Abstract: An underwater mobile inspection apparatus is capable of inspecting a subsea pipeline (inspection object) while cruising. The underwater mobile inspection apparatus includes: a cruising body configured to submerge under water and cruise along the inspection object in such a manner as not to come into contact with the subsea pipeline; a first movable arm provided on the cruising body; an inspection tool unit for use in inspecting the subsea pipeline, the inspection tool unit being provided on the first movable arm; and a controller configured to, when the cruising body cruises along the subsea pipeline in such a manner as not to come into contact with the subsea pipeline, operate the first movable arm to move the inspection tool unit, such that a positional relationship of the inspection tool unit with the subsea pipeline becomes a predetermined target positional relationship.

Abstract: A control system and teaching method for a seven-axis articulated robot are provided, which system and method are capable of easily grasping a motion trajectory of the whole robot and thereby performing proper teaching during teaching operation. The control system includes a setting device for setting a specified plane in a teaching mode for teaching a seven-axis articulated robot; a control unit for controlling the movement of the seven-axis articulated robot so as to restrict a motion trajectory of an elbow portion within the plane set by the setting device; and a computing unit for performing inverse transform operation to calculate the pivot angle of each pivot axis based on a change in a position of the hand end, setting the restriction of the movement of the elbow portion as a constraint condition, when the position for the hand end is taught.

Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling a seven-axis articulated robot including seven joints sequentially arranged from a proximal end of the robot to a distal end of the robot, the seven joints including rotational axes each causing a next joint to turn and rotational axes each causing a next joint to pivot, such that the rotational axes causing turning and the rotational axes causing pivoting are arranged alternately, the seven-axis articulated robot being configured such that rotational axes of three proximal end side joints of the robot do not intersect with each other at one point. The method includes performing inverse transformation using, as a constraint condition, such a joint angle of a middle joint among the three joints as to cause an assumed elbow angle to be constant in a case where a rotational axis of the middle joint is assumed as a shoulder.

Abstract: A process for producing a thermoplastic resin molded product, comprising: a placement step of placing a thermoplastic resin particle composition 6A into a cavity 22 of a rubber die 2 made of a rubber material; a particle heating step of irradiating the thermoplastic resin particle composition 6A in the cavity 22 with electromagnetic waves having wavelengths ranging from 0.78 to 2 ?m through the rubber die 2, thereby heating to melt the thermoplastic resin particle composition 6A; a filling step of filling a thermoplastic resin 6 in a molten state into a space 220 left in the cavity 22; and a cooling step of cooling a thermoplastic resin 6 in the cavity 22 thereby obtaining a thermoplastic resin molded product.

Abstract: A therapeutic or prophylactic agent for diabetes includes a thiazolidine derivative as a PPAR-? agonist as an effective component which exhibits a reduced side effect of the PPAR-? agonist. The therapeutic or prophylactic agent for diabetes includes a particular IP agonist such as beraprost sodium (BPS), and a thiazolidine derivative such as pioglitazone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Since the therapeutic or prophylactic agent exhibits a sufficiently effective hypoglycemic action without being accompanied by side effects characteristic to PPAR-? agonists, the agent is useful as a highly safe and effective therapeutic or prophylactic agent for diabetes.

Abstract: A process for producing a thermoplastic resin molded product, comprising: a placement step of placing a thermoplastic resin particle composition 6A into a cavity 22 of a rubber die 2 made of a rubber material; a particle heating step of irradiating the thermoplastic resin particle composition 6A in the cavity 22 with electromagnetic waves having wavelengths ranging from 0.78 to 2 ?m through the rubber die 2, thereby heating to melt the thermoplastic resin particle composition 6A; a filling step of filling a thermoplastic resin 6 in a molten state into a space 220 left in the cavity 22; and a cooling step of cooling a thermoplastic resin 6 in the cavity 22 thereby obtaining a thermoplastic resin molded product.

