Abstract: A composition comprising at least one liquid-crystal compound and a polymer having at least one group of the following formula (A) as the constitutive unit thereof: wherein Mp represents a trivalent linking group; L represents a single bond, or a bivalent linking group; X represents a substituted or unsubstituted functional group having a cyclic structure.

Abstract: Prior to data communication, an optical signal at a predetermined bit rate and an optical signal at a bit rate different from the predetermined bit rate are received from a transmitting apparatus. In a compensation amount controller, incremental amounts by which a compensation amount is changed are set corresponding to the bit rate of the optical signal received. The compensation amount controller controls a variable dispersion compensator, changes the compensation amount by the incremental amount, and searches for a predetermined compensation amount each time an optical signal is received. Based on the search results, the compensation amount controller obtains a compensation amount for the variable compensator corresponding to the optical signal received from the transmitting apparatus when data communication is performed.

Abstract: An electric rotating machine comprising a stator core having a plurality of slots that are equally spaced on the inner surface of the stator core in the peripheral direction, a rotor that rotates inside the stator core, and an armature winding that is applied to each of the slots, wherein the armature winding is made up with a plurality of serially-connected single-turn coils that are respectively applied to the slots and the serially-connected coils of respective phases are connected in parallel.

Abstract: A piezoelectric bimorph element two piezoelectric elements to produce an electromotive force by imparting a stress to respective piezoelectric elements. The piezoelectric bimorph element is arranged in an oscillator such that the piezoelectric bimorph element is deformed in the electromotive force generating direction. An electrode having a predetermined area connected with a good electric conductor which is connected to conduct a current generated from the piezoelectric bimorph element is arranged at a patting part interlocked with the oscillator to oscillate. An electrode of opposite pole is connected with the piezoelectric bimorph element through the good electric conductor and arranged at a handle to be coupled with the oscillator, and a rectifier for rectifying an AC electromotive force generated by oscillating the oscillator is arranged to connect the good electric conductors which are connected with both electrodes.

Abstract: A development apparatus using a hopping method and an image formation apparatus including the development apparatus are disclosed. The development apparatus includes a toner supporting object for supporting and conveying a toner by a movement of the toner supporting object, while the toner is hopping on a surface of the toner supporting object by an electric field; a regulating member made of a flexible material for constituting a toner thickness regulation position; a latent image supporting object for supporting a latent image; and a development position, which is a position of the toner supporting object, that counters the latent image supporting object; wherein the toner is conveyed through the regulation position to the development position where the toner is adhered to the latent image, and wherein one end of the regulating member is supported, and the other end contacts the toner supporting object.

Abstract: A flooding phenomenon is suppressed in a high current density loading region so as to attempt the improvement of cell performance of fuel cells. An electrode catalyst for fuel cells, in which a catalyst comprising an alloy catalyst composed of a noble metal and one or more transition metals and having surface characteristics such that it shows a pH value in water of 6.0 or more is supported on conductive carriers, and a fuel cell using such electrode catalyst for fuel cells, are provided.

Abstract: In a lens holder included in an objective lens actuator, a first holding hole to hold a first objective lens and a second holding hole to hold a second objective lens are arranged. In the first holding hole, two supporting portions to support the first objective lens are arranged and they are disposed oppositely in a radial direction to sandwich an optical axis of the first objective lens. In the second holding hole, two supporting portions to support the second objective lens are arranged and they are disposed oppositely in a tangential direction to sandwich an optical axis of the second objective lens.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus using a hopping method is disclosed. Toner provided on a moving surface of a toner supporting object is conveyed, while the toner is hopping on the surface due to an electric field, to a position that counters a latent image supporting object by movement of the surface, and is adhered to a latent image formed on the latent image supporting object. The image formation apparatus includes a supply member for scooping up the toner in a toner container by plural hollows formed on a surface of the supply member with endless movement of the surface of the supply member, for conveying the toner to a position where the supply member contacts the toner supporting object, and for providing the toner to the surface of the toner supporting object.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus comprises, an optical pickup, a signal extracting unit for reading address information and an RF signal from an optical disc based on signal read by the optical pickup, and a main controller for performing jitter control and focus control. At an initial reading of the optical disc, the main controller determines whether an address information detector succeeds in reading the address information. If not successful (NO in S3), the main controller offsets a defocus position to two points in plus and minus directions from a defocus position giving best jitter (S7), calculates an approximate curve of signal level characteristics with a peak value (S8), and adjusts and allows the defocus value to correspond to this peak value (S9). If the optical disc apparatus cannot read address information, depending on the defocus value, it increases the signal level of the address information by the defocus position adjustment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transflective liquid crystal display device which includes diffusion reflective electrodes suitable for a display of high definition. Into an organic resin film material PET which is formed by mixing NQD as a photosensitive agent in an acrylic resin having a specific gravity of 1.05 and a refractive index of 1.50, spherical particles PTC made of acrylic modified polystyrene which has a specific gravity of 1.00, a refractive index of 1.50 and a particle size of 1.6 ?m are mixed at a rate of 3:1 so as to form an organic insulation film material in which a total solid content is adjusted to 30% and viscosity is adjusted 20 mPa·s. The organic insulation film material is applied and is dried to form an organic insulation film. A portion of the organic insulation film which is to be arranged below a diffusion reflective electrode is exposed using an exposure mask having half exposure apertures which are formed of a large number of slits and the organic insulation film is hardened.

