Abstract: One aspect of the present invention is directed to search receptors based on the information of HN signaling pathways in order to find Humanin receptor or Humanin-like polypeptide receptor (HNR), and to reveal a mechanism of promoting or suppressing the intracellular signal transduction for neuroprotecting activity of HN and identify a compound involved in the mechanism. The aspect of the invention is directed to a method for screening of HNR agonist and HNR antagonist, to utilize the screened compound in development of a drug for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, and to provide an assay system of AD neuronal cell death, and to provide methods for the compulsory expression of HNR gene or knocking-out of intracellular genes.

Abstract: A noise reduction apparatus, in which an occurrence of overcorrection attributed to an erroneous detection is prevented. A storage unit stores a pseudo noise signal generating characteristic. A pseudo noise generating unit sets a signal which may become a source of a noise superimposed on a video signal as a reference input signal and generates a pseudo noise signal corresponding to the superimposed noise using the pseudo noise signal generating characteristic which is stored in the storage unit and which corresponds to the reference input signal. A subtraction unit subtracts the pseudo noise signal from the video signal.

Abstract: An image processing device calculates a coordinate transformation coefficient for each of a plurality of regions, and, for at least one point of interest in a local region, calculates a correction amount that is used when blur in a target image is corrected using a coordinate transformation coefficient for the local region and a correction amount that is used when the blur in the target image is corrected using a coordinate transformation coefficient for a region neighboring the local region. In this case, if the correction amount difference does not fall within a predetermined limit value, a coordinate transformation coefficient is newly obtained for each of the plurality of regions including the local region so that the correction amount difference falls within the predetermined limit value, and the target image is corrected for each region using the newly obtained coordinate transformation coefficient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment and/or prevention of a neurodegenerative disease, comprising the following polypeptide shown in any of (a) to (c): (a) a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence represented by Ser-Ala-Leu-Leu-Arg-Ser-Ile-Pro-Ala-Pro-Ala-Gly-Ala-Ser-Arg-Leu-Leu-Leu-Leu-Thr-Gly-Glu-Ile-Asp-Leu-Pro (SEQ ID NO: 1); (b) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having a deletion, substitution, insertion, and/or addition of one or several amino acids in the amino acid sequence consisting of Ser-Ala-Leu-Leu-Arg-Ser-Ile-Pro-Ala-Pro-Ala-Gly-Ala-Ser-Arg-Leu-Leu-Leu-Leu-Thr-Gly-Glu-Ile-Asp-Leu-Pro (SEQ ID NO: 1), and having an activity that inhibits neuronal cell death associated with neurodegenerative disease; and (c) a modified polypeptide from the polypeptide (a) or (b), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, as an effective ingredient.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus 100 first executes JPEG encoding on RAW data. On the basis of the compression ratio of JPEG image data obtained, the image capturing apparatus 100 selects a Huffman table to encode the RAW data. With the higher compression ratio of the JPEG data obtained, the image capturing apparatus 100 assumes that the RAW data is image data with a larger number of low frequency components. The image capturing apparatus 100 thus selects a Huffman table that assigns a particularly short code to a predictive differential value with a smaller absolute value. In contrast, with the lower compression ratio of the JPEG image data obtained, the image capturing apparatus 100 selects a Huffman table that assigns a code of a relatively equal length to the predictive differential value regardless of its absolute value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises: a storage unit storing a first group of defective pixel data including positional information on a defective pixel of an image sensor and information on a type of defect; a detection unit which detects a defective pixel of the image sensor and generates a second group of defective pixel data; a combining unit which combines the first and second groups to generate a third group; and a correction unit which corrects an image signal output from a defective pixel of the image sensor using the third group, wherein the combining unit assigns a priority level corresponding to the type of defect to each piece of defective pixel data, and if there are multiple pieces of defective pixel data including common positional information, leaves the defective pixel data in the order of priority level, the highest the first and the lowest the last.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an agent effective for the treatment and/or prevention of motor neuron disease such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The present invention provides a therapeutic and/or preventive agent for motor neuron disease comprising the following oligopeptide shown in any of (a) to (c) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient: (a) an oligopeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by Ser-Ala-Leu-Leu-Arg-Ser-Ile-Pro-Ala (SEQ ID NO: 1); (b) an oligopeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence having a deletion, substitution, insertion, or addition of one or several amino acids in Ser-Ala-Leu-Leu-Arg-Ser-Ile-Pro-Ala (SEQ ID NO: 1), and having an activity that inhibits neuronal cell death caused by a mutant superoxide dismutase-1 gene; and (c) a modified oligopeptide from the oligopeptide (a) or (b).

