Abstract: A mining riser pipe is extended from above water toward a water bottom containing water bottom resources, and a lower portion of an insertion pipe connected to a lower portion of the mining riser pipe is inserted into the water bottom. A liquid is supplied into the insertion pipe and a rotation shaft extends axially inside both of pipes is rotated to rotate stirring blades attached to a lower portion of the rotation shaft inside the insertion pipe, thereby drilling and dissolving mud S inside the insertion pipe into a slurry form is raised to an upper portion of the insertion pipe by a stirring flow generated by the rotation of the stirring blades, and the raised mud is lifted above the water through the mining riser pipe by lifting force.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for producing a microchannel device, which can form a channel that has high hydrophobicity, high solvent resistance as well, and also resistance to heat and damage, on demand with high accuracy, and produces the microchannel device at a low cost, while having high productivity. The method for producing a microchannel device includes: forming a channel pattern from a hydrophobic resin on a porous substrate by an electrophotographic method; melting the channel pattern by heat to allow the channel pattern to permeate into the porous substrate, thereby forming a channel in the inside of the porous substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel methods for treating diseases associated with apoptotic degeneration in ocular tissue cells by effective administration of pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF). The present inventors studied PEDF as a means to prevent ganglion cell death, the final pathology of glaucoma. The present invention is particularly focused on SIV vectors for effective methods for delivering PEDF, and constructed an SIV-PEDF vector. When the SIV-PEDF vector was administered subretinally to an ischemia reperfusion model and NMDA-induced model, a significant suppression effect on ganglion cell death was observed. The present inventors therefore discovered that the SIV-PEDF vector is an effective pharmaceutical agent for treating diseases associated with apoptotic degeneration in ocular tissue cells, such as glaucoma.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel methods for treating diseases associated with apoptotic degeneration in ocular tissue cells by effective administration of pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF). The present inventors studied PEDF as a means to prevent ganglion cell death, the final pathology of glaucoma. The present invention is particularly focused on SIV vectors for effective methods for delivering PEDF, and constructed an SIV-PEDF vector. When the SIV-PEDF vector was administered subretinally to an ischemia reperfusion model and NMDA-induced model, a significant suppression effect on ganglion cell death was observed. The present inventors therefore discovered that the SIV-PEDF vector is an effective pharmaceutical agent for treating diseases associated with apoptotic degeneration in ocular tissue cells, such as glaucoma.

Abstract: A motor drive system comprises a motor driven by a variable frequency power supply and a machine driven by the motor, which are mechanically connected by the drive shaft of the motor and the shaft of the machine via bearings. A stationary portion of the motor and the frame of the machine are electrically connected by a low-impedance conductor, so that a current can be caused to flow at least partially between the stationary portion of the motor and the frame of the machine.

Abstract: An apparatus which allows a first film to be formed on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and a second film to be formed on the substrate by sputtering, wherein the processes are performed sequentially in the same deposition chamber without exposing the substrate to an oxidative atmosphere. The deposition chamber includes a first electrode and a second electrode located under the first electrode. A transfer mechanism loads a dummy target onto the first electrode and the substrate onto the second electrode prior to a CVD process. The dummy target is resistant to sputtering and thus does not contaminate the film deposited on the substrate during CVD. After CVD and prior to sputtering, the transfer mechanism unloads the dummy target and replaces it with a sputtering target for film formation by sputtering. Both the dummy target and sputtering target can be loaded and unloaded from a single pressurized storage chamber.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing thin films in which a first film is formed on a substrate using chemical-vapor deposition (CVD), and a second film is formed on the substrate using sputtering, wherein the processes are sequentially performed in the same deposition chamber without exposing the substrate to an oxidative atmosphere. The deposition chamber includes a first electrode, and a second electrode located under the first electrode. During the CVD process, a dummy target is mounted on the first electrode and the substrate is mounted on the second electrode, a reactive gas is introduced into the chamber, and high frequency electrical power is applied to both the first and second electrodes, thereby causing the constituents of the reactive gas to deposit on the substrate to form the first film. Subsequently, any remaining reactive gas is removed from the chamber and an automated mechanism removes the dummy target from the first electrode and stores the dummy target in a storage chamber.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a thin film transistor of an inverted stagger structure having a gate terminal, a gate insulator a semiconductor film, a source electrode and a drain electrode formed in that order; a gate terminal and a gate wiring are provided for supplying a scanning signal to the gate electrode; and a source terminal and a source wiring are provided for supplying a data signal to the source electrode, wherein the gate terminal is formed on an upper side of the gate insulating film and electrically connected to the gate wiring through a contact hole formed in the gate insulator.

