Abstract: The present inventors discovered that microfiltration retentates of whey, and products obtained by treating whey using centrifugation and/or ammonium sulfate precipitation, have the activity of inhibiting rotavirus infection.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a sound controller which reproduces a sound signal, and a sound driver which controls a drive of the sound controller. The sound driver includes a volume full-mute determination unit which determines whether or not the apparatus is set in a volume full-mute state of making zero sound output volume, and a control unit which determines whether or not the apparatus is set in a volume full-mute state by using the volume full-mute determination unit when a sound signal reproduce request is made while the sound controller has transferred to a power saving mode, and maintains the sound controller in a power saving mode when the apparatus is set in a volume full-mute state.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a speaker, a terminal, a first detector, a second detector, an amplifier, a power supply circuit and a control module. The terminal is configured to connect an external device via a connection member, the external device outputting an audio signal. The first detector is configured to detect that the connection member is connected to the terminal. The second detector is configured to detect that the audio signal is received via the terminal. The amplifier is configured to amplify the audio signal and to produce sound from the speaker. The controller is configured to control the power supply circuit to supply power to the amplifier, when the first detector detects that the connection member is connected to the terminal, the second detector detects that the audio signal is received, and the electronic apparatus is in an inoperative state.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a volume operation module, a first volume controller and a second volume controller. The volume operation module includes a rotary encoder module of detecting a degree of movement of a control member thereof and a potentiometer module of detecting an absolute position of the control member. The first volume controller controls the volume of the audio signal based on the detected degree of movement of the control member. The second volume controller controls the volume of the audio signal based on the detected absolute position of the control member. The volume control by the first volume controller is rendered effective when the information processing apparatus is in a power-on state. The volume control by the second volume controller is rendered effective when the information processing apparatus is in a power-off state.

Abstract: A process of manufacturing the spark plug that includes a step in which a receiving die having an insertion hole and a taper portion is used, wherein a thread portion of the spark plug is inserted into the insertion hole and a seat portion of the spark plug is brought into contact with the taper portion, and a pressing force is applied to a rear end portion of a metallic shell of the spark plug so as to bend a rear end opening portion of the metallic shell, and to thereby form a crimped portion, whereby an insulator and the metallic shell are fixed together.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a spark plug and a spark plug manufactured by the method in which a gasket used for securing the air-tightness when mounting the spark plug on an internal-combustion engine is prevented from falling out from the metal shell with a simple step.

Abstract: A system is communicably coupled to an external device at least when rewriting, at least in a module, a first application program stored in a first memory of the system into a second application program stored in the external device. In the system, a receiving unit is configured to receive an identifier sent from the external device. The identifier decides a sending timing of the second application program from the external device. In the system, an identification unit is configured to identify that write target data sent from the external device is at least a module of the second application program after the identifier is received by the receiving unit.

Abstract: A liquid measurement apparatus is configured to measure an amount of liquid flowing from a measured object. The apparatus includes a passage member having a measurement passage being connected to the measured object at one end. The measurement passage is filled with liquid. The apparatus further includes a closed vessel, which is connected to an other end of the measurement passage and filled with saturated vapor of the liquid. The apparatus further includes an analyzer. The liquid filled in the measurement passage contains a bubble, which is movable in accordance with change in amount of the liquid in the measurement passage. The analyzer is configured to calculate a travel distance of the bubble and configured to measure the amount of the liquid flowing from the measured object based on the calculated travel distance.

Abstract: A nutritional composition for controlling blood sugar level comprising a protein, a lipid and a carbohydrate, wherein energy percentages supplied by the protein, lipid and carbohydrate are 10 to 25%, 20 to 35% and 40 to 60%, respectively; and oleic acid in the lipid energy percentage is 60 to 90% and palatinose and/or trehalulose in the carbohydrate energy percentage is 60 to 100%, which is useful as an oral or tube feeding nutrient for nutritional management or blood sugar level control of patients suffering from diabetes and glucose intolerance, or for obesity prevention, a therapeutic diet, a diet for diabetic patients at home, an obesity preventive diet or a food with health claims.

Abstract: A process for producing Ti, comprising a reduction step of reacting TiCl4 with Ca in a CaCl2-containing molten salt having the Ca dissolved therein to thereby form Ti particles, a separation step of separating the Ti particles formed in said molten salt from said molten salt and an electrolysis step of electrolyzing the molten salt so as to increase the Ca concentration, wherein the molten salt increased in Ca concentration in the electrolysis step is introduced into a regulating cell to thereby render the Ca concentration of the molten salt constant and thereafter the molten salt is used for the reduction of TiCl4 in the reduction step. In the present invention, the Ca concentration of the molten salt to be fed to the corresponding reduction vessel can be inhibited from fluctuating and, at the same time, can maintain high concentration levels. Further, a large volume of the molten salt can be treated continuously.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for producing Ti or a Ti alloy through reduction of TiCl4 by Ca, which can produce the high-purity metallic Ti or high-purity Ti alloy. A molten salt containing CaCl2 and having Ca dissolved therein is held in a reactor vessel, and a metallic chloride containing TiCl4 is reacted with Ca in the molten salt to generate Ti particles or Ti alloy particles in a molten CaCl2 solution, which allows enhancement of a feed rate of TiCl4 which is of a raw material of Ti, and also allows a continuous operation. Therefore, the high-purity metallic Ti or the high-purity Ti alloy can economically be produced with high efficiency. Further, the method by the present invention eliminates the need of replenishment of expensive metallic Ca and of the operation for separately handling Ca which is highly reactive and difficult to handle.

