Abstract: A cuff unit of the present invention includes a first wall and a second wall that face each other with an object which has a rod shape interposed therebetween, an actuator that is capable of moving the first wall and the second wall in parallel with each other in a direction in which the first wall and the second wall relatively approach each other or separate from each other, a pressing fluid bag that is provided on a surface of the first wall on a side facing the object and that receives supply of a fluid from outside to inflate and press the object, and a restraining fluid bag that is provided on a surface of the second wall on a side facing the object and that receives supply of a fluid from outside to inflate along the periphery of the object.

Abstract: A soft gripper that surrounds and grips an outer peripheral surface of an object, the soft gripper includes an elongated first actuator and an elongated second actuator, which are deformed in response to supply of a fluid. The first actuator and the second actuator extend from bases of the first and second actuators toward opposite sides each other. When receiving the supply of the fluid, each of the first and second actuators sequentially surrounds the object from the base toward a side of a leading end of the each of the first and second actuators.

Abstract: Silver nanowires having a thin and long shape that exhibit excellent dispersibility in an aqueous solvent having an alcohol added thereto are provided by silver nanowires having an average diameter of 50 nm or less and an average length of 10 ?m or more, covered with a copolymer of a maleimide-based monomer and vinylpyrrolidone. The silver nanowires can be produced by a method for producing silver nanowires, containing reductively depositing silver in a wire form in an alcohol solvent having dissolved therein a silver compound, the deposition being performed in the solvent having dissolved therein a copolymer of a maleimide-based monomer and vinylpyrrolidone.

Abstract: A production method of silver nanowires exhibits a yield enhancement effect for a protective agent other than PVP. The method for producing silver nanowires includes depositing a silver linear structure, which is referred to as silver nanowires, in an alcohol solvent having a silver compound, a halogen compound, and an organic protective agent dissolved therein. A deposition reaction of silver is performed in a state where aluminum nitrate is further dissolved in the solvent, the total amount of aluminum nitrate dissolved in the solvent being from 0.01 to 0.50 in terms of Al/Ag molar ratio with respect to the total amount of the silver compound. The organic protective agent is, for example, one containing one or more kinds of alkylated PVP and a PVP-PVA graft copolymer.

Abstract: A soft gripper that surrounds and grips an outer peripheral surface of an object, the soft gripper includes an elongated first actuator and an elongated second actuator, which are deformed in response to supply of a fluid. The first actuator and the second actuator extend from bases of the first and second actuators toward opposite sides each other. When receiving the supply of the fluid, each of the first and second actuators sequentially surrounds the object from the base toward a side of a leading end of the each of the first and second actuators.

Abstract: There is provided in the present invention a material for transfer of a substance in a liquid, which can trap/remove an objective substance contained in drainage water, waste water or a liquid at a limited area, and also can readily retrieve the polymer after trapping the objective substance from the liquid. The present invention relates to the material for transfer of a substance in a liquid containing a polymer blend comprising an amine-based polymer and a hydrophilic polymer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for advantageously producing an iron oxyhydroxide exhibiting excellent capability of adsorbing harmful substances, such as a phosphrous components and endocrine disrupting chemicals, which are contained in industrial wastewater, exhaust gases, etc., and an adsorbent material comprising the iron oxyhydroxide produced by the method as a main component. Specifically, the present invention provides an adsorbent material produced by a method comprising the steps of: (a) adding a base to an aqueous iron ion-containing solution, adjusting the pH of the resultant mixture to 9 or less, to form a precipitate that contains an iron oxyhydroxide; (b) drying the precipitate at a temperature of 100° C. or lower to obtain an iron oxyhydroxide; (c) contacting the resultant iron oxyhydroxide with water; and (d) subjecting the resultant iron oxyhydroxide to a heat treatment under a gas atmosphere having an inert gas concentration of 80% or greater at a temperature of 100 to 280° C.

Abstract: A container for a sparkling beverage which includes, on its inside bottom portion or surface, a bubble generator having a bubble generating portion for generating bubbles in such a manner that an aggregation of bubbles forms substantially the same shape as a mark on the surface of a beverage.

Abstract: A light-storing glaze comprising (a) a mixture of base components for a frit consisting of: per 100 parts by weight of the mixture (a), about 10 to about 50 parts by weight of B.sub.2 O.sub.3, about 1 to about 20 parts by weight of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0 to about 10 parts by weight of ZnO, about 2 to about 15 parts by weight of Na.sub.2 O, 0 to about 60 parts by weight of SiO.sub.2, 0 to about 15 parts by weight of CaO, 0 to about 5 parts by weight of K.sub.2 O and 0 to about 5 parts by weight of MgO, and (b) about 20 to about 80 parts by weight of sulphide-type light-storing fluorescent material per 100 parts by weight of the mixture (a), and a light-storing fluorescent ceramic article having a surface coated with such glaze.