Abstract: There is provided an atomic force microscope (AFM) with increase the speed and sensitivity of detection of the resonant frequency shift in a cantilever. An AFM (1) extracts a reference signal and a phase shift signal from a detection signal from a displacement sensor of the cantilever. The reference signal is restrained from a phase change in accordance with the resonant frequency shift. The phase shift signal has a phase shifted in accordance with the resonant frequency shift. The AFM (1) determines the phase difference of the phase shift signal from the reference signal, as the resonant frequency shift. The AFM (1) may detect the phase difference between a plus-minus inversion point on the reference signal and a corresponding plus-minus inversion point on the phase shift signal. The AFM (1) may adjust phase before phase detection. The phase adjustment may move the detection point for the resonant frequency shift defined on the oscillation waveforms to the plus-minus inversion point.

Abstract: A driving laser unit (11) irradiates a laser beam on a cantilever (5) to cause thermal expansion deformation. A driving-laser control unit (13) performs feedback control for the cantilever (5) by controlling intensity of the laser beam on the basis of displacement of the cantilever (5) detected by a sensor (9). A thermal-response compensating circuit (35) has a constitution equivalent to an inverse transfer function of a heat transfer function of the cantilever (5) and compensates for a delay in a thermal response of the cantilever (5) to the light irradiation. Moreover, the cantilever (5) may be excited by controlling the intensity of the laser beam. By controlling light intensity, a Q value of a lever resonance system is also controlled. It is possible to increase scanning speed of an atomic force microscope.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser drive system and a semiconductor laser driving method where both internal noise and optical feedback noise can be simultaneously reduced are provided at low cost and low power consumption.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method for inhibiting hair depigmentation and a method for inhibiting hair loss, in which hair depigmentation and hair loss are inhibited by collagen XVII.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope includes a cantilever, a scanning mechanism which relatively scans the cantilever and a sample which exist in liquid, and an application mechanism which applies photolytic light to a caged compound existing in the liquid or the sample.

Abstract: A small and inexpensive, noninvasive bone density measuring device is provided. A measuring part of the bone density measuring device is constituted by a light emitter 120, which emits near-infrared light, and a light receiver 130, which receives light via a bone of a measuring subject, arranged in a holder 110. Bone density is measured by inserting an arm, for example, in the holder 110 and measuring light absorption (absorbance) by the arm bone. The light emitter 120 and the light receiver 130 are connected to a control unit 140. The control unit 140 controls the light emitter 120 to emit light, inputs a measured value from the light receiver 130, and displays it as bone density. In order to remove the influence of light from the background or difference in bone thickness, ratio of absorbance between two wavelengths is preferably employed.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope is provided, which can be stably used for a long time even if excitation efficiency varies during scan. A cantilever (5) is excited, and the cantilever (5) and a sample are subjected to relative scanning. A second-harmonic component detection circuit (31) detects second-harmonic component amplitude of oscillation of the cantilever (5) as integral-multiple component amplitude. The second-harmonic component amplitude is amplitude of a second-harmonic component having a frequency twice as high as excitation frequency. An excitation intensity adjustment circuit (33) controls excitation intensity based on the detected second-harmonic component amplitude such that the second-harmonic component amplitude is kept constant.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to elucidate the factors involved in the regulation of AGE (advanced glycation endproducts, which are produced in a living body accompanied with diabetes and aging) and RAGE (the receptor for AGE), in order to facilitate investigation on the biological activities, physiological phenomenon and diseases related to AGE and RAGE. Plural molecular species are known to exist for RAGE, and among such molecular species, soluble RAGE exhibits the activity to modulate interaction between AGE and transmembrane-type RAGE. Using this soluble RAGE or a nucleic acid encoding it, the soluble RAGE can be measured, in addition, investigation on various physiological phenomenon, biological activities, and diseases related to interaction between AGE and RAGE can be performed to facilitate development a medicine having further efficacy.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an edible vaccine which is effective for human papilloma virus (HPV) type 16 and available in large amounts inexpensively. An edible human papilloma virus vaccine obtained by culturing a transformant of an avirulent fission yeast host, wherein the transformant carries a gene encoding an antigenic protein of human papilloma virus introduced therein and accumulates the expressed antigenic protein in it.

Abstract: [Problems] To enable convenient and accurate examination of Alzheimer's disease. [Means for Solving Problems] A reaction liquor, which is prepared by mixing an amyloid ? protein with a body fluid collected from a subject and a buffer solution is reacted. After the polymerization of the amyloid ? protein comes to equilibrium, the degree of the amyloid ? protein polymerization is examined. For example, the above-described reaction liquor is mixed with a fluorescent dye after the completion of the reaction and the degree of the color-development of the reaction liquor is detected to thereby examine the degree of the amyloid ? protein polymerization. The fluorescent dye as described above is thioflavin T or its derivative. The body fluid as described above is cerebral fluid, blood or a blood component.

