Abstract: The present invention provides an optical displacement meter which performs a profile search for performing positional adjustment of a profile shape.

Abstract: A gene encoding a novel protein that works as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for a Rho family protein being one group of small GTP-binding proteins, namely, a polynucleotide shown by the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, or SEQ ID NO: 5, or the complementary strand, the equivalents of the polynucleotide, a protein encoded by the polynucleotide, a vector containing the polynucleotide, a transformant containing the vector, an antibody against the protein encoded by the polynucleotide, a method of identifying a compound that inhibits the function of the protein encoded by the polynucleotide and/or the expression of the polynucleotide, a method of determining a disease, a pharmaceutical composition, and a reagent kit are provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to suppressing wear and contamination of the electrode needle as well as effectively removing the electricity from a charged body. An electricity removal mode in which the electrode needle is applied with a high voltage to produce ions and a halt mode in which the electrode needle is halted are provided, that are alternatively selected based on a selection of a user. The halt mode includes a halt period during which the high voltage is not basically applied on the electrode needle. When a self discharge occurs by approach of a charged body in this halt period and an absolute value of current that flows through the resistance exceeds the first threshold value, the electricity removal operation is initiated in which the high voltage is applied on the electrode needle to produce ions. Subsequently, after a predetermined time period passes, for example, the electricity removal operation is terminated and the halt period is resumed.

Abstract: A container for storing and dispensing consumer products comprises a multi-compartment molded tray formed with an array of discrete cavities for receiving consumer products. A cover film is secured to the top surface of the tray to retain the item(s) within the cavities. The cover film has pre-formed tear lines defining peripheries of an array of tear-off portions, each tear-off portion arranged so that it overlies an associated cavity to retain the item(s) in that cavity. Each tear-off portion has an associated lug portion not secured to the tray in use, for gripping by a user before removing the tear-off portion. The top surface of the tray has an array of upwardly extending protrusions positioned to be located beneath the lug portions in use to bend those lug portions upwardly out of the plane of the remainder of the cover film to make the lugs readily graspable by a user.

Abstract: There is provided a process for the preparation of a polymerizable composition comprising a cross-linker and a polymerizable monomer of formula (I) comprising (i) contacting a compound of formula (II) with an acid such as an imobilized acid; and (ii) neutralizing product of (i) such that a crosslinker is formed.

Abstract: A method is provided to study gene function based on variations of the amino acids and the base sequences at specific positions on HLA genes which have polymorphisms and codon usage Medical industry applications for the method are also provided. The amino acid position(s) of the polymorphic amino acid(s) in amino acid sequence(s), including at least one of DRB1*gene, DQB1*gene, and DPB1*gene of HLA, is determined, the variation of the base sequences coding polymorphic positions of the amino acid and survival results with anticancer treatments after cancer resections, and survival results (prognosis, treatment effects) are analyzed, and the statistical relationship of the specific positions of the amino acids and the treatments is determined.

Abstract: It is an object to provide an optical displacement sensor and an optical displacement measurement device capable of improving the detection accuracy in detecting the presence or absence of a target object.

Abstract: An inverted fluorescence microscope is described which irradiates an excitation light onto a sample for observation of a fluorescent image of the sample. The fluorescence microscope includes (a) a transmissive illumination light source, which is arranged above a stage for placing the sample and the transmissive illumination light source is arranged facing a horizontal direction; (b) a tilt mirror, which reflects light from the transmissive illumination source and illuminates the sample on the stage from above; (c) a transmissive illumination optical unit including at least the tilt mirror is disposed so as to move in a direction in which the transmissive illumination optical unit is brought away from the stage from a normal position; and (d) a sample cover for shielding a light from the stage, wherein the sample cover is displaceable so as to expose the stage.

