Abstract: An oxide superconducting thin film includes a substrate, and an intermediate layer and a superconducting layer provided in this order on the substrate. The intermediate layer has an average thickness of from 10 nm to 20 nm and a surface roughness Ra of 0.5 nm or less. The superconducting layer is formed on a surface of the intermediate layer and includes an oxide superconductor as a main component. A superconducting fault current limiter including the oxide superconducting thin film is also provided.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel xylanase having various excellent enzymological properties, and that is suitable for industrial applications. The polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of (a), (b), and (c) below: (a) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 7; (b) a polypeptide having xylanase activity and comprising an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 7, the amino acid sequence having substitution, deletion, insertion, and/or addition of one or several amino acid residues; and (c) a polypeptide having xylanase activity and comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80% identity with an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs. 1 to 7.

Abstract: Recording and erasing of data in PRAM have hitherto been performed based on a change in physical characteristics caused by primary phase-transformation of a crystalline state and an amorphous state of a chalcogen compound including Te which serves as a recording material. Since, however, a recording thin film is formed of a polycrystal but not a single crystal, a variation in resistance values occurs and a change in volume caused upon phase-transition has placed a limit on the number of times of readout of record. In one embodiment, the above problem is solved by preparing a solid memory having a superlattice structure of thin films including Ge and thin films including Sb. The solid memory can realize the number of times of repeated recording and erasing of 1015.

Abstract: A light source circuit transmits light incident from a semiconductor laser source to a plurality of optical devices. At least one optical branch section is formed to branch one input-side optical waveguide at least into a first output-side optical waveguide terminal and a second output-side optical waveguide terminal. A light path length (L1) between the optical branch section and a next-stage optical branch section or the optical device is connected to the first output-side optical waveguide extending from the optical branch section and a light path length (L2) between the optical branch section and the next-stage optical branch section selected such that the absolute value of a difference between (L1) and (L2) is (¼+i/2) times (i is zero or a positive integer) the wavelength of the light transmitted through the light source circuit.

Abstract: A defect-free hydrogen separation membrane includes a metal thin membrane. The metal thin membrane includes a first metal layer composed of palladium on a porous support without substantial penetration into surface pores of the porous support and a second metal layer on the first metal layer. The second metal layer is a product of palladium deposition and closes defects being open on the surface of the first metal layer.

Abstract: An angle detecting device with self-calibration function, in which sensor heads are provided with an equiangular interval on a scale disc fixed to a rotating shaft, one sensor head is selected as reference, a sum of measurement differences between the reference and another sensor head is divided by the number of sensor heads, to determine an average, whereby a self-calibration value is obtained, in which a sensor head of the reference is changed to another in order, and the respective self-calibration value is obtained, which value is deviated by an angle of arrangement with respect to a particular sensor head, and a phase is aligned to a self-calibration value of the particular one as the reference, to determine an average for calculations of this phase conversion, which average is subtracted from the respective calculation subjected to the phase conversion, to obtain only asynchronous angular errors.

Abstract: A persistently infective virus vector is produced by using a gene so modified as to encode an amino acid sequence including a valine substituted for an amino acid residue at position-1618 in the amino acid sequence for an L protein of a persistently non-infective Sendai virus. A non-transmissible, persistently infective virus vector is also produced by defecting or deleting at least one of M gene, F gene, and HN gene. These virus vectors have no cytotoxicity, can achieve the sustained gene expression over a long period of time, is safe, and is therefore useful.

Abstract: A vibration detection apparatus for, for example, ultrasound/AE, with Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG), is used for elastic wave detection generated by a material impact and ultrasonic defect detection. Disadvantageously, the apparatus cannot detect ultrasound and has degraded performance at variable temperatures and strains. In response, a highly sensitive, small and light vibration detection apparatus is provided. FBG reflection light is lased by using a fiber laser. The intensity of the lased reflection light from the FBG is converted into an electrical signal. Thus, the ultrasound vibration or the like is detected. A vibration detection system includes an optical amplifier 42, an optical circulator 43, and an optical coupler 45. An FBG 44 and an entry/exit port of the optical circulator are connected by an optical fiber. The optical coupler and the optical amplifier are inserted between an entry port and an exit port of the optical circulator. The entry port and the exit port are connected by an optical fiber.

Abstract: The assay device (10) comprises a micro flow path (76); a porous medium provided near the distal end portion (80) of the micro flow path (76); and a space (82) provided between the micro flow path (76) and the porous medium for controlling the flow rate of a fluid moving from the micro flow path (76) to the space (82). After a fluid moved along the micro flow path (76) based on a lateral flow is brought into contact with the porous medium beyond the space (82) and is absorbed to the porous medium, the fluid is divided by the space (82) so that the fluid stays in the micro flow path (76). With this structure, it is possible to perform solution exchange in the micro flow path without using an external device such as a pump.

