Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres having a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein. The thermoplastic resin is a copolymer produced from a polymerizable component containing 15 to 90 wt % of acrylonitrile, 3 to 50 wt % of an acrylate ester monomer (A) represented by formula (1) shown below, and 3 to 70 wt % of a methacrylate ester monomer (B) represented by formula (2) shown below. The weight ratio of the acrylate ester monomer (A) represented by formula (1) to the methacrylate ester monomer (B) represented by formula (2) in the polymerizable component (A:B) ranges from 10:90 to 90:10: H2C?CH—COOR1??(1) H2C?C(CH3)—COOR2??(2). Also disclosed are hollow particles manufactured by expanding the heat-expandable microspheres; a composition containing a base compound and the heat-expandable microspheres or the hollow particles; and a formed product manufactured by molding or applying the composition.

Abstract: A Doppler device including a transducer and processing circuitry is provided. The transducer transmits underwater ultrasonic wave and receives a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave. The Doppler device generates a first echo signal from the reflected wave in a first direction making a depression angle ? with a receiving surface of the transducer, generates a second echo signal from the reflected wave in a second direction making the depression angle ? with the receiving surface, the second direction being different from the first direction, and generates a third echo signal in a third direction perpendicular to the receiving surface. The processing circuitry further calculates a first Doppler frequency of the first echo signal, a second Doppler frequency of the second echo signal, and a third Doppler frequency of the third echo signal. The processing circuitry further calculates the depression angle ? from the first, second and third Doppler frequencies.

Abstract: The purpose is to calculate wave information accurately. A signal processing device 10 is provided, which may include a frequency area spectrum generating module 8, an integrating module 17, and a wave information calculating module 18. The frequency area spectrum generating module 8 may carry out a frequency analysis of the echoes from the waves included in a plurality of analysis areas set within the detection area, respectively, and generate frequency area spectrums for the plurality of analysis areas, respectively. The integrating module 17 may integrate echo intensities indicated by each sampling point that constitutes each of the frequency area spectrums while unifying directions included in coordinates of the frequency area spectrum, and generate an integrated frequency area spectrum. The wave information calculating module 18 may calculate wave information that is information related to the waves included in the analysis areas based on the integrated frequency area spectrum, respectively.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres having a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein. The thermoplastic resin is a copolymer produced from a polymerizable component containing 15 to 90 wt % of acrylonitrile, 3 to 50 wt % of an acrylate ester monomer (A) represented by formula (1) shown below, and 3 to 70 wt % of a methacrylate ester monomer (B) represented by formula (2) shown below. The weight ratio of the acrylate ester monomer (A) represented by formula (1) to the methacrylate ester monomer (B) represented by formula (2) in the polymerizable component (A:B) ranges from 10:90 to 90:10: H2C?CH—COOR1??(1) H2C?C(CH3)—COOR2??(2). Also disclosed are hollow particles manufactured by expanding the heat-expandable microspheres; a composition containing a base compound and the heat-expandable microspheres or the hollow particles; and a formed product manufactured by molding or applying the composition.

Abstract: To accurately detect a shape and derive information of cartilage based on detected echoes, an ultrasonic diagnosing device includes an ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic receiver, a low-frequency component extracting module, and a deriving module. The ultrasonic transmitter transmits ultrasonic waves to a cartilage in a plurality of bent states, in a state where a relative position of a wave transmitting and receiving surface to the cartilage is fixed. The ultrasonic receiver receives echo signals corresponding to respective frames in each of the plurality of bent states. The low-frequency component extracting module extracts, in a frame direction, low-frequency echo data which is echo data of a frequency component below a given frequency. The deriving module derives information of the cartilage based on the low-frequency echo data.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres having an expansion temperature which can be decreased by a simple means without changing the polymerizable monomer and its ratio and/or changing the blowing agent and its ratio, and applications thereof. The heat-expandable microspheres are composed of a thermoplastic resin shell and a core material encapsulated therein. The core material contains a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent which imparts a swelling degree of less than 5% as defined by the following formula (I) and a component (A) which imparts a swelling degree of 5 to 30% as defined by the following formula (I), wherein an amount of the component (A) ranges from 0.0001 to 30 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of the blowing agent: Swelling degree (%)={(M2?M1)/M1}×100??(I) wherein M2 and M1 are as defined herein.