Abstract: It is intended to find a compound that is structurally simpler than yohimbine, a pentacyclic condensed heterocyclic compound, and has an effect similar to that of yohimbine. The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical or food composition for ?2 receptor blockage comprising a compound represented by the formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: (wherein R1 represents a hydrogen, alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkynyl group, aromatic group, aralkyl group, acyl group, arylsulfonyl group, alkylsulfonyl group, or hydroxyl group; R2 represents a hydrocarbon group; R3, R4, R5, R6, and R7 are the same or different and represent a hydrogen, halogen, alkyl group, or alkoxy group; R8 represents a hydrogen or acyl group; n represents an integer of 1 to 6; and a and b are the same or different and represent 1 or 0).

Abstract: Provided is an atomic force microscope capable of increasing the phase detection speed of a cantilever vibration. The cantilever (5) is excited and the cantilever (5) and a sample are relatively scanned. Displacement of the cantilever (5) is detected by a sensor. An oscillator (27) generates an excitation signal of the cantilever (5) and generates a reference wave signal having a frequency based on the excitation signal and a fixed phase. According to vibration of the cantilever (5), a trigger pulse generation circuit (41) generates a trigger pulse signal having a pulse position changing in accordance with the vibration of the cantilever (5). According to the reference wave signal and the trigger pulse signal, a phase signal generation circuit (43) generates a signal corresponding to the level of the reference wave signal at the pulse position as a phase signal of vibration of the cantilever (5). As the reference wave signal, a saw tooth wave is used.

Abstract: A pressure supplier including an actuator that may be selectively expanded and contracted by applying a voltage, an elastic board being transformed in a predetermined direction to apply pressure upon a body part of a user when the actuator is contracted, and a guide member connecting with the actuator and the elastic board, and guiding the elastic board to be transformed in the predetermined direction while applying the pressure when the actuator is contracted.

Abstract: A biosignal measurement apparatus including: a bracelet membrane to wear around a user's wrist; a fixing supporter to install in a first side portion of the bracelet membrane and to support a first side portion of the wrist; a moving supporter to install in a second side portion of the bracelet membrane, to move towards the fixing supporter, and closely to attach to a second side portion of the wrist; and an information control unit to calculate a distance between the first side portion of the wrist and the second side portion of the wrist by detecting a movement distance of the moving supporter, and to calculate a displacement of the radial artery of the wrist by using a predetermined constant and the calculated distance between the first side portion of the wrist and the second side portion of the wrist.

Abstract: There is disclosed a gradient structure material comprising a substrate 1 and a functional material 2 formed on the substrate. The gradient structure material is thermally treated while a desired gradient temperature is applied to a specific direction and a specific region of the functional material on the substrate. Consequently, without adding “gradient structure” of a component concentration, a content of oxide, or a crystal structure, the functional material on the substrate is provided with useful function which is not heretofore existed, or a performance can be enhanced unlike a conventional technique.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for differentiating mammalian bone marrow cells or cord blood-derived cells into myocardial precursor cells and/or myocardial cells by culturing said bone marrow cells or cord blood-derived cells with cells isolated from mammalian fat tissues or a culture supernatant thereof.

Abstract: There is provided a thermal therapy device that is capable of following changes in the resonance frequency even if the resonance frequency of the series resonance circuit on the secondary side changes significantly and generating a magnetic field of a required intensity for heating the affected portion. The thermal therapy device comprises an inverter circuit (2) connected to the primary side of a transformer (1), a series resonance circuit (5) connected to the secondary side of the transformer and including a magnetic field generation coil (3) and a resonance controller (4), and a controller (20) for determining the resonance frequency based on the secondary current. The therapy operation mode may be a measurement mode and an operation mode which are alternately repeated.

Abstract: [Task] A motion picture encoding/decoding system and a motion picture encoding/decoding method which are capable of allowing decrease of power consumption are provided. [Means of solution] The system and the method are severally provided with a processor 1, a means of calculating necessary operation volume 2 for calculating the volume of operation necessary for encoding/decoding the present frame, and a means of calculating power-supply voltage, substrate bias voltage and operating frequency 3 for calculating a power-supply voltage and a substrate bias voltage and an operating frequency which are capable of encoding/decoding the necessary operation volume within the time allocated in advance to the process of encoding/decoding the present frame. The processor 1 performs the process of encoding/decoding the present frame while operating steadily with the operating frequency and the power-supply voltage and the substrate bias voltage calculated as mentioned above.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an edible vaccine which is effective for human papilloma virus (HPV) type 16 and available in large amounts inexpensively. An edible human papilloma virus vaccine obtained by culturing a transformant of an avirulent fission yeast host, wherein the transformant carries a gene encoding an antigenic protein of human papilloma virus introduced therein and accumulates the expressed antigenic protein in it.

Abstract: A speaker array, includes a plurality of speakers which are linearly arranged at a predetermined interval; and one-dimensional digital filters which are provided to correspond to the speakers respectively, in which predetermined filter coefficients are set previously, and which apply a filtering process to input sound data in response to the filter coefficients to output. Sound data derived by applying a digital conversion to input sound signals are supplied to respective one-dimensional digital filters. Sound signals derived by applying an analog conversion to the sound data output from respective one-dimensional digital filters are supplied to corresponding speakers to output a sound in response to the sound signals.