Abstract: A process for producing a thermoplastic resin molded product, comprising: a placement step of placing a thermoplastic resin particle composition 6A into a cavity 22 of a rubber die 2 made of a rubber material; a particle heating step of irradiating the thermoplastic resin particle composition 6A in the cavity 22 with electromagnetic waves having wavelengths ranging from 0.78 to 2 ?m through the rubber die 2, thereby heating to melt the thermoplastic resin particle composition 6A; a filling step of filling a thermoplastic resin 6 in a molten state into a space 220 left in the cavity 22; and a cooling step of cooling a thermoplastic resin 6 in the cavity 22 thereby obtaining a thermoplastic resin molded product.

Abstract: A process for producing a thermoplastic resin molded product, comprising: a placement step of placing a thermoplastic resin particle composition 6A into a cavity 22 of a rubber die 2 made of a rubber material; a particle heating step of irradiating the thermoplastic resin particle composition 6A in the cavity 22 with electromagnetic waves having wavelengths ranging from 0.78 to 2 ?m through the rubber die 2, thereby heating to melt the thermoplastic resin particle composition 6A; a filling step of filling a thermoplastic resin 6 in a molten state into a space 220 left in the cavity 22; and a cooling step of cooling a thermoplastic resin 6 in the cavity 22 thereby obtaining a thermoplastic resin molded product.

Abstract: An input unit enters angular displacements by which drive shafts of a robot arm are to be turned as teaching data into a control unit. The control unit converts the input angular displacements into position-attitude data, namely, converted commands, indicating a position of the free end of the robot arm and an attitude of the robot in a rectangular coordinate system through forward conversion. The control unit corrects the position-attitude data on the basis of inherent errors in the robot to provide corrected position-attitude data. The control unit converts the corrected position-attitude data into corrected angular displacements through inverse conversion and gives the corrected angular displacements to an actuator included in the robot. The inherent errors in the robot include mechanismic errors resulting from machining errors and assembling errors, installation errors and errors in the origins of axes.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a thermoplastic resin capable of producing a thin-walled article such as a film, a sheet and a bag stably by extrusion such as calender molding, and of leading to a thin-walled article wherein an undesirable phenomenon due to flow marks generated on the surface is improved and which is excellent in whitening resistance upon bending, and the like, and a method for the production thereof, a molded article and a composite article comprising thereof. The present thermoplastic resin comprises an acryl-based rubbery polymer reinforced resin having a graft ratio of 80% to 170%, a number-average particle diameter of an acryl-based rubbery polymer of 60 to 150 nm, an intrinsic viscosity of a component dissolved by acetonitrile of 0.4 to 0.

Abstract: A lock-up device 7 includes a front cover 2, an impeller 3, a turbine 4, and a piston 22 positioned to divide a space between the front cover 2 and the turbine 4, and is engageable with the front cover 2. The piston 22 is formed with a plurality of projections 41 extending in the radial direction on a surface 42. The projection 41 has a straight front edge 51 and a straight rear edge 52, and an arced radially outer edge 53 and radially inner edge 54. The rear edge 52 in the rotation direction overlaps a straight line Ls connecting a radially inner end 52a with the rotation center O, or the rear edge 52 in the rotation direction is inclined to the straight line Ls such that a radially outer end 52b is positioned rearward of the straight line Ls in the rotation direction.

Abstract: A scavenger receptor A expression down-regulator and a drug for preventing or treating arteriosclerosis which contain, as the active ingredient, a C-terminal globular domain of adiponectin, adiponectin, or a gene encoding the domain or adiponectin. According to the present invention, there is provided a preventive or therapeutic agent capable of directly preventing intimal thickening, which constitutes an essential feature of arteriosclerosis. This effect can be attained through arresting the onset and development of arteriosclerosis by reducing the expression level of scavenger receptor A in arterial walls and preventing lipid buildup in macrophages.

Abstract: A scavenger receptor A expression down-regulator and a drug for preventing or treating arteriosclerosis which contain, as the active ingredient, a C-terminal globular domain of adiponectin, adiponectin, or a gene encoding the domain or adiponectin. According to the present invention, there is provided a preventive or therapeutic agent capable of directly preventing intimal thickening, which constitutes an essential feature of arteriosclerosis. This effect can be attained through arresting the onset and development of arteriosclerosis by reducing the expression level of scavenger receptor A in arterial walls and preventing lipid buildup in macrophages.