Abstract: A symmetric-key cryptographic technique capable of realizing both high-speed cryptographic processing having a high degree of parallelism, and alteration detection. The invention includes dividing plaintext composed of redundancy data and a message to generate plaintext blocks each having a predetermined length; generating a random number sequence based on a secret key, generating a random number block corresponding to one of the plaintext blocks from the random number sequence, outputting a feedback value obtained as a result of operation on the one plaintext block and the random number block, the feedback value being fed back for using the operation on another plaintext block, and performing an encryption operation using the one plaintext block, random number block, and feedback value.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes first and second developing apparatuses for developing electrostatic images on first and second image bearing members, a first developer container containing a developer, first supplying device for supplying the developer in the first developer container to the first developing apparatus, a second developer container containing a developer to be supplied to the second developing apparatus, second supplying device for supplying the developer in the second developer container to the second developing apparatus, driving device for driving the first and second supplying device, changeover device which changes over the driving force of the driving device during one image forming operation to first and second states in which the driving force is respectively transmitted to each of the first and second supplying device, and control device for changing the times of the first and second states according to a condition of an image to be formed.

Abstract: There is provided an etching solution comprised of a cupric chloride solution and a high-concentration triazole type compound added to the cupric chloride solution and capable of forming an etching-inhibiting coating. In a process of forming a circuit pattern by etching with the etching solution, an etching-inhibiting coating is selected formed on parts of a copper foil laid under the edge of an etching resist to effectively inhibit horizontal side-etching of the copper foil from the edge of the etching resist. Also, nonuniform irregularities formed on the side wall of the circuit pattern by the etching improves the adhesion between the circuit pattern and an insulating resin layer covering the circuit pattern.

Abstract: In a reader/writer, a storage unit is configured to store a plurality of parameter files each including a plurality of control parameters required to communications. The parameter files meet the communication characteristics. An identifying unit is configured to try to communicate with the at least one of the information carriers based on every parameter file to identify that one of the parameter files meets the communication characteristic of the at least one of the information carriers based on the tried result.

Abstract: The present invention provides a black and white photothermographic material having, on at least one side of a support, an image forming layer containing at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent for silver ions, and a binder, as well as an image forming method. The black and white photothermographic material is characterized in that 50% or more of a total projected area of the photosensitive silver halide is occupied by tabular grains having a (111) face as a major face; the tabular grains have at least 2 parallel twin crystal planes in a grain; and a variation coefficient of a distribution of distances between closest twin crystal planes is 20% or less. Also provided is an image forming method that includes image exposure using fluorescent intensifying screens and thermal development.

Abstract: In a vehicle for uneven ground operation front wheels can be steered with a handle via a steering shaft mounted rotatably on the body frame with an upper cross beam being placed in spanning relationship between left and right front upper pipes composing the body frame and said steering shaft is supported by the upper cross beam. The left and right pipes can be coupled firmly to each other with the upper cross beam for enhancing the rigidity of the body frame. In addition, the number of components can be reduced as compared to providing a distinct steering shaft support member so that a reduction in the weight of the vehicle is achieved. If the upper cross beam is bend molded, the rigidity of the upper cross beam can be enhanced so that the rigidity of the body frame is further enhanced, while a weight increase is suppressed.

Abstract: An image processing method includes obtaining raw image data of an object by generating the object by an imager that generates an image of the object with color decomposition, decomposing the raw image data into a plurality of color planes such that each of the color planes comprises pixel information of a color pertinent to the color plane, and compressing data of each color plane.

Abstract: Compounds represented by formula (II): wherein M is a hydrogen atom, sodium, potassium, or lithium; P is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, and the like; and the wavy line indicates a cis form, a trans form, or a mixture thereof for the double bond to which it is attached, may be prepared by hydrolyzing a compound represented by formula (I), or a salt thereof: wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and each is an alkyl group, or R1 and R2 together with the adjacent nitrogen atom may form an aliphatic heterocycle, and P and the wavy line are as defined above, in the presence of alkali metal hydroxide.

Abstract: A card connector into and from which a card is inserted and removed, includes a plurality of contacts each having a contact portion to contact the card, a housing arranging and holding the contacts and having a fitting opening for inserting the card, a guide frame formed integrally with or separately from the housing and having guide portions for guiding the card to the contacts, a shell enclosing that part of the guide frame in which removing device is installed for removing the card from the card connector, and terminals arranged on the side of the leading end of the fitting opening for preventing troubles caused by static electricity. One of the terminals is provided with an extending piece extending onto the side opposite from the connection portion to be connected to a substrate. The shell is provided with an extending portion adapted to contact the extending piece. The card connector thus constructed is free from secondary discharge.

Abstract: In a solid oxide fuel cell module (1) incorporating a burner (6) not only in an oxidizer side burner (5) of the module (1) but also in a fuel side, directly heating from both sides by a combustion gas, and starting for a short time, a combustion state of the fuel side burner is kept well, and a short-time start is securely achieved. A cooling piping (17) is provided in a burner main body (61) and a premixing chamber (62) of the fuel side burner (6), and is connected to a heat recovery system (16) so as to supply a cooling medium, thereby cooling the fuel side burner (6). Further, a heat held by the cooling medium is recovered by a heat exchanger (18) connected to an outlet side of the heat recovery system (16). A back fire (an abnormal combustion) of the burner is prevented, the module is uniformly heated, and a secure short-time start is achieved, by cooling the fuel side burner (6) so as to adjust temperature. Further, a combined efficiency of the module is improved by utilizing the recovered surplus heat.