Abstract: According to one embodiment, a platooning operation system organizes a platoon by making a plurality of vehicles cooperate. The platooning operation system includes an application acceptance processor and a platoon organization processor. The application acceptance processor accepts an application of a vehicle for admission to the platoon. The platoon organization processor which selects a platoon to which the vehicle is to be admitted or determines possibility of admission of the vehicle to the platoon, based on at least one of information on a driver driving the vehicle and information on the vehicle.

Abstract: There is provided a novel adrenomedullin derivative capable of sustainably acting for a longer period than natural adrenomedullin. The invention relates to a compound represented by formula (I): A-Ln-B (I), wherein A is a modifying group selected from the group consisting of a palmitoyl group and a polyethylene glycol group, L is a divalent linking group, n is an integer of 0 or 1, and B is a peptide moiety derived from adrenomedullin or a modified form thereof with adrenomedullin activity, wherein the peptide moiety B is bound to the modifying group A or the linking group L via the N-terminal amino group of the peptide moiety B, or a salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof.

Abstract: A measurement probe of the present disclosure that scans a surface of a measurement object to measure a three-dimensional shape or the like of the surface of the measurement object includes a first movable portion having a stylus, a second movable portion that is connected to the first movable portion to be movable in a Z direction, a third movable portion that is connected to the second movable portion to be movable in the Z direction, a first position measurer that measures a first position of the first movable portion in the Z direction, a second position measurer that measures a second position of the second movable portion in the Z direction, and a third position measurer that measures a third position of the third movable portion in the Z direction. A first relative position is calculated based on the first position and the second position. A second relative position is calculated based on the first position and the third position.

Abstract: There is provided a novel adrenomedullin derivative capable of sustainably acting for a longer period than natural adrenomedullin. The invention relates to a compound represented by formula (I): A-Ln-B (I), wherein A is a modifying group selected from the group consisting of a palmitoyl group and a polyethylene glycol group, L is a divalent linking group, n is an integer of 0 or 1, and B is a peptide moiety derived from adrenomedullin or a modified form thereof with adrenomedullin activity, wherein the peptide moiety B is bound to the modifying group A or the linking group L via the N-terminal amino group of the peptide moiety B, or a salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof.

Abstract: A measurement probe of the present disclosure that scans a surface of a measurement object to measure a three-dimensional shape or the like of the surface of the measurement object includes a first movable portion having a stylus, a second movable portion that is connected to the first movable portion to be movable in a Z direction, a third movable portion that is connected to the second movable portion to be movable in the Z direction, a first position measurer that measures a first position of the first movable portion in the Z direction, a second position measurer that measures a second position of the second movable portion in the Z direction, and a third position measurer that measures a third position of the third movable portion in the Z direction. A first relative position is calculated based on the first position and the second position. A second relative position is calculated based on the first position and the third position.

Abstract: There is provided a novel adrenomedullin derivative capable of sustainably acting for a longer period than natural adrenomedullin. The invention relates to a compound represented by formula (I): A-Ln-B (I), wherein A is a modifying group selected from the group consisting of a palmitoyl group and a polyethylene glycol group, L is a divalent linking group, n is an integer of 0 or 1, and B is a peptide moiety derived from adrenomedullin or a modified form thereof with adrenomedullin activity, wherein the peptide moiety B is bound to the modifying group A or the linking group L via the N-terminal ammo group of the peptide moiety B, or a salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof.

Abstract: There are provided a first (Y-axial direction) moving unit, a movement auxiliary unit for moving in substantially parallel with the first moving unit, and a second (X-axial direction) moving unit for moving substantially perpendicular to the first moving unit. Force generated for moving the second moving unit is received by the movement auxiliary unit to perform driving of the XY directions. Thus, when a measuring probe provided on the second moving unit is scanned in the XY directions, vibrations of the first moving unit can be suppressed without the first moving unit receiving a counteraction of force that acts in a direction substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the first moving unit.

Abstract: Provided are a friction processing tool in which a service life of the tool is improved and which can reduce a labor hour for manufacturing and a manufacturing cost, and a friction processing apparatus and a friction processing method using the same. In a friction working tool 20 for softening and processing workpieces W1 and W2 of a metal material by frictional heat generated by being pressed against the workpieces while being rotated, a cylindrical tool body 21 is provided, and a distal end surface of the tool body brought into contact with the workpieces W1 and W2 is formed only by a flat shoulder surface 22. The material of the friction processing tool 20 is made of Ni-based dual multi-phase intermetallic compound alloys.

Abstract: There are provided a first (Y-axial direction) moving unit, a movement auxiliary unit for moving in substantially parallel with the first moving unit, and a second (X-axial direction) moving unit for moving substantially perpendicular to the first moving unit. Force generated for moving the second moving unit is received by the movement auxiliary unit to perform driving of the XY directions. Thus, when a measuring probe provided on the second moving unit is scanned in the XY directions, vibrations of the first moving unit can be suppressed without the first moving unit receiving a counteraction of force that acts in a direction substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the first moving unit.

Abstract: A three-dimensional measurement probe that is less likely to break, that is of long lifespan, and that is of low cost, capable of measuring the shape and the like of a measuring object such as an aspheric lens with higher precision is realized. A magnetic force for preventing rotation and axial displacement of a small slidably moving shaft part is generated by constructing a magnetic circuit by a magnet attached to a small air bearing part, a yoke, and a magnetic pin attached to the small slidably moving shaft part. The three-dimensional measurement probe is able to perform measurement from below and from the side since the magnetic force is non-contacting.