Abstract: A surface plasma actuator includes a conducting wire attached to a surface of a target object and electrically insulated from the target object. Surface plasma is generated along a neighborhood of the conducting wire by applying a pulse voltage between the conducting wire and a conductive portion on a side of the target object. An induced gas flow is generated by the surface plasma.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aggregate of spherical core-shell cerium oxide/polymer hybrid nanoparticles, a process for producing the same, and a product such as an anti-reflection film having a high refractive index layer.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed in which in a conventional non-grounding man-machine interface having no reaction base on the human body and for giving the existence of a virtual object and the impact force of a collision to a person, a haptic sensation of a torque, a force and the like can be continuously presented in the same direction, which cannot be presented by only the physical characteristic of a haptic sensation presentation device. In a haptic presentation device, the rotation velocity of at least one rotator in the haptic presentation device is controlled by a control device, and a vibration, a force or a torque as the physical characteristic is controlled, so that the user is made to conceive various haptic information of the vibration, force, torque or the like.

Abstract: In order to achieve a photoelectric conversion cell and an array of high sensitivity and high dynamic range, there is a need for a photoelectric conversion cell and an array in which combination of an amplified photoelectric conversion element and a selection element are resistant to external noise, and the combination is resistant to effects from address selection pulse noise at array readout time. In the present invention, in order to solve the problem, a photoelectric conversion cell has been configured with a combination of an amplified photoelectric conversion element (100) and a selection element (10 and the like) which are resistant to external noise, and various means of solution of the combination are provided which are resistant to the effects of address selection pulse noise at array readout time. As a result, a dynamic range of 6 to 7 orders of magnitude for light detection has become possible.

Abstract: In this junction element 1, when a forward voltage is applied, a depletion layer is formed in a semiconductor layer 2, prohibiting electrons present in an electrode layer 4 to move into the semiconductor layer 2. For this reason, a majority of holes in a semiconductor layer 3 do not disappear by recombination with conduction electrons in the semiconductor layer 2, but reach the electrode layer 4 while diffusing into the semiconductor layer 2. Accordingly, the junction element 1 can serve as a good conductor for holes, while avoiding the influence of a resistance value, and allows a current to flow therethrough at a level equal to or more than that achieved by a semiconductor element formed of a Si or SiC semiconductor.

Abstract: A method of making a contact probe including a step of making a first printed wiring board having a signal electrode and a ground electrode used as a contact part of the contact probe with respect to a measuring object, in which the signal electrode and ground electrode are formed of a metal wiring pattern, and making a second printed wiring board with a coaxial line structure having a shield electrode which encloses a signal line and the surroundings of the signal line through an insulating layer. The signal electrode of the first printed wiring board and the signal line of the second printed wiring board are electrically connected together, and the ground electrode of the first printed wiring board and the shield electrode of the second printed wiring board are electrically connected together.

Abstract: A memory element includes an insulating substrate; a first electrode and a second electrode on the insulating substrate; and an inter-electrode gap portion that causes a change in resistance value between the first and second electrodes. Applied to the memory element from a pulse generating source is a first voltage pulse for shifting from a predetermined low-resistance state to a predetermined high-resistance state, and a second voltage pulse for shifting from the high-resistance state to the low-resistance state through a series-connected resistor, by which current flowing to the memory element after the change to a low resistance value is reduced. When shifting from the high to the low-resistance state, a voltage pulse is applied such that an electrical resistance between the pulse generating source and the memory element becomes higher than the electrical resistance shifting from the low to the high-resistance state.

Abstract: A sensor network system is provided with a plurality of sensor terminals disposed in a predetermined area, and a monitoring center device that collects sensing data wirelessly transmitted from each of the plurality of sensor terminals. The sensor terminals wirelessly and intermittently transmit a transmission signal including sensor identification information and the latest sensing data from the sensors. The monitoring center device has the function of acquiring positional information of the sensor terminals in the predetermined area, and accumulates each item of the sensing data from the sensor terminals as time-series data in association with information about the time of acquisition. On the basis of the positional information of the sensor terminals and the time-series data of the accumulated sensing data, a time-series variation of an environmental element in the predetermined area is visually presented.

Abstract: A room temperature bonding apparatus includes a first beam source, a second beam source, and a press bonding mechanism. The first beam source emits a first activation beam that irradiates a first surface of a first substrate. Independently from the first beam source, the second beam source emits a second activation beam that irradiates a second surface of a second substrate. The press bonding mechanism bonds between the first substrate and the second substrate by contacting between the first surface and the second surface after the first surface is irradiated with the first activation beam and the second surface is irradiated with the second activation beam. Thus, a plurality of the substrates made of different materials is appropriately bonded.

Abstract: A solid-state memory that requires a lower current during recording and erasing data and can repeatedly rewrite data an increased number of times. In at least one example embodiment, the solid-state memory includes a recording layer that includes a laminated structure in which electric properties are changed in response to a phase separation. The laminated structure includes a film containing an Sb atom(s) and a film containing a Ge atom(s), which films constitute a superlattice structure. In the laminated structure, phase separation of the film containing the Sb atom and the film containing the Ge atom allows data to be recorded and erased efficiently.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of providing with a simple production process and with high efficiency a new photosensitive azobenzene derivative which is capable of freely controlling phase transition by photostimulation, and the problem is solved by using an azobenzene derivative represented by general formula (1). (1) (In the formula, R1 and R6 are independently an alkoxyl group having 6-18 carbon atoms, R2-R5 and R7-R10 are independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1-4 carbon atoms which may have branches, provided that not all of R2-R5 and R7-R10 are hydrogen).