Abstract: A method of starting up at a subzero temperature a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack that is formed by stacking a plurality of layers of separators and membrane electrode assemblies having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane and electrodes. The method includes a step of using a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack in which the separators are made from metal and have a cross-sectional waveform structure, and a space that is formed between at least a portion of the separators and separators that are placed adjacent to this portion of the separators is used as a coolant flow passage.

Abstract: When it is detected that the temperature of the fuel cell stack is at the freezing temperature of water or less (step S1), an operation mode using a freezing temperature starting up operation control map is selected (step S2). Freezing temperature starting up operation of the fuel cell stack is performed according to the freezing temperature starting up operation control map (step S3). Then, when it is detected that the temperature of the fuel cell stack exceeds the freezing temperature (step S4), the operation mode using the freezing temperature starting up operation control map is switched to an operation mode using a normal starting up operation control map (step S5). Thus, normal starting up operation is performed according to the normal starting up control map (step S6).

Abstract: A fuel cell stack which comprises a plurality of unit fuel cells laminated via separators, and is connected to external resistors each allowing a feeble current to flow to each unit fuel cell, whereby such problems as an open-circuit voltage generation and corrosion that may be caused by fuel gas remaining after operation shutdown can be resolved. A switch is preferably attached in series with an external resistor.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack 10 includes a stacked structure 14 composed of a plurality of electricity-generating cells stacked successively, and dummy cells arranged at both ends in a stacking direction of the stacked structure 14. The dummy cells 16 each includes a conductive plate 52 and first and second metallic separators 54, 56 which sandwich the conductive plate 52. The conductive plate 52 is formed of a metallic plate having substantially the same shape as that of the electrolytic membrane electrode assembly 22. The first and second metallic separators 54, 56 are structured in the same manner as the first and second metallic separators 24, 26 of the electricity-generating cell 12.

Abstract: In order to improve detecting accuracy in a gas leak detection for a fuel cell, in a gas leak detection method for a fuel cell having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched by an anode and a cathode, an output voltage is measured in an activated over-potential region in a state in which the pressure of fuel gas which is supplied to the anode is maintained higher than the pressure of gas which is supplied to the cathode, and a gas leak is determined to exist when the output voltage is lower than a predetermined pressure value.

Abstract: A method and system by which the sentinel lymph node, which is the first lymph node to which cancer is transferred when cancer is transferred to lymph nodes, is detected easily and with a high degree of accuracy. A fluorescent colorant is injected near a tumor, and after a predetermined period of time an abdominal operation is performed and stimulating light is projected onto the area being examined. Because the fluorescent colorant has been accumulated on the sentinel lymph node, it emits fluorescent light, which is then magnified and converted to a visual image. The examiner can view the normal image and the visible image at the same time. Because the stimulating light is in the near-infrared wavelength band, which is difficult for the fatty and other tissue that cover the sentinel lymph node to absorb, the sentinel lymph node is detected from the surface of the tissue.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a cell assembly formed by stacking a plurality of fuel cells in a stacking direction. Terminal plates are provided outside opposite ends of the cell assembly in the stacking direction. An electrically conductive first heat insulation plate is interposed between one end of the cell assembly and the terminal plate, and an electrically conductive second heat insulation plate is interposed between the other end of the cell assembly and the terminal plate. The first and second heat insulation plates are metal corrugated plates. Heat insulation air chambers are defined between the first and second heat insulation plates and the cell assembly.

Abstract: Operation processing is performed on a first fluorescence image and at least either one of a second fluorescence image and a reflected reference light image to form a tissue condition image, which represents a tissue condition of living body tissues and has been compensated for a distance to the living body tissues. According to at least one of the three images, a judgment is made as to whether each image area in the tissue condition image is an abnormal light affected area or a normal light detection area. The abnormal light affected area is displayed in a form different from the normal light detection area.

Abstract: A fuel gas inlet is provided at an outer circumferential edge portion of a second separator. First fuel gas flow passage grooves for supplying a fuel gas to an anode electrode are formed on a side of a surface of the second separator. First fuel gas connecting flow passages, which make communication between the fuel gas inlet and the first fuel gas flow passage grooves, include flow passage grooves which are provided on a side of a surface, and through-holes which penetrate through the second separator to make communication with the first fuel gas flow passage grooves. Accordingly, excellent sealing performance is ensured with a simple structure, and it is possible to realize a thin-walled fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell. A current density measuring apparatus is provided on a cathode side of the fuel cell. The current density measuring apparatus includes a plurality of Hall elements provided at positions corresponding to measuring positions in an electrode surface. Each of the Hall element is attached to a ferrite core fitted to a pole of a sensor mounting plate. The ferrite core and the Hall element attached to the pole make up a current sensor.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a fuel cell stack includes a fuel cell stack having a stacked body formed by stacking fuel cell units together and a pair of end plates sandwiching the stacked body therebetween; electrical heaters disposed near the ends of the stacked body or the end plates, respectively; a water purging device for purging water which is generated during a power generation operation in the fuel cell stack, and which is held in the fuel cell units; and a control unit which controls the power generation operation in the fuel cell stack, and which is operatively connected to the electrical heaters and the water purging device. The control unit is adapted to operate the electrical heaters and the water purging device when the power generation operation is stopped.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a measuring apparatus utilizing attenuated total reflection. The measuring apparatus is equipped with a dielectric block, a thin film layer formed on one surface of the dielectric block, an optical system for making a light beam enter the dielectric block so that a condition for total internal reflection is satisfied at an interface between the dielectric block and the thin film layer, and a two-piece photodiode for detecting the light beam totally reflected at the interface. When attenuated total reflection is detected a plurality of times for a single sample, the two-piece photodiode is disposed at a predetermined position relative to a dark line when a first measurement is made. The two-piece photodiode is also disposed at the same position as the predetermined position stored in a storage unit when a second measurement and measurements thereafter are made.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting fluorescence to distinguish between a sub mucosa and a mucosa immediately and easily. The sub mucosa of organic tissue is distinguished from and the mucosa thereof based on autofluorescence emitted from the organic tissue in response to stimulating light projected thereon. The distinction between the sub mucosa and the mucosa is made based on normalized intensity of the autofluorescence emitted from the organic tissue utilizing the fact that the spectrum of autofluorescence emitted from the sub mucosa is different from the spectrum of autofluorescence emitted from the mucosa.

