Abstract: A slit having a predetermined width and a predetermined length is formed in a longitudinal direction from a middle of a distal edge of a tip of a flat wire. Next, one of a left strip and a right strip is brought upward and the other is brought downward, and then the left strip and the right strip vertically separated are laterally brought close to each other. Finally, the left strip and the right strip are vertically pressed to abut against each other.

Abstract: A slit having a predetermined width and a predetermined length is formed in a longitudinal direction from a middle of a distal edge of a tip of a flat wire. Next, one of a left strip and a right strip is brought upward and the other is brought downward, and then the left strip and the right strip vertically separated are laterally brought close to each other. Finally, the left strip and the right strip are vertically pressed to abut against each other.

Abstract: A tire appearance inspection apparatus and method employing image processing is capable of performing tire appearance inspection with great accuracy. The tire appearance inspection apparatus includes a sectional shape acquiring device for acquiring cross-sectional shapes of a tire in the radial direction along the circumference of the tire, an arc fitting device for fitting an arc to each of the cross-sectional shapes, an arc center position calculating device for calculating the center positions of the arcs, and a sectional shape aligning device for aligning the cross-sectional shapes using the center positions of the arcs for the cross-sectional shapes.

Abstract: In the present invention, a cardiomyocyte cluster is disposed on a transparent substrate, and the quality of the cardiomyocytes is evaluated from the response of the cells to a forced pulsation stimulus applied to the cardiomyocytes. The cardiomyocyte cluster is disposed on the transparent substrate, and is exposed to the flow of a liquid containing an agent in a manner so that the agent acts on the cells, which configure a network. The extent of cardiac toxicity resulting from the agent is evaluated from measuring the fluctuations obtained from a comparison of adjacent cardiomyocytes of the network.

Abstract: Regarding cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts, it is meaningful to develop a device or system whereby, upon the transmission of pulsation from an adjacent cardiomyocyte or fibroblast, cell potential and cell morphology can be accurately measured on a single cell basis and the toxicity of a drug on cardiomyocytes can be examined on the basis of accurately measured cell potential and cell morphology of a single cell. In the present invention, a mass of cardiomyocytes is disposed on a transparent substrate and the qualities of the cardiomyocytes are evaluated depending on the response of the cardiomyocytes to a forced pulsation stimulus that is applied to the pulsating cardiomyocytes. A mass of cardiomyocytes, said mass being disposed on the transparent substrate, is exposed to a flow of a drug-containing liquid so as to allow the drug to act on cells configuring a network.

Abstract: A method wherein a mass of cardiomyocytes is disposed on a transparent substrate and the quality of the cardiomyocytes is evaluated from the response of the cardiomyocytes to a forced pulsation stimulus that is applied to the pulsating cardiomyocytes. The mass of cardiomyocytes, which is disposed on the transparent substrate, is exposed to the flow of a drug-containing liquid in such a manner as to allow the drug to act on cells configuring a network. The level of cardiotoxicity caused by the drug is evaluated by measuring the fluctuations obtained from a comparison of adjacent pulsating cardiomyocytes of the network.

Abstract: Provided is a device and a method for examining myocardial toxicity, which can be realized in vitro in an equivalent manner as those conventionally carried out in vivo. A cell population as a pulsating pacemaker is arranged on a transparent substrate. Myocardial pulsating cells are arranged while being spaced apart appropriately. Fibroblast cells are arranged with/connected to the myocardial pulsating cells to form a cell network. Each of the myocardial pulsating cells and fibroblast cells forming the network is arranged on a transparent electrode provided on the transparent substrate. The cells forming the network are exposed to a flow of a solution containing a drug and QT delay due to the drug is evaluated.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus for automatically measuring the height, the dimensions of the inner and outer surfaces, and the shape of a cylindrically-shaped object. The measuring apparatus includes a measuring head vertically moving along a positioning guide supported by a support post integral with a measuring table, a height displacement measuring device, which comprises a laser distance meter provided on the measuring table, and an arithmetic processing unit. The measurement starts as the measuring head is raised by a weight from a measuring start position of the measuring table. The inner and outer surfaces of a tire are measured based on the measurements by an inner surface measuring device provided with three laser distance meters mounted to the measuring head and an outer surface measuring device having a laser distance meter and the displacement change measurement of the measuring head by the height displacement measuring device.

Abstract: In the present invention, a cardiomyocyte cluster is disposed on a transparent substrate, and the quality of the cardiomyocytes is evaluated from the response of the cells to a forced pulsation stimulus applied to the cardiomyocytes. The cardiomyocyte cluster is disposed on the transparent substrate, and is exposed to the flow of a liquid containing an agent in a manner so that the agent acts on the cells, which configure a network. The extent of cardiac toxicity resulting from the agent is evaluated from measuring the fluctuations obtained from a comparison of adjacent cardiomyocytes of the network.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for evaluating a drug effect enabling on-chip evaluation of the effect of a drug while the drug is acting on hERG-expressing cells. The present invention also provides a myocardial toxicity test apparatus and method therefor enabling in vitro myocardial toxicity testing that has previously been performed in vivo. A pulsating cell population and hERG-expressing cells (target model cells) are suitably isolated and arranged on a transparent substrate so that the two form gap junctions. The hERG-expressing cells are arranged on transparent electrodes provided on the transparent substrate. The hERG-expressing cells are exposed to a flow of a liquid containing a drug such that the drug acts thereon. The difference between the normal pulsation of hERG-expressing cells and the pulsation when a drug is acting thereon is captured via electric signals obtained from electrodes, and the properties of the change in potential are evaluated.

