Abstract: A heat pump has an internal heat-absorbing section that receives heat and an internal heat-releasing section that releases heat. Heat is transferred between the internal heat-absorbing section and the internal heat-releasing section using a magnetic particle dispersion circulating between the internal heat-absorbing section and the internal heat-releasing section. The heat pump may include: an external heat-absorbing section in which a secondary working fluid receives heat from a heat-giving fluid; an external heat-releasing section in which the secondary working fluid releases heat to a heat-receiving fluid; and a circulation channel that allows the secondary working fluid to circulate.

Abstract: Heat pump 10 has heat-absorbing section 12 that receives heat from an outside and heat-releasing section 13 that releases heat to the outside, for transferring heat between heat-absorbing section 12 and heat-releasing sectioning 13 by reinforcing and reducing a magnetic field applied to a primary working fluid circulating between heat-absorbing section 12 and heat-releasing section 13, wherein the primary working fluid is magnetic particle dispersion 11 containing magnetic particles 11 dispersed in a dispersion medium.

Abstract: A staining method includes staining a biological sample with a coumarin fluorescent dye to provide a fluorescent-stained sample, and bringing the fluorescent-stained sample into contact with osmium tetroxide, further embedding the sample in an epoxy resin, and subsequently slicing the sample to provide a section sample including the fluorescent-stained sample.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for simultaneously detecting a plurality of pathogens from biologically-derived samples, and a kit for carrying out the method. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for simultaneously detecting a plurality of pathogens that cause infectious uveitis, one of eye infections from samples such as anterior chamber fluid or vitreous by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and a kit for carrying out the method.

Abstract: This invention provides a simple analysis method by a PCR method that simultaneously performs, in a single container, separating nucleic acid of pathogens contained in a tissue fragment and preparing a PCR buffer solution, and a kit used for the analysis method. A method for detecting a pathogen includes: (1) obtaining a liquid specimen mixture by adding a tissue fragment containing a pathogen to a PCR buffer solution containing a proteolytic enzyme; (2) heating the liquid specimen mixture at a first temperature; (3) further heating at a second temperature; (4) performing PCR by adding a portion of the liquid mixture obtained in (3) above to a solid composition for PCR reaction containing DNA polymerase and one or more kinds of PCR primer pair; and (5) detecting a PCR product generated in (4) above.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for simultaneously detecting a plurality of pathogens from biologically-derived samples, and a kit for carrying out the method. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for simultaneously detecting a plurality of pathogens that cause infectious uveitis, one of eye infections from samples such as anterior chamber fluid or vitreous by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and a kit for carrying out the method.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes: an image pickup device that includes a pixel used for focus detection, a plurality of the pixels being arranged in a matrix; a correction memory that stores correction information used for correcting a difference in amounts of received light that depend on pixel positions of the pixels used for focus detection; a correcting section that reads the correction information to correct a pixel value of the pixel used for focus detection; and a focus detecting section that detects a focal point by using the pixel value corrected by the correcting section. Focus accuracy is increased by correcting the pixel value for an AF pixel depending on the pixel position.

Abstract: A display device includes a light modulating unit configured to modulate light based on a video signal, a light source configured to supply light to the light modulating unit, a detecting unit configured to detect a light amount of the light source, and a control unit configured to perform control for correcting the video signal based on the detected light amount so as to attain a color temperature and brightness that had already been set.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes: an image pickup device that includes a pixel used for focus detection, a plurality of the pixels being arranged in a matrix; a correction memory that stores correction information used for correcting a difference in amounts of received light that depend on pixel positions of the pixels used for focus detection; a correcting section that reads the correction information to correct a pixel value of the pixel used for focus detection; and a focus detecting section that detects a focal point by using the pixel value corrected by the correcting section. Focus accuracy is increased by correcting the pixel value for an AF pixel depending on the pixel position.

Abstract: A display device includes a light modulating unit configured to modulate light based on a video signal, a light source configured to supply light to the light modulating unit, a detecting unit configured to detect a light amount of the light source, and a control unit configured to perform control for correcting the video signal based on the detected light amount so as to attain a color temperature and brightness that had already been set.

Abstract: Disclosed is a toy vehicle accelerating apparatus of a traveling toy, the toy vehicle accelerating apparatus including: a vehicle body including a tunnel-like passage piercing the vehicle body in a front-back direction to allow a toy vehicle to pass through the passage; a drive roller, at least a part of which projects to the passage to press the toy vehicle passing through the passage; a roller driving section to give a rotative force for accelerating the toy vehicle to the drive roller; and a power source for the roller driving section, wherein the toy vehicle accelerating apparatus accelerates the toy vehicle entering the passage from one side thereof with the drive roller to discharge the toy vehicle from the other side of the passage.

