Abstract: An acoustic wave device is disclosed. The acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric layer, an interdigital transducer electrode positioned over the piezoelectric layer, and an anti-refection layer over a conductive layer of the interdigital transducer electrode. The conductive layer can include aluminum, for example. The anti-reflection layer can include silicon. The anti-reflection layer can be free from a material of the interdigital transducer electrode. The acoustic wave device can further include a temperature compensation layer positioned over the anti-reflection layer in certain embodiments.

Abstract: Lactic acid is obtained by a method including (A) a step of continuous fermentation wherein a fermentation culture medium of a microorganism having an ability of lactic acid fermentation is filtered through a porous membrane having an average pore size of not less than 0.01 ?m and less than 1 ?m with a transmembrane pressure difference within the range of 0.1 to 20 kPa, and the permeate is collected, while retaining the non-permeated liquid in or returning the non-permeated liquid to the culture, and adding a fermentation feedstock to the culture; (B) a step of filtering the permeate obtained in Step (A) through a nanofiltration membrane; and (C) a step of distilling the permeate obtained in Step (B) under a pressure of not less than 1 Pa and not more than atmospheric pressure, at 25° C. to 200° C. to recover lactic acid.

Abstract: Lactic acid is obtained by a method including (A) a step of continuous fermentation wherein a fermentation culture medium of a microorganism having an ability of lactic acid fermentation is filtered through a porous membrane having an average pore size of not less than 0.01 ?m and less than 1 ?m with a transmembrane pressure difference within the range of 0.1 to 20 kPa, and the permeate is collected, while retaining the non-permeated liquid in or returning the non-permeated liquid to the culture, and adding a fermentation feedstock to the culture; (B) a step of filtering the permeate obtained in Step (A) through a nanofiltration membrane; and (C) a step of distilling the permeate obtained in Step (B) under a pressure of not less than 1 Pa and not more than atmospheric pressure, at 25° C. to 200° C. to recover lactic acid.

Abstract: Lactic acid is obtained by a method including (A) a step of continuous fermentation wherein a fermentation culture medium of a microorganism having an ability of lactic acid fermentation is filtered through a porous membrane having an average pore size of not less than 0.01 ?m and less than 1 ?m with a transmembrane pressure difference within the range of 0.1 to 20 kPa, and the permeate is collected, while retaining the non-permeated liquid in or returning the non-permeated liquid to the culture, and adding a fermentation feedstock to the culture; (B) a step of filtering the permeate obtained in Step (A) through a nanofiltration membrane; and (C) a step of distilling the permeate obtained in Step (B) under a pressure of not less than 1 Pa and not more than atmospheric pressure, at 25° C. to 200° C. to recover lactic acid.

Abstract: Provided is a method of recovering gaseous hydrocarbons and/or liquid hydrocarbons from underground, characterized by using a polylactic acid) resin comprising an a poly-L-lactic acid component and a poly-D-lactic acid component and having a heat of fusion at 190° C. or higher, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry, of 20 J/g or more, wherein the underground is at a depth of 3,000 m or deeper. According to the recovery method of the present invention, shale gas, shale oil, and the like can be recovered efficiently.

Abstract: There is provided a panoramic imaging apparatus which serves as a radiation imaging apparatus. The panoramic imaging apparatus includes an X-ray tube radiating an X-ray as a radiation, a detector outputting digital-quantity frame data corresponding to an incident X-ray, and moving means moving the pair of X-ray tube and the detector relatively to an object. The apparatus further includes means for acquiring the frame data from the detector during movement of the X-ray tube and the detector, and means for optimally focusing a portion being imaged of the object using the acquired data and producing a three-dimensional optimally focused image in which the real size and shape of the portion being imaged are reflected.

