Abstract: An optical sensor and an abnormality detection method therefor are provided. The optical sensor includes a light source device that generates light to be irradiated to an object; a light receiving part that receives a reflected light from the object; a branch part that fuses a first optical fiber optically coupled to the light source device and a second optical fiber optically coupled to the light receiving part to join with one end of a third optical fiber facing the object; and a processing part that determines whether junction abnormality occurs at a junction between the third optical fiber and the branch part based on whether an increment in a received light amount detected by the light receiving part with respect to a reference detection amount which is detected in a state of no reflection from the other end of the third optical fiber is within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An optical sensor and an abnormality detection method therefor are provided. The optical sensor includes a light source device that generates light to be irradiated to an object; a light receiving part that receives a reflected light from the object; a branch part that fuses a first optical fiber optically coupled to the light source device and a second optical fiber optically coupled to the light receiving part to join with one end of a third optical fiber facing the object; and a processing part that determines whether junction abnormality occurs at a junction between the third optical fiber and the branch part based on whether an increment in a received light amount detected by the light receiving part with respect to a reference detection amount which is detected in a state of no reflection from the other end of the third optical fiber is within a predetermined range.

Abstract: Provided is (i) a hot-dip Al-based alloy-coated steel sheet which includes a coated layer having a surface on which fine spangles are stably and sufficiently formed and which has a beautiful surface appearance due to the fine spangles thus formed on the surface of the coated layer, and (ii) a method of producing such a hot-dip Al-based alloy-coated steel sheet. The hot-dip Al-based alloy-coated steel sheet includes: a substrate steel sheet; and a hot-dip aluminum-based alloy coated layer which is formed on a surface of the substrate steel sheet and which contains boron at an average concentration of not less than 0.005 mass % and contains potassium at an average concentration of not less than 0.0004 mass %.

Abstract: A support carbon material able to support a catalyst metal in a highly dispersed state and resistant to the flooding phenomenon and with little voltage drop even at the time of large current power generation under high humidity conditions and a catalyst using the same, specifically, a support carbon material for solid polymer type fuel cell use comprised of a porous carbon material which has a pore volume and a pore area found by the BJH analysis method from a nitrogen adsorption isotherm in an adsorption process of a radius 2 nm to 50 nm pore volume VA of 1 ml/g to 5 ml/g and a radius 2 nm to 50 nm pore area S2-50 of 300 m2/g to 1500 m2/g and a ratio (V5-25/VA) of radius 5 nm to 25 nm pore volume V5-25 (ml/g) to said pore volume VA (ml/g) of 0.4 to 0.7 and a ratio (V2-5/VA) of radius 2 nm to 5 nm pore volume V2-5 (ml/g) to the same of 0.2 to 0.5 and a catalyst using the same.

Abstract: A confocal measuring apparatus (1) includes a light source (10), an optical system (30) configured to receive reflected light from a measurement surface, a light guide part (20) into which a plurality of cores including a first core (26) and a second core (28) is built and configured to propagate the reflected light by the plurality of cores, a displacement amount measurement part (40) including a spectroscope (42) configured to separate the reflected light propagated by the first core into each wavelength components and a detector (44) having a plurality of light receiving elements arranged to correspond to a spectral direction by the spectroscope, and a peripheral image measurement part (60) configured to form an image of the reflected light propagated by the second core on the plurality of image pickup elements and to generate a peripheral image with respect to a measurement position of the measurement surface.

Abstract: A support carbon material able to support a catalyst metal in a highly dispersed state and resistant to the flooding phenomenon and with little voltage drop even at the time of large current power generation under high humidity conditions and a catalyst using the same, specifically, a support carbon material for solid polymer type fuel cell use comprised of a porous carbon material which has a pore volume and a pore area found by the BJH analysis method from a nitrogen adsorption isotherm in an adsorption process of a radius 2 nm to 50 nm pore volume VA of 1 ml/g to 5 ml/g and a radius 2 nm to 50 nm pore area S2-50 of 300 m2/g to 1500 m2/g and a ratio (V5-25/VA) of radius 5 nm to 25 nm pore volume V5-25 (ml/g) to said pore volume VA (ml/g) of 0.4 to 0.7 and a ratio (V2-5/VA) of radius 2 nm to 5 nm pore volume V2-5 (ml/g) to the same of 0.2 to 0.5 and a catalyst using the same.

