Abstract: An image processing device according to the present invention which includes image creating means for creating each of a smoothened image and a sharpened image with respect to at least a part of image data, and mixed image creating means for mixing the smoothened image and the sharpened image created by the image creating means to create a mixed image, including: analysis quantity calculating means for calculating an analysis quantity on plural pixel values in each matrix that surrounds each pixel of the image data and has any matrix size; control means for controlling the mixing ratio between the smoothened image and the sharpened image in the mixed image creating means in accordance with the analysis quantity calculated by the analysis quantity calculating means; and display means for displaying the mixed image that is controlled by the control means and output from the mixed image generating means.

Abstract: A radiotomography apparatus according to the present invention includes a radiation detection device that irradiates radiation from a radiation source in multiple directions around an object to be examined and detects radiation transmitted through the object from the multiple directions; a table on which the object lies and which can move the object in a body axis direction of the object; reconstruction parameter setting device that sets reconstruction parameters that include an amount of movement of the table in the body axis direction, and that are used to reconstruct an image of the object; a reconstruction view area calculating device that calculates a reconstruction view area for at least one data segment that is necessary for a reconstruction calculation that is determined for each spatial position that is reconstructed based on the set reconstruction parameters; a reference segment position setting device that sets a reference segment position in the calculated reconstruction view area according to a p

Abstract: An image reconstruction area of a subject is divided into a plurality of image data segments, among projection data obtained by projection, projection data segments necessary for back projection processing are cut out for every image data segments and back projection processing is performed for every image data segments by making use of the cut out projection data segments. Further, detector addresses of the projection data to be used for the back projection processing are obtained from a plurality of limited number of detector addresses within the concerned image data segment region. As a result, a device is realized which permits to produce a high quality tomographic image with high speed by using a small amount of a high speed memory.

Abstract: In a light-emitting section (2) for emitting semiconductor laser for CD (4) and semiconductor laser for DVD (5), a radiation angle width ?2 of the DVD semiconductor laser (5) is at least 1.3 times a radiation angle width ?1 of the CD semiconductor laser (4), said radiation angle width being defined as a width of an angle created by two straight lines, which extend respectively from a laser-emitting point to two points where a radiation intensity of laser becomes half of an intensity of the center of laser, which points reside within a plane parallel to a pn junction plane.

Abstract: An image processing method comprises: an inputting step of inputting image data which is obtained by imaging a subject for a predetermined period of time with a medical imaging apparatus and is arranged in time series; an extracting along the time axis step of extracting pixels which satisfy a predetermined condition along the time axis from all the pixels arranged in time series for each pixel coordinate position with respect to each pixel in the image data; and a constructing step of constructing a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image based on the pixels extracted along the time axis in the extracting along the time axis step.

Abstract: An X-ray CT apparatus comprising a scanner that includes an X-ray source and an X-ray detector having two-dimensionally arranged X-ray detector elements, disposed on the opposite side of the subject to the X-ray source and carries out helical scanning around the revolving axis and an image processor for creating a tomogram of the subject from the data collected by helical scanning using the X-ray detector, wherein the image processor creates a tomogram by reconstructing an image from data on the subject including a plurality of sets of projection data of different phases of helical scanning at the same point on the revolving axis and adding the reconstructed images of different phases, whereby a good image is created while suppressing aritifacts.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of pretreating a sample for conveniently, quickly and accurately measuring the total amount of adiponectin present in a biological sample contaminated with various adiponectin multimers. The method of measuring an sample for immunologically assaying the total amount of adiponectin present in the sample comprises reacting, with an adiponectin-containing sample, at least one of a reducing agent, an acid or a salt thereof, a surfactant, and a protease.

Abstract: An optical pickup includes a hologram element. The hologram element is provided with a hologram pattern including a splitting section for focus which splits light used for the detection of an FES and a splitting section for tracking which splits light used for the detection of a TES. The splitting section for tracking is formed in a region excluding a region interposed between a first virtual straight line and a second virtual straight line. The first virtual straight line is drawn on the hologram element in parallel to an X direction and passes through an optical axis of reflected light entering the hologram element in a state where the objective lens is in a neutral position, and the second virtual straight line is drawn in parallel to the first virtual straight line, while being spaced at a distance d from the first virtual straight line.