Abstract: An optical displacement sensor is described that is capable of correctly detecting a target object, even if the position of the target object is changed in an amount greater than the thickness of the target object.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting labeled beads is provided. The apparatus can include: one or more irradiation sources disposed for irradiating the one or more detection zones with radiation; at least one detector disposed for collecting charges corresponding to light signals emitted from labeled beads in the one or more detection zones, which have been excited by the radiation; and a system coupled to the at least one detector for effecting time delay integration of the charges by accumulating the charges before reading the charges at the output of the at least one detector.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting labeled beads is provided. The apparatus can include: one or more irradiation sources disposed for irradiating the one or more detection zones with radiation; at least one detector disposed for collecting charges corresponding to light signals emitted from labeled beads in the one or more detection zones, which have been excited by the radiation; and a system coupled to the at least one detector for effecting time delay integration of the charges by accumulating the charges before reading the charges at the output of the at least one detector.

Abstract: A method is provided for treating silica sand scrubs (SSS) generated and accumulated as waste in the chloride manufacturing process of titanium dioxide pigment. A hydrothermal process is used to produce sodium silicate solutions of modulus 3.0 to 3.8, and precipitated silicas. In some embodiments, the process uses two specific principal reaction stages. A sodium silicate solution having a low SiO2:Na2O molar ratio, in the range from 2.0 to 2.8, is first produced by reaction of the SSS, as a cost-effective SiO2 source, with aqueous caustic soda. The conversion of this intermediate sodium silicate solution of low modulus to a high SiO2:Na2O molar ratio is made possible by using a SiO2 source that is prepared as precipitated amorphous silica from the intermediate sodium silicate solution produced above.

Abstract: Total supplied current (I2) and high voltage (Vm) supplied to a rotary atomizer head (5) are detected by a total current sensor (115) and a high voltage sensor (116). Total leak current (I2) in paint paths, thinner paths and air paths inside an electrostatic atomizer (2) is detected via a metal back plate (40) of the electrostatic atomizer (2). When the total leak current value (I2) exceeds a threshold value (Ia), the level Vm of the high voltage applied to the rotary atomizer head (5) is lowered stepwise.

Abstract: An in-ground geothermal heating and cooling system for a building is provided. The system can include a buried ground source heat pump, a heat exchanger, and a ground loop circuit buried to a depth below the regional frost line. The system can also include a buried ground source heat pump buried inside a building to be heated. The system can also include an in-building heat exchanger disposed in a building, and an evaporative loop running from the ground source heat pump to the in-building heat exchanger. A method for installing such an in-ground geothermal heating and cooling system is also provided.

Abstract: A method and composition are provided for the operation of an evaporative cooling tower with minimal, or no, blowdown. In some embodiments, the method involves using sodium cation-exchanged softened water as makeup water for the cooling tower, providing a bypass filter for suspended solids removal from the cooling water, treating the cooling water with a composition for control of corrosion and deposition, and using an effective biocide for control of biological growth within the cooling tower system. In some embodiments, a composition is provided that comprises AMPS acrylic terpolymer, sodium silicate, phosphate ions, and polyphosphate ions. When dosed at the recommended levels, the composition controls corrosion of cooling system materials to generally acceptable levels in spite of the extremely corrosive environment resulting from the cycling of sodium cation-exchanged softened water in the cooling tower.

Abstract: A central electrode (12a) and an outer electrode (16a) are arranged in such a manner that their top end portions are inclined in the same direction with respect to the axial direction of the outer conductor (14). When the outer conductor (14) and the movable conductor (16) are relatively shifted in the axial direction, the central electrode (12a) and the outer electrode (16a) slidingly move on each other along the inclined direction, whereby a biotissue is cut between the central electrode (12a) and the outer electrode (16a).

Abstract: A lithium-ion rechargeable cell is described which contains an electrolyte comprising a pyrazolium cation, an imidazolium cation, or a combination thereof, as well as lithium ion, and at least one non-Lewis acid derived counter-ion. Electrochemical cells containing an anode, a cathode, and the ionic liquid electrolytes preferably have effective charge/discharge capacity and charging efficiency at low temperatures and at high temperatures.