Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method for producing a water-absorbing resin having excellent water absorption performance with high productivity. The present invention relates to a method for producing a water-absorbing resin that forms a physical gel upon absorption of water, the method including: (a1) reducing the molecular weight of a starch to obtain a partially degraded starch; (a2) introducing an acidic group into the partially degraded starch obtained in (a1) to obtain a water-soluble polymer; and (a3) drying the water-soluble polymer at 70° C. to 180° C. in the presence of water so that it has a solid content of 90% or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a water-soluble polymer with high production efficiency, and a method for producing a water-absorbing resin having excellent water absorption performance. The present invention relates to a method for producing a water-soluble polymer, comprising: (a1) reducing the molecular weight of a starch to obtain a partially degraded starch; and (a2) introducing an ionic functional group into the partially degraded starch obtained in the step (a1).

Abstract: The present invention provides a water-absorbing resin that is excellent in water absorption performance and is easy to be degraded. The present invention relates to a water-absorbing resin, which is a crosslinked product of a glucose polymer and forms a physical gel upon absorption of water, wherein the glucose polymer is a starch or a partially degraded starch, with an acidic group introduced therein.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a saccharide composition suitable for a cyclic-tetrasaccharide-containing starch syrup which has low viscosity, low water activity, low coloration property, and low calorie content, and which is unlikely to cause precipitation of crystals of saccharides during storage, and to provide a use of the composition and a production method for the composition.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ?-glucan mixture in a preferable molecular weight range, which can be made into a transparent film with advantageous strength and water solubility when an edible film is made by using the ?-glucan mixture without adding any plasticizer. The above object is solved by providing an ?-glucan mixture, which is obtainable by a process comprising the steps of gelatinizing waxy starch and liquefying the resulting gelatinized waxy starch by allowing an amylase to act on it, having the following characteristics (1) and (2): (1) having the weight average molecular weight (Mw) in a range of 150 kDa to 3,000 kDa; and (2) having the value of dividing weight average molecular weight (Mw) with number average molecular weight (Mn), Mw/Mn, of 35.1 or lower.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head including a first valve lifter hole, a first camshaft rotatably supported on the cylinder head, a first valve lifter inserted in the first valve lifter hole, a first valve spring that biases the first valve lifter toward the first cam of the first camshaft, and an oil supply passage having a first oil supply port formed on the inner circumferential surface of the first valve lifter hole and a first passage connected to the first oil supply port. An upper end of the first oil supply port is located upward relative to the upper surface of the first valve lifter when the first valve lifter is in the lower position. A lower end of the first oil supply port is located downward relative to the upper surface of the first valve lifter when the first valve lifter is in the upper position.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head including a first valve lifter hole, a first camshaft rotatably supported on the cylinder head, a first valve lifter inserted in the first valve lifter hole, a first valve spring that biases the first valve lifter toward the first cam of the first camshaft, and an oil supply passage having a first oil supply port formed on the inner circumferential surface of the first valve lifter hole and a first passage connected to the first oil supply port. An upper end of the first oil supply port is located upward relative to the upper surface of the first valve lifter when the first valve lifter is in the lower position. A lower end of the first oil supply port is located downward relative to the upper surface of the first valve lifter when the first valve lifter is in the upper position.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine 5 includes an intake valve spring 60 including a closely-wound section 62 and a sparsely-wound section 63. The closely-wound section 62 is provided so that elemental wire portions thereof are closely in contact with each other in the direction of the coil axial line L1 while an intake valve closes an intake port. The sparsely-wound section 63 is provided so that elemental wire portions thereof are spaced apart from each other in the direction of the coil axial line L1 while the intake valve closes the intake port. The coil outer diameter D62 of at least a part of the closely-wound section 62 is smaller than the coil outer diameter D63 of at least a part of the sparsely-wound section 63.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine 5 includes an intake valve spring 60 including a closely-wound section 62 and a sparsely-wound section 63. The closely-wound section 62 is provided so that elemental wire portions thereof are closely in contact with each other in the direction of the coil axial line L1 while an intake valve closes an intake port. The sparsely-wound section 63 is provided so that elemental wire portions thereof are spaced apart from each other in the direction of the coil axial line L1 while the intake valve closes the intake port. The coil outer diameter D62 of at least a part of the closely-wound section 62 is smaller than the coil outer diameter D63 of at least a part of the sparsely-wound section 63.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ?-glucan mixture in a preferable molecular weight range, which can be made into a transparent film with advantageous strength and water solubility when an edible film is made by using the ?-glucan mixture without adding any plasticizer. The above object is solved by providing an ?-glucan mixture, which is obtainable by a process comprising the steps of gelatinizing waxy starch and liquefying the resulting gelatinized waxy starch by allowing an amylase to act on it, having the following characteristics (1) and (2): (1) having the weight average molecular weight (Mw) in a range of 150 kDa to 3,000 kDa; and (2) having the value of dividing weight average molecular weight (Mw) with number average molecular weight (Mn), Mw/Mn, of 35.1 or lower.

Abstract: An intake cam is positioned between first and second shaft supports that support an intake camshaft. An exhaust cam is positioned between third and fourth shaft supports that support an exhaust camshaft. An ignition plug unit extends between the intake camshaft and the exhaust camshaft and inward of the intake cam and the exhaust cam with a cylinder axis defining a reference position. A cylinder head includes a joint plane that is joined to a cylinder body. In a case where a virtual plane is defined by the joint plane and is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the cylinder axis, a distance between a portion, closest to the virtual plane, of the intake camshaft and the virtual plane is less than a distance between a portion, farthest from the virtual plane, of the intake port and the virtual plane.