Abstract: A nutritional composition for controlling blood sugar level comprising a protein, a lipid and a carbohydrate, wherein energy percentages supplied by the protein, lipid and carbohydrate are 10 to 25%, 20 to 35% and 40 to 60%, respectively; and oleic acid in the lipid energy percentage is 60 to 90% and palatinose and/or trehalulose in the carbohydrate energy percentage is 60 to 100%. The composition is useful as an oral or tube feeding nutrient for nutritional management or blood sugar level control of patients suffering from diabetes and glucose intolerance, or for obesity prevention, a therapeutic diet, a diet for diabetic patients at home, an obesity preventive diet or a food with health claims.

Abstract: A probiotic lactobacillus was discovered from lactobacilli of the Lactobacillus genus independently isolated from human adult feces.

Abstract: The present inventors discovered that the onset of galactosamine hepatopathy is suppressed by nutritional compositions comprising as essential ingredients: whey protein hydrolysates; lecithin and oils and fats high in oleic acid, which are able to improve the lipid metabolism; and palatinose having an insulin-sparing effect. Furthermore, the whey protein hydrolysate included in the nutritional compositions was found to suppress endotoxin-induced TNF-a and interleukin 6 (IL-6) production in macrophages.

Abstract: The present inventors discovered that the onset of galactosamine hepatopathy is suppressed by nutritional compositions comprising as essential ingredients: whey protein hydrolysates; lecithin and oils and fats high in oleic acid, which are able to improve the lipid metabolism; and palatinose having an insulin-sparing effect. Furthermore, the whey protein hydrolysate included in the nutritional compositions was found to suppress endotoxin-induced TNF-a and interleukin 6 (IL-6) production in macrophages.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a data processing apparatus includes a control section which, when the performance of the memory device is at a predetermined threshold value or higher, stores the frequency while associating it to a volume of the sound generated and increase a frequency of sound generated next by a certain frequency band from the frequency, when the performance of the memory device is less than the predetermined threshold level, decreases the volume of the sound by a certain volume level from the maximum volume, when the volume corresponding to the highest frequency, which is the predetermined frequency, is stored, finishes the measurement, and generates the sound from the lowest frequency to the highest frequency from the loudspeaker in accordance with the volume stored and the frequency corresponding to the volume.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for electrolyzing molten salt that can enhance the concentration of metal-fog forming metal in the molten salt by carrying out the electrolysis under conditions that the molten salt containing the chloride of metal-fog forming metal is supplied from one end of an electrolytic cell to a space between an anode and a cathode in a continuous or intermittent manner to provide a flow rate in one direction to the molten salt in the vicinity of the surface of the cathode and thus to allow the molten salt to flow in one direction in the vicinity of the surface of the cathode. According to the present invention, while high current efficiency is maintained, only the molten salt enriched with metal-fog forming metal such as Ca can be effectively taken out. Further, this method can easily be carried out by using the electrolytic cell according to the present invention.

Abstract: A nutritional composition for controlling blood sugar level comprising a protein, a lipid and a carbohydrate, wherein energy percentages supplied by the protein, lipid and carbohydrate are 10 to 25%, 20 to 35% and 40 to 60%, respectively; and oleic acid in the lipid energy percentage is 60 to 90% and palatinose and/or trehalulose in the carbohydrate energy percentage is 60 to 100%. The composition is useful as an oral or tube feeding nutrient for nutritional management or blood sugar level control of patients suffering from diabetes and glucose intolerance, or for obesity prevention, a therapeutic diet, a diet for diabetic patients at home, an obesity preventive diet or a food with health claims.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method by which a metal-fog-forming metal dissolved in one portion of “a molten salt mixture consisted of one or more of metal-fog-forming metal containing molten salts” (generally, a molten salt) can be removed and transferred to another portion of the molten salt to increase the concentration thereof. The method can hence be utilized as one of means for treating molten salts in various industrial fields in which metal-fog-forming metal-containing molten salts such as Ca or Na are handled. In particular, when the method is utilized in producing Ti by Ca reduction, the Ca dissolved in the molten salt to be fed to an electrolytic cell can be rapidly removed (recovered) and the Ca formation efficiency during the electrolysis of the molten salt can be enhanced. Consequently, Ca formation and TiCl4 reduction in the electrolysis of the molten salt can be efficiently carried out and a stable operation on a commercial scale is possible.

Abstract: In producing Ti or a Ti alloy through reduction by Ca, an electrolytic-bath salt taken out from a reduction process is electrolyzed to recover Ca and the electrolytic-bath salt as a solid substance, and the recovered Ca and electrolytic-bath salt are delivered to the reduction process. Therefore, heat generation is suppressed in the reduction process by utilizing latent heat of fusion possessed by the solid substance, thereby largely improving production efficiency and thermal efficiency. Additionally, a reaction temperature is easily controlled, and a raw-material loading rate can be enhanced to efficiently produce Ti or the Ti alloy. At this point, using a pulling electrolysis method of the invention, the solid-state Ca and electrolytic-bath salt can be obtained at a low voltage and high current efficiency, i.e., with the relatively small power consumption.