Abstract: The purpose is to calculate wave information accurately. A signal processing device 10 is provided, which may include a frequency area spectrum generating module 8, an integrating module 17, and a wave information calculating module 18. The frequency area spectrum generating module 8 may carry out a frequency analysis of the echoes from the waves included in a plurality of analysis areas set within the detection area, respectively, and generate frequency area spectrums for the plurality of analysis areas, respectively. The integrating module 17 may integrate echo intensities indicated by each sampling point that constitutes each of the frequency area spectrums while unifying directions included in coordinates of the frequency area spectrum, and generate an integrated frequency area spectrum. The wave information calculating module 18 may calculate wave information that is information related to the waves included in the analysis areas based on the integrated frequency area spectrum, respectively.

Abstract: A Doppler shift frequency measuring device is provided, which includes a plurality of transmitters respectively configured to transmit a transmission wave, a plurality of receivers provided corresponding to the transmitters, respectively, and configured to receive reception waves that are reflection waves caused by the transmission waves from the transmitters, respectively, and a reception signal processor configured to calculate Doppler shift frequencies of the reception waves by processing reception signals obtained based on the reception waves received by the receivers.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres having an expansion temperature which can be decreased by a simple means without changing the polymerizable monomer and its ratio and/or changing the blowing agent and its ratio, and applications thereof. The heat-expandable microspheres are composed of a thermoplastic resin shell and a core material encapsulated therein. The core material contains a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent which imparts a swelling degree of less than 5% as defined by the following formula (I) and a component (A) which imparts a swelling degree of 5 to 30% as defined by the following formula (I), wherein an amount of the component (A) ranges from 0.0001 to 30 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of the blowing agent: Swelling degree (%)={(M2?M1)/M1}×100??(I) wherein M2 and M1 are as defined herein.

Abstract: To accurately detect a shape and derive information of cartilage based on detected echoes, an ultrasonic diagnosing device includes an ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic receiver, a low-frequency component extracting module, and a deriving module. The ultrasonic transmitted transmits ultrasonic waves to a cartilage in a plurality of bent states, in a state where a relative position of a wave transmitting and receiving surface to the cartilage is fixed. The ultrasonic receiver receives echo signals corresponding to respective frames in each of the plurality of bent states. The low-frequency component extracting module extracts, in a frame direction, low-frequency echo data which is echo data of a frequency component below a given frequency. The deriving module derives information of the cartilage based on the low-frequency echo data.

Abstract: A Doppler shift frequency measuring device is provided, which includes a plurality of transmitters respectively configured to transmit a transmission wave, a plurality of receivers provided corresponding to the transmitters, respectively, and configured to receive reception waves that are reflection waves caused by the transmission waves from the transmitters, respectively, and a reception signal processor configured to calculate Doppler shift frequencies of the reception waves by processing reception signals obtained based on the reception waves received by the receivers.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres include a shell of thermoplastic resin and a blowing agent encapsulated therein having a boiling point not higher than the softening point of the thermoplastic resin, have a maximum expanding ratio not lower than 50 times, and are thermally expanded into hollow particulates having a repeated-compression durability not lower than 75 percent. The method of producing the heat-expandable microspheres includes the steps of dispersing an oily mixture containing a polymerizable component and the blowing agent in an aqueous dispersing medium containing a specific water-soluble compound and polymerizing the polymerizable component contained in the oily mixture.

Abstract: A production method for heat-expandable microspheres, which have high expanding ratio and are thermally expanded into hollow particulates having excellent repeated-compression durability, and application thereof are provided. The method produces heat-expandable microspheres a shell of thermoplastic resin and a blowing agent being encapsulated therein and having a boiling point not higher than the softening point of the thermoplastic resin.

Abstract: A production method for heat-expandable microspheres, which have high expanding ratio and are thermally expanded into hollow particulates having excellent repeated-compression durability, and application thereof are provided. The method produces heat-expandable microspheres a shell of thermoplastic resin and a blowing agent being encapsulated therein and having a boiling point not higher than the softening point of the thermoplastic resin.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres include a shell of thermoplastic resin and a blowing agent encapsulated therein having a boiling point not higher than the softening point of the thermoplastic resin, have a maximum expanding ratio not lower than 50 times, and are thermally expanded into hollow particulates having a repeated-compression durability not lower than 75 percent. The method of producing the heat-expandable microspheres includes the steps of dispersing an oily mixture containing a polymerizable component and the blowing agent in an aqueous dispersing medium containing a specific water-soluble compound and polymerizing the polymerizable component contained in the oily mixture.