Abstract: An optical pickup device has a semiconductor laser emitting light which is in turn branched via a diffraction grating into at least three beams of light including a main beam and two sub beams which are in turn condensed via an objective lens on an optical disk at a guide groove and reflected by the optical disk to provide three reflections of light which are in turn received by detectors, each divided into two regions, respectively, to generate a tracking error signal. The diffraction grating is divided into three regions including a first region, a second region and a third region located intermediate therebetween, each having a periodical structure out of phase, the periodical structure having grating grooves in a direction determined depending on the phase of the second region to incline relative to a direction perpendicular to the guide groove of the optical disk.

Abstract: An optical pickup converts a laser beam from a semiconductor laser (1) into a parallel ray with a collimator lens (2), and divides it into a main beam (30), a sub-beam (+1st order component) (31), and a sub-beam (?1st order component) (32) with a gradient multiple-division type phase difference grating (3). After passing through a beam splitter (4), an objective lens (5) condenses the light beams on a track (61) of an optical disc (6), and the reflected light that has passed through the objective lens 5 is reflected at the beam splitter (4) and is guided into optical detectors (8A, 8B, and 8C) by a condensing lens (7). Accordingly, in a tracking error signal detecting method using the push-pull signals of the main beam and sub-beams, an offset produced by an objective lens shift or a disc tilt can be cancelled at low cost without lowering the efficiency of using light.

Abstract: We have discovered a “human adiponectin ELISA kit”, which can specifically measure adiponectin in human blood serum (or blood plasma) or in extracted fluid from lipocytes or culture supernatant fluid. After fractioning human serum by use of gel filtration column, each fraction was measured by the present kit, and as a result, adiponectin immunity activity was detected as a plurality of peaks at above 670 kD of molecular weight. From the results, it is presumed that adiponectin is present in the blood as a polymer or forms a complex with polymer proteins.

Abstract: There is provided an optical pickup apparatus that can obtain a stable servo signal by reducing stray light generated by diffraction in a recording layer other than a recording layer on which light is condensed. A hologram element provided in an optical pickup apparatus for recording information onto a recording medium and/or reproducing information on the recording medium by use of light includes fourth and fifth divisions where at least first-order diffracted light among diffracted light beams obtained by reflection and diffraction on a recording layer other than a light-condensed recording layer on which light is condensed by an objective lens so as not to be directed toward first and second light-receiving elements for detecting focus position information and third to eighth light-receiving elements for detecting track position information.

Abstract: There are provided a function image display method and device capable of performing analysis of biological function information by acquiring from a single image, information obtained from a tomogram and information obtained from a plurality of function images without need of observing the plurality of function images and the tomogram by successively moving the eye line, and easily making judgment about the danger degree of the biological function abnormality. A plurality of function images each displayed by a unique and arbitrary gradation color scale are combined with an arbitrary weight or an image obtained by calculating the inter-function images is displayed or these are combined with the tomogram with an arbitrary weight. Furthermore, an operator can arbitrarily set and modify the range to which weight is applied, the range for displaying the gradation color scale, and the range to be combined.

Abstract: In an X-ray CT device, the scan conditions of the device are set, a three-dimensional X-ray passage length model of the body being examined is generated from a scanogram image of the body, the control pattern of the tube current is automatically set on the basis of the scan conditions and the three-dimensional passage length model, and the dose which will be given will be calculated and displayed on the basis of the control pattern of the tube current, and three-dimensional CT value model data of the body generated on the basis of a standard human body. The scanogram image of the body and the control pattern of the tube current are displayed next to each other or overlap to allow an operator to edit the control pattern while viewing the body, so that a suitable tube current can be set.

