Abstract: To enable precise measurement of a cellular thickness distribution regardless of changes in the refractive index of cell(s). Two-dimensional distribution of phase information is obtained, in a state where a first culture solution having a first refractive index is stored so as to completely immerse cells adhered onto a bottom face of a culture vessel, by transmitting light of a wavelength, and by photographing the transmitted light. Next, two-dimensional distribution of phase information is obtained, in a state where a second culture solution having a second refractive index is stored to have a depth to completely immerse the cells in the culture vessel, by transmitting light, and by photographing the transmitted light. Next, respective average values of the phase information are calculated. Next, the refractive index of the cell is estimated. Next, the thickness dimension is calculated using the refractive index.

Abstract: Only phase information of a measurement object is extracted with superior precision from a phase-information image in which background phase information is superimposed on phase information of the measurement object.

Abstract: A system for controlling behaviors of a vehicle is provided. The system comprises a first transmission device (for example, an ABS ECU), a second transmission device (for example, an engine ECU), and a reception/processing unit (i.e., a superior control unit). The first transmission device transmits a first time-dependent data to be used for controlling behaviors of the vehicle, while the second transmission device transmits a second time-dependent data to be used for controlling behaviors of the vehicle. The reception/processing unit receives both of the first and second time-dependent data and performs processing to ensure simultaneity between the first and second time-dependent data that have been received. The reception/processing unit also produces parameters for controlling the behaviors of the vehicle using both of the first and second time-dependent data which have been subjected to the simultaneity-ensuring processing.

Abstract: In a vehicle control system which requires a plurality of ECUs (electronic control units) to control in real time states of the vehicle using time-dependent data transmitted and received among the ECUs. The time-dependent data reflecting the vehicle states is detected or produced. A transmitting ECU, one of the plural ECUs, transmits the time-dependent data with a degree of newness thereof to a receiving ECU, another one of the plural ECUs, which takes part in the real-time control. The receiving ECU determines whether or not the time-dependent data has expired for the real-time control based on the degree of newness of the time-dependent data and performs processing with the time-dependent data based on determined results of the expiration, the processing having the time-dependent data adapted to the real-time control. Thus the real-time control can be performed based on only the adaptive time-dependent data to the real-time control.

Abstract: A fuel pump includes a pump housing having a compression chamber. A plunger is axially movable in the pump housing for pressurizing fuel in the compression chamber. A discharge valve is configured to open to supply fuel from the compression chamber to an internal combustion engine when pressure in the compression chamber is more than predetermined pressure. A fuel passage is configured to communicate a downstream of the discharge valve with an upstream of the discharge valve. An in-passage member is accommodated in the fuel passage. The in-passage member includes multiple members, which are combined to define a throttle portion for restricting fuel, which returns from the downstream of the discharge valve to the upstream of the discharge valve.

Abstract: A heat sink board having a first heat sink and a second heat sink with a smaller linear expansion coefficient than that of the first heat sink and being bonded to the first heat sink to form the heat sink board. The second heat sink is fitted to the first heat sink, and a material of the first heat sink in the vicinity of a boundary between the fitted heat sinks is plastically deformed for close adhesion to the second heat sink. A forming method makes bonding between the first and second heat sinks possible at room temperature, and the heat sink board made of a composite member having a high flat-surface accuracy can be easily and reliably obtained.

Abstract: A sensing apparatus includes a microprocessor having an A/D converting function of digital-converting an analog electric quantity supplied to an A/D conversion port and taking in a conversion result, and a plurality of electrical elements that are connected with the microprocessor and generate analog electric quantities. The plurality of electrical elements are respectively connected with a plurality of switch ports in the microprocessor that can be selectively grounded by internal switches of the microprocessor. Analog electric quantities generated in the electrical elements can be selectively taken into the A/D converting function of the microprocessor by selectively switching the internal switches.

Abstract: An apparatus having a vacuum vessel that has a mechanism using a lubricant therein and not causing defects and faults to samples introduced into the vacuum vessel even it is an apparatus where lubricating oil or grease is applied is provided. An apparatus having a vacuum vessel that has a mechanism using a lubricant therein such as CD-SEM, in which a lubricant (oil, grease) whose adsorption amount per minute to a surface of a material introduced into the vacuum vessel of an apparatus for evaluating a lubricant after the start of vacuum evacuation and after reaches a quasi-equilibrium state is below 0.09 ng/cm2 is employed.

Abstract: A method comprising constraining a circumference of a blank of a Cu—Mo alloy and one of surfaces to be worked with the use of a die, and using a working punch or a counter punch to apply working pressures to the other of the surfaces to be worked, thereby obtaining a cup-shaped body.

Abstract: A D-aminoacylase having a high substrate specificity is provided. This D-aminoacylase can produce D-amino acids from N-acetyl-D,L-amino acids conveniently and efficiently at a low cost. A D-aminoacylase produced by a microorganism of genus Defluvibacter; which acts on a N-acetyl-D-amino acid; which has a molecular weight (as determined by electrophoresis) of about 55,000 daltons, and an isoelectric point (as determined by two-dimensional electrophoresis for denatured system) of 5.3; which acts on N-acetyl-D-valine, N-acetyl-D-leucine, and the like, but not on N-acetyl-L-valine, N-acetyl-L-leucine, and the like; which has an optimal temperature of 37° C. (pH 8) and an optimal pH value of 8 to 8.5 at 37° C.; and whose activity is inhibited by Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ each at 1 mmol/L, and by dithiothreitol, 2-mercaptoethanol, o-phenanthroline, and L-cysteine each at 5 mmol/L.