Abstract: There is provided an electronic device like a TFT using a silicon nitride insulating film of a single layer structure having an excellent dielectric voltage, and a method of producing the electronic device with reliability. In the electronic device, a conductive wiring pattern is deposited on a surface of an electrically insulated substrate, and an insulating layer is formed to cover the wiring pattern and the substrate. The insulating layer is made of a silicon nitride insulating film. A contact angle .theta. between the wiring pattern and the substrate is equals 60.degree. or more, and a value Tn1/Tg of a thickness Tn1 of the silicon nitride insulating film and a thickness Tg of the wiring pattern equals 2 or more. A horizontal distance Tn2 between a rise start position, where the silicon nitride film rises because of a step of the wiring pattern and the top end of the wiring pattern, and Tn1 are in a relation where 0.6.ltoreq.Tn2/Tn1.

Abstract: A control method for a PWM converter which is connected to an AC current source via a reactor, and performs the sending and receiving of power between the AC power source and a DC power source, includes a step of separating a supplied AC current into an effective current and a reactive current and performing PWM control and a step for control so that said reactive current is larger when there is conversion of DC power into AC power, than when there is conversion of an AC power into DC power.

Abstract: In order to carry out commercial synchronous exchange for disconnecting an induction motor from its driving power supply and connecting it to a variable frequency power supply, or commercial synchronous switching for disconnecting the induction motor from the variable frequency power supply and connecting it to a commercial power supply, without any accompanying adverse shock, an induction-motor vector control technique is utilized. A phase-locked loop (PLL) is formed to detect the difference in phase between the output voltage from the variable frequency power supply or the magnetic flux phase of the induction motor on the one hand, and the phase of the power supply voltage on the other, so that the difference in phase thus detected can be maintained at a predetermined value.

Abstract: In order to carry out commercial synchronous exchange for disconnecting an induction motor from its driving power supply and connecting it to a variable frequency power supply or commercial synchronous switching for disconnecting the induction motor from the variable frequency power supply and connecting it to a commercial power supply without any accompanying adverse shock, an induction-motor vector control technique is utilized and furthermore, a phase-locked loop (PLL) is formed to detect the difference in phase between the phase of the output voltage from the variable frequency power supply or the magnetic flux phase of the induction motor on the one hand, and the phase of the voltage of the power supply on the other, so that the difference in phase thus detected can be maintained at a predetermined value.

Abstract: Disclosed is a control apparatus for a brush-less motor, which can prevent commutation failure of an inverter for driving the motor. The control apparatus, according to the invention detects a counter EMF of the motor, and the detected counter EMF is applied to a PLL circuit. In the course of normal operation of the motor, an output of the PLL circuit is used for controlling the advanced control angle of a motor drive inverter. Any abnormality in the condition of the motor, such as that arising from an abrupt change in load of the motor, causes a sudden and substantial variation in the magnitude and phase of the counter EMF. Since the internal condition of the PLL circuit changes in response to this counter EMF variation, a signal generated by the PLL circuit is therefore used to detect the counter EMF variation.

Abstract: In a control system for a power converter for driving induction motors, the control system separately controlling an exciting current component of the primary current of the induction motors contributing to generation of a magnetic flux and a torque current component of the primary current contributing to generation of a torque, a voltage detecting device detects the output voltage of the power converter, and a correcting device responds to the voltage detecting device for determining a current correction for correcting at least one of the exciting current component and the torque current component to reduce the difference of the detected voltage from a reference value of the output voltage.