Abstract: When hydroforming a steel pipe, a tubular deformation assisting member made of an incompressible material softer than the steel pipe is fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the steel pipe. The deformation assisting member is attached at least to an area corresponding to a projection provided at the inner surface of the die assembly, the projection being earliest brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the steel pipe during hydroforming. When hydroforming the steel pipe, the material of the deformation assisting member plastically flows near corner portions at which the deformation assisting member is brought into contact with the projection.

Abstract: A control device of a three-phase alternating current motor-generator, which works as an inverter circuit for driving the motor-generator as a motor by using a battery and also functions as a three-phase rectifier circuit for driving the motor-generator as a generator for producing output power for charging a battery. The control circuit uses MOS field-effect transistors as control elements for respective phases. When the motor-generator is driven as the three-phase ac generator, the control device uses means for conducting synchronous rectification by using MOSFETs only on the negative potential side for respective phases. This can simplify the rectifying operation, reduce the rectification loss and improve the battery charging efficiency.

Abstract: For a control circuit of a three-phase alternating current motor-generator, which serves as a three-phase rectifier circuit for charging a battery with power generated by driving the motor-generator as a generator and which also serves as a three-phase inverter circuit for driving the motor-generator as a motor by using a battery and uses MOSFETs as control elements for each of three phases, a control device is provided, which, in case of driving the motor-generator as the three-phase ac generator, uses means for making synchronous rectification by using MOSFETs only on the negative potential side of respective phases and means for delaying and advancing an electric angle of the current carrying control timing by gate control of MOSFETs on negative potential side.

Abstract: A feed composition for ruminants comprising a microbe having nitrite reductase activity, wherein said microbe has been modified so that intracellular nitrite reductase activity is enhanced is disclosed. A feed composition for ruminants comprising a microbe having nitrite reductase activity, wherein said microbe is selected from the group consisting of intestinal bacteria, coryneform bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, bacteria of the genus Methylophilus, Actinomyces, ruminal bacteria, and a combination thereof is disclosed. A method of improving the growth of a ruminant by administering the feed composition as described above to said ruminant and a method of preventing nitrite intoxication by administering the feed composition as described above to a ruminant are disclosed.

Abstract: An optical-pickup slider is characterized in that a light-transmitting-property substrate is bonded to a surface of a layer having a tapered through hole, on which surface a larger opening of the tapered through hole exists. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the layer having an aperture from being destroyed. A method of manufacturing the optical-pickup slider comprises the steps of a) making a tapered through hole in a layer layered on a first substrate and having a thickness smaller than that of the first substrate; and, after bonding a light-transmitting-property substrate to a surface of the layer, removing the first substrate so as to expose an aperture at a tip of the tapered through hole.

Abstract: In a near field optical probe, a through hole having an aperture is provided in a semiconductor photodetector including at least a first-conductive-type high-concentration impurity layer, a first-conductive-type low-concentration impurity layer and a second-conductivity impurity-introduced region.

Abstract: Oxygen scavenger which can exhibit excellent oxygen reduction effect in a wide variety of conditions is provided as an alternative volatile oxygen scavenger to hydrazine. The oxygen scavenger contains a heterocyclic compound having N-substituted amino group such as 1-amino-4-methylpiperazine and a hydroxylamine compound such as N,N-diethylhydroxylamine. The oxygen scavenger may further contain a polyhydric phenol type catalyst such as pyrogallol. By adding the oxygen scavenger to feed water of a water system of a boiler, oxygen reduction treatment of the water system is carried out.

Abstract: Objects of the present invention are to provide an endless metal belt superior in flexing resistance and durability, to provide a fixing belt using the endless metal belt, and to provide a heat fixing device with high durability and high reliability. The objects are achieved by the endless metal belt formed of a nickel alloy containing 5% by weight or more of an additional metallic element and having a half-value width of an X-ray diffraction peak in a range of 0.5 degrees to 2 degrees for each of a crystal plane and a crystal plane, and by using the same.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp with higher luminous efficiency than conventional lamps and improved luminous flux rising characteristics at lamp startup equivalent to those of general fluorescent lamps. The compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp (1) includes an arc tube (2) formed by a bent glass tube (9) covered with a globe (6). The glass tube (9) has a turning part substantially in the middle between its both ends, a first spiral part starting from one end and wound around an axis toward the turning part, and a second spiral part starting from the turning part and wound around the axis toward the other end. The arc tube (2) has mercury enclosed therein in a single form. The glass tube (9) has a substantially circular-shaped cross section and an inner diameter of 7.4 mm. The turning part is connected to the globe (9) via a heat-conductive member (15).

Abstract: This invention has as its object to provide an ATM relay device which attains high-speed, large-capacity packet relaying by distributing the load on an IP forwarding unit without having to improve the operation speed, processing performance, and the like of an IP forwarding function. This invention has an ATM switch core (111) for distributing input ATM cells to corresponding ones of a plurality of output ports on the basis of their destination information. A plurality of IP forwarding units (120-1 to 120-n), which are provided in correspondence with the respective output ports of the ATM switch core (111) and have unique forwarding processing functions, execute predetermined forwarding processes for packets obtained by reassembling ATM cells input via the respective output ports.

