Abstract: A porous composite comprising a porous layer containing a calcium phosphate ceramic, and a dense layer formed on part of the porous layer and having a smaller average pore size than that of the porous layer. The porous composite can be produced by (1) introducing a slurry containing a calcium phosphate ceramic/collagen composite and collagen into a molding die having a high thermal conductivity, (2) rapidly freezing and drying the slurry in the molding die, to form a porous body comprising a porous layer and a dense layer formed on the porous layer, (3) cross-linking collagen in the porous body, and (4) removing the dense layer except for a portion thereof on a surface coming into contact with a soft tissue when implanted in a human body, so that the porous layer is exposed.

Abstract: In the process of producing a porous body containing a fibrous apatite/collagen composite by gelating a dispersion comprising the fibrous apatite/collagen composite, collagen and water, freeze-drying the resultant gel to form a porous body, and cross-linking collagen in the porous body, a method for controlling the average pore diameter of the porous body by the solidification time of the gel in the freezing step.

Abstract: In the case of recording information in a DVD-R 1R as complying with a DVD video standard, which is configured with including at least of a VTS including a VOBS to be reproduced and VTSI and VMGI for controlling the reproduction of one or plural VTSs, the VTS is recorded in the DVD-R 1R. After the VTS is recorded, the tentative VMGI as the tentative control information corresponding to the recorded VTS to form the VMGI after that and to record this VMGI in the DVD-R 1R. Then, the generated tentative VMGI is recorded in the DVD-R 1R every when the VTS is recorded in the DVD-R 1R.

Abstract: A method for producing a porous body comprising apatite/collagen composite fibers comprising the steps of gelling a dispersion comprising long apatite/collagen composite fibers having an average length of 10-75 mm, short apatite/collagen composite fibers having an average length of 0.05-1 mm, and a liquid; freezing and drying the resultant gel to form a porous body; and cross-linking collagen in the porous body.

Abstract: Information recording is conducted in the form of the simple format. When the simple format is indicated, the recording control data is not recorded in a lead-in area LIA, and after the information to be recorded is recorded in a data recording area DRA, the recording control data is recorded in a recording manager area RMA and a lead-out area LOA, in the data recording area DRA, recording manager area RMA, lead-in area LIA, and lead-out area LOA, which are predetermined according to the standard format. Further, when the finalizing processing is indicated, by recording again the recording control data according to the standard format to the information recording medium in which the information recording is conducted according to the simple format, the information recording medium which can be applied to the common information recording and reproducing apparatus, is easily realized.

Abstract: A method for producing a porous body comprising apatite/collagen composite fibers comprising the steps of gelling a dispersion comprising long apatite/collagen composite fibers having an average length of 10-75 mm, short apatite/collagen composite fibers having an average length of 0.05-1 mm, and a liquid; freezing and drying the resultant gel to form a porous body; and cross-linking collagen in the porous body.

Abstract: In the process of producing a porous body containing a fibrous apatite/collagen composite by gelating a dispersion comprising said fibrous apatite/collagen composite, collagen and water, freeze-drying the resultant gel to form a porous body, and cross-linking collagen in said porous body, a method for controlling the average pore diameter of said porous body by the solidification time of said gel in said freezing step.

Abstract: A porous composite comprising a porous layer containing a calcium phosphate ceramic, and a dense layer formed on part of the porous layer and having a smaller average pore size than that of the porous layer. The porous composite can be produced by (1) introducing a slurry containing a calcium phosphate ceramic/collagen composite and collagen into a molding die having a high thermal conductivity, (2) rapidly freezing and drying the slurry in the molding die, to form a porous body comprising a porous layer and a dense layer formed on the porous layer, (3) cross-linking collagen in the porous body, and (4) removing the dense layer except for a portion thereof on a surface coming into contact with a soft tissue when implanted in a human body, so that the porous layer is exposed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a powder, by which it is possible to adjust the strength of the obtained powder is provided. The manufacturing method of a powder involves a step of preparing a slurry containing agglomerated particles of a synthetic material which is produced by reacting a first material and a second material under agitation, and a step of drying the slurry to obtain a powder of the synthetic material. The method has a feature that the particle size of the agglomerated particles is adjusted by, in the step of preparing a slurry, controlling agitation power for agitating the slurry. In the step of preparing a slurry, it is preferable that the slurry is initially agitated at a first agitation power, and at the time when the viscosity of the slurry approaches its maximum value, or at the time when the pH value of the slurry reaches the vicinity of the isoelectric point of the synthetic material, the agitation power is lowered from the first agitation power to a second agitation power.

Abstract: In the case of recording information in a DVD-R 1R as complying with a DVD video standard, which is configured with including at least of a VTS including a VOBS to be reproduced and VTSI and VMGI for controlling the reproduction of one or plural VTSs, the VTS is recorded in the DVD-R 1R. After the VTS is recorded, the tentative VMGI as the tentative control information corresponding to the recorded VTS to form the VMGI after that and to record this VMGI in the DVD-R 1R. Then, the generated tentative VMGI is recorded in the DVD-R 1R every when the VTS is recorded in the DVD-R 1R.

Abstract: Information recording is conducted in the form of the simple format. When the simple format is indicated, the recording control data is not recorded in a lead-in area LIA, and after the information to be recorded is recorded in a data recording area DRA, the recording control data is recorded in a recording manager area RMA and a lead-out area LOA, in the data recording area DRA, recording manager area RMA, lead-in area LIA, and lead-out area LOA, which are predetermined according to the standard format. Further, when the finalizing processing is indicated, by recording again the recording control data according to the standard format to the information recording medium in which the information recording is conducted according to the simple format, the information recording medium which can be applied to the common information recording and reproducing apparatus, is easily realized.

