Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a fixing unit, a reading unit, a reference member, and a controller is described. The image forming unit forms an image and a detection image on a sheet. The detection image is used for detecting geometric characteristics of an image to be formed on a sheet by the image forming unit. The fixing unit fixes the image and the detection image formed by the image forming unit on the sheet. The reading unit reads the detection image on the sheet. The controller adjusts geometric characteristics of the image to be formed on a sheet based on a reading result of the detection image by the reading unit, and controls the reading unit to read the reference member and executes shading correction based on a reading result of the reference member.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes an N-type cladding layer, an active layer, and a P-type cladding layer. The active layer includes a well layer, a P-side first barrier layer above the well layer, and a P-side second barrier layer above the P-side first barrier layer. The P-side second barrier layer has an AI composition ratio higher than an AI composition ratio of the P-side first barrier layer. The P-side second barrier layer has band gap energy greater than band gap energy of the P-side first barrier layer. The semiconductor laser device has an end face window structure in which band gap energy of a portion of the well layer in a vicinity of an end face that emits the laser light is greater than band gap energy of a central portion of the well layer in a resonator length direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor light-emitting element includes: a substrate; an n-type clad layer above the substrate; an active layer above the n-type clad layer; and a p-type clad layer above the active layer. The active layer includes: a well layer; an n-side first barrier layer on an n-type clad layer side of the well layer; and a p-side barrier layer on a p-type clad layer side of the well layer. The p-side barrier layer comprises In. The n-side first barrier layer has an In composition ratio lower than an In composition ratio of the p-side barrier layer. The n-side first barrier layer has a band gap energy smaller than a band gap energy of the p-side barrier layer.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a continuously variable transmission includes a clamping force increase portion. The continuously variable transmission includes a pair of a primary pulley and a secondary pulley on which a transmission belt is wound. A shift of the continuously variable transmission is performed by changing effective diameters of the primary pulley and the secondary pulley. The clamping force increase portion increases a belt clamping force when it is determined that a torque capacity is decreased by determining that drive power input to the primary pulley is decreased by an amount equal to or larger than a predetermined amount while the secondary pulley is in a stopped state or a substantially stopped state, as compared to when it is determined that the torque capacity is not decreased.

Abstract: An isoflavone composition which contains an ?-glucosyl isoflavone and isoflavone and optionally an isoflavone aglycone, wherein the ratio of the amount of aglycone in the isoflavone and the isoflavone aglycone in total to the amount of aglycone in the ?-glucosyl isoflavone [(the amount of aglycone in ?-glucosyl isoflavone)/(the amount of aglycone in isoflavone plus the amount of isoflavone aglycone)] is at least 2.5/1; a water-soluble isoflavone composition which contains an ?-glucosyl isoflavone, isoflavone and isoflavone aglycone, wherein the ratio of the amount of isoflavone aglycone in the composition is 0.01 to 20% to the total amount of aglycone in the composition; and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, or feeds, which contain any one of the above compositions.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission 18 changes a speed-change ratio ? so that an actual rotation speed NIN of an input shaft 36 coincides with a target rotation speed NIN* set based on a target output P*. A target output calculating portion 156 calculates a first target drive force related value P1* based on both an acceleration required amount Acc and a load of an auxiliary machine AUX, calculates a second target drive force related value P2* based on the acceleration required amount without considering the auxiliary machine load, and sets the second drive force related value as the drive force related value P* upon a vehicle regular running. Even when the auxiliary machine load fluctuates in the vehicle regular running the target output does not fluctuate, and prevention of fluctuation of the target output rotation speed increases the drivability in the vehicle regular running.

Abstract: A powertrain control apparatus that controls a powertrain including a lock-up clutch, which connects an engine, in which fuel supply may be cut off, directly to an automatic transmission. The control apparatus includes an output unit, a control unit, and a setting unit. The output unit outputs an instruction to lower engagement pressure for the lock-up clutch from a value at which the lock-up clutch is engaged to a value at which the lock-up clutch is disengaged. The control unit resumes the fuel supply to the engine when a predetermined lag time has elapsed since the instruction is output. The setting unit sets the lag time so that the lag time is shorter when a temperature of a combustion chamber of the engine is a first temperature than when the temperature of the combustion chamber of the engine is a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a continuously variable transmission includes a clamping force increase portion. The continuously variable transmission includes a pair of a primary pulley and a secondary pulley on which a transmission belt is wound. A shift of the continuously variable transmission is performed by changing effective diameters of the primary pulley and the secondary pulley. The clamping force increase portion increases a belt clamping force when it is determined that a torque capacity is decreased by determining that drive power input to the primary pulley is decreased by an amount equal to or larger than a predetermined amount while the secondary pulley is in a stopped state or a substantially stopped state, as compared to when it is determined that the torque capacity is not decreased.