Abstract: A three-dimensional measurement probe that is less likely to break, that is of long lifespan, and that is of low cost, capable of measuring the shape and the like of a measuring object such as an aspheric lens with higher precision is realized. A magnetic force for preventing rotation and axial displacement of a small slidably moving shaft part is generated by constructing a magnetic circuit by a magnet attached to a small air bearing part, a yoke, and a magnetic pin attached to the small slidably moving shaft part. The three-dimensional measurement probe is able to perform measurement from below and from the side since the magnetic force is non-contacting.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus including a fixed stator, a rotor to rotate in the state of being disposed outside the center of rotation of the stator, a retaining mechanism for retaining a thin board on the rotor, and a measuring section to measure physical properties of the thin board. This construction makes it possible to avoid wind generated by rotation of the rotor in the vicinity of the thin board, and to suppress vibration of the thin board. Further, since a portion exposed to the thin board can be minimized, safe measurement can be implemented.

Abstract: A measuring probe for obtaining positional information on a measuring target face has: a movable member having a contact portion which is formed in its top and comes into contact with the measuring target face and a reflecting plane formed on its base end for reflecting a measuring light beam; a magnetic substance mounted on the movable member; a fixed member disposed in a fixed state; a bearing provided on the fixed member for supporting the movable member movably in axis line direction; and a magnetic force generating portion provided on the fixed member for generating force acting upon the magnetic substance to move the movable member in the axis line direction. The movable member is formed from a nonmagnetic material, and the bearing and the fixed member are formed from a magnetic material.

Abstract: A method for transferring a thin plate is provided, in which three or more grasping claws of a transfer arm grasp the periphery of the thin plate in order to transfer it to a predetermined transfer position, and three or more holding claws hold the periphery of the thin plate in the transfer position. The transfer arm rotates about a shaft which is in a direction of a vector sum of a first vector perpendicular to a surface of the thin plate before transfer, and a second vector perpendicular to the surface of the thin plate after the transfer, to transfer the thin plate with changing the posture thereof.

Abstract: A method for a quantitative evaluation of a substrate such as wafer defines a number of sequential first regions so that each of the first regions overlaps the adjacent region. A surface data (e.g., thickness data) in each of the first regions is used to determine a normal vector representing a surface configuration (e.g., thickness variation) of the first region. Then, an angular difference between the normal vectors is determined for each combination of adjacent two first regions. Subsequently, the determined angular difference is compared with a reference to evaluate a quality of a second region including at least one of the first regions, e.g., chip region, strip-like region and/or the entire of the wafer.

Abstract: In the present invention, there are provided a fixed stator, a rotor to rotate in the state of being disposed outside the center of rotation of the stator, a retaining mechanism for retaining the thin board on the rotor, and a measuring section to measure physical properties of the thin board, which makes it possible to avoid wind generated by rotation of the rotor in the vicinity of the thin board, and to suppress vibration of the thin board. Further, since a portion exposed to the thin board can be minimized, safe measurement can be implemented.

Abstract: A measuring probe for obtaining positional information on a measuring target face has: a movable member having a contact portion which is formed in its top and comes into contact with the measuring target face and a reflecting plane formed on its base end for reflecting a measuring light beam; a magnetic substance mounted on the movable member; a fixed member disposed in a fixed state; a bearing provided on the fixed member for supporting the movable member movably in axis line direction; and a magnetic force generating portion provided on the fixed member for generating force acting upon the magnetic substance to move the movable member in the axis line direction. The movable member is formed from a nonmagnetic material, and the bearing and the fixed member are formed from a magnetic material.

Abstract: Arranged on both sides of a thin plate are optical displacement gauges that irradiate measurement lights onto surfaces of the thin plate and receive the measurement lights reflected by the surface so as to measure displacements of the surfaces of the thin plate. Variation of thickness of the thin plate is obtained on the basis of the displacements of the surfaces of the thin plate measured by each of the optical displacement gauges. Each of the optical displacement gauges detects the displacement of a respective surface of the thin plate with high accuracy by irradiating the measurement light to the thin plate two times.

Abstract: A stylus having a curvature radius of 1 mm or less is attached to the extremity of a probe. When the profile of an object is measured with high precision by causing the stylus to follow a measurement surface of the object, a reference ball for calibration is first measured, thereby surface profiling the object. From the measurement data, a contact position where the stylus contacts with the object is determined. A positional error caused by a curvature radius of the stylus is corrected by using an angle of inclination of the measurement surface in that contact position. The amount of profile error in the contact position is extracted by using the profile error data pertaining to the stylus determined by measurement of the reference ball. The amount of profile error is added to the measurement data, thereby correcting the profile error caused by the curvature radius of the stylus.

Abstract: A method for a quantitative evaluation of a substrate such as wafer defines a number of sequential first regions so that each of the first regions overlaps the adjacent region. A surface data (e.g., thickness data) in each of the first regions is used to determine a normal vector representing a surface configuration (e.g., thickness variation) of the first region. Then, an angular difference between the normal vectors is determined for each combination of adjacent two first regions. Subsequently, the determined angular difference is compared with a reference to evaluate a quality of a second region including at least one of the first regions, e.g., chip region, strip-like region and/or the entire of the wafer.