Abstract: Disclosed are: a method for detecting (diagnosing) visceral obesity in a subject; a test agent useful for the method; a method for searching for a substance that can be used as an active ingredient for ameliorating visceral obesity; and an ameliorating agent for visceral obesity or a medicinal agent for preventing a metabolic disease developed as a result of the progression of visceral obesity. As the test agent, a polynucleotide which comprises at least 15 nucleotides and can hybridize with a nucleotide sequence for coiled-coil domain containing protein 3 (CCDC3) gene or a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence under stringent conditions or an antibody capable of recognizing CCDC3 protein is used.

Abstract: A single-nucleotide polymorphism in the UBE2E2 locus or C2CD4A-C2CD4B locus is analyzed and type II diabetes is examined based on the results of the analysis.

Abstract: Disclosed are: a method for detecting (diagnosing) visceral obesity in a subject; a test agent useful for the method; a method for searching for a substance that can be used as an active ingredient for ameliorating visceral obesity; and an ameliorating agent for visceral obesity or a medicinal agent for preventing a metabolic disease developed as a result of the progression of visceral obesity. As the test agent, a polynucleotide which comprises at least 15 nucleotides and can hybridize with a nucleotide sequence for coiled-coil domain containing protein 3 (CCDC3) gene or a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence under stringent conditions or an antibody capable of recognizing CCDC3 protein is used.

Abstract: Disclosed are: a method for detecting (diagnosing) visceral obesity in a subject; a test agent useful for the method; a method for searching for a substance that can be used as an active ingredient for ameliorating visceral obesity; and an ameliorating agent for visceral obesity or a medicinal agent for preventing a metabolic disease developed as a result of the progression of visceral obesity. As the test agent, a polynucleotide which comprises at least 15 nucleotides and can hybridize with a nucleotide sequence for coiled-coil domain containing protein 3 (CCDC3) gene or a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence under stringent conditions or an antibody capable of recognizing CCDC3 protein is used.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a power apparatus with the output voltage thereof made variable, which allows harmonics to be suppressed while an enhanced power factor being maintained. The power apparatus comprises an alternating current power source, a bridge rectifier circuit to subject alternating currents from the alternating current power source to full-wave rectification, a reactor connected between the alternating current power source and the alternating current input end of the bridge rectifier circuit and a capacitor connected via a bi-directional switch between the alternating current input end and the direct current end of the bridge rectifier circuit, further comprising a smoothing capacitor, a zero-crossing detecting means, a bi-directional switch drive signal generating means and a bi-directional switch driving means.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a power apparatus with the output voltage thereof made variable, which allows harmonics to be suppressed while an enhanced power factor being maintained. The power apparatus comprises an alternating current power source, a bridge rectifier circuit to subject alternating currents from the alternating current power source to full-wave rectification, a reactor connected between the alternating current power source and the alternating current input end of the bridge rectifier circuit and a capacitor connected via a bi-directional switch between the alternating current input end and the direct current end of the bridge rectifier circuit, further comprising a smoothing capacitor, a zero-crossing detecting means, a bi-directional switch drive signal generating means and a bi-directional switch driving means.

Abstract: A matrix relay is formed with a plurality of latching relays arranged in a matrix and mounted on a base of an electrically insulative material. Each of the latching relays comprises an excitation coil, permanent magnet, a pair of first and second fixed contacts, and an armature carrying a pair of first and second movable springs each providing movable contacts. The armature is magnetically coupled to the excitation coil so as to be movable in response to energization of the coil by current of selective polarity between close and open positions of the fixed and movable contacts. A plurality of the armatures of the latching relays arranged in a row of the matrix are assembled into a single armature block to be mounted on the base as a single unit. The armature block comprises a single pair of first and second supporting members made of an electrically conductive material.

Abstract: An electromagnetic relay has a base provided with an insulation enclosure and with a contact block outwardly of the enclosure. An electromagnet block is received within the enclosure and includes a coil, yokes, and an armature extending through the coil along the length of the enclosure. The armature is magnetically coupled to the coil and is movable relative to the yokes upon energization of the coil. A card is provided to connect the armature and a movable contact of the contact block for closing and opening the contact. A cover fitted on the base includes an insulation partition which extends between the enclosure and the contact block to accomplish a double-wall insulation between the electromagnet and the contact block. The card has a trunk for connection with the armature and a crosspiece for connection with the movable contact.

Abstract: According to the present invention, the exhaust gas recirculation control apparatus includes a first switching valve for controlling communication between the positive pressure supplying source and the control valve. The first switching valve opens only when the control means increases and maintains the predetermined pressure supplied to the EGR valve, and under other conditions, the first switching valve closes, so that the positive pressure of the positive pressure supplying source can be utilized only when needed and the positive pressure accumulated inside the positive pressure supplying source can be prevented from leaking from the control valve. When an air compressor, which is mounted for a braking in a vehicle, is commonly used for the EGR valve as the positive pressure supplying source, air pressure of the brake system in the air compressor can be effectively used, a small-sized EGR apparatus being thereby manufactured.