Abstract: Information recording is conducted in the form of the simple format. When the simple format is indicated, the recording control data is not recorded in a lead-in area LIA, and after the information to be recorded is recorded in a data recording area DRA, the recording control data is recorded in a recording manager area RMA and a lead-out area LOA, in the data recording area DRA, recording manager area RMA, lead-in area LIA, and lead-out area LOA, which are predetermined according to the standard format. Further, when the finalizing processing is indicated, by recording again the recording control data according to the standard format to the information recording medium in which the information recording is conducted according to the simple format, the information recording medium which can be applied to the common information recording and reproducing apparatus, is easily realized.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a powder, by which it is possible to adjust the strength of the obtained powder is provided. The manufacturing method of a powder involves a step of preparing a slurry containing agglomerated particles of a synthetic material which is produced by reacting a first material and a second material under agitation, and a step of drying the slurry to obtain a powder of the synthetic material. The method has a feature that the particle size of the agglomerated particles is adjusted by, in the step of preparing a slurry, controlling agitation power for agitating the slurry. In the step of preparing a slurry, it is preferable that the slurry is initially agitated at a first agitation power, and at the time when the viscosity of the slurry approaches its maximum value, or at the time when the pH value of the slurry reaches the vicinity of the isoelectric point of the synthetic material, the agitation power is lowered from the first agitation power to a second agitation power.

Abstract: A virtual space information processor provides data relating to a virtual space to a plurality of client terminals on a real-time basis. All modules for processing all of the data defining the virtual space, and requests from the client terminals are pre-loaded on a memory. The modules include at least a request-storing module which stores more than one request from the client terminals and a space definition data-updating module which updates, according to the requests from the client terminals, the data defining the virtual space. The space definition data-updating module does not start processing of requests from other client terminals until the processing of the request from one of the client terminals is completed. Besides, the virtual space information processor includes a request processing control module which selects an appropriate module for processing a request stored in the request-storing module and instructs the selected module to process the request.

Abstract: The present invention is provided with: an encoder for encoding information with a fixed encoding rate; a system controller for converting the encoded information into format information based on the above recording format; and a pickup for recording the converted format information in a DVD-R. A VOBU is formed so that required time for reproduction of the VOBU in the recording format is a fixed time in association with the encoding rate thereof, the VOB is formed with the number of the VOBU included in the VOB defined as a constant number in the above recording format, address information for indicating a recording position on the DVD-R 1R of the VOBU, in which the required time for reproduction is defined as a fixed time, is generated and the above format information is generated by making the generated address information contained in the VOBU.

Abstract: In the case of recording information in a DVD-R 1R as complying with a DVD video standard, which is configured with including at least of a VTS including a VOBS to be reproduced and VTSI and VMGI for controlling the reproduction of one or plural VTSs, the VTS is recorded in the DVD-R 1R. After the VTS is recorded, the tentative VMGI as the tentative control information corresponding to the recorded VTS to form the VMGI after that and to record this VMGI in the DVD-R 1R. Then, the generated tentative VMGI is recorded in the DVD-R 1R every when the VTS is recorded in the DVD-R 1R.

Abstract: Column packing materials useful in applications such as liquid chromatography, as well as a process for producing such a packing material are described. A first aspect of the invention concerns a column packing material composed of a spherical substrate having a coating of a calcium phosphate based compound on the surface thereof. A second aspect of the invention concerns a packing material comprising porous calcium phosphate based granules having open pores with an average pore size of from 0.01 to 20 &mgr;m, said granules being composed of crystalline particles with an average size of from 0.1 to 10 &mgr;m. A third aspect of the invention concerns a spherical packing material for liquid chromatography comprising spherical particles of at least one material selected from the group consisting of Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, Ca3(PO4)2, Ca2P2O7, Ca(PO3)2, Ca10(PO4)6F2 and Ca10(PO4)6Cl2, said packing material having a dense structure with a porosity of no more than 5%.

Abstract: A prosthetic bone filler including ceramic granules for use in a living body, the ceramic granules being bonded to each other with a polymeric substance, and having ventilation pores produced as a result of the presence of gaps between the adjacent granules. The prosthetic bone filler is produced by adding the polymeric substance in two portions to the ceramic granules. In addition to good flexibility, the prosthetic bone filler exhibits excellent bio-compatibility.

Abstract: An additive is dispersed in a matrix having a larger thermal expansion coefficient, which forms a film that prevents the permeation of the ink at the room temperature while allowing the permeation of the ink at high temperature. An ink roller is formed by covering a roller-like sponge body containing ink (an ink holder) with the film. Along the outer circumference of the ink roller, a thermal head that heats the surface of the ink roller according to a print pattern and a platen roller that sandwiches recording sheet between itself and the ink roller are disposed. Then, by rotating the ink roller and heating the thermal head, the ink permeates through the heated part of the film and is transferred to the recording sheet to form an ink image on the recording sheet.

Abstract: A mode control system is provided for a printer having an internal battery. The mode control system selects at least a charge operation for charging the battery and a printing operation for printing an image on a recording sheet fed into the printer. The mode control system also includes a manually operable member. A duration of an operation of the manually operable member is detected, and one of the charge operation and the print operation is selected in accordance with the duration of the operation of the manually operable member.