Abstract: A powertrain control apparatus controls a powertrain including a lock-up clutch, and an engine, in which fuel supply is cut off, directly to an automatic transmission. The control apparatus includes a control unit that controls the engine so that fuel supply resumes in the engine and a setting unit that sets a hydraulic-pressure instruction value based on a temperature of a combustion chamber of the engine so that a time required to discharge the lock-up clutch is longer when the temperature of the combustion chamber is a first temperature than when the temperature of the combustion chamber is a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature, when the lock-up clutch is controlled to be brought to the disengaged state from the engaged state and the fuel supply to the engine is resumed. The lock-up clutch is then operated by hydraulic pressure corresponding to the hydraulic-pressure instruction value.

Abstract: A powertrain control apparatus controls a powertrain including a lock-up clutch, and an engine, in which fuel supply is cut off, directly to an automatic transmission. The control apparatus includes a control unit that controls the engine so that fuel supply resumes in the engine and a setting unit that sets a hydraulic-pressure instruction value based on a temperature of a combustion chamber of the engine so that a time required to discharge the lock-up clutch is longer when the temperature of the combustion chamber is a first temperature than when the temperature of the combustion chamber is a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature, when the lock-up clutch is controlled to be brought to the disengaged state from the engaged state and the fuel supply to the engine is resumed. The lock-up clutch is then operated by hydraulic pressure corresponding to the hydraulic-pressure instruction value.

Abstract: A powertrain control apparatus that controls a powertrain including a lock-up clutch, which connects an engine, in which fuel supply may be cut off, directly to an automatic transmission. The control apparatus includes an output unit, a control unit, and a setting unit. The output unit outputs an instruction to lower engagement pressure for the lock-up clutch from a value at which the lock-up clutch is engaged to a value at which the lock-up clutch is disengaged. The control unit resumes the fuel supply to the engine when a predetermined lag time has elapsed since the instruction is output. The setting unit sets the lag time so that the lag time is shorter when a temperature of a combustion chamber of the engine is a first temperature than when the temperature of the combustion chamber of the engine is a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission 18 changes a speed-change ratio ? so that an actual rotation speed NIN of an input shaft 36 coincides with a target rotation speed NIN* set based on a target output P*. A target output calculating portion 156 calculates a first target drive force related value P1* based on both an acceleration required amount Acc and a load of an auxiliary machine AUX, calculates a second target drive force related value P2* based on the acceleration required amount without considering the auxiliary machine load, and sets the second drive force related value as the drive force related value P* upon a vehicle regular running. Even when the auxiliary machine load fluctuates in the vehicle regular running the target output does not fluctuate, and prevention of fluctuation of the target output rotation speed increases the drivability in the vehicle regular running.

Abstract: An isoflavone composition which contains an ?-glucosyl isoflavone and isoflavone and optionally an isoflavone aglycone, wherein the ratio of the amount of aglycone in the isoflavone and the isoflavone aglycone in total to the amount of aglycone in the ?-glucosyl isoflavone [(the amount of aglycone in ?-glucosyl isoflavone)/(the amount of aglycone in isoflavone plus the amount of isoflavone aglycone)] is at least 2.5/1; a water-soluble isoflavone composition which contains an ?-glucosyl isoflavone, isoflavone and isoflavone aglycone, wherein the ratio of the amount of isoflavone aglycone in the composition is 0.01 to 20% to the total amount of aglycone in the composition; and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, or feeds, which contain any one of the above compositions.

Abstract: The present process for producing a high .alpha.-monoglucosyl hesperidin content product is characterized in that it comprises the steps of contacting glucoamylase and .alpha.-L-rhamnosidase simultaneously or randomly with a solution containing .alpha.-glucosyl hesperidin and hesperidin to obtain a mixture; crystallizing and separating .alpha.-monoglucosyl hesperidin in and from the mixture; and collecting the resulting .alpha.-monoglucsyl hesperidin. From solutions containing .alpha.-glucosyl hesperidin and hesperidin, the present invention facilitates the production of a high .alpha.-monoglucosyl hesperidin content product which does not substantially contain hesperidin, .beta.-monoglucosyl hesperetin, and hesperetin, and has an extremely-superior water-solubility.

Abstract: An enzyme-treated hesperidin, comprising alpha-glucosyl hesperidin, hesperidin and beta-monoglucosyl hesperetin, wherein the content of hesperidin is 0.1 part or less by weight; and that of beta-monoglucosyl hesperetin, 0.1 to 0.5 part by weight, on the basis of 1 part by weight of alpha-glucosyl hesperidin. The present invention also provides a process to produce enzyme-treated hesperidin, which comprises subjecting a solution containing alpha-glucosyl hesperidin and intact hesperidin to alpha-L-rhamnosidase to convert the intact hesperidin into beta-monoglucosyl hesperetin. The enzyme-treated hesperidin, which is excellent in water solubility and is free from crystal precipitation (clouding) even if stored for a prolonged period of time, can be produced from a material containing alpha-glucosylhesperidin and hesperidin by conducting the above simple treatment of material. The present invention further provides a method of using the enzyme-treated hesperidin.