Abstract: According to an embodiment, a nuclear fuel material recovery method of recovering a nuclear fuel material containing thorium metal by reprocessing an oxide of a nuclear fuel material containing thorium oxide in a spent fuel is provided. The method has: a first electrolytic reduction step of electrolytically reducing thorium oxide in a first molten salt of alkaline-earth metal halide; a first reduction product washing step of washing a reduction product; and a main electrolytic separation step of separating the reduction product. The first molten salt further contains alkali metal halide, and contains at least one out of a group consisting of calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium fluoride and magnesium fluoride. The method may further has a second electrolytic reduction step of electrolytically reducing uranium oxide, plutonium oxide, and minor actinoid oxide in a second molten salt of alkali metal halide.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to rapid positioning assistance for a mechanical section of a transcranial magnetic stimulation system. This transcranial magnetic stimulation system comprises a coil section 11 that is in contact with or in the vicinity of the head of the subject, and a mechanical section 30 that supports the coil section 11. The mechanical section 30 includes a plurality of adjustment mechanisms that adjust position of a plurality of movable members, and determines position and attitude of the coil section 11 by adjustment using the plurality of adjustment mechanisms. Receiving means receives desired change for at least one of position and attitude of the coil section 11. Guidance means provides guidance of an adjustment procedure for at least one of the plurality of adjustment mechanisms so as to realize adjustment corresponding to the desired change that has been received.

Abstract: Provided is a method for inspecting a solar cell module including a solar cell array. The solar cell array includes a plurality of clusters connected in parallel, and each of the plurality of clusters includes a plurality of solar battery cells connected in series. The method includes measuring a current value of a current flowing through a circuit inside the solar cell module without making contact with the inside circuit to detect a short-circuit fault and an open fault in a first solar cell cluster, a second solar cell cluster, and a third solar cell cluster and a short-circuit fault and an open fault in a first bypass diode, a second bypass diode, and a third bypass diode.

Abstract: A medical tool insertion guide device includes a base portion composed primarily of electromagnetically transmissive material but has a first component composed of electromagnetically absorptive material. The device also includes a movable portion composed primarily of the electromagnetically transmissive material, but has a second component composed of absorptive material. The movable portion is mounted, but movable by rotation or translation relative, to the base portion. An encoder sensor is mounted to one portion, and an encoder scale is mounted to the other, and the sensor faces the scale when mounted. The components can include fiducial markers. The transmissivity and absorptivity can be in a particular band(s), such as an X-ray band. The medical tool can be a needle, a medical probe, a scalpel, etc. A computer based method of providing control guidance for the device is provided, and a program therefor can be stored in a storage medium.

Abstract: A continuum robot having at least two independently manipulatable bendable section for advancing the robot through a passage, without contacting fragile elements within the passage, wherein the robot incorporates control algorithms that enable the continuum robot to operate and advance into the passage, as well as the systems and procedures associated with the continuum robot and said functionality.

Abstract: A sensor element includes a sensor FET provided in a main surface of a semiconductor substrate, a cavity provided in the sensor FET and into which a detection target gas is introduced, and an ion pump provided over the cavity. By laminating the ion pump over the sensor FET via the cavity, a part of a front surface of a gate layer is exposed to the cavity, and a part of a lower surface of an ion pump electrode is exposed to the cavity. When the gate layer comes into contact with the detection target gas, a work function changes, so that gas concentration can be detected.

Abstract: A medical guidance apparatus includes a base assembly including a base ring having an inner circumference defining an opening; and a guide rotateably mateable with the base assembly, the guide including: a frame comprising: an inner circumference defining an opening; and an outer circumference, wherein, in a configuration where the guide is mated with the base assembly, the opening of the frame overlays the opening of the base ring; a gap extending from the inner circumference of the frame to the outer circumference of the frame; and an arc member including a first end integrally formed with the frame and a second end integrally formed with the frame, wherein the first end of the arc member is diametrically opposed to the second end of the arc member.

Abstract: In a gas sensor using a first FET-type sensor for a sensor unit, a gas density measurement unit measures a gas density of gas to be detected at a predetermined time on the basis of a first threshold change as a difference between a first threshold voltage applied to a first gate layer when a first source-drain current is a first threshold current while the gas to be detected is not present in the atmosphere and a second threshold voltage applied to the first gate layer when the first source-drain current is the first threshold current at the predetermined time while the gas to be detected is present in the atmosphere, and a temporal differentiation of the first threshold change.

Abstract: An encoder includes a scale, a detector, and a processor. The processor executes a second process while executing a first process, calculates a first relative position of one of the scale and the detector to the other of the scale and the detector when a calculation of a relative position between them starts, and then calculates a second relative position of the one to the other based on a relative displacement amount between them and the first relative position.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a nuclear fuel material recovery method of recovering a nuclear fuel material containing thorium metal by reprocessing an oxide of a nuclear fuel material containing thorium oxide in a spent fuel is provided. The method has: a first electrolytic reduction step of electrolytically reducing thorium oxide in a first molten salt of alkaline-earth metal halide; a first reduction product washing step of washing a reduction product; and a main electrolytic separation step of separating the reduction product. The first molten salt further contains alkali metal halide, and contains at least one out of a group consisting of calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium fluoride and magnesium fluoride. The method may further has a second electrolytic reduction step of electrolytically reducing uranium oxide, plutonium oxide, and minor actinoid oxide in a second molten salt of alkali metal halide.