Abstract: An outlet check valve includes an output valve seat provided at an outlet port or an outlet passage for compressed air in the vicinity of an outlet port of a compression mechanism and an outlet valve body. The valve seat and valve body are biased away from each other by a gravitational force or a spring. With this arrangement, even if a compressor is rotated at a low speed during a start-up operation, it is possible to cause stagnant liquid to undergo reverse flow into an accumulator disposed on the suction side and to store the liquid temporarily, thereby removing the liquid in the compression spaces and the suction passages and facilitating the start-up operation in a normal rotational direction. A pressure difference between the pressures upstream and downstream relative to the valve body is large when the normal rotating operation is stopped. By this pressure difference, the outlet valve body is moved to close the outlet valve seat, thereby to prevent the reverse rotation of the compression mechanism.

Abstract: A brushless motor operating apparatus includes a DC power source 1, a group 2 of semiconductor switching elements for passing/interrupting a current to an armature winding 4 of a brushless motor 3, a plurality of filter circuits 6 for waveform-processing induced voltages induced in the armature winding 4, a comparison circuit 7 for comparing outputs of the plurality of filter circuits 6 and a composite wave thereof, a control circuit 8 for making ON/OFF control of the semiconductor switching element group 2 in accordance with an output of the comparison circuit 7, the filter circuit 6 having a construction in which condensers 6c and 6e are connected behind and in series with a voltage divider circuit composed of a plurality of resistors 6a and 6b and an integrating circuit 6d is connected behind the condensers 6c and 6e, whereby the condensers 6c and 6e in the filter circuit 6 can be provided with ones having a low withstanding voltage, thereby making it possible to reduce the size and cost of the apparatus.

Abstract: By making different duty controls at the time of change in rotating speed and at the time of stable rotating speed, respectively, it is possible to realize the driving of a brushless motor 3 which enables smooth and rapid change of a rotating speed coping with a load.

Abstract: In a brushless motor, during a synchronized operation mode, n kinds of driving waveforms having the first to n-th patterns are sequentially outputted and the outputting of the n-th pattern is followed by cyclically outputting the patterns again in a sequence from the first pattern, thereby generating a rotating magnetic field in an armature winding. Upon transition from the synchronized operation mode to a rotor position detection operation mode, the commutation signal is changed over from the synchronizing signal to a signal based on the rotor position detector signal after the (n-1)th pattern has been outputted and at a timing when the n-th pattern is to be subsequently outputted. Thereby, upon transition from the synchronized operation mode to the rotor position detection operation mode, the commutation signals are linked in a proper sequence so that smooth mode transition becomes possible without the addition of any special ancillary circuit.

Abstract: In a brushless motor, the frequency of an output signal of a synchronizing signal generation unit, a duty ratio in a synchronized operation mode and a duty ratio in a rotator position detection operation mode are set such that a rotating speed in the rotator position detection operation mode becomes equal to or lower than a rotating speed in the synchronized operation mode, thereby enabling smooth change-over from the synchronized operation mode to the rotator position detection operation mode.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator for controlling an amount of an intake air for an internal combustion engine employs an elastic member for biasing a valve body toward a valve seat by a predetermined setting force. The repulse of the valve body that is caused when the valve body hits the valve seat is absorbed by the elastic member. Since the elastic member is located behind the valve body, the elastic member of the present invention has no tendency to adhere the valve body on the valve seat.

Abstract: A temperature responsive valve comprising a hollow housing having three ports, a cylinder mounted in and to the housing assembly in the vicinity of one of the ports, the cylinder having a gas escape space through which said one of the ports communicates with the hollow portion of the housing assembly, a thermal expansive member which changes in its cubical volume in response to an external temperature; and a valve body which is connected to the thermal expansive member and which is movably arranged in the cylinder via a single seal member so as to engage with or disengage from the cylinder in accordance with the cubical change of the thermal expansive member.

Abstract: A temperature-detection type change-over valve for switching the state of communication between a plurality of passages, suitable for use in combination with a controller for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine. The valve has a thermally expandable member adapted to expand when heated, a shaft adapted to be pressed and moved in one direction as the thermally expandable member expands, a valve movable following the movement of the shaft between a first and a second position for switching the state of communication of passages, and a tension spring disposed to surround the shaft and adapted to exert a biasing force to act against the force generated by the expansion of the thermally expandable member.

Abstract: A hose connector having a couple of connecting plates to which the hose should be connected, gasket put between the plates to be pressed against the plates, a couple of slightly curved plate pressures put on the plates opposite to the gasket and fixing means for fixing the above elements all together, pressing and flattening the plate pressures inwardly for connecting the hose via the plates with high sealing function and low cost.