Abstract: Reducing the outer diameter and effectively correcting various aberrations realizes a small-diameter objective optical system suitable for in vivo observation with a high numerical aperture. The invention provides a small-diameter objective optical system comprising, in order from an object plane a first lens group with positive refractive power, including at least one plano-convex lens whose convex surface faces an image plane; a second lens group with positive refractive power, including at least one concave lens; and a third lens group including a cemented lens of which a cemented surface has negative refractive power. The focal length of the third lens group is larger than the focal length of the first lens group.

Abstract: There is provided a portable storage device which makes it possible to largely reduce time that is taken to remove the storage cartridge that is inserted and cannot be handled. A removable hard disk cartridge contains a hard disk and a control circuit for control of writing and reading of data in and from the hard disk in a casing thereof. A main unit includes an automatic loading/ejecting mechanism that receives the hard disk cartridge into a predetermined inner position within the main unit and ejects the same out from the position, and a microprocessor that controls storage operation for storing data in the hard disk cartridge. Before the automatic loading/ejecting mechanism performs a receiving operation, it is determined whether access to contents recorded on the hard disk can be gained, and when the access cannot be gained, the receiving operation by the automatic loading/ejecting mechanism is inhibited.

Abstract: A plurality of object arrays in which a plurality of objects are sorted under a plurality of order conditions are generated. A display image is generated by sorting the objects in an order for each object array to line up in the first direction for each of the plurality of object arrays, selecting one object of a first object array of the plurality of object arrays as a reference object, and sorting the objects for each of the plurality of object arrays so that the reference object and objects corresponding to the reference object included in the object arrays other than the first object array line up in the second direction.

Abstract: An apparatus receives meta-information from a plurality of external apparatuses, and caches the received meta-information per external apparatus that is the origin of the meta-information. Then, the meta-information cached per external apparatus is consolidated, and display of the meta-information is managed. Based on this display management, display management information corresponding to the meta-information cached per external apparatus is obtained, and the external apparatus to which a request for the meta-information is to be made is selected based on the display management information and the cache status of the meta-information per external apparatus. Then, the meta-information is requested from the selected external device.

Abstract: Without setting an examination site, it is possible to easily position an end face of a narrow-diameter end portion at a suitable position with respect to an examination target, allowing an image of the examination site to be acquired quickly and easily. The invention provides an objective-lens guiding device comprising a support portion secured to an objective lens having a narrow-diameter end portion; and a cylindrical portion for accommodating the narrow-diameter end portion. The support portion supports the cylindrical portion such that a front end of the cylindrical portion is disposed at a location farther toward the front than an end face of the narrow-diameter end portion, and so as to be capable of moving in an optical axis direction.

Abstract: A meta-information-read unit, a display-cache unit, a pre-reading-cache unit, a display-state-management unit, an operation-input unit, a meta-information-pre-reading unit, and an input-operation-determination unit are provided. The meta-information-pre-reading unit changes a pre-reading condition and pre-reads meta information on the basis of a result of determination made by the input-operation-determination unit and display-state-management information managed by the display-state-management unit.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an illumination light source emitting illumination light, a small-diameter image-transmitting portion, a distal end of which is placed near a specimen, an objective lens converging the illumination light to a proximal end of the image-transmitting portion, a light-detecting portion that detects light returned from the specimen via the image-transmitting portion and the objective lens, and a shield portion partially blocking the illumination light, the shield portion being disposed at near a pupil position of the objective lens or near a position optically conjugate with the pupil position so as to cover the illumination light path on one side in a radial direction. With this configuration, a sharp image with low noise can be obtained by preventing the occurrence of reflection at the proximal end of the image-transmitting portion and also by avoiding autofluorescene from being produced.

Abstract: There is provided a portable storage device which makes it possible to largely reduce time that is taken to remove the storage cartridge that is inserted and cannot be handled. A removable hard disk cartridge contains a hard disk and a control circuit for control of writing and reading of data in and from the hard disk in a casing thereof. A main unit includes an automatic loading/ejecting mechanism that receives the hard disk cartridge into a predetermined inner position within the main unit and ejects the same out from the position, and a microprocessor that controls storage operation for storing data in the hard disk cartridge. Before the automatic loading/ejecting mechanism performs a receiving operation, it is determined whether access to contents recorded on the hard disk can be gained, and when the access cannot be gained, the receiving operation by the automatic loading/ejecting mechanism is inhibited.