Abstract: A brush for cosmetic implements includes a brush part attached to a support member; the brush part includes a plurality of synthetic resin fibers whose tip end has a conically tapered surface, and a plurality of fiber bundles composed of a plurality of synthetic resin fibers is formed at least three places in a radial circumferential surface of the support member, and further formed in an axial direction of the support member. Provided is a brush for a cosmetic implements in which a brush bristle having a tapered end is provided around the support member in the radial direction, and a manufacturing method thereof.

Abstract: Components of a jig are suppressed from coming into contact with a pin hole when a coupling pin is removed from the pin hole, and a length of the jig in a coupling pin axial direction is held down. A coupling pin attaching/detaching apparatus (a coupling pin extracting apparatus) includes a cylinder and a connection member. The cylinder is arranged outside a coupling pin in a radial direction of the coupling pin and is extensible. The connection member is connected to the coupling pin and the cylinder. Extension of the cylinder causes the coupling pin to be extracted from a pin hole via the connection member.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a nuclear fuel material recovery method of recovering a nuclear fuel material containing thorium metal by reprocessing an oxide of a nuclear fuel material containing thorium oxide in a spent fuel is provided. The method has: a first electrolytic reduction step of electrolytically reducing thorium oxide in a first molten salt of alkaline-earth metal halide; a first reduction product washing step of washing a reduction product; and a main electrolytic separation step of separating the reduction product. The first molten salt further contains alkali metal halide, and contains at least one out of a group consisting of calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium fluoride and magnesium fluoride. The method may further has a second electrolytic reduction step of electrolytically reducing uranium oxide, plutonium oxide, and minor actinoid oxide in a second molten salt of alkali metal halide.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus including a correspondence relationship information change unit for changing a correspondence relationship information indicating each correspondence relationship between a plurality of image pickup devices and a plurality of controllers, the image pickup devices and the controllers being associated with each other, the controller being used to operate at least one of the plurality of image pickup devices, and the controller being capable of operating the image pickup device associated with the controller.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a soil-borne disease control method capable of simply suppressing a soil-borne pathogen. The method for controlling a soil-borne disease includes applying at least one polyhydroxyalkanoic acid having a structure represented by the following formula (1) to soil: [—CHR—CH2—CO—O—]??(1) (wherein R is an alkyl group represented by CnH2n+1 and n is an integer of 1 or more but 15 or less).

Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus including a correspondence relationship information change unit for changing a correspondence relationship information indicating each correspondence relationship between a plurality of image pickup devices and a plurality of controllers, the image pickup devices and the controllers being associated with each other, the controller being used to operate at least one of the plurality of image pickup devices, and the controller being capable of operating the image pickup device associated with the controller.

Abstract: There is provided a detection device, including: a non-contact sensor unit that detects a shape of a finger; and a mounting unit that mounts the non-contact sensor unit on a hand at a more distal position than a carpal area. Generation of occlusions may be prevented and operations that utilize a shape of user's fingers may be detected more reliably, while a mounted component and an operating procedure may also be simplified.

Abstract: A spent nuclear fuel is reprocessed by dissolving a spent nuclear fuel in an aqueous nitric acid solution and separating and recovering nuclides contained in the resulting fuel solution by solvent extraction. A spent nuclear fuel reprocessing method includes: an electrolytic valence adjustment step in which nuclides contained in the fuel solution is electrolytically reduced without removing fission products or minor actinides until valence of plutonium is at a level at which solvent extraction efficiency is low by using the valence of plutonium contained in the fuel solution as a parameter; and a nuclide separation step in which, by using an extraction solvent which extracts uranium contained in the fuel solution, uranium is distributed from the fuel solution subjected to the electrolytic valence adjustment step to the extraction solvent.

Abstract: The encoder includes a scale provided with multiple periodic patterns having mutually different periods, a sensor outputting, with a relative movement between the scale and the sensor, multiple periodic signals periodically changing respectively corresponding to the periods of the periodic patterns, and a signal processor calculating a detected movement amount as a detected relative movement amount between the scale and the sensor. The signal processor calculates, by using each of the periodic signals, an accumulated movement amount which is an accumulated value of the relative movement amount between the scale and the sensor in units of one over an integer of the period of the periodic pattern corresponding to the periodic signal used, unifies the units of the accumulated movement amounts calculated by using the respective periodic signals, and calculates the detected movement amount from the accumulated movement amounts with the unified units.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a catalyst for treating exhaust gas adapted not only to remove CO and VOCs based on unsaturated hydrocarbons such as C2H4 but also to accelerate a decomposition reaction of saturated hydrocarbons such as propane and to provide a method for producing such a catalyst for treating exhaust gas. The present invention provides a catalyst for treating an exhaust gas containing carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds, the catalyst comprising a substrate containing a NOx removal catalyst component and a porous inorganic compound layer containing a noble metal, the layer being applied to the substrate.