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention is directed to search receptors based on the information of HN signaling pathways in order to find Humanin receptor or Humanin-like polypeptide receptor (HNR), and to reveal a mechanism of promoting or suppressing the intracellular signal transduction for neuroprotecting activity of HN and identify a compound involved in the mechanism. The aspect of the invention is directed to a method for screening of HNR agonist and HNR antagonist, to utilize the screened compound in development of a drug for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, and to provide an assay system of AD neuronal cell death, and to provide methods for the compulsory expression of HNR gene or knocking-out of intracellular genes.

Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus includes two image display memory areas 22 and 24 which alternately repeat input and output operations by receiving a signal obtained by performing predetermined processing for an output image signal from an image sensor 12, an image display unit 28 for displaying an object image represented by image frames sequentially output from the two memory areas, a system controller 40 which, when an image frame is to be input to one of the two memory areas, causes the other one of the two memory areas to output a held image frame, and causes the two memory areas to alternately repeat the input and output operations, thereby switching inputting and outputting of the two memory areas, and a mode determination circuit 272 for determining whether the frame rate of the output image signal from the image sensor 12 is higher or lower than the image display rate of the image display unit 28.

Abstract: An image processing device has an image sensing device, an optical black (OB) level detection unit that measures an OB level from an OB area in an image signal output by the image sensing device, an OB correction unit that corrects an OB level of an image signal output after the OB area, and a mode changeover unit that controls switching between a first mode that outputs an image signal of predetermined pixels and a second mode that outputs an image signal from fewer pixels than the predetermined pixels. The OB level detection unit measures the OB level from an image signal output during the second mode, and the OB level correction unit calculates an optical black level for the first mode from the measured optical black level, based on image sensing conditions to be used in the first mode, and corrects the optical black level during the first mode.

Abstract: Location information representing the location of a defective pixel in an image pickup device and pixel defect level information representing the pixel defect level of the defective pixel are stored beforehand in a memory. The defect level of the defective pixel is determined after shipment of the image pickup device, and the pixel defect information is updated based on the defect determination result. If a new defective pixel is detected at a location different from the location of the defective pixel with the pixel defect information stored in the memory, the pixel defect information of that defective pixel is added. If a defective pixel is detected at the same location as the defective pixel with the pixel defect information stored in the memory, and if the defect level of the detected defective pixel is worse than the original defect level, the defect level of the defective pixel is updated.

Abstract: A noise reduction apparatus, in which an occurrence of overcorrection attributed to an erroneous detection is prevented. A storage unit stores a pseudo noise signal generating characteristic. A pseudo noise generating unit sets a signal which may become a source of a noise superimposed on a video signal as a reference input signal and generates a pseudo noise signal corresponding to the superimposed noise using the pseudo noise signal generating characteristic which is stored in the storage unit and which corresponds to the reference input signal. A subtraction unit subtracts the pseudo noise signal from the video signal.

