Abstract: The present application discloses a coating method including: detecting a shape of an object over a coating zone which extends from a start point position to an end point position to generate first detection data before application of coating agent to the object; moving a bracket for holding a nozzle for discharging the coating agent with bringing the bracket into contact with the object to apply the coating agent to the object over the coating zone; detecting a shape of the object after application of the coating agent over the coating zone, to generate second detection data; extracting first extraction data and second extraction data in correspondence to detection positions intermittently set in the coating zone from the first detection data and the second detection data; and comparing the first extraction data with the second extraction data to detect a coating state of the coating agent.

Abstract: The present application discloses a coating device including: a coating gun configured to apply a coating agent to an object; a sensor device configured to form a detection area in which the coating agent is detected on the object; a bracket on which the coating gun and the sensor device are mounted; and a robot configured to hold and rotate the bracket about a predetermined first axis of rotation. When the robot rotates the bracket from a first rotational position, at which the coating gun applies the coating agent to a coating position on the object, to a second rotational position in which the bracket is angularly changed by a predetermined rotational angle about the first axis of rotation, the detection area overlaps with the coating position.

Abstract: The present application discloses a coating device including: a coating gun configured to apply a coating agent to an object; a sensor device configured to form a detection area in which the coating agent is detected on the object; a bracket on which the coating gun and the sensor device are mounted; and a robot configured to hold and rotate the bracket about a predetermined first axis of rotation. When the robot rotates the bracket from a first rotational position, at which the coating gun applies the coating agent to a coating position on the object, to a second rotational position in which the bracket is angularly changed by a predetermined rotational angle about the first axis of rotation, the detection area overlaps with the coating position.

Abstract: The present application discloses a coating method including: detecting a shape of an object over a coating zone which extends from a start point position to an end point position to generate first detection data before application of coating agent to the object; moving a bracket for holding a nozzle for discharging the coating agent with bringing the bracket into contact with the object to apply the coating agent to the object over the coating zone; detecting a shape of the object after application of the coating agent over the coating zone, to generate second detection data; extracting first extraction data and second extraction data in correspondence to detection positions intermittently set in the coating zone from the first detection data and the second detection data; and comparing the first extraction data with the second extraction data to detect a coating state of the coating agent.

Abstract: A plate-shaped butterfly valve is rotatable to throttle intake airflow, which is to be drawn into an internal combustion engine, and to direct the intake airflow toward a specific periphery in a cross section of a passage. The passage has a passage wall defining a passage wall step. The passage wall step is located on the downstream side from a rotation locus of the butterfly valve relative to intake airflow. The passage wall step has a raised side and a depressed side, which are located on the downstream side and on the upstream side, respectively, relative to intake airflow.

Abstract: An intake control valve has a body, a valve, and a shaft. The valve has a connecting portion, a first boss located at an end of the connecting portion in the rotation axial direction; and a second boss located at an other end of the connecting portion in the rotation axial direction. The body has first and second bearing portions supporting the first and second protruding portions, respectively, first and second projection portions projecting inward from inner surfaces of the first and second bearings, respectively, to slidably support the first and second bosses, respectively, and first and second insertion openings defined between one circumferential end and an other circumferential end of the first and second projection portions, respectively. The first and second projection portions partially cover the first and second bosses, respectively, in a circumferential direction of the first boss and the second boss.

Abstract: A powder material of the present invention contains ceramic-metal composite particles, wherein at least a part of the composite particles exhibit no breaking point in a stress-strain diagram obtained by applying a compressive load that increases up to a maximum value of 10 mN or more at a loading rate of 15.0 mN/s or less.

Abstract: An intake control valve has a body, a valve, and a shaft. The valve has a connecting portion, a first boss located at an end of the connecting portion in the rotation axial direction; and a second boss located at an other end of the connecting portion in the rotation axial direction. The body has first and second bearing portions supporting the first and second protruding portions, respectively, first and second projection portions projecting inward from inner surfaces of the first and second bearings, respectively, to slidably support the first and second bosses, respectively, and first and second insertion openings defined between one circumferential end and an other circumferential end of the first and second projection portions, respectively. The first and second projection portions partially cover the first and second bosses, respectively, in a circumferential direction of the first boss and the second boss.

Abstract: A plate-shaped butterfly valve is rotatable to throttle intake airflow, which is to be drawn into an internal combustion engine, and to direct the intake airflow toward a specific periphery in a cross section of a passage. The passage has a passage wall defining a passage wall step. The passage wall step is located on the downstream side from a rotation locus of the butterfly valve relative to intake airflow. The passage wall step has a raised side and a depressed side, which are located on the downstream side and on the upstream side, respectively, relative to intake airflow.