Abstract: An image of respective figures is cut out by selecting a figure from tire CAD drawings, and an arranging position of the figure is set in accordance with a distance in a radial direction form a tire center and a deformed angle in a circumferential direction of the tire from a designated location, so that a height of respective regions of the cut-out image is set. Then, the cut-out image is transformed into an image having a gray scale in accordance with the height by using the height information of respective regions, and, at an arranging position of the figure, the image having a gray scale is sampled by a predetermined interval in a radial direction from a tire center and is sampled by a predetermined angle interval in a circumferential direction of the tire, so that master data are created by the image and a distance between intersecting points becomes equal.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a broadband transition to joint a via structure and a planar transmission line in a multilayer substrate is formed as an intermediate connection between the signal via pad and the planar transmission line disposed at the same conductor layer. The transverse dimensions of the transition are equal to the via pad diameter at the one end and strip width at another end; the length of the transition can be equal to the characteristic dimensions of the clearance hole in the direction of the planar transmission line or defined as providing the minimal excess inductive reactance in time-domain according to numerical diagrams obtained by three-dimensional full-wave simulations.

Abstract: A tire appearance inspection apparatus and method employing image processing is capable of performing tire appearance inspection with great accuracy. The tire appearance inspection apparatus includes a sectional shape acquiring device for acquiring cross-sectional shapes of a tire in the radial direction along the circumference of the tire, an arc fitting device for fitting an arc to each of the cross-sectional shapes, an arc center position calculating device for calculating the center positions of the arcs, and a sectional shape aligning device for aligning the cross-sectional shapes using the center positions of the arcs for the cross-sectional shapes.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a broadband transition to joint a via structure and a planar transmission line in a multilayer substrate is formed as an intermediate connection between the signal via pad and the planar transmission line disposed at the same conductor layer. The transverse dimensions of the transition are equal to the via pad diameter at the one end and strip width at another end; the length of the transition can be equal to the characteristic dimensions of the clearance hole in the direction of the planar transmission line or defined as providing the minimal excess inductive reactance in time-domain according to numerical diagrams obtained by three-dimensional full-wave simulations.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tire surface inspecting technique capable of surely discriminating rubber pieces of a quality different from that of a tire embedded in the surface of the tire by vulcanization from the tire. A first illuminating unit 11 include paired first light projectors 11a and 11b that project light respectively from opposite sides toward an objective line L on a tire T. A second illuminating unit 12 include paired second light projectors 12a and 12b that project light respectively from opposite sides toward the objective line L in a direction different from that in which the first illuminating unit 11 project light. The first illuminating unit 11 and the second illuminating unit 12 operate alternately for illumination. The line camera 3 forms an image of a part of the surface of the tire corresponding to the objective line L in synchronism with the respective illuminating operations of the first and second illuminating unit.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide a device and a method for examining myocardial toxicity, which can be realized in vitro in an equivalent manner as those conventionally carried out in vivo. [Means for Solving the Problem] A cell population as a pulsating pacemaker is arranged on a transparent substrate, and then myocardial pulsating cells are arranged while being spaced apart appropriately. An appropriate number of fibroblast cells are arranged with/connected to the myocardial pulsating cells to form a cell network. Each of the myocardial pulsating cells and fibroblast cells forming the network is arranged on a transparent electrode provided on the transparent substrate. This cell network can be optically observed. The cells forming the network are exposed to a flow of a solution containing a drug.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a broadband transition to joint a via structure and a planar transmission line in a multilayer substrate is formed as an intermediate connection between the signal via pad and the planar transmission line disposed at the same conductor layer. The transverse dimensions of the transition are equal to the via pad diameter at the one end and strip width at another end; The length of the transition can be equal to the characteristic dimensions of the clearance hole in the direction of the planar transmission line or defined as providing the minimal excess inductive reactance in time-domain according to numerical diagrams obtained by three-dimensional full-wave simulations.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus for automatically measuring the height, the dimensions of the inner and outer surfaces, and the shape of a cylindrically-shaped object. The measuring apparatus includes a measuring head vertically moving along a positioning guide supported by a support post integral with a measuring table, a height displacement measuring device, which comprises a laser distance meter provided on the measuring table, and an arithmetic processing unit. The measurement starts as the measuring head is raised by a weight from a measuring start position of the measuring table. The inner and outer surfaces of a tire are measured based on the measurements by an inner surface measuring device provided with three laser distance meters mounted to the measuring head and an outer surface measuring device having a laser distance meter and the displacement change measurement of the measuring head by the height displacement measuring device.

Abstract: A via transmission line for a multilayer printed circuit board (PCB) in which a wave guiding channel is formed by a signal via or a number of signal vias, an assembly of ground vias surrounding the signal via or corresponding number of coupled signal vias, a set of ground plates from conductor layers of the multilayer PCB, and a clearance hole.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for evaluating a drug effect enabling on-chip evaluation of the effect of a drug while the drug is acting on hERG-expressing cells. The present invention also provides a myocardial toxicity test apparatus and method therefor enabling in vitro myocardial toxicity testing that has previously been performed in vivo. A pulsating cell population and hERG-expressing cells (target model cells) are suitably isolated and arranged on a transparent substrate so that the two form gap junctions. The hERG-expressing cells are arranged on transparent electrodes provided on the transparent substrate. The hERG-expressing cells are exposed to a flow of a liquid containing a drug such that the drug acts thereon. The difference between the normal pulsation of hERG-expressing cells and the pulsation when a drug is acting thereon is captured via electric signals obtained from electrodes, and the properties of the change in potential are evaluated.