Abstract: A lock-up device 7 includes a front cover 2, an impeller 3, a turbine 4, and a piston 22 positioned to divide a space between the front cover 2 and the turbine 4, and is engageable with the front cover 2. The piston 22 is formed with a plurality of projections 41 extending in the radial direction on a surface 42. The projection 41 has a straight front edge 51 and a straight rear edge 52, and an arced radially outer edge 53 and radially inner edge 54. The rear edge 52 in the rotation direction overlaps a straight line Ls connecting a radially inner end 52a with the rotation center O, or the rear edge 52 in the rotation direction is inclined to the straight line Ls such that a radially outer end 52b is positioned rearward of the straight line Ls in the rotation direction.

Abstract: A desired q-axis current is determined based on a desired torque, and a desired d-axis current is determined based on the rotating speed of a synchronous motor when the terminal voltage of the synchronous motor coincides with a predetermined maximum permissible voltage to weaken a magnetic field created by the synchronous motor equivalently and to prevent the drop of the output torque of the synchronous motor. The desired d-axis current is determined based on the desired torque and the rotating speed. Therefore, the desired d-axis current can be reduced when a high torque is not necessary and undesired increase of the desired d-axis current can be prevented. Thus the synchronous motor operates efficiently, heat generation of the synchronous motor is prevented and power factor is improved.

Abstract: A scavenger receptor A expression down-regulator and a drug for preventing or treating arteriosclerosis which contain, as the active ingredient, a C-terminal globular domain of adiponectin, adiponectin, or a gene encoding the domain or adiponectin. According to the present invention, there is provided a preventive or therapeutic agent capable of directly preventing intimal thickening, which constitutes an essential feature of arteriosclerosis. This effect can be attained through arresting the onset and development of arteriosclerosis by reducing the expression level of scavenger receptor A in arterial walls and preventing lipid buildup in macrophages.

Abstract: An input unit enters angular displacements by which drive shafts of a robot arm are to be turned as teaching data into a control unit. The control unit converts the input angular displacements into position-attitude data, namely, converted commands, indicating a position of the free end of the robot arm and an attitude of the robot in a rectangular coordinate system through forward conversion. The control unit corrects the position-attitude data on the basis of inherent errors in the robot to provide corrected position-attitude data. The control unit converts the corrected position-attitude data into corrected angular displacements through inverse conversion and gives the corrected angular displacements to an actuator included in the robot. The inherent errors in the robot include mechanismic errors resulting from machining errors and assembling errors, installation errors and errors in the origins of axes.

Abstract: A desired q-axis current is determined based on a desired torque, and a desired d-axis current is determined based on the rotating speed of a synchronous motor when the terminal voltage of the synchronous motor coincides with a predetermined maximum permissible voltage to weaken a magnetic field created by the synchronous motor equivalently and to prevent the drop of the output torque of the synchronous motor. The desired d-axis current is determined based on the desired torque and the rotating speed. Therefore, the desired d-axis current can be reduced when a high torque is not necessary and undesired increase of the desired d-axis current can be prevented. Thus the synchronous motor operates efficiently, heat generation of the synchronous motor is prevented and power factor is improved.

Abstract: A laser beam projector to be employed in an automatic welding machine, such as a robot, includes an optical head that projects a laser beam and a holding and turning mechanism that holds and turns the optical head. The spot of the laser beam can be accurately located on the portion to be welded by turning the optical head by the holding and turning mechanism.

Abstract: A weld portion detector (20) and a laser beam projector (10) disposed a predetermined distance behind the weld portion detector (20) are moved together. The weld portion detector (20) detects a weld line and the laser beam projector (10) projects on the weld line detected by the weld portion detector (20) for laser welding. Pieces of data on weld positions sequentially detected by the weld portion detector (20) are stored sequentially in combination with times when the pieces of data on the weld positions are obtained and moving speeds of the weld portion detector (20) in a memory. A time when the weld portion detector (20) passed a point at which the laser beam projector (10) has just arrived is calculated on the basis of the times and the moving speeds stored in the memory. The laser beam projector (10) projects a laser beam on a weld position detected at the thus calculated time.