Abstract: A sensing element in which a dye that changes in the light absorption characteristic of the visible region upon reaction with ozone gas is deposited in the pores of a porous material is prepared. A change in dye before and after exposing the sensing element to a measurement environment for a predetermined time is measured. The ozone gas amount in measurement target air is measured on the basis of the change in dye.

Abstract: Health function-improving agents, such as an immunological function-improving agent, an antioxidation function-improving agent, a exercise function-improving agent and a liver function-improving agent, comprising, as an effective ingredient, a ?-amino acid, a derivative thereof or a salt thereof

Abstract: A 5-aminolevulinic acid salt which is useful in fields of microorganisms, fermentation, animals, medicaments, plants and the like; a process for producing the same; a medical composition comprising the same; and a plant activator composition comprising the same.

Abstract: A sensing element (102) includes a porous material (121) which is porous glass having a plurality of fine pores (122) having an average pore size of 4 ?m, a sensing agent (123) formed in the pores (122), and a selective permeable film (124) which is formed to cover the surface of the porous material (121) and made of a plastic film. The selective permeable film (124) is made of an organic polymer such as polyacrylonitrile or PMMA which uses, as a monomer, a compound made of a chainlike molecule containing a vinyl group, and has a film thickness of about 0.05 to 1 ?m.

Abstract: A pig growth enhancer, which comprises, as an active ingredient, at least one compound selected from 5-aminolevulinic acid, a derivative thereof and a salt thereof, and a method for enhancing pig growth, which comprises administering the growth enhancer to a pig.

Abstract: A data recorder for recording data that records data in a continuous manner regardless of interruptions. An encoder encodes data that is to be written to a recording medium. A synchronizing circuit synchronizes the data read from the recording medium with the encoded data when the writing of data to the recording medium is interrupted. A first retry determination circuit determines whether an address of the data read from the recording medium and an address of the data provided to the encoder match. A second retry determination circuit determines whether the timing for reading data from recording medium and the timing for encoding data match. A restart circuit restarts the writing of data to the recording medium based on the determinations of the first and second retry determination circuits.

Abstract: A controller for a data recorder for recording data that records data in a continuous manner regardless of interruptions. An encoder encodes data that is to be written to a recording medium. A synchronizing circuit synchronizes the data read from the recording medium with the encoded data when the writing of data to the recording medium is interrupted. A first retry determination circuit determines whether an address of the data read from the recording medium and an address of the data provided to the encoder match. A second retry determination circuit determines whether the timing for reading data from recording medium and the timing for encoding data match. A restart circuit restarts the writing of data to the recording medium based on the determinations of the first and second retry determination circuits.

Abstract: A composition of a compound or derivative thereof in which at least one carbon atom of 5-aminolevulinic acid is a carbon isotope and/or a nitrogen atom in its amino group is a nitrogen isotope, and where said derivative is an ester, amide, salt, hydrate or solvate of the compound, and a diagnostically acceptable carrier. A method for detecting malignant tumors, by administering a tumor detecting effective amount to a host in need of tumor detection of a compound or derivative thereof in which at least one carbon atom of 5-aminolevulinic acid is a carbon isotope and/or a nitrogen atom in its amino group is a nitrogen isotope, and where said derivative is an ester, amide, salt, hydrate or solvate of said compound and detecting the malignant tumors using NMR.

Abstract: A food dispensing apparatus capable of dispensing various types of food, including a hopper for storing food having a food outlet, and a food discharge mechanism having a food receiving port for receiving the food from the hopper through the food outlet, a food discharging port for discharging the food, and a food passage through which the food is transferred from the food receiving port to the food discharging port. The internal capacity of the food passage is variable so that a selected amount of the food can be discharged from the food passage.

