a screen. A summary of a diagnosis result of one or more nondisplayed machines which is not displayed on the screen and is classified to a level lower than that of the machines displayed on the screen. Therefore, the diagnosis result of the nondisplayed machines can also be seen on the screen and oversights of machine management can be prevented.

Abstract: Power from a focusing motor (14) is transmitted via a gear (35a) to a focusing lead screw (15) so that a first lens holder (4) is moved in a direction of an optical axis. Power from a zooming motor (10) is transmitted via a gear (35b) to a zooming lead screw (11) so that a second lens holder (8) is moved in the direction of the optical axis. The first and second lens holders (4, 8), the focusing and zooming lead screws (15, 11), the focusing and zooming motors (14, 10), and the gears (35a, 35b) are contained in a housing (30, 31). The focusing motor (14) and the zooming motor (10) may be fixed to a gear case (30).