Abstract: A first oscillator is configured to be switchable between a disabled state and an oscillation state in which a first clock signal CLK1 having a first frequency is generated. A second oscillator oscillates at a second frequency that is lower than the first frequency, so as to generate a second clock signal. In (i) a power transfer phase in which electric power is transmitted to a wireless power receiving apparatus, a controller instructs the first oscillator to oscillate, and generates a first pulse signal for controlling a driver according to the first clock signal. In (ii) a selection phase in which the presence or absence of the wireless power receiving apparatus is detected, the controller generates a second pulse signal for controlling the driver at a predetermined time interval, which is measured based on the second clock signal, and during which the first oscillator is set to the disabled state.

Abstract: An intake cam is positioned between first and second shaft supports that support an intake camshaft. An exhaust cam is positioned between third and fourth shaft supports that support an exhaust camshaft. An ignition plug unit extends between the intake camshaft and the exhaust camshaft and inward of the intake cam and the exhaust cam with a cylinder axis defining a reference position. A cylinder head includes a joint plane that is joined to a cylinder body. In a case where a virtual plane is defined by the joint plane and is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the cylinder axis, a distance between a portion, closest to the virtual plane, of the intake camshaft and the virtual plane is less than a distance between a portion, farthest from the virtual plane, of the intake port and the virtual plane.

Abstract: There can be provided a power delivery (PD) device capable of achieving protocols, e.g. Hard Reset, without using any alternative power source, and a control method of thereof. The PD device includes: a power source; a power line configured to deliver power supplied from the power source, to an outside; a switch connected between the power source and the power line; and a control circuit connected to the power line so that power is supplied from the power source to the control circuit, wherein at the time when a Hard Reset protocol is received from the outside through the power line, the control circuit turns from ON to OFF the switch to disconnect the power line from the power source.

Abstract: A demodulator is mounted on a wireless power transmitter that conforms to the Qi standard, and demodulates an amplitude modulated signal superimposed on a coil current ICOIL that flows through a primary coil of a transmission antenna, or otherwise on a coil voltage across both ends of the primary coil. Multiple demodulating units are each configured to have respectively different configurations, to operate in parallel, to extract a demodulated component from the coil current ICOIL or otherwise from the coil voltage, and to generate baseband signals as demodulated signals. A signal processing unit employs a baseband signal that is correctly received, from among the multiple baseband signals generated by the multiple demodulating units, based on an error detection result obtained using a checksum.

Abstract: A control interface system for a vehicle includes an input module, a feedback module, and a system controller. The input module has a touchscreen and a control icon arranged thereon. The feedback module includes a pressure sensor in communication with the input module. The pressure sensor provides a sensor signal to the input module indicative of an applied force on the touchscreen. The system controller is in communication with the pressure sensor through the input module. The system controller provides at least one of a haptic feedback, an audible feedback, and a visual feedback, where the feedback is indicative of one of a selection mode, a slow change mode, and a fast change mode.

Abstract: An engine of a straddle-type vehicle includes a seal between a surrounding wall and a pipe. A cylinder head includes a first surrounding wall portion and a second surrounding wall portion. One end of the pipe is pressed in against the first surrounding wall portion. The second surrounding wall portion is located more distant from an attachment portion than the first surrounding wall portion is, and has an inner diameter larger than that of the first surrounding wall portion. The pipe includes an annular projection. The annular projection projects from the outer periphery of the pipe, and divides a space defined by the outer periphery of the pipe and the inner periphery of the second surrounding wall portion into subspaces arranged in an axial direction of the pipe when the one end of the pipe is pressed in against the first surrounding wall portion.

Abstract: A demodulator is mounted on a wireless power transmitter that conforms to the Qi standard, and demodulates an amplitude modulated signal superimposed on a coil current ICOIL that flows through a primary coil of a transmission antenna, or otherwise on a coil voltage across both ends of the primary coil. Multiple demodulating units are each configured to have respectively different configurations, to operate in parallel, to extract a demodulated component from the coil current ICOIL or otherwise from the coil voltage, and to generate baseband signals as demodulated signals. A signal processing unit employs a baseband signal that is correctly received, from among the multiple baseband signals generated by the multiple demodulating units, based on an error detection result obtained using a checksum.

Abstract: There can be provided a power delivery (PD) device capable of achieving protocols, e.g. Hard Reset, without using any alternative power source, and a control method of thereof. The PD device includes: a power source; a power line configured to deliver power supplied from the power source, to an outside; a switch connected between the power source and the power line; and a control circuit connected to the power line so that power is supplied from the power source to the control circuit, wherein at the time when a Hard Reset protocol is received from the outside through the power line, the control circuit turns from ON to OFF the switch to disconnect the power line from the power source.

Abstract: A first oscillator is configured to be switchable between a disabled state and an oscillation state in which a first clock signal CLK1 having a first frequency is generated. A second oscillator oscillates at a second frequency that is lower than the first frequency, so as to generate a second clock signal. In (i) a power transfer phase in which electric power is transmitted to a wireless power receiving apparatus, a controller instructs the first oscillator to oscillate, and generates a first pulse signal for controlling a driver according to the first clock signal. In (ii) a selection phase in which the presence or absence of the wireless power receiving apparatus is detected, the controller generates a second pulse signal for controlling the driver at a predetermined time interval, which is measured based on the second clock signal, and during which the first oscillator is set to the disabled state.