Abstract: The vibration damping blade for fluid of the present invention has an integrally formed wedge damper, in which a thickness h(x) at a distance x from an imaginary line outside of an outer edge is h(x)=?xn (where ? is a positive constant, and n is a real number of 1 or more). As a result, it is possible to offer a vibration damping blade for fluid which can be easily manufactured, and which obtains damping effects across a wide range of frequency regions without disturbing the flow of fluid.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to make it possible that: a high-concentration hydrogel sheet, which is suitable for production of high-performance water-absorbent resin particles, is cut efficiently without involving the adhesion to such as cutting-blades; and the subsequent disintegration operation is also successfully carried out; and hydrogel particles excellent in the quality and performances are efficiently produced.

Abstract: A method of detecting genes which comprises detecting gene polymorphisms in allergy-predisposition-related genes; i.e., interleukin 12 receptor IL-1 ?2 chain and ?1 chain genes, interleukin 18 receptor ? chain gene, interferon ? receptor 1 chain gene and interleukin 12.p40 subunit gene, to thereby detect allergic predisposition. Use of the present method enables contribution to the prevention of onset of allergic diseases and to the treatment of allergic diseases.

Abstract: A voice synthesizing system can make necessary calculation amount satisfactorily small and can make necessary file size small. The system includes a compressed pitch segment database storing compressed voice waveform segments, a pitch developing portion reading out the voice waveform segment from the database and decompressing the compressed data for reproducing an original voice waveform segment when the voice waveform segment necessary for voice waveform synthesis is demanded, and a cache processing portion temporarily storing the voice waveform segment already used in voice waveform synthesis, and when voice waveform segment necessary for voice waveform synthesis is demanded, returning demanded voice waveform segment to a demander when demanded voice waveform segment is already stored, and obtaining the voice waveform segment from the database via the pitch developing portion to hold the obtained voice waveform segment and return to the demander when demanded voice waveform segment is not stored.

Abstract: Portable-type communication terminal device easy to use by a user is provided. Determination unit determines, based on whether electronic mail received by a communication unit contains contents identification information, whether the electronic mail is contents electronic mail. When determining that the electronic mail is contents electronic mail, the determination unit outputs an activation signal to a speech synthesis unit and an image processing unit. Upon receiving the activation signal, the speech synthesis unit executes speech synthesis based on text contained in the electronic mail to output voice through a speaker. Upon receiving the activation signal, the image processing unit executes image processing based on face marks contained in the text of the electronic mail to change a face expression of a face image displayed by the image display unit according to voice output by a voice output unit.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to make it possible that: a high-concentration hydrogel sheet, which is suitable for production of high-performance water-absorbent resin particles, is cut efficiently without involving the adhesion to such as cutting-blades; and the subsequent disintegration operation is also successfully carried out; and hydrogel particles excellent in the quality and performances are efficiently produced.

Abstract: A method of detecting a risk factor for the onset of arteriosclerosis in a subject on the basis of correlation of a gene mutation in the CETP gene (in particular, mutation at (1) guanine at the −69-position of the CETP gene; (2) the site encoding leucine at the 151-position of CETP encoded by the CETP gene; (3) the site encoding arginine at the 201-position and alanine at the 202-position of the same; or (4) the site encoding arginine at the 282-position of the same) with the risk for arteriosclerosis, thereby detecting arteriosclerosis.

Abstract: The intended object of the present invention is to provide a more widely applicable means of diagnosing familial hyperlipemia with certainty. It has been found that this object can be attained by providing a method of detecting abnormality of lipid metabolism, wherein risk factors concerning abnormalities of lipid metabolism are detected on the basis of the correlation of 65 specific types of LDL receptor gene mutations with the abnormalities of lipid metabolism, as well as a method of detecting disease(s) by detecting risk factors for arteriosclerosis and/or ischemic heart diseases by employing as indices the abnormalities of lipid metabolism thus detected.

Abstract: Risk factors for diabetic onset in a subject are detected by using a gene coding for CD38 protein, which is originally identified as a human lymphocyte surface marker, as a risk gene, and detecting mutations in the gene.

Abstract: A voice synthesizing system can make necessary calculation amount satisfactorily small and can make necessary file size small. The system includes a compressed pitch segment database storing compressed voice waveform segments, a pitch developing portion reading out the voice waveform segment from the database and decompressing the compressed data for reproducing an original voice waveform segment when the voice waveform segment necessary for voice waveform synthesis is demanded, and a cache processing portion temporarily storing the voice waveform segment already used in voice waveform synthesis, and when voice waveform segment necessary for voice waveform synthesis is demanded, returning demanded voice waveform segment to a demander when demanded voice waveform segment is already stored, and obtaining the voice waveform segment from the database via the pitch developing portion to hold the obtained voice waveform segment and return to the demander when demanded voice waveform segment is not stored.

Abstract: Risk factors for diabetic onset in a subject are detected by using a gene coding for CD38 protein, which is originally identified as a human lymphocyte surface marker, as a risk gene, and detecting mutations in the gene.