Abstract: The present invention provides a compound having an excellent inhibitory action on melanin production and being useful as a whitening agent, and a skin external preparation containing the compound. The whitening agent of the present invention comprises, as an active ingredient, a heterocyclic compound represented by formula (1) or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R1, R2, and R2? are each independently C1-3 alkyl; Y is S or O; and p is an integer of 0 to 3, wherein when p is 2 or 3, R1 may be the same or different.

Abstract: The FX index calculation server calculates the index data ISIndex(Cn)(tc) indicating its strength about each currencies, based on the rate data RD(Cn/Cm) of 28 currency pairs inputted from the RD generation server. FX automatic trading server specifies the currency pair satisfying the condition that index data ISIndex(Cn) of both of selling currency and buying currency indicates near zero (near zero), the index data ISIndex(Cn) of the buying currency is up-trend, and the selling currency is down-trend.

Abstract: A laser gain medium includes an optical medium configured to transmit a laser beam and having an incident face, a first face, a second face opposing to the first face; and gain media configured to amplify the laser beam while reflecting the laser beam. At least one of the gain media is joined on a first face of the optical medium as a first face gain medium, and at least one of the remaining gain media is joined on a second face of the optical medium as a second face gain medium. The laser beam is incident into the optical medium, and is amplified by the first face gain medium and the second face gain medium while being alternately reflected by the first face gain medium and the second face gain medium.

Abstract: A medical image recording apparatus comprising: a recording medium to record an X-ray image transmitted through a subject; and an anti-scattering member for X-rays transmitted through the recording medium or an X-ray absorbing member for the X-rays transmitted through the recording medium, wherein the anti-scattering member or the X-ray absorbing member contains a composite material containing a metal or a compound having a specific gravity of not less than 3 excluding lead or a lead compound; and an X-ray absorptance of the composite material is 30-99.99%.

Abstract: A radiation image capturing system for mammography comprising: a radiation generator exposing a subject to a radiation; an image capturing stage; a compressing plate compressing the subject; and a radiation image conversion panel recording image information of radiation transmitted through the subject, wherein, emission luminance of the radiation image conversion panel on a side opposite to a chest wall side is higher than luminance on the chest wall side.

Abstract: There is provided a business card information management system including a server and portable devices. The server includes a storage unit storing a personal table having a record containing a user ID and business card information, an acquaintance table which is associated with a record of the personal table of a certain user and has a record containing a user ID of another user, and a meeting table having a record containing meeting data. The server includes an addition unit to add a new record to the meeting table to store the meeting data. The portable device includes a data exchange unit to exchange user IDs, a date and time obtaining unit to obtain a date and time as the meeting data, and a transmission unit to transmit the meeting data, a portable device's own user ID and another user's ID to the server.

Abstract: A medical image recording apparatus comprising: a recording medium to record an X-ray image transmitted through a subject; and an anti-scattering member for X-rays transmitted through the recording medium or an X-ray absorbing member for the X-rays transmitted through the recording medium, wherein the anti-scattering member or the X-ray absorbing member contains a composite material containing a metal or a compound having a specific gravity of not less than 3 excluding lead or a lead compound; and an X-ray absorptance of the composite material is 30-99.99%.

Abstract: A medical image recording apparatus comprising: a recording medium to record an X-ray transmitted through a subject; and an anti-scattering member for X-rays transmitted through the recording medium or an X-ray absorbing member for the X-rays transmitted through the recording medium, wherein the anti-scattering member or the X-ray absorbing member contains a composite material containing a metal or a compound having a specific gravity of not less than 3 excluding lead or a lead compound.

Abstract: A medical image recording apparatus comprising: a recording medium to record an X-ray transmitted through a subject; and an anti-scattering member for X-rays transmitted through the recording medium or an X-ray absorbing member for the X-rays transmitted through the recording medium, wherein the anti-scattering member or the X-ray absorbing member contains a composite material containing a metal or a compound having a specific gravity of not less than 3 excluding lead or a lead compound.

Abstract: A housing for accommodating a radiation detecting member, has a first plate member to which radiation is incident from an outside of the housing; a second plate member arranged opposite to the first plate member; a radiation detecting member provided between the first plate member and the second plate member and having a radiation receiving surface to detect the radiation having passed through the first plate member; and a scattering radiation shielding member arranged at a radiation receiving surface side of the radiation detecting member and to eliminate scattering radiation from the radiation before the radiation is detected by the radiation receiving surface.

Abstract: A housing for accommodating a radiation detecting member, has a first plate member to which radiation is incident from an outside of the housing; a second plate member arranged opposite to the first plate member; a radiation detecting member provided between the first plate member and the second plate member and having a radiation receiving surface to detect the radiation having passed through the first plate member; and a scattering radiation shielding member arranged at a radiation receiving surface side of the radiation detecting member and to eliminate scattering radiation from the radiation before the radiation is detected by the radiation receiving surface.

Abstract: In a radiographic image reading method of reading a radiographic image on a radiographic image conversion panel and for obtaining radiographic image information; the adiographic image reading method includes steps of: reading panel discriminating information corresponding to the radiographic image conversion panel, thereby obtaining information regarding the radiographic image conversion panel; and applying image processing for the radiographic image information based on the information regarding the radiographic image conversion panel.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a vehicle headlamp which comprises an ellipsoidal light reflector having first and second focuses; a light source positioned at the first focus, so that light rays produced by the light source are reflected forward by the light reflector and converged at the second focus; a converging lens positioned in front of the second focus; a shading device positioned near the second focus for partially shading the light rays which have been reflected by the light reflector; and control means for controlling the shading characteristic of the shading device in accordance with an operation mode of the vehicle, wherein said shading device comprises a liquid crystal matrix which has a plurality of small light transmitting elements independently and electrically controlled by said control means.