Abstract: A sensing apparatus includes a microprocessor having an A/D converting function of digital-converting an analog electric quantity supplied to an A/D conversion port and taking in a conversion result, and a plurality of electrical elements that are connected with the microprocessor and generate analog electric quantities. The plurality of electrical elements are respectively connected with a plurality of switch ports in the microprocessor that can be selectively grounded by internal switches of the microprocessor. Analog electric quantities generated in the electrical elements can be selectively taken into the A/D converting function of the microprocessor by selectively switching the internal switches.

Abstract: A hydraulic control apparatus is provided to prevent failure that can occur due to hunting, to elevate performance of a hydraulic control valve, and to improve operation efficiency by effectively conducting bleed off. The hydraulic control apparatus can include a first change over valve group that can include a change over valve connected with a first delivery line associated with the variable capacity pump, and arranged to have load sensing function. A second change over valve group can also be provided, and can include at least one change over valve connected with a second delivery line associated with the variable capacity pump. An open and close motion valve and a compensation valve can be configured to constitute a pressure compensation flow control means connected through the second delivery line and the second change over valve group.

Abstract: A series of processes is allocated to functional blocks arranged in electronic control units (ECUs) of a vehicle control system, and each functional block executes the process and outputs a signal. The first functional block receiving a value from a sensor outputs a signal including a check code of a starting state and a result of the process. Each of the other functional blocks produces a signal including a result of the process and a renewed check code based on a signal delivered by the preceding functional block. The last functional block outputs a signal to controls an actuator. A sequence check functional block of one ECU checks the deliveries of the signals designed to be performed in a predetermined order according to the renewed check code and performs error correction processing when the deliveries are performed out of the predetermined order.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus that is capable of handling samples without adhering impurities onto the samples. In a scanning electron microscope in which a lubricant was coated on a sliding portion of a movable member that moves inside a vacuum chamber, a substance from which low molecular components were removed is used as the lubricant. It is thus possible to inhibit sample contamination and suppress the occurrence of defects in a process following measurement of the samples.

Abstract: A game system projectively transforms a plurality of polygons, which form three-dimensional object located in an imaginary three-dimensional space, to a viewpoint coordinate system to draw the polygons on a projection plane. The game system includes a polygon drawing unit for drawing a polygon with a first texture which affects drawing of other texture; a second texture drawing unit for drawing a second texture, prepared in advance, on the polygon drawn by the polygon drawing unit based on two-dimensional coordinates of the second texture; and a texture moving unit for simulatively moving the second texture, drawn by the second texture drawing unit, on the polygon drawn by the polygon drawing unit by varying the two-dimensional coordinates in time-series.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat sink board and a manufacturing method thereof, which can realize a high product accuracy and superior productivity. To that end, a second heat sink (3) having a smaller linear expansion coefficient than that of a first heat sink (2) is bonded to the first heat sink (2) to form a heat sink board. The second heat sink (3) is fitted to the first heat sink (2), and a material of the first heat sink (2) in the vicinity of a boundary between the fitted heat sinks is plastically deformed for close adhesion to the second heat sink (3). Such a forming method makes bonding between the first and second heat sinks possible at room temperature, and the heat sink board made of a composite member having a high flat-surface accuracy can be easily and reliably obtained.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus that is capable of handling samples without adhering impurities onto the samples. In a scanning electron microscope in which a lubricant was coated on a sliding portion of a movable member that moves inside a vacuum chamber, a substance from which low molecular components were removed is used as the lubricant. It is thus possible to inhibit sample contamination and suppress the occurrence of defects in a process following measurement of the samples.

Abstract: A fuel pump having a pumping impeller and an electric motor integrally contained in a cylindrical housing is submerged in a fuel tank of an automotive vehicle. The fuel pump pumps up fuel in the fuel tank and supplies pressurized fuel to an internal combustion engine. To make the fuel pump compact in size, i.e., small in diameter and short in length, a power-receiving connector of the fuel pump is coupled to a power-supplying connector by facing both connectors in the circumferential direction around the axis of the fuel pump. Elongate terminals in the power-receiving connector and brushes are positioned to overlap each other in the rotational direction of the fuel pump.

Abstract: A method comprising constraining a circumference of a blank of a Cu—Mo alloy and one of surfaces to be worked with the use of a die, and using a working punch or a counter punch to apply working pressures to the other of the surfaces to be worked, thereby obtaining a cup-shaped body.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel injection valve and its apparatus, and an internal combustion engine, a method for manufacturing the fuel injection valve and its nozzle body, and a method for manufacturing the same capable of securing highly accurate and stabilized fuel spraying characteristics. The fuel injection valve comprises a nozzle body, an injection hole provided in the nozzle body, a valve body for opening and closing a fuel passage from the injection hole relative to the nozzle body, and a drive means for driving the valve body, wherein formed is a protrusion having an opening in communication with the downstream side of the injection hole of the nozzle body and which part of the side and an extreme end are opened. The invention resides in a nozzle body and manufacturing it by plastic processing, and an internal combustion engine using the same.