Abstract: A wireless terminal in which the probability that an incoming call is accepted is greatly improved and the load on the circuit switch is lightened. Each of such wireless terminals (120) comprises a wireless LAN interface (126), a cellular wireless interface (127), and a telephone number table (1241) storing an extension number and a cellular number both associated with each other. Each of the wireless terminals (120) searches the telephone number table (1241) on receiving a call switch request from the circuit switch (111), identifies the cellular number concerning the call switch request, and automatically switches the call for the wireless terminal corresponding to the cellular number to a cellular telephone call.

Abstract: An interface circuit that can disconnect a loop connection among nodes. The interface circuit includes ports, which are connected to bus cables, a state machine and a port controller, which is connected to the ports and the state machine. The state machine determines that a loop connection exists when a process in a predetermined state has been stacked for a predetermined time. When a loop connection exists, the port controller electrically disconnects a port on the loop.

Abstract: An information processing system formed with a relay and light output devices. In the system, an external information receiver receives first external information transmitted from an outside. An external information acquisition unit acquires second external information. A light output controller controls, based on the first and second external information, the light output to be in one or more number of output states, among three or more number of output states. At the relay, an external information receiver receives a sender identifier for identifying sender of the external information, and the external information. A transmission control information memory stores one or more sets of a transmission destination identifier and transmission control information. A transmission destination identifier acquisition unit acquires transmission destination identifier from the transmission control information memory.

Abstract: A portable language learning device which automatically provides language learning data adapted to an event stored in a schedule book of the learner in accordance with the event thereby to improve learning efficiency. The device comprises a schedule storage section (102) where a schedule is stored, a date/time measuring section (103) for measuring the current time and the date, a teaching material storage section (106) where teaching materials associated with a scene or a keyword are stored, a teaching material selecting section (104) for extracting the nearest event corresponding to the measurement by the date/time measuring section (103) from the schedule stored in the schedule storage section (102), comparing the scenes or keywords of the teaching material stored in the teaching material storage section (106), and selecting a teaching material most suitable for the event, and a teaching material reproducing section (105) for reproducing the selected teaching material.

Abstract: A packet transfer control circuit is a part of a node in a network of nodes, in which packets of data are passed between the nodes. The packets include normal packets and write packets, and each packet includes a header portion and a data portion. The transfer control circuit includes an identification circuit which identifies if the data portion of a write packet is blank and a processor with a memory connected to the identification circuit. If the write packet is blank, as determined by the identification circuit and the processor is holding data for transmission to another node, the processor puts the data into the data portion of the packet, zero fills if the there is not enough data to fill the data portion, updates the header with the new addressee, and then passes the write packet on to the other nodes.

Abstract: In an e-commerce system which rearranges merchandise information pieces distributed to a consumer to match preferences of the consumer based on a personal profile with which various keywords contained in the merchandise information pieces and evaluation values corresponding to the keywords are registered where the evaluation values are learned in advance based on preferences of the consumer, while withdrawing a charge of merchandise from an account designated by the consumer to pay to the seller when receiving an order from the rearranged merchandise information pieces, an order for merchandise from the merchandise information pieces distributed to one consumer is placed using the personal profile of another consumer.

Abstract: In an e-commerce system which rearranges merchandise information pieces distributed to a consumer to match preferences of the consumer based on a personal profile with which various keywords contained in the merchandise information pieces and evaluation values corresponding to the keywords are registered where the evaluation values are learned in advance based on preferences of the consumer, while withdrawing a charge of merchandise from an account designated by the consumer to pay to the seller when receiving an order from the rearranged merchandise information pieces, an order for merchandise from the merchandise information pieces distributed to one consumer is placed using the personal profile of another consumer.

Abstract: A system includes a first information processing device and a second information processing device. The first information processing device includes a first receiving section which receives electronic receipt information having information relating to a commercial product or a service, an auxiliary information obtaining unit which obtains auxiliary information based on a part or all of the information of the electronic receipt information, a generating unit, which generates consumer's electronic receipt information from the part or all of the electronic receipt information and the auxiliary information, and a first transmitting unit, which transmits the consumers electronic receipt information. The second information processing device includes a second receiving section which receives the consumer's electronic receipt information and a second transmitting section which transmits a part or all of the consumer's electronic receipt information.

Abstract: An information processing system formed with a relay and light output devices. In the system, an external information receiver receives first external information transmitted from an outside. An external information acquisition unit acquires second external information. A light output controller controls, based on the first and second external information, the light output to be in one or more number of output states, among three or more number of output states. At the relay, an external information receiver receives a sender identifier for identifying sender of the external information, and the external information. A transmission control information memory stores one or more sets of a transmission destination identifier and transmission control information. A transmission destination identifier acquisition unit acquires transmission destination identifier from the transmission control information memory.