Abstract: At the time of transporting a substrate into or from a space where a film formation process is performed, the space where the film formation process is performed, a space where a lower heater 16 is provided, and a space where an upper heater 19 is provided are made in an inert gas atmosphere.

Abstract: An airbag apparatus connected with a battery includes activation circuits each of which has a squib and a high-side switching element, a safing switching element connected between the battery and the activation circuits, a safing switch control circuit controlling the safing switching element to provide a target voltage to the activation circuits, a terminal voltage acquiring circuit that acquires a terminal voltage of each squib, and a target voltage setting circuit that sets the target voltage. When a maximum-terminal voltage is lower than a reference voltage, the target voltage setting circuit sets the target voltage to be equal to the reference voltage. When the maximum-terminal voltage is higher than the reference voltage, the target voltage setting circuit sets the target voltage to correspond to the maximum-terminal voltage so that a reverse current is avoided in the high-side switching element.

Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus for a semiconductor device, including: a reaction chamber configured to perform film formation on a wafer; a process gas supplying mechanism provided in an upper part of the reaction chamber and configured to introduce process gas to an interior of the reaction chamber; a gas discharging mechanism provided in a lower part of the reaction chamber and configured to discharge gas from the reaction chamber; a supporting member configured to hold the wafer; a cleaning gas supplying mechanism provided in an outer periphery of the supporting member and configured to emit cleaning gas in an outer periphery direction below an upper end of the supporting member; a heater configured to heat the wafer; and a rotary driving mechanism configured to rotate the wafer.

Abstract: Provided is a novel lactic acid bacterium strain which is capable of suppressing production of volatile sulfur compounds by oral bacteria, has no cariogenicity and no causative role in infective endocarditis, and is safe in an oral cavity, and provided is an agent for preventing, improving and/or treating oral diseases and discomforts by use of the bacterial strain.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ionizer having a cleaning system for cleaning an electrode needle of the ionizer automatically or remotely, while also being compact in size. The cleaning system (6) has a rotating member (61) configured to coaxially rotate with the fan (3), a plurality of rods (62a to 62d) attached to the rotating member (61) such that each rod extends radially from the rotating member, and brushes (63a to 63d) each attached to the end of each rod. The rotating member (61) is driven by an electromagnetic solenoid (64) via a coupling means (66).

Abstract: Provided is a technique for enabling a liquid of microbial cells having an enzymatic activity to be easily stored and used. The technique is a method for killing a microorganism while maintaining the enzyme titer of a microbial cell liquid, characterized by including adjusting the pH of a liquid of microbial cells having an enzymatic activity, and then performing a heating treatment of the liquid, and also the technique is a method for killing a microorganism while maintaining the enzyme titer of a microbial cell liquid, characterized by including adding a carbohydrate to a liquid of microbial cells having an enzymatic activity, and then performing a heating treatment of the liquid.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to develop a means capable of maintaining the enzymatic activity of a microorganism even in a dry state. Provided is a method for producing a dry microbial cell powder maintaining an enzyme titer, characterized by comprising adding a carbohydrate to a liquid of microbial cells having an enzymatic activity and then drying the liquid. Also provided is a dry microbial cell powder obtained by the method.

Abstract: Provided are a rolled Mg alloy material which has a wide width and whose mechanical properties are uniform in a width direction, a Mg alloy structural member produced by plastically working the rolled Mg alloy material, and a method for producing the rolled Mg alloy material. The method for producing a rolled Mg alloy material includes rolling a Mg alloy material with a reduction roll. The Mg alloy material has a width of 1,000 mm or more, and the reduction roll has three or more regions in the width direction. The temperature is controlled in each of the regions so that a difference between a maximum temperature and a minimum temperature is 10° C. or less in the width direction of a surface of the reduction roll. The variation in the rolled state in the width direction can be reduced by reducing a difference in temperature over the width direction of the reduction roll.

Abstract: Provided are a rolled Mg alloy material whose mechanical properties are locally different in a width direction, a Mg alloy structural member produced by plastically working the rolled Mg alloy material, and a method for producing the rolled Mg alloy material. The method for producing a rolled Mg alloy material includes rolling a Mg alloy material with a reduction roll. The reduction roll has three or more regions in the width direction. The temperature is controlled in each of the regions so that a difference between a maximum temperature and a minimum temperature exceeds 10° C. in the width direction of a surface of the reduction roll. The rolled state in the width direction is varied by varying a difference in temperature over the width direction of the reduction roll. As a result, it is possible to produce a rolled Mg alloy material whose mechanical properties are locally different in the width direction.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a vehicle seat component includes a first step of integrating a cushion member and an upholstery member together during molding of the cushion member, and a second step of forming a flow passage through which air passes from a back surface of the cushion member toward the upholstery member.

Abstract: A film-forming apparatus and method for the formation of silicon carbide comprising, a film-forming chamber to which a reaction gas is supplied, a temperature-measuring unit which measures a temperature within the chamber, a plurality of heating units arranged inside the chamber, an output control unit which independently controls outputs of the plurality of heating units, a substrate-transferring unit which transfers a substrate into, and out of the chamber, wherein the output control unit turns off or lowers at least one output of the plurality of heating units when the film forming process is completed, when the temperature measured by the temperature-measuring unit reaches a temperature at which the substrate-transferring unit is operable within the chamber, then at least one output of the plurality of heating units turned off or lowered, is turned on or raised, and the substrate is transferred out of the film-forming chamber by the substrate-transferring unit.