Abstract: A carbon material for catalyst carrier use excellent in both durability and power generation performance under operating conditions at the time of low humidity, in particular both durability of a carbon material for catalyst carrier use with respect to repeated load fluctuations due to startup and shutdown and power generation performance under operating conditions at the time of low humidity, and a catalyst for solid-polymer fuel cell use prepared using the same etc. are provided. To solve this technical problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a carbon material for catalyst carrier use satisfying the following (A) to (D): (A) an oxygen content OICP of 0.1 to 3.0 mass % contained in the carbon material for catalyst carrier use; (B) a residual amount of oxygen O1200° C. of 0.1 to 1.5 mass % remaining after heat treatment in an inert gas (or vacuum) atmosphere at 1200° C.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling skin permeability of an anionic compound and having superior safety. An ionic liquid formed by an anionic compound and an amino acid ester is used.

Abstract: [Problem] The invention is intended to improve the galling resistance of the hot-dip Al-based alloy coated layer of a hot-dip Al-based alloy coated steel sheet. [Solution] Provided is a hot-dip Al-based alloy coated steel sheet excellent in workability that comprises a hot-dip Al-based alloy coated layer of a composition containing 1.0 to 12.0 mass % of silicon and 0.002 to 0.080 mass % of boron and formed on a surface of a substrate steel sheet, the coated layer having an IMAX/I0 ratio of 2.0 or more as measured by GDS (glow discharge optical emission spectrometry) analysis from the outermost surface into the depth of the coated layer, where IMAX is the maximum detection intensity of boron in regions with a sputter depth of 0 to 1.0 ?m, and I0 is the average detection intensity of boron within a sputter depth of 1.0 to 5.0 ?m.

Abstract: An Al-coated steel sheet contains a base steel sheet having on a surface thereof an Al-coated layer having an average thickness of 7 mm or more with an Al—Fe—Si based alloy layer intervening therebetween, a surface layer portion of the Al-coated layer extending from the surface thereof to a depth of 3 mm having an average Si concentration of 2.0% by mass or less, and preferably 1.3% by mass or less, and an area ratio of an Al—Fe based intermetallic compound phase occupying the surface of the Al-coated layer being 10% or less. The Al-coated steel sheet is improved in total reflection characteristics, corrosion resistance, and appearance after being subjected to an anodizing treatment.

Abstract: Peptides may be produced by using (A) a first amino acid or peptide, which is converted into its ionic liquid form through the formation of an ionic bond, as a substance serving as both a reaction solvent and a reaction starting material; and reacting the first amino acid or peptide with (B) an ester of second amino acid or peptide, in the absence of any peptide hydrolase or any condensation agent, in the presence of water in an amount of not more than 20% by mass relative to the total mass of the reaction system to form a peptide bond between the first amino acid or peptide and the second amino acid or peptide. By means of this process, it is possible to synthesize a peptide at a high concentration and at a high yield, and this method is excellent for producing peptides on an industrial scale.

Abstract: The lithium ion polymer battery includes a positive electrode plate formed with a positive electrode mixture layer having a lithium composite oxide as a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode plate, a separator, and a gel nonaqueous electrolyte, the positive electrode active material having an average particle diameter of 4.5 to 15.5 ?m and a specific surface area of 0.13 to 0.80 m2/g, the positive electrode mixture layer containing at least one of aluminum, titanium, or zirconium based coupling agent having an alkyl or an alkoxy groups having 1 to 18 carbon atoms at a content of 0.01% or more and 5% or less by mass with respect to the mass of the positive electrode active material, and the gel nonaqueous electrolyte being formed from a nonaqueous electrolyte containing a monomer having a (meth)acrylic end group. Thus improved nail penetration characteristics and superior cycle characteristics are obtained.

Abstract: A biodevice is in an elongated form and has a conductive layer and an insulating layer stacked on a side surface of a shaft member at the center. A cylindrical hollow section is formed through the device, being connected to the exterior at a front end and extending from this front end axially. An electrode section is formed on an inner surface. A sensing substance such as enzyme may be placed at the electrode section to detect a current value corresponding to the concentration or quantity of an object under test placed between a counter electrode and the biodevice.