Abstract: An X-ray detector is provided with a plurality of modules each having a plurality of detection elements each composing a pixel, in which the detection elements convert incoming radiations to electric data depending on amounts of the radiations. The plural modules are mutually adjacently arranged on the same surface with a gap having a known width formed therebetween, such that the modules are arranged along at least one of a first X-axis and a first Y-axis, wherein the radiation detector is given a scan direction which is set along one of the first X- and Y-axes and the first Y-axis is perpendicular to the first X-axis. The plural detection elements of each module are two-dimensionally arranged along a second X-axis and a second Y-axis which are set obliquely to the first X-axis and the first Y-axis respectively and which are perpendicular to each other.

Abstract: Provided is a method of recovering gaseous hydrocarbons and/or liquid hydrocarbons from underground, characterized by using a polylactic acid) resin comprising an a poly-L-lactic acid component and a poly-D-lactic acid component and having a heat of fusion at 190° C. or higher, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry, of 20 J/g or more, wherein the underground is at a depth of 3,000 m or deeper. According to the recovery method of the present invention, shale gas, shale oil, and the like can be recovered efficiently.

Abstract: There is provided a calibration apparatus used for a photon counting type of radiation detector. In this apparatus, a radiation condition of a radiation is set such that particles of the radiation (X-rays) which are incident on a plurality of detection modules are piled up over each other at a probability which is equal to or less than a predetermined value. Under the setting of this radiation condition, detection sensitivities for the radiation are made uniform among the plurality of detection modules. Using this uniformed result, the detection sensitivities for the radiation are further made uniform every channel of each of the pixels formed by circuit groups including the plurality of detection modules, discrimination circuits and data calculation circuits and every discrimination circuit in each channel.

Abstract: A radiation detecting apparatus includes a radiation detector, a power source, a current detector, and a bias voltage adjuster. The detector includes a semiconductor layer having a compound semiconductor directly converting incoming radiation photons to electric charges and a pair of electrode layers stacked individually on both surfaces of the semiconductor layer. One layer of the paired electrode layers has plural collecting electrodes which enable the semiconductor layer to have one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally arrayed pixels. The power source applies a direct-current bias voltage between the electrodes such that the electric charge is collected to one electrode of the electrodes. The current detector detects current supplied from the power source when the power source applies the bias voltage between the electrodes. The bias voltage adjuster changes a value of the bias voltage applied by the power source depending on a value of the current detected by the current detector.

Abstract: There is provided a panoramic imaging apparatus which serves as a radiation imaging apparatus. The panoramic imaging apparatus includes an X-ray tube radiating an X-ray as a radiation, a detector outputting digital-quantity frame data corresponding to an incident X-ray, and moving means moving the pair of X-ray tube and the detector relatively to an object. The apparatus further includes means for acquiring the frame data from the detector during movement of the X-ray tube and the detector, and means for optimally focusing a portion being imaged of the object using the acquired data and producing a three-dimensional optimally focused image in which the real size and shape of the portion being imaged are reflected.

Abstract: A polylactic acid resin composition includes 100 parts by weight of a polylactic acid block copolymer constituted of a poly-L-lactic acid segment(s) containing as a major component L-lactic acid and a poly-D-lactic acid segment(s) containing as a major component D-lactic acid; and 0.05 to 2 parts by weight of a cyclic compound containing a glycidyl group or acid anhydride. The polylactic acid resin composition has better mechanical properties, durability, and heat resistance, as well as excellent wet heat properties and dry heat properties, which are given by the end-capping effect of a cyclic compound containing a glycidyl group or acid anhydride exerted on the polylactic acid resin composition.

Abstract: There is provided a panoramic imaging apparatus which serves as a radiation imaging apparatus. The panoramic imaging apparatus includes an X-ray tube radiating an X-ray as a radiation, a detector outputting digital-quantity frame data corresponding to an incident X-ray, and moving means moving the pair of X-ray tube and the detector relatively to an object. The apparatus further includes means for acquiring the frame data from the detector during movement of the X-ray tube and the detector, and means for optimally focusing a portion being imaged of the object using the acquired data and producing a three-dimensional optimally focused image in which the real size and shape of the portion being imaged are reflected.

Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus has moving means moving a pair of an X-ray tube and a detector relatively to an object. The apparatus further has means which acquire digital frame data outputted from the detector. The frame data are acquired from the same portion being imaged of the same object at different time points. The apparatus has means which use the frame data to produce a plurality of three-dimensional optimally focused images at the respective time points, an actual position and shape of the portion being imaged being reflected in the images, and means which estimate changes of the plural three-dimensional optimally focused images.

Abstract: A method of producing a poly(lactic acid) resin includes carrying out direct polycondensation using lactic acid as a main raw material to prepare a crystallized prepolymer having a weight average molecular weight of 5,000 to 25,000, an enthalpy of fusion ?Hm of 50 to 65 J/g and an acid value A mol/ton satisfying (1) below: 450/(Mw/10,000?0.14)<A<950/(Mw/10,000?0.14)??(1) (wherein Mw represents weight average molecular weight of the crystallized prepolymer); and subjecting the crystallized prepolymer to solid-phase polymerization.

Abstract: A panoramic imaging apparatus functionally includes an image processing apparatus. In this apparatus, two planar images are produced, which are subjected to registration. A registration process is applied to overall areas of two planar images based on curves decided from positions designated on the two planar images respectively. The positions on each of the planar images are aligned along a straight line, both straight lines corresponding to each other in a horizontal direction, and a scale factor for the registration is changed position by position on the straight lines. One of the two planar images is searched for a match of each local region of the other planar image, to any of regions of the one planar image, and images of the matched regions are re-produced to produce a planar image. The difference information is calculated between the planar images.

Abstract: A panoramic imaging apparatus functionally includes an image processing apparatus. In this apparatus, two planar images are produced, which are subjected to registration. A registration process is applied to overall areas of two planar images based on curves decided from positions designated on the two planar images respectively. The positions on each of the planar images are aligned along a straight line, both straight lines corresponding to each other in a horizontal direction, and a scale factor for the registration is changed position by position on the straight lines. One of the two planar images is searched for a match of each local region of the other planar image, to any of regions of the one planar image, and images of the matched regions are re-produced to produce a planar image. The difference information is calculated between the planar images.

Abstract: An X-ray detector is provided with a plurality of modules each having a plurality of detection elements each composing a pixel, in which the detection elements convert incoming radiations to electric data depending on amounts of the radiations. The plural modules are mutually adjacently arranged on the same surface with a gap having a known width formed therebetween, such that the modules are arranged along at least one of a first X-axis and a first Y-axis, wherein the radiation detector is given a scan direction which is set along one of the first X- and Y-axes and the first Y-axis is perpendicular to the first X-axis. The plural detection elements of each module are two-dimensionally arranged along a second X-axis and a second Y-axis which are set obliquely to the first X-axis and the first Y-axis respectively and which are perpendicular to each other.

Abstract: There is provided a calibration apparatus used for a photon counting type of radiation detector. In this apparatus, a radiation condition of a radiation is set such that particles of the radiation (X-rays) which are incident on a plurality of detection modules are piled up over each other at a probability which is equal to or less than a predetermined value. Under the setting of this radiation condition, detection sensitivities for the radiation are made uniform among the plurality of detection modules. Using this uniformed result, the detection sensitivities for the radiation are further made uniform every channel of each of the pixels formed by circuit groups including the plurality of detection modules, discrimination circuits and data calculation circuits and every discrimination circuit in each channel.

Abstract: A radiation detecting apparatus includes a radiation detector, a power source, a current detector, and a bias voltage adjuster. The detector includes a semiconductor layer having a compound semiconductor directly converting incoming radiation photons to electric charges and a pair of electrode layers stacked individually on both surfaces of the semiconductor layer. One layer of the paired electrode layers has plural collecting electrodes which enable the semiconductor layer to have one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally arrayed pixels. The power source applies a direct-current bias voltage between the electrodes such that the electric charge is collected to one electrode of the electrodes. The current detector detects current supplied from the power source when the power source applies the bias voltage between the electrodes. The bias voltage adjuster changes a value of the bias voltage applied by the power source depending on a value of the current detected by the current detector.