Abstract: An optical-pickup slider is characterized in that a light-transmitting-property substrate is bonded to a surface of a layer having a tapered through hole, on which surface a larger opening of the tapered through hole exists. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the layer having an aperture from being destroyed. A method of manufacturing the optical-pickup slider comprises the steps of a) making a tapered through hole in a layer layered on a first substrate and having a thickness smaller than that of the first substrate; and, after bonding a light-transmitting-property substrate to a surface of the layer, removing the first substrate so as to expose an aperture at a tip of the tapered through hole.

Abstract: An optical-pickup slider is characterized in that a light-transmitting-property substrate is bonded to a surface of a layer having a tapered through hole, on which surface a larger opening of the tapered through hole exists. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the layer having an aperture from being destroyed. A method of manufacturing the optical-pickup slider comprises the steps of a) making a tapered through hole in a layer layered on a first substrate and having a thickness smaller than that of the first substrate; and, after bonding a light-transmitting-property substrate to a surface of the layer, removing the first substrate so as to expose an aperture at a tip of the tapered through hole.

Abstract: An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus enabling fine actuation of almost several nm order for performing the tracking correction includes a pair of fixed electrodes so as to put a probe therebetween in a direction perpendicular to the direction of data row arrangement on a recording medium and a voltage applying medium for applying the voltage between the respective fixed electrodes and the probe. The position of the tip end of the probe is controlled by the action of electrostatic attractive force between the fixed electrodes and the probe caused by applying the voltage thereacross. The probe is constructed with center core clad therearound. The base part is fixed and the sharpened tip end is free, as a so-called cantilever structure. The apparatus further enables to obtain the tracking error. Laser light is emitted from the tip end and radiated onto the information recording medium. The light reflected on the recording medium is converted optoelectrically.

Abstract: A two-dimensional photonic crystal slab waveguide is provided in which a line defect is formed, wherein a first width which is a distance between centers of nearest two lattice points located on both sides of the line defect is different from a second width which is a corresponding distance in a normal two-dimensional photonic crystal slab waveguide. In addition, a two-dimensional photonic crystal slab waveguide is provided in which low refractive index columns in a optical waveguide part are placed at positions shifted from normal positions in a normal two-dimensional photonic crystal slab.

Abstract: A low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp includes an arc tube in which one discharge path is formed by connecting a plurality of U-shaped glass tubes that are provided with a fluorescent layer at the internal surface. The arc tube is held by a holder and is enclosed into a globe. A lighting circuit is connected to the arc tube. The light circuit and the holder are enclosed into a case having a lamp cap. The globe and the case integrally form a housing. The outline of the sectional face of a U-shaped glass tube at the bent part includes a circular arc and a gentle curve.

Abstract: When hydroforming a steel pipe, a tubular deformation assisting member made of an incompressible material softer than the steel pipe is fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the steel pipe. The deformation assisting member is attached at least to an area corresponding to a projection provided at the inner surface of the die assembly, the projection being earliest brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the steel pipe during hydroforming. When hydroforming the steel pipe, the material of the deformation assisting member plastically flows near corner portions at which the deformation assisting member is brought into contact with the projection. This plastic flow accelerates circumferential uniform extension of the steel pipe.

Abstract: In a near field optical probe, a through hole having an aperture is provided in a semiconductor photodetector including at least a first-conductive-type high-concentration impurity layer, a first-conductive-type low-concentration impurity layer and a second-conductivity impurity-introduced region.

Abstract: A node device and a label switched path loop detection method which are capable of detecting a label switched path loop efficiently and quickly are disclosed. In a node device for carrying out the label switching, an ingress node information is included in a message that is to be successively transmitted from the upstream side in order to set up a label switched path, and the fact that the message with the same ingress node information for the same packet flow will be received from a previous hop node that is different from before if the label switched path has a loop formed thereon is utilized. Also, at a time of transmitting a message for the purpose of setting up a label switched path, if a node at which the label switched path for that packet flow already exists on the upstream or downstream side is encountered, this already existing label switched path is traced along the same or opposite direction as the flow, and the label switched path is set up if no loop is detected after tracing to the end.

Abstract: A node device and a label switched path loop detection method which are capable of detecting a label switched path loop efficiently and quickly are disclosed. In a node device for carrying out the label switching, an ingress node information is included in a message that is to be successively transmitted from the upstream side in order to set up a label switched path, and the fact that the message with the same ingress node information for the same packet flow will be received from a previous hop node that is different from before if the label switched path has a loop formed thereon is utilized. Also, at a time of transmitting a message for the purpose of setting up a label switched path, if a node at which the label switched path for that packet flow already exists on the upstream or downstream side is encountered, this already existing label switched path is traced along the same or opposite direction as the flow, and the label switched path is set up if no loop is detected after tracing to the end.

Abstract: A web site 10 is provided in a communication network to enable the selective provision of appropriate information, by a site whereat only limited access is permitted, in consonance with the access right of the source of a request for information.