Abstract: Ascochlorin or an analog or derivative thereof and a compound having a primary amino group are mixed and reacted with each other in the presence/absence of a basic catalyst to synthesize a novel imino compound. The novel imino compound thus synthesized is a ligand capable of activating nuclear receptor superfamily such as retinoid orphan receptor (RXR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) and steroid receptor (PXR), and shows an effect of promoting the transcription of a drug-metabolizing enzyme CYP7A1. The imino compound has a therapeutic effect on diseases such as lifestyle-related diseases, chronic inflammation and cancers.

Abstract: A high smoothness grinding process for obtaining a highly smooth surface of a metal material member. The process includes grinding an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical or generally cylindrical metal material member by using a super abrasive grain grinding wheel in a condition in which a value [a peripheral speed of the grinding wheel/a peripheral speed of the metal material member] is not larger than 100, the grinding serving as a main grinding step.

Abstract: An inkjet recording head substrate having an electrothermal transducer for generating thermal energy used to discharge ink and a drive element for driving the electrothermal transducer mounted thereon includes a first circuit portion for outputting selection signals for selecting the electrothermal transducer to be driven at a amplitude level of a second voltage higher than a first voltage based on an input signal of the amplitude level of the first voltage, a second circuit portion for inputting the selection signals from the first circuit portion and controlling the drive element corresponding to the electrothermal transducer to be driven based on the selection signals subject to the second voltage, and a plurality of signal-lines for transmitting the selection signals between the first and second circuit portions.

Abstract: A high smoothness grinding process for obtaining a highly smooth surface of a metal material member. The process includes grinding an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical or generally cylindrical metal material member by using a super abrasive grain grinding wheel in a condition in which a value [a peripheral speed of the grinding wheel/a peripheral speed of the metal material member] is not larger than 100, the grinding serving as a main grinding step.

Abstract: A method of forming a traction drive rolling element including: forming a preform having a working surface with an arcuate profile in section taken along a central axis; supporting the preform to be rotatable about the central axis; allowing a relative movement between the preform and a grooving tool for moving the grooving tool along the arcuate profile, simultaneously with rotating the preform about the central axis, to form microscopic recesses and projections alternately arranged in a direction perpendicular to the central axis along the arcuate profile; pressing a grindstone having a contact surface area of 25 mm2 or less, on the working surface; and allowing a relative movement between the preform and the grindstone for moving the grindstone along the arcuate profile simultaneously with rotating the preform while keeping pressing the grindstone on the working surface until a height of the microscopic projections becomes 3 ?m or less.

Abstract: A method for producing a liquid discharge head provided with a discharge port for discharging liquid, a liquid flow path communicating with the discharge port, and a silicon substrate including a discharge energy generating element for generating energy for liquid discharge and a liquid supply aperture for supplying the liquid flow path with the liquid, the method comprising following steps of: forming an anisotropic etching stop layer in a portion wherein the liquid supply apertures is to be formed on the top side of the substrate; forming an insulation layer on the anisotropic etching stop layer; destructing the crystalline structure under the etching stop layer in the liquid supply aperture forming portion utilizing the insulation layer as a mask, forming, on the rear side of the substrate, an etching mask layer having an aperture corresponding to the liquid supply aperture forming portion on the top side, etching the substrate by anisotropic etching from the aperture until the area where the crystalline s

Abstract: The oscillation pulse width is extended in a gas laser apparatus emitting ultraviolet radiation by a high-repetition rate oscillating operation. The gas laser apparatus has a pair of laser discharge electrodes connected to the output terminals of a magnetic pulse compression circuit and disposed in a laser chamber. The pulse width is extended by determining circuit constants so that the period of the oscillating current flowing between the discharge electrodes is shortened and, at the same time, the peak value of the current is increased, whereby the laser gas is continuously excited even during at least one half-cycle subsequent to the first half-cycle of the oscillating current to sustain the laser oscillating operation.

Abstract: A method of forming a traction drive rolling element including: forming a preform having a working surface with an arcuate profile in section taken along a central axis; supporting the preform to be rotatable about the central axis; allowing a relative movement between the preform and a grooving tool for moving the grooving tool along the arcuate profile, simultaneously with rotating the preform about the central axis, to form microscopic recesses and projections alternately arranged in a direction perpendicular to the central axis along the arcuate profile; pressing a grindstone having a contact surface area of 25 mm2 or less, on the working surface; and allowing a relative movement between the preform and the grindstone for moving the grindstone along the arcuate profile simultaneously with rotating the preform while keeping pressing the grindstone on the working surface until a height of the microscopic projections becomes 3 &mgr;m or less.

Abstract: For producing a toroidal disc for a traction drive device, the following steps are employed. First, a circular steel body is prepared which has been subjected to a carbonitriding hardening/tempering process. The steel body has a concentric toroidal surface which is formed with a plurality of fine recesses each having a depth of smaller than 3 &mgr;m. Then, the circular steel body is turned about a rotation axis thereof. Then, a ball member is pressed against the toroidal surface with a given pressing force. And then, the ball member is moved on a given angular range of the toroidal surface in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the circular steel body while being pressed against the toroidal surface with the given pressing force.

Abstract: An excimer laser apparatus having a laser pulse width detecting device to avoid a short-pulse operation exerting a significant influence upon the lifetime of a lens system. The excimer laser apparatus has a laser pulse shape detecting device for detecting the laser pulse shape of laser light by receiving a part of the laser light. A laser pulse width calculating device calculates the laser pulse width of the laser light on the basis of laser pulse shape data from the laser pulse shape detecting device. A control device outputs an abnormality signal when it is judged from laser pulse width data from the laser pulse width calculating device that the laser pulse width is shorter than a predetermined length.