Abstract: The lithium ion polymer battery includes a positive electrode plate formed with a positive electrode mixture layer having a lithium composite oxide as a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode plate, a separator, and a gel nonaqueous electrolyte, the positive electrode active material having an average particle diameter of 4.5 to 15.5 ?m and a specific surface area of 0.13 to 0.80 m2/g, the positive electrode mixture layer containing at least one of aluminum, titanium, or zirconium based coupling agent having an alkyl or an alkoxy groups having 1 to 18 carbon atoms at a content of 0.01% or more and 5% or less by mass with respect to the mass of the positive electrode active material, and the gel nonaqueous electrolyte being formed from a nonaqueous electrolyte containing a monomer having a (meth)acrylic end group. Thus improved nail penetration characteristics and superior cycle characteristics are obtained.

Abstract: A biodevice is in an elongated form and has a conductive layer and an insulating layer stacked on a side surface of a shaft member at the center. A cylindrical hollow section is formed through the device, being connected to the exterior at a front end and extending from this front end axially. An electrode section is formed on an inner surface. A sensing substance such as enzyme may be placed at the electrode section to detect a current value corresponding to the concentration or quantity of an object under test placed between a counter electrode and the biodevice.

Abstract: In a connector for connecting a coaxial cable having a center conductor and an outer conductor, a relay contact is connected between the outer conductor and a ground contact held by a housing. A signal contact is held by the housing and adapted to be connected to the center conductor. The relay contact includes a soldering portion and a connected portion coupled to the soldering portion. The soldering portion has a generally L-shaped section to define a recessed part and is soldered to the outer conductor in the state where the coaxial cable is received in the recessed part. The connected portion is adapted to be connected to the ground contact.

Abstract: A chemically processed steel sheet comprises a steel base coated with an Al—Si alloy plating layer, whose Si content is preferably adjusted to 5–13 mass % as a whole and to 7–80 mass % at a surface, and a converted layer generated on the surface of the plating layer. The converted layer contains both soluble and scarcely-soluble compounds. The soluble compound, such as a manganese oxide or hydroxide, or a valve metal fluoride, is once dissolved into water in an atmosphere and then re-precipitated as scarcely-soluble compounds at defective parts of the converted layer. The scarcely-soluble compounds act as a barrier for corrosion prevention of a base steel. Due to the re-precipitation, i.e., self-repairing faculty, excellent corrosion resistance of the converted layer is still maintained even after defects are introduced therein during plastic deformation of the steel sheet.

Abstract: In a connector for connecting a coaxial cable having a center conductor and an outer conductor, a relay contact is connected between the outer conductor and a ground contact held by a housing. A signal contact is held by the housing and adapted to be connected to the center conductor. The relay contact includes a soldering portion and a connected portion coupled to the soldering portion. The soldering portion has a generally L-shaped section to define a recessed part and is soldered to the outer conductor in the state where the coaxial cable is received in the recessed part. The connected portion is adapted to be connected to the ground contact.

Abstract: A chemically processed steel sheet comprises a steel base coated with an Al—Si alloy plating layer, whose Si content is preferably adjusted to 5-13 mass % as a whole and to 7-80 mass % at a surface, and a converted layer generated on the surface of the plating layer. The converted layer contains both soluble and scarcely-soluble compounds. The soluble compound, such as a manganese oxide or hydroxide, or a valve metal fluoride, is once dissolved into water in an atmosphere and then re-precipitated as scarcely-soluble compounds at defective parts of the converted layer. The scarcely-soluble compounds act as a barrier for corrosion prevention of a base steel. Due to the re-precipitation, i.e., self-repairing faculty, excellent corrosion resistance of the converted layer is still maintained even after defects are introduced therein during plastic deformation of the steel sheet.

Abstract: A chemically processed steel sheet comprising a steel base coated with an Al—Si alloy plating layer, whose Si content is preferably adjusted to approximately 5-13 mass % as a whole and to approximately 7-80 mass % at a surface, and a converted layer generated on the surface of the plating layer. The converted layer contains both soluble and scarcely-soluble compounds. The soluble compound such as a manganese oxide or hydroxide or a valve metal fluoride is once dissolved to water in an atmosphere and then re-precipitated as scarcely-soluble compounds at defective parts of the converted layer. The scarcely-soluble compounds act as a barrier for corrosion-prevention of a base steel. Due to the re-precipitation, that is self-repairing faculty, excellent corrosion resistance of the converted layer is still maintained even after defects are introduced therein during plastic deformation of the steel sheet.