Abstract: The present invention includes a plurality of lead terminals made of a conductive material having spring elasticity; and insulative housing that buries a part of the region of lead terminal and fixedly retains a plurality of lead terminals in an arrangement having been set in advance. Lead terminal is composed of a buried part that is a part of lead terminal buried in housing; bottom end joint that is extended from one end of the buried part, is exposed through bottom end surface of housing, and extracted in width direction of bottom end surface; and flexibly changing part that is exposed from another end of the buried part through one wall surface orthogonal to bottom end surface, and is extended along this wall surface to top end surface facing to bottom end surface, being spaced from wall surface and top end surface.

Abstract: An oil pressure regulating valve of rotary type comprising a valve body and a valve spool is constructed inside a housing having a cylindrical shape. An oil supply port for supplying pressure oil fed from an oil pressure generation source is formed at a position having an offset toward one side relative to the center axis of the housing. A communicating hole in a deep inside of the oil supply port in communication with the inside of the housing is an elongate hole which is long in the direction of offset. As a result, in a hydraulic power steering apparatus, flow sound is reduced effectively that is generated when the pressure oil fed from the oil pressure generation source is supplied to the oil pressure regulating valve inside the housing. Accordingly, quiet operation is achieved.

Abstract: A tomograph which determines projection data phase range capable of back projection for each reconfigured voxel with an arbitrary value larger than ? so that the absolute values of cone angles at the ends of this phase range is minimized, calculates an approximate straight line for a curve indicating the position of a radiation source with respect to the channel direction position of parallel beam projection data obtained by a parallel beam of a parallel shape viewed from the go-around axis direction generated from the radiation source, and based on the determined projection data range capable of back projection, three-dimension back projects the parallel beam projection data subjected to filter processing created through a filter correction to the back projection region corresponding to the region in concern along the approximate irradiation trace of the radiation beam calculated using the calculated approximate straight line, thereby suppressing generation of the distortion attributed to data discontinuity,

Abstract: An X-ray CT apparatus comprises: motion information acquisition means that acquires periodical motion information on a motion portion of an object to be examined; a detector that rotates together with an X-ray source and detects X-rays applied to the object from the X-ray source to acquire projection data per collection region; and reconstruction means that processes the projection data resulting from the detector to reconstruct a tomogram of the object, wherein the X-ray CT apparatus further includes delay time determination means that determines a delay time by adding a time width of the collection region and a processing delay time in the X-ray CT apparatus and a time interval from the moment when the phase of the measured periodical motion information is matched with the phase of the rotation period of the X-ray CT apparatus to the moment when they are matched next time, and collection means that correlates, with the periodical motion information obtained by the motion information acquisition means, and s

Abstract: According to the present invention, a Fourier transformation is executed on a time-concentration curve for an inflow artery and a time-concentration curve for each tissue on the basis of a dynamically acquired tomogram. An inverse filter is then calculated from the Fourier-transformed time-concentration curve for the inflow artery. The Fourier-transformed time-concentration curve for each tissue is multiplied by the inverse filter to generate a transfer function for the tissue. The thus generated transfer function for each tissue is used to calculate biological function information. Thus, if biological function information on an organ to be analyzed is to be obtained from a tomogram provided by a computer tomograph, very quantitative biological function information can be obtained at a low contrast rate. In particular, it takes only a minimum calculation time to obtain biological function information.

Abstract: In an X-ray CT apparatus having a multi-slice detector, the retrospective ECG (Electrocardiography) gating imaging is applied to helical scans. Discontinuity of projection data generated in the scans is interpolated using data at a heartbeat time phase in 180-degree opposite relation to reduce motion artifacts. Further, projection data at an arbitrary slicing position and in at arbitrary heartbeat time phase are formed utilizing continuous divided projection data obtained above, and by properly combining or gathering them, a tomogram of whole heart, a three-dimensional image thereof, and further, a three-dimensional cardiac moving image in heartbeat time phases with an arbitrary time interval can be continuously and smoothly created.