Abstract: To provide a small and lightweight optical switching element with a simple structure capable of fast response, and an optical switching apparatus employing the optical switching element. Optical extraction unit contacts an upper substrate with electrostatic attraction generated between a transparent electrode of the optical extraction unit and a transparent electrode of the upper substrate. In the case that light enters one V-shaped trench of the upper substrate vertically, the light enters the optical extraction unit of the upper substrate and is emitted from a back of the optical extraction unit (a tapered unit). Subsequently, the incident light P1 passes through a lower substrate and is converted into transmission light. With electrostatic attraction generated between a transparent electrode of the lower substrate and a transparent electrode of the optical extraction unit, the optical extraction unit is attracted to a lower substrate side.

Abstract: Method of manufacture of probe carriers and an apparatus used for the method in which the product of the Reynolds number and the Weber number, calculated from diameter and speed of a droplet of a probe solution, and density and surface tension of the probe solution, is set in the predetermined range. In accordance with the present invention, there are achieved high uniformity of the area and shape in each probe arranged on the probe carrier, and less tendency to rebound at impact of the probe solution on the substrate. Probe carriers having very uniform area and shape of the probes are obtained, according to the present invention.

Abstract: A method for producing a liquid discharge head provided with a discharge port for discharging liquid, a liquid flow path communicating with the discharge port, and a silicon substrate including a discharge energy generating element for generating energy for liquid discharge and a liquid supply aperture for supplying the liquid flow path with the liquid, the method comprising following steps of: forming an anisotropic etching stop layer in a portion wherein the liquid supply apertures is to be formed on the top side of the substrate; forming an insulation layer on the anisotropic etching stop layer; destructing the crystalline structure under the etching stop layer in the liquid supply aperture forming portion utilizing the insulation layer as a mask, forming, on the rear side of the substrate, an etching mask layer having an aperture corresponding to the liquid supply aperture forming portion on the top side, etching the substrate by anisotropic etching from the aperture until the area where the crystalline s

Abstract: A liquid discharging device includes a plurality of liquid discharge sections. Each liquid discharge section includes a reservoir, a nozzle that discharges a solution supplied from the reservoir, and discharge energy generating means that generates energy to discharge the solution from the nozzle. The number of the liquid discharge sections corresponds to the number of probe types to be formed. The nozzles are two-dimensionally arranged. Using this liquid discharging device, probe liquids are discharged from the corresponding reservoirs onto a solid-phase substrate to form a predetermined two-dimensional probe array of high-purity probes on the substrate. This process exhibits high reproducibility and processability, and the resulting probe array has high array density.

Abstract: Method of manufacture of probe carriers and an apparatus used for the method in which plural kinds of probes are arranged on a substrate by ejecting plural kinds of probe solutions containing probe materials specifically associable with target substances from a liquid ejecting device onto the substrate, wherein, when the probe solutions are ejected, the probe solutions ejected from the liquid ejection device are adhered on the base in elongated state following front ends of the solutions without splitting of the probe solutions on the way to the substrate. The method and the apparatus can provide probe carriers with areas and shapes of very high uniformity arranged on probe carrier bases.

Abstract: Method of manufacture of probe carriers in which plural kinds of probes are arranged on substrates by ejecting plural kinds of probe solutions containing probe materials specifically associable to target substances from a liquid ejecting device onto the substrates, wherein the probe solutions are ejected from the liquid ejecting device onto the substrates while a substrate holding part whereupon the substrates are placed is moved relative to the liquid ejecting device and a manufacturing apparatus exclusively used for the method. The present invention enables stable manufacture of probe carriers without overflow of the probe solutions from reservoirs in which probe substances are held.

Abstract: An optical multilayer structure material has a structure such that, on a substrate, a conductive layer in contact with the substrate, a gap portion having a size that enables an interference phenomenon to occur and can be changed, and an optical thin film are formed in this order. The circumference of a movable portion in the optical thin film is uniformly supported by supporting portions, suppressing generation of strain due to an internal stress. Through holes are formed in the movable portion to allow an etchant to easily reach a sacrifice layer when forming a gap portion by etching for sacrifice layer. There is provided an optical multilayer structure material having a simple construction, which can suppress generation of strain due to an internal stress and can be advantageously used in an image display apparatus.

Abstract: In a driving method of an ink-jet recording head, heat is generated by applying a drive signal to a heating element, and this heat is applied to ink to generate a bubble and discharge the ink through a discharge outlet. The drive signal comprises a first drive signal for storing foaming energy in the ink, and a second drive signal for generating a bubble in the ink. The second drive signal has a signal time shorter than the boundary foaming time at which foaming energy decreases in a case of performing foaming only by the second drive signal. The first drive signal is applied prior to the second drive signal in order to compensate for a decrease in foaming energy.

Abstract: To provide a small and lightweight optical switching element with a simple structure capable of fast response, and an optical switching apparatus employing the optical switching element. Optical extraction unit contacts an upper substrate with electrostatic attraction generated between a transparent electrode of the optical extraction unit and a transparent electrode of the upper substrate. In the case that light enters one V-shaped trench of the upper substrate vertically, the light enters the optical extraction unit of the upper substrate and is emitted from a back of the optical extraction unit (a tapered unit). Subsequently, the incident light P1 passes through a lower substrate and is converted into transmission light. With electrostatic attraction generated between a transparent electrode of the lower substrate and a transparent electrode of the optical extraction unit, the optical extraction unit is attracted to a lower substrate side.

Abstract: Upon executing printing by latching an input digital image signal temporarily stored in a shift register (502) by a latch circuit (501), and energizing and driving a heater (401) using a power transistor (410) using an nMOSFET on the basis of the latched image signal, a voltage converter (111) boosts a voltage representing the ON state of the latched digital signal, and applies the boosted voltage to the power transistor (410).