Abstract: A controller of a data recorder that records data on a recording medium such that the occurrence of buffer underrun errors are prevented. Data encoded by an encoder is recorded on the recording medium. A decoder decodes the data recorded on the recording medium. The data recorder interrupts the recording of data when a buffer underrun is likely to occur. The controller restarts the recording of data when the decoded data and the encoded data are synchronized. When the decoded data is delayed from the encoded data, the controller stops the encoding until the decoded data catches up with the encoded data.

Abstract: An agent for diagnosing or photokinetically treating malignant tumors, comprising as an active ingredient a compound in which at least one carbon atom of 5-aminolevulinic acid is a carbon isotope and/or a nitrogen atom in its amino group is a nitrogen isotope, or an ester, amide, salt, hydrate or solvate of the compound.

Abstract: A valve has a housing, a shaft with a valve disc, and a sliding shaft support portion along which the shaft slides, wherein the sliding shaft support portion is provided with a seal member movable and deformable in a certain range.

Abstract: A pig growth enhancer, which comprises, as an active ingredient, at least one compound selected from 5-aminolevulinic acid, a derivative thereof and a salt thereof, and a method for enhancing pig growth, which comprises administering the growth enhancer to a pig.

Abstract: A portable telephone apparatus includes a portable telephone unit and a battery pack mounted thereto, wherein the battery pack includes a battery for supplying the portable telephone unit and components in the battery pack with electric power, an opening in which a semiconductor memory is removably inserted, and a memory controller for controlling the operation of reading data stored in the semiconductor memory inserted in the opening in accordance with a control signal from the portable telephone unit, and wherein the portable telephone unit includes a reproducer for reproducing the data read out from the semiconductor memory. When the battery park is removed abruptly before a power switch is turned off, data stored in the semiconductor memory is protected.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for heating semiconductor devices (DUTs) having a variety of package shapes. The apparatus has a plurality of trays on which DUTs are mounted. A heating chamber with a plurality of stages, house the tray. A tray moving mechanism moves the trays so as to be disposed within the heating chamber and outside of the heating chamber. The method has the steps of supplying the DUTs on a tray, heating the DUTs supplied on each tray, and relocating and measuring the DUTs.

Abstract: In high-tech fields such as electronics, the development of new high performance materials which differ from conventional materials has received much attention. An object of the present invention is to provide a clathrate compound which can be used as a thermoelectric material, a hard material, or a semiconductor material. Atoms of an element from group 4B of the periodic table are formed into a clathrate lattice, and a clathrate compound is then formed in which specified doping atoms are encapsulated within the clathrate lattice, and a portion of the atoms of the clathrate lattice are substituted with specified substitution atoms. Suitable doping atoms are atoms from group 1A, group 2A, group 3A, group 1B, group 2B, group 3B, group 4A, group 5A, group 6A, and group 8, and suitable substitution atoms are atoms from group 1A, group 2A, group 3A, group 1B, group 2B, group 3B, group 5A, group 6A, group 7A, group 5B, group 6B, group 7B, and group 8 of the periodic table.

Abstract: The invention can be easily applied to various contacts irrespective of the length of time needed for replacing ICs with other ICs relative to the contact. An IC handler comprises contact cleaning chips made of a material including polishing particles in the same shape as an ICs wherein a transfer attachment is removed from the contacts when contact cleaning chips are conveyed to the contacts so as to contact the contacts, then the contacts are taken out.

Abstract: A sensing element in which a dye that changes in the light absorption characteristic of the visible region upon reaction with ozone gas is deposited in the pores of a porous material is prepared. A change in dye before and after exposing the sensing element to a measurement environment for a predetermined time is measured. The ozone gas amount in measurement target air is measured on the basis of the change in dye.

Abstract: An effective method for cleaning flux residues produced in process of fabricating semiconductor devices, and a method of fabricating the semiconductor devices including this cleaning method are provided. The flux cleaning method for cleaning the solder bump electrodes formed using a flux comprises the steps of: applying a pretreatment process including coating of the solder bump electrode with the flux and applying a heat treatment thereto, and carrying out the flux cleaning to clean the heat-treated flux.