Abstract: The present invention pertains to a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of kidney disease, a kidney inflammation inhibitor, an inflammatory cell death inhibitor for the kidneys, or a food for the prevention or improvement of kidney disease, that include D-alanine or a derivative thereof. In addition, the present invention pertains to the use of D-alanine or a derivative thereof, for the production of a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of kidney disease.

Abstract: This method for producing a fiber-reinforced composite material includes: a fiber dispersion process of providing a fiber-dispersed resin by kneading a resin 10a with fibers 10b to disperse the fibers 10b in the resin 10a; and a molecular weight reduction process in which, while transporting the fiber-dispersed resin along an outer peripheral surface of a screw body 37 provided with a passage 88 inside, the fiber-dispersed resin passes from an inlet 91 of the passage 88 to an outlet 92 of the passage 88 and a shear force is applied to the fiber-dispersed resin by restricting the transport of the fiber-dispersed resin with a barrier unit 82 disposed between the inlet 91 and the outlet 92 of the passage 88 on the outer peripheral surface.

Abstract: A production method for a low molecular weight polymer suitable for a melt-blown non-woven fabric and a production device for melt-blown non-woven fabric, with which a high molecular weight polymer can be reduced in molecular weight by applying a shear force to the high molecular weight polymer without adding an additive. The low molecular weight polymer and the melt-blown non-woven fabric are produced using a continuous high shearing device that applies a shear force to the high molecular weight polymer serving as a raw material by rotation of a screw body to reduce the molecular weight of the high molecular weight polymer so as to obtain a low molecular weight polymer, and cools the low molecular weight polymer by passing the low molecular weight polymer through a passage arranged in the axial direction inside the screw body.

Abstract: Provided are an organoid having a metastatic property when transplanted into an immunocompetent non-human animal of the same species, a cell strain having a metastatic property when transplanted into an immunocompetent non-human animal of the same species, and a non-human animal including the organoid or the cell strain.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a marker for determining critical stage kidney disease by using an indicator value based on the amount of D-alanine in the blood or the amount of D-alanine and L-alanine therein; a blood analysis method which uses said marker for patients undergoing surgery or intensive care; and a blood analysis system for determining critical stage kidney disease in patients undergoing surgery or intensive care.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of kidney disease, an inflammation inhibitor for the kidneys, an inflammatory cell death inhibitor for the kidneys, or a food for the prevention or improvement of kidney disease, that include D-serine or a derivative thereof. In addition, the present invention pertains to the use of D-serine or a derivative thereof, for the production of a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of kidney disease.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of kidney disease, a kidney inflammation inhibitor, an inflammatory cell death inhibitor for the kidneys, or a food for the prevention or improvement of kidney disease, that include D-alanine or a derivative thereof. In addition, the present invention pertains to the use of D-alanine or a derivative thereof, for the production of a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of kidney disease.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a diamond substrate, including: a first step of preparing patterned diamond on a foundation surface, a second step of growing diamond from the patterned diamond prepared in the first step to form the diamond in a pattern gap of the patterned diamond prepared in the first step, a third step of removing the patterned diamond prepared in the first step to form a patterned diamond composed of the diamond formed in the second step, and a fourth step of growing diamond from the patterned diamond formed in the third step to form the diamond in a pattern gap of the patterned diamond formed in the third step. There can be provided a method for manufacturing a diamond substrate which can sufficiently suppress dislocation defects, a high-quality diamond substrate, and a freestanding diamond substrate.

Abstract: A measuring device includes a stimulation instructing unit and an estimating unit. The stimulation instructing unit is configured to instruct a stimulating device to generate a plurality of stimulations corresponding to at least three fiducial points of brain anatomy data, the at least three fiducial points having been defined in the brain anatomy data. The estimating unit is configured to estimate, based on sensor output signals output from sensors configured to measure a brain activity signal of a subject who is a target to be measured, parts where brain activities occur due to the plurality of stimulations.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of developing an analytical method which makes it possible to diagnose early or mild renal disorders. The method is based on calculating a disease-state index value for renal disorders on the basis of the quantities of D-form and/or L-form amino acids, from feces or intestinal content. By comparing the disease-state index value with a threshold value determined from the disease-state index values of a renal failure patient group and a healthy subject group, it is possible to diagnose a mild renal disorder patient group.

Abstract: An activity amount calculation system includes a plurality of detection units and an activity amount calculation device. The plurality of detection units detect a resident and output detection signals when the resident passes through doorways of a plurality of rooms. The calculation device includes a calculation unit and a summation unit. Upon detection of the resident by the detection units, the calculation unit calculates an activity amount of the resident based on relationships between detection units and reference activity amounts. The summation unit repeatedly calculates a total activity amount of the resident in a predetermined period by summing activity amounts calculated by the calculation unit.