Abstract: The magnetic film of a magnetic device can be practically used and can have saturation magnetization greater than 2.45 T. The magnetic film is an alloy film consisting of iron, cobalt and palladium. Molar content of palladium is 1-7%, and the alloy film is formed by a spattering method. Another magnetic film comprises a ferromagnetic film, and a palladium film or an alloy film including palladium, which are alternately layered. Thickness of the palladium film or the alloy film including palladium is 0.05-0.28 nm, and the layered films are formed by a spattering method or a evaporation method.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus 100 first executes JPEG encoding on RAW data. On the basis of the compression ratio of JPEG image data obtained, the image capturing apparatus 100 selects a Huffman table to encode the RAW data. With the higher compression ratio of the JPEG data obtained, the image capturing apparatus 100 assumes that the RAW data is image data with a larger number of low frequency components. The image capturing apparatus 100 thus selects a Huffman table that assigns a particularly short code to a predictive differential value with a smaller absolute value. In contrast, with the lower compression ratio of the JPEG image data obtained, the image capturing apparatus 100 selects a Huffman table that assigns a code of a relatively equal length to the predictive differential value regardless of its absolute value.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an agent effective for the treatment and/or prevention of motor neuron disease such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The present invention provides a therapeutic and/or preventive agent for motor neuron disease comprising the following oligopeptide shown in any of (a) to (c) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient: (a) an oligopeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by Ser-Ala-Leu-Leu-Arg-Ser-Ile-Pro-Ala (SEQ ID NO: 1); (b) an oligopeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence having a deletion, substitution, insertion, or addition of one or several amino acids in Ser-Ala-Leu-Leu-Arg-Ser-Ile-Pro-Ala (SEQ ID NO: 1), and having an activity that inhibits neuronal cell death caused by a mutant superoxide dismutase-1 gene; and (c) a modified oligopeptide from the oligopeptide (a) or (b).

Abstract: A magnetic head of the present invention includes a magnetic pole that faces a surface of a recording medium, moves relative to the surface in a direction along the surface, and produces a line of magnetic force intersecting the surface of the recording medium; and a coil that excites the magnetic pole, wherein the magnetic pole includes a laminate with a coercivity of 800 A/m or less, the laminate including two or more layers stacked in a direction along the movement relative to the surface of the recording medium, the two or more layers including a first magnetic layer located at a frontmost position of the movement, and a second magnetic layer located at a rearmost position of the movement, the second magnetic layer having a saturation magnetic flux density higher than a saturation magnetic flux density of the first magnetic layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment and/or prevention of a neurodegenerative disease, comprising the following polypeptide shown in any of (a) to (c): (a) a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence represented by Ser-Ala-Leu-Leu-Arg-Ser-Ile-Pro-Ala-Pro-Ala-Gly-Ala-Ser-Arg-Leu-Leu-Leu-Leu-Thr-Gly-Glu-Ile-Asp-Leu-Pro (SEQ ID NO: 1); (b) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having a deletion, substitution, insertion, and/or addition of one or several amino acids in the amino acid sequence consisting of Ser-Ala-Leu-Leu-Arg-Ser-Ile-Pro-Ala-Pro-Ala-Gly-Ala-Ser-Arg-Leu-Leu-Leu-Leu-Thr-Gly-Glu-Ile-Asp-Leu-Pro (SEQ ID NO: 1), and having an activity that inhibits neuronal cell death associated with neurodegenerative disease; and (c) a modified polypeptide from the polypeptide (a) or (b), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, as an effective ingredient.

Abstract: A magnetic head according to the present invention includes a write magnetic pole on which a magnetic film has been formed, and is characterized by the magnetic film being formed by alternately laminating magnetic layers, which have iron (Fe) and cobalt (Co) as main components, and insulating layers, the insulating layers being formed as discontinuous films. With this construction, it is possible to form a write magnetic pole that has a high Bs value and high permeability, so that it is possible to provide a magnetic head that can record onto a high-density medium with a high coercive force.

Abstract: The magnetic film includes an FeCo layer, restrains erasing data by a magnetic field leaked from a magnetic pole, has high saturation magnetic flux density and soft magnetism and writes data with high recording density. The magnetic film for a magnetic head of the present invention comprises: a nonmagnetic layer including at least one selected from a group of Ru, Rh, Ir, Cr, Cu, Au, Ag, Pt and Pd; a magnetic layer including Fe and Co. Anisotropy magnetic field is 0.8 kA/m or more.

Abstract: The magnetic film includes an FeCo layer, restrains erasing data by a magnetic field leaked from a magnetic pole, has high saturation magnetic flux density and soft magnetism and writes data with high recording density. The magnetic film for a magnetic head of the present invention comprises: a nonmagnetic layer including at least one selected from a group of Ru, Rh, Ir, Cr, Cu, Au, Ag, Pt and Pd; a magnetic layer including Fe and Co. Anisotropy magnetic field is 0.8 kA/m or more.