Abstract: A magnetic disc device includes a disc enclosure for enclosing a magnetic disc medium on which data has been recorded, and a circuit for processing a signal that has been read from the magnetic disc device, wherein a signal that is read from the magnetic disc is output from only an interface. The device may further include an authentication device which determines whether authentication codes match and/or a device that limits the number of times that a retry procedure may be performed when a data read error occurs.

Abstract: A fuel gas inlet is provided at an outer circumferential edge portion of a second separator. First fuel gas flow passage grooves for supplying a fuel gas to an anode electrode are formed on a side of a surface of the second separator. First fuel gas connecting flow passages, which make communication between the fuel gas inlet and the first fuel gas flow passage grooves, include flow passage lo grooves which are provided on a side of a surface, and through-holes which penetrate through the second separator to make communication with the first fuel gas flow passage grooves. Accordingly, excellent sealing performance is ensured with a simple structure, and it is possible to realize a thin-walled fuel cell.

Abstract: A power transmitting device for a vehicle, includes: an input shaft to which a power generated by a power unit provided in a front portion of the vehicle is transmitted; an output shaft for transmitting the power transmitted to the input shaft, to a rear portion of the vehicle; and a casing for containing the input shaft and the output shaft; wherein the power transmitting device is disposed in a floor tunnel portion formed so as to project a portion of a floor panel of the vehicle; and an upper portion of the casing is formed so as to effectively protect the passenger from injuring by being inclined downwardly and rearwardly from a front end of the casing to a rear end of the casing when accidentally being collided with.

Abstract: Excitation light is irradiated to a region of interest in a living body, the excitation light causing the region of interest to produce intrinsic fluorescence. An image displaying system acquires image information in accordance with the intrinsic fluorescence and displays the acquired image information. The image displaying system comprises a light intensity detecting device for an entire measurement wavelength region of the intrinsic fluorescence, a light intensity detecting device for a partial measurement wavelength region of the intrinsic fluorescence, and a display device. The display device displays a display color in accordance with a ratio between the light intensity, which has been detected by the light intensity detecting device for the entire measurement wavelength region, and the light intensity, which has been detected by the light intensity detecting device for the partial measurement wavelength region. The display color is displayed by the utilization of an additive color mixture process.

Abstract: An excitation light irradiating device irradiates excitation light to a measuring site. A fluorescence imaging device performs an imaging operation for detecting a fluorescence image formed with fluorescence, which has been produced from the measuring site when the excitation light is irradiated to the measuring site. An illumination device irradiates illumination light to the measuring site. An ordinary imaging device performs an imaging operation for detecting an ordinary image formed with reflected light of the illumination light. A controller controls such that the imaging operation for detecting the fluorescence image and the imaging operation for detecting the ordinary image are performed alternately, and such that an operation for throwing off accumulated electric charges is performed before the imaging operation of the fluorescence imaging device is performed and/or before the imaging operation of the ordinary imaging device is performed.

Abstract: When a fluorescence image is to be displayed, a region of interest in a living body is irradiated with excitation light so that the fluorescence emitted therefrom is detected by a cold CCD camera via image fibers. A color mosaic filter is fixed on the detection surface of the cold CCD camera so that the fluorescence is separated into three fluorescence components corresponding to red, green and blue wavelength ranges before being detected. The signal intensity corresponding to the red wavelength range is divided by the total signal intensity which is the sum of the signal intensities corresponding to the red, green and blue wavelength ranges. A visual image displayed on the monitor is based on thus divided signal intensity. As it is quite rare that the total signal intensity becomes zero, occurrence of an operation error due to division by the value of zero can be restrained.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of unit cells stacked together. End cell stacks are disposed at opposite ends of the unit cells in the stacking direction. The unit cells between the end cell stacks are electrically connected in series. A first unit cell and a second unit cell in each of the end cell stacks are electrically connected in parallel by a cable. In each of the first and second unit cells a membrane electrode assembly is interposed between a first separator, and a second separator.