Abstract: Provided are an organoid having a metastatic property when transplanted into an immunocompetent non-human animal of the same species, a cell strain having a metastatic property when transplanted into an immunocompetent non-human animal of the same species, and a non-human animal including the organoid or the cell strain.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a copper alloy of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a Cu—Ni—Sn-based copper alloy and includes: a first aging treatment step of performing an aging treatment in a temperature range of 300° C. to 500° C. using a solution treated material; an inter-aging processing step of performing cold working after the first aging treatment step; and a second aging treatment step of performing an aging treatment in a temperature range of 300° C. to 500° C. after the inter-aging processing step. In the first aging treatment step, a peak aging treatment is preferably performed. In addition, in the second aging treatment step, the aging treatment is preferably performed for a short period as compared to that of the aging treatment in the first aging treatment step. In the inter-aging processing step, cold working is preferably performed at a processing rate of more than 60% to 99%.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of developing an analytical method which makes it possible to diagnose early or mild renal disorders. The method is based on calculating a disease-state index value for renal disorders on the basis of the quantities of D-form and/or L-form amino acids, from feces or intestinal content. By comparing the disease-state index value with a threshold value determined from the disease-state index values of a renal failure patient group and a healthy subject group, it is possible to diagnose a mild renal disorder patient group.

Abstract: An activity amount calculation system (100) includes a plurality of detection units (D1, D2) and an activity amount calculation device (10). The plurality of detection units (D1, D2) detect a resident and output detection signals when the resident passes through doorways of a plurality of rooms. The calculation device (10) includes a calculation unit (11) and a summation unit (12). Upon detection of the resident by the detection units (D1, D2), the calculation unit (11) calculates an activity amount of the resident based on relationships between detection units and reference activity amounts. The summation unit (12) repeatedly calculates a total activity amount of the resident in a predetermined period by summing activity amounts calculated by the calculation unit (11).

Abstract: The detection range and the detection precision of a sensor device that makes use of the deformation of a viscoelastic elastomer are made variable. The sensor device comprises a magnetic viscoelastic elastomer containing electroconductive magnetic particles dispersed therein so as to demonstrate an elastic modulus that varies depending on a magnetic field applied thereto and an electric resistance in a prescribed direction that varies depending on a deformation thereof, electromagnets for applying a magnetic field that can be varied to the magnetic viscoelastic elastomer, a resistance detection circuit for detecting the electric resistance of the magnetic viscoelastic elastomer, and a control unit for computing at least one of a deformation state of the magnetic viscoelastic elastomer and a load applied to the magnetic viscoelastic elastomer according to a detection value of the resistance detection circuit and a magnitude of the magnetic field applied by the electromagnets.

Abstract: A power generation switch includes: parallel beams including at least one magnetostrictive rod made of a beam-shaped magnetostrictive material; a coil wound around the rod; a first connecting part connecting two beams in the parallel beams together, at first ends of the parallel beams; a second connecting part connecting the two beams together at second ends of the parallel beams; a field part that produces magnetic flux to pass through the two beams in the same direction; and an operating part operable by a user. The first connecting part is a non-displaced fixed end. The second connecting part is a free end for free oscillation. The operating part applies external force to the second connecting part to cause free oscillation of the parallel beams, thereby causing a positive axial force in one of the two beams and a negative axial force in the other one of the two beams.

Abstract: An earphone comprises: a magnetostrictive element which is composed of a magnetostrictive material and has a column-like shape, the magnetostrictive element expanding and contracting due to magnetostrictive effect; a coil wound around the magnetostrictive element, the coil converting an electrical signal into a change in magnetic field; and an elastic portion which is composed of an elastic body having magnetism, the elastic portion including: a first elastic portion to which one of ends of the magnetostrictive element is joined; a second elastic portion to which the other end of the magnetostrictive element is joined; and a beam portion having a column-like shape and being provided in parallel to the magnetostrictive element between the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion and being integrally formed with the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a reagent for detecting a digestive organ cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, or biliary tract cancer patient by analyzing genes with expression levels (in peripheral blood) that vary in association with digestive organ cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, or biliary tract cancer cases, compared with normal healthy subjects. Specifically, the method for detecting a digestive organ cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, or biliary tract cancer patient based on expression profiles comprises obtaining the expression profile of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of probes corresponding to genes with expression levels (in peripheral blood) that vary in digestive organ cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and biliary tract cancer cases, compared with normal healthy subjects.

Abstract: A method for evaluating the quality of a blood sample, comprising the steps of: mixing labeled anti-cortisol antibodies with a blood sample to be subjected, to conduct the antigen-antibody reaction of the labeled anti-cortisol antibody with cortisol contained in the blood sample, developing a mixture obtained in the above step on an immunochromatographic test strip having a substrate on which cortisol is immobilized to cause the antigen-antibody reaction of the labeled anti-cortisol antibodies which are free in the mixture with the cortisol immobilized on the substrate, thereby bonding the antibody to the cortisol, determining the amount of the labeled anti-cortisol antibodies bonded to the cortisol in the above step, and evaluating whether or not the blood sample has a quality suitable for suprarenal vein sampling test on the basis of the amount of the labeled anti-cortisol antibodies determined in the above step.