Abstract: A driving form switching apparatus enabling even a user of wheelchair who cannot freely use limb to easily change over a driving form by single hand self-operation. By using a differential gear mechanism or a combination mechanism comprising pinions and racks, the rotating, tilting and shifting motions of a steering lever are transmitted to two rotating shafts. Drums are directly coupled to the two rotating shafts, and the rotations of the two rotating shafts are transmitted to steering shafts through flexible wires as first connecting means. Also, the steering shafts for wheels are parallel- or cross-connected by second connecting means. Thus, the driving forms of a four-wheel drive vehicle such as back and forth traveling, counter-clockwise turning, clockwise turning, turning on the spot, parallel traveling, stopping and braking, etc, can be switched by a single-hand simple operation.

Abstract: A novel fluorescent substance for a light-emitting diode, emitting light of any one of three primary colors by excitation of an ultraviolet light-emitting diode. Alternatively, a novel fluorescent substance for a light-emitting diode, emitting light in a red region of a spectrum by excitation of a blue light-emitting diode. Na2SrSi2O6 is doped with Eu3+. Preferably, Eu3+ is added so as to account for 1 to 80 mol % in concentration in a host crystal, while sites of Si4+ in Na2SrSi2O6. are replaced by Al3+ and/or Ga3+. Alternatively, Ca3Si2O7 is doped with Ce3+ and Tb3+. Preferably, Ce3+ and Tb3+ are added so as to account for 0.1 to 80 mol % and 0.1 to 20 mol % in concentration in a host crystal, respectively. Still alternatively, Ca3Si2O7 is doped with Eu2+. Preferably, Eu2+ is added so as to account for 0.5 to 10 mol % in concentration in the host crystal.

Abstract: This invention relates an inhibitory modulator of AQP4 protein regarding its transmembrane water transport properties, wherein the modulator selectively binds to the AQP4 protein, and inhibits AQP4 mediated water transport.

Abstract: A novel method for measuring airborne radon and thoron capable of separately measuring radon and thoron with high sensitivity, having a small-sized device structure, and free of the influence from its measurement environment. In the method, by measuring Cherenkov light generated when airborne radon and thoron are adsorbed to an absorbent and then ? rays emitted in process of disintegrations of radon and thoron pass through the absorbent, radon and thoron are measured. Based on a decay time of the Cherenkov light, a mixture ratio between radon and thoron is measured. As the absorbent, porous glass is preferably employed which is provided with fine pores of 0.3 to 30 nm in diameter.

Abstract: The conventional dielectric measurement method utilizes an interaction between a uniform electric field and a dipole moment, and hence a motion of nonpolar molecules without the dipole moments cannot be detected. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for electrically detecting the motion of the nonpolar molecule. According to the present invention, the motion of the nonpolar molecule is detected electrically by utilizing a nonuniform electric field in dielectric measurement. As a specific measurement method, comb-shaped electrodes or electrodes with irregularities on their surfaces are employed in the dielectric measurement in place of conventional parallel flat-plate electrodes. By utilizing the interaction between the nonuniform electric field generated by these electrodes and a quadrupole moment or a high-order electric moment, it has become possible to electrically detect the motion of the nonpolar molecule.

Abstract: A Si single crystal having no defect region is stably grown by clearly detecting a type of a defect region or a defect free region of Si single crystal grown at a certain pulling rate profile and feeding back the data to the subsequent pulling. In the production of Si single crystal ingot by a CZ method, a concentration distribution of atomic vacancy in a cross-section of a precedent grown Si single crystal is detected by the direct observation method of atomic vacancy and then fed back to the subsequent pulling treatment to adjust a pulling rate profile of the subsequent pulling.

Abstract: A novel method for measuring airborne radon and thoron capable of separately measuring radon and thoron with high sensitivity, having a small-sized device structure, and free of the influence from its measurement environment. In the method, by measuring Cherenkov light generated when airborne radon and thoron are adsorbed to an absorbent and then ? rays emitted in process of disintegrations of radon and thoron pass through the absorbent, radon and thoron are measured. Based on a decay time of the Cherenkov light, a mixture ratio between radon and thoron is measured. As the absorbent, porous glass is preferably employed which is provided with fine pores of 0.3 to 30 nm in diameter.

Abstract: A novel fluorescent substance for a light-emitting diode, emitting light of any one of three primary colors by excitation of an ultraviolet light-emitting diode. Alternatively, a novel fluorescent substance for a light-emitting diode, emitting light in a red region of a spectrum by excitation of a blue light-emitting diode. Na2SrSi2O6 is doped with Eu3+. Preferably, Eu3+ is added so as to account for 1 to 80 mol % in concentration in a host crystal, while sites of Si4+ in Na2SrSi2O6. are replaced by Al3+ and/or Ga3+. Alternatively, Ca3Si2O7 is doped with Ce3+ and Tb3+. Preferably, Ce3+ and Tb3+ are added so as to account for 0.1 to 80 mol % and 0.1 to 20 mol % in concentration in a host crystal, respectively. Still alternatively, Ca3Si2O7 is doped with Eu2+. Preferably, Eu2+ is added so as to account for 0.5 to 10 mol % in concentration in the host crystal.

Abstract: There is provided a quantitative evaluation device or the like of atomic vacancy existing in a silicon wafer in which the atomic vacancy concentration in the silicon wafer can be quantitatively evaluated by forming a rationalized thin-film transducer on a surface of a silicon sample without conducting an acceleration treatment for enhancing the concentration.