Abstract: An acoustic matching member is fitted to a main body in a pair of ultrasonic transmitter/receivers. The acoustic matching member includes a matching member equipped with a porous body adhered tightly to an acoustic-wave emission surface of the main body. A dense layer is stacked on a surface of the porous body and includes a thermosetting resin and first flowability-diminishing particles. A sidewall member is adhered tightly to the acoustic-wave emission surface and an end face of the porous body.

Abstract: An anisotropic conductive film, containing a resin film; and conductive particles aligned into a monolayer within the resin film adjacent to or on one plane of the resin film with respect to a thickness direction of the resin film, wherein a distance between the one plane of the resin film and a center of the conductive particle is 9 ?m or less based on 10-point average.

Abstract: A film-forming apparatus and method comprising a film-forming chamber for supplying a reaction gas into, a cylindrical shaped liner provided between an inner wall of the film-forming chamber and a space for performing a film-forming process, a main-heater for heating a substrate placed inside the liner, from the bottom side, a sub-heater cluster provided between the liner and the inner wall, for heating the substrate from the top side, wherein the main-heater and the sub-heater cluster are resistive heaters, wherein the sub-heater cluster has a first sub-heater provided at the closest position to the substrate, and a second sub-heater provided above the first sub-heater, wherein the first sub-heater heats the substrate in combination with the main-heater, the second sub-heater heats the liner at a lower output than the first sub-heater, wherein each temperature of the main-heater, the first sub-heater, and the second sub-heater is individually controlled.

Abstract: A latent epoxy resin curing agent is provided which can be manufactured without using an amphiphilic polymer compound requiring a painful trial and error selection process, exhibits excellent solvent resistance and low-temperature fast-curing ability, and contains an imidazole-based compound as a main component. In the latent epoxy resin curing agent containing the imidazole-based compound as a main component, the adduct particles of the epoxy-based compound and the imidazole-based compound are coated with an ethyl cellulose film, and the surface thereof is crosslinked with a polyfunctional isocyanate compound. The epoxy-based compound, the imidazole-based compound, and ethyl cellulose are dissolved in a predetermined saturated hydrocarbon-based solvent under stirring and heating. Then, the epoxy-based compound and the imidazole-based compound are subjected to adduct reaction to obtain a slurry of the adduct.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, an ionizer and an electrostatic charge eliminating system are provided in which optional functions can be operated without increasing a current consumption when a timing of operating the optional functions is shifted in a case where a plurality of ionizers having optional functions such as a cleaning function are simultaneously used or an ionizer having a plurality of optional functions is used. According to an embodiment of the present invention, an ionizer includes: control portion 7; cleaning portion 10 operated when a command is given from control portion 7; first timer 5 for measuring a waiting time from a time at which a power source is turned on to a time at which cleaning portion 10 executes an operation at a first time; and second timer 6 for measuring a cycle time so that cleaning portion 10 can repeatedly execute the operation at a second time or later by a predetermined cycle time.

Abstract: An aluminum chelate-based latent curing agent is provided which can cure a thermosetting epoxy resin at a relatively low temperature in a short period of time. A method for producing such an aluminum chelate-based latent curing agent, whose curing conditions can be relatively easily controlled, is also provided. The aluminum chelate-based latent curing agent is made latent by reacting a silsesquioxane-type oxetane derivative with an aluminum chelating agent in the presence of an alicyclic epoxy compound.

Abstract: A latent epoxy resin curing agent is provided which exhibits excellent solvent resistance and low-temperature fast-curing ability, and contains an imidazole-based compound as a main component. In the latent epoxy resin curing agent containing the imidazole-based compound as a main component, adduct particles formed through adduct reaction of an epoxy-based compound with the particulate imidazole-based compound are coated with an ethyl cellulose film. Furthermore, the surfaces of the adduct particles may be crosslinked with a polyfunctional isocyanate compound. A mixture of the epoxy-based compound, the particulate imidazole-based compound, and ethyl cellulose in a predetermined saturated hydrocarbon-based solvent is heated under stirring. Then, the epoxy-based compound and the particulate imidazole-based compound are subjected to adduct reaction to give a slurry of the adduct. After the slurry is cooled, the latent epoxy resin curing agent is filtrated.

Abstract: A conversion lens which includes a pair of transparent members is provided. At least one of the transparent members is formed of a deformable film; a connecting member for connecting the pair of transparent members so as to form a sealed space sandwiched between the pair of transparent members; a liquid filled in the sealed space; and a curvature changing mechanism for changing the curvature of the deformable film by moving the liquid filled in the sealed space. A conversion lens system and an imaging device, provided with the conversion lens are also provided.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a method of culturing lactic acid bacteria to obtain a lactic acid bacteria culture in which the number of lactic acid bacteria can be stably maintained, and to obtain food and drink products comprising a lactic acid bacteria culture excellent in product stability. In order to accomplish the object, the present invention provides a method of culturing lactic acid bacteria comprising inoculating lactic acid bacteria to a medium comprising a milk ingredient having a free phosphoric acid concentration of less than 0.25 wt %, and a phosphate, and food and drink products comprising the lactic acid bacteria culture obtained by this culturing method.