Abstract: There is provided a portable storage device which makes it possible to largely reduce time that is taken to remove the storage cartridge that is inserted and cannot be handled. A removable hard disk cartridge contains a hard disk and a control circuit for control of writing and reading of data in and from the hard disk in a casing thereof. A main unit includes an automatic loading/ejecting mechanism that receives the hard disk cartridge into a predetermined inner position within the main unit and ejects the same out from the position, and a microprocessor that controls storage operation for storing data in the hard disk cartridge. Before the automatic loading/ejecting mechanism performs a receiving operation, it is determined whether access to contents recorded on the hard disk can be gained, and when the access cannot be gained, the receiving operation by the automatic loading/ejecting mechanism is inhibited.

Abstract: A microscope system includes a light source and an objective unit. The objective unit includes an objective optical system, including a small-diameter distal optical system arranged at an end brought near to or into contact with a specimen, for focusing light from the light source onto the specimen; a threaded mount at a coupling position; and an outer cylinder enclosing the small-diameter distal optical system. The microscope system further includes an imaging optical system for forming an image of light from the specimen through the objective optical system and a microscope main body for housing the imaging optical system. The objective unit is detachable from and attachable to the microscope main body with the threaded mount. Conditional expression Df/Da?0.3 is satisfied, where Df represents the outer diameter of the outer cylinder and Da represents the outer diameter of the threaded mount.

Abstract: There is provided a portable storage device which makes it possible to largely reduce time that is taken to remove the storage cartridge that is inserted and cannot be handled. A removable hard disk cartridge contains a hard disk and a control circuit for control of writing and reading of data in and from the hard disk in a casing thereof. A main unit includes an automatic loading/ejecting mechanism that receives the hard disk cartridge into a predetermined inner position within the main unit and ejects the same out from the position, and a microprocessor that controls storage operation for storing data in the hard disk cartridge. Before the automatic loading/ejecting mechanism performs a receiving operation, it is determined whether access to contents recorded on the hard disk can be gained, and when the access cannot be gained, the receiving operation by the automatic loading/ejecting mechanism is inhibited.

Abstract: A phosphor composition contains phosphor particles and a water-soluble rare earth compound uniformly covering the surfaces of the phosphor particles. The rare earth compound is present in an amount of from 0.001 to 5% by weight in terms of the corresponding rare earth oxide, based on the weight of the phosphor particles.

Abstract: A phosphor composition contains phosphor particles and a water-soluble rare earth compound uniformly covering the surfaces of the phosphor particles. The rare earth compound is present in an amount of from 0.001 to 5% by weight in terms of the corresponding rare earth oxide, based on the weight of the phosphor particles.

Abstract: An image is recorded on the recording layer of an image recording material by exposing the photoconductor thereof to imagewise light and applying a voltage there-across. The image recording material is composed of(a) a recording medium consisting of a support base at least one surface of which is electrically conductive and a recording layer provided on the electrically conductive surface of the support base containing an oxidizable or reducible compound, and(b) a photoconductor disposed in contact with the surface of the recording layer.The photoconductor has a specific resistance of not more than 10.sup.9 .OMEGA.cm and causes the effect of electric rectification at the boundary between itself and the recording layer.

Abstract: An electric current conductive composition comprising benzotriazole or a derivative thereof and a substantially electrically insulating binder, which is an essential component of an image recording element. The image recording element comprises a support having thereon a layer of the electric current conductive composition further containing a reducible metal compound, preferably an organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and having on different sides thereof an electrically conductive layer, with at least one of the electrically conductive layers being capable of transmitting actinic radiation. Image recording is accomplished by passing in the image recording element an image-wise pattern of an electric current sufficient to produce therein a storable latent image, followed by heating at least the electric current conductive composition layer to produce a visible image at the areas where the electric current passed through the electric current conductive composition.

Abstract: A process for forming metal images of, e.g., copper at high sensitivity by imagewise depositing silver or silver ion on nuclei for physical development distributed on or in a support of an image forming photographic element or in a layer formed on the support of the photographic element to deactivate the physical developing activity of the active nuclei and then bringing the image forming element having the layer of the nuclei for physical developing which were not deactivated into contact with a physical developer containing a reducible heavy metal salt and a reducing agent to imagewise deposit the heavy metal, such as copper, on the remaining nuclei for physical development. A preferred embodiment comprises performing the above image forming process while depositing imagewise the silver or silver ion on the nuclei for physical development from the unexposed portions of an image-exposed silver halide photographic emulsion layer formed on the image forming photographic element by diffusion transfer.