Abstract: A method employing a statistic means to test whether or not luminance signals around a point of interest are distributed according to the same probability distribution with respect to luminance signals of respective pixels constituting the image; determining a range where the same probability distribution can be regarded as being satisfied, estimating the true luminance value of the point of interest by using the luminance data of the range. Especially when the image signals are faint to such an extent that the intensity of the luminance signal is based on the Poisson distribution, it is effective to perform a smoothing processing for each of the probability distributions of the signals and the noises by a test of a uniformity of the Poisson distribution, enabling a clear and denoised image to be obtained.

Abstract: Betulin and dihydrobetulin acyl derivatives according to the present invention have been found to have potent anti-HIV activity. The compounds of the present invention have Formula I as described herein, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof; wherein R1 is a C2-C20 substituted or unsubstituted carboxyacyl or ester thereof; R2 is hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl or —OR3, R3 is C2-C20 substituted or unsubstituted carboxyacyl; and R4 is hydrogen or C(C6H5)3; wherein the dashed line represents an optional double bond between C20 and C29.

Abstract: A substance adsorption detection method and a sensor utilizing amounts of change in the optical characteristic of a sensitive thin film with respect to the adsorbed amount of a substance to be detected. A clad 4, a core 5, and a thin film 7 for detecting an adsorbed substance are sequentially stacked on a crystal oscillator 10 to constitute an optical waveguide layer 12 and a gas adsorption member 11. An incoming light prism 8 and an outgoing light prism 9 are provided on the surface of the core 5. Changes in the adsorbed mass of the target substance and in the optical characteristic involved can be detected accurately and simultaneously by utilizing a change in outgoing light originating from a change in propagation loss and a change in the oscillation characteristic of the oscillator 10, both caused by adsorption of the target substance on the core surface.

Abstract: The invention provides a gas detection method and a gas sensor which utilize an amount of change in the electrical characteristic of a gas sensitive thin film with respect to the adsorption amount of a gas to be detected. The gas sensitive thin film (7) having characteristic detection electrodes (5, 6) functioning as a sandwich electrode or a gap electrode is laid out on a crystal resonator (10), and change in the electrical characteristic of the gas sensitive thin film (7) with respect to the adsorption amount of the detection target gas is observed by simultaneously determining change in the oscillatory frequency of the crystal resonator (10) and the electrical characteristic of the gas sensitive thin film (7). Because the sensor is an integral type device, both changes in an adsorption mass and the electrical characteristic can be surely monitored.

Abstract: This invention relates an inhibitory modulator of AQP4 protein regarding its transmembrane water transport properties, wherein the modulator selectively binds to the AQP4 protein, and inhibits AQP4 mediated water transport.

Abstract: The conventional dielectric measurement method utilizes an interaction between a uniform electric field and a dipole moment, and hence a motion of nonpolar molecules without the dipole moments cannot be detected. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for electrically detecting the motion of the nonpolar molecule. According to the present invention, the motion of the nonpolar molecule is detected electrically by utilizing a nonuniform electric field in dielectric measurement. As a specific measurement method, comb-shaped electrodes or electrodes with irregularities on their surfaces are employed in the dielectric measurement in place of conventional parallel flat-plate electrodes. By utilizing the interaction between the nonuniform electric field generated by these electrodes and a quadrupole moment or a high-order electric moment, it has become possible to electrically detect the motion of the nonpolar molecule.

Abstract: Plant nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (NPPase), method of production, use in the manufacture of testing devices and in the production of transgenic plants. NPPase is an enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of a wide range of small molecules with phosphodiester and phosphosulphate bonds, in particular ADPG (adenosine diphosphate glucose) and APS (adenosine 5?-phosphosulphate). The enzyme obtained from plant extracts is used in assay devices for determining levels of nucleoside diphosphate sugars, based either on the sugar-1-phosphate released, or on the nucleoside monophosphate, both of which are products formed by the reaction catalysed by NPPase, as well as the detection of sulphonucleotides such as 3?-phosphoadenosine 5?-phosphosulphate (PAPS) and APS. The amino acid sequence of the enzyme is also described, as well as the nucleotide sequence of a complete cDNA and another incomplete cDNA.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is. to provide an objective method for diagnosis of schizophrenia using gene expression in mononuclear cells of peripheral blood as an index, and this invention provide a method for diagnosing whether a test subject suffers from schizophrenia or not.

Abstract: Random control voltages are applied to an oscillating circuit with an oscillation frequency control section from a noise generating circuit to generate random oscillation voltages which correspond to frequency signals from the oscillating circuit. The random oscillation voltages are digitally converted at an A/D converter and input into a personal computer, where a given threshold value is defined to the amplitudes of the random oscillation voltages and numerals “0” and “1” are allotted to the random oscillation voltages on the magnitude relation between the threshold value and the amplitudes of the random oscillation voltages. As a result, a binary random number relating to numerals “0” and “1” can be generated.

Abstract: A method of generating random numbers comprises: generating a first noise and passing the first noise through a first high pass filter which removes a periodic component contained in the first noise to produce a first noise signal having 1/f characteristic; generating a second noise and passing the second noise through a second high pass filter which removes a periodic component contained in the second noise to produce a second noise signal having 1/f characteristic; supplying the first and second noise signals to a differential circuit to derive a different signal between the first noise signal and said second noise signal; and generating, from the different signal, random numbers which do not have a periodicity due to 1/f characteristics of the first and second noise signals.

Abstract: Betulin and dihydrobetulin acyl derivatives according to the present invention have been found to have potent anti-HIV activity. The compounds of the present invention have Formula I as described herein, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof; wherein R1 is a C2-C20 substituted or unsubstituted carboxyacyl or ester thereof; R2 is hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl or —OR3, R3 is C2-C20 substituted or unsubstituted carboxyacyl; and R4 is hydrogen or C(C6H5)3; wherein the dashed line represents an optional double bond between C20 and C29.