Abstract: A risk of breakage of a sample holder can be reduced and a biochemical sample or a liquid sample can be observed easily and with a high observation throughput. A sample holder 101 holding a sample includes: a sample chamber including a first insulating thin film 110 and a second insulating thin film 111 that sandwich and hold the sample 200 in a liquid or gel form and face each other, a vacuum partition wall inside which the sample chamber holding the sample is fixed in a state in which the thin film is exposed to a surrounding atmosphere, and whose internal space is kept at a degree of vacuum at least lower than that of the sample room at the time of observation of the sample, a detection electrode 820 disposed to face the second insulating thin film in a state in which the sample chamber is fixed to the vacuum partition wall, and a signal detection unit 50 connected to the detection electrode.

Abstract: A sample holder reliably holds a liquid or gel sample, and the yield of observation with a charged particle beam device is improved.

Abstract: In a sphygmomanometer of the present invention, a cuff is attached to a rotating shaft on a rear surface side opposite to a front surface side arranged facing a subject during blood pressure measurement. A swing mechanism maintains a tilt angle of a central axis of the cuff with respect to a horizontal plane at a certain standby angle in a standby state of an upper arm not being inserted into the cuff, and also allows the tilt angle of the cuff to become either larger or smaller than the standby angle by the upper arm being inserted into the cuff.

Abstract: A biological information measurement apparatus includes: a pressure sensor including a pressure detecting element; a pressing mechanism which presses the pressure sensor against an artery in a living body; a press controller which controls a pressing force of the pressing mechanism; a blood flow sensor; a blood flow information measurer which measures blood flow information based on output of the blood flow sensor; a pressing force decider which decides a first pressing force based on blood flow information measured during a pressing force control time period when the pressing force is changed in one direction, and information of a pressure pulse wave detected during the pressing force control time period; and a record controller which records a pressure pulse wave detected in a first state where the pressing force is controlled to the first pressing force, and blood flow information measured in the first state.

Abstract: In a sphygmomanometer of the present invention, a main body includes a slide receiving part having a circular-arc cross section that opens upward and slidably receiving a cuff unit along a direction perpendicular to the circular-arc cross-section. The cuff unit includes a cylindrical cuff structure having a fluid bag along the inner circumferential surface, and a cover having a circular-arc cross section that opens downward and detachably attached integrally with the cuff structure to cover the upper half of the cuff structure. When the cuff unit is slid along the slide receiving part, upper edges on both sides of the circular-arc cross section of the slide receiving part abut with the lower edges on both sides of the circular-arc cross section of the cover to support the weight of the cuff unit.

Abstract: A pulse wave detecting device includes: a pressure pulse wave detector which is configured to press a pressing surface in which a pressure detecting element is formed, against a radial artery under a skin of a wrist of a subject, and which is configured to detect a pressure pulse wave from the radial artery; and a housing which accommodates the pressure pulse wave detector in a state where the pressing surface is exposed toward the wrist. The housing is configured so that a compression pressure which is exerted by the housing in an attachment state where the housing is attached to the wrist, and which is applied onto the radial artery is smaller than a compression pressure which is exerted by the pressing surface in the attachment state, and which is applied onto the radial artery.

Abstract: An image forming method includes: arranging a sample between a first main surface of an insulating thin film and a counter electrode, measuring an impedance value by inputting an AC potential signal to the counter electrode, scanning a physical beam while focusing and irradiating a conductive thin film given to cover a second main surface of the insulating thin film with the physical beam to lower an insulation property of the insulating thin film directly below an irradiation position, guiding the AC potential signal to the irradiation position, and forming an image from the impedance value corresponding to the irradiation position.

Abstract: A blood pressure measuring cuff according to the present invention includes a pressing cuff which is belt-shaped, is wrapped around a part to be measured, and receives supply of a pressurizing fluid to press the part to be measured. An arterial pressure sensor for detecting pressure applied to an artery passing portion of the part to be measured by the pressing cuff is disposed at a portion of an inner peripheral surface of the pressing cuff which should face an artery of the part to be measured, separately from the pressing cuff.

Abstract: A pressure pulse wave sensor includes: a sensor chip including: a pressure-sensitive element row configured by a plurality of pressure-sensitive elements arranged in one direction; and a chip-side terminal portion placed in an end portion in the one direction of a pressure-sensitive surface on which the pressure-sensitive element row is formed, and electrically connected to the pressure-sensitive element row; and a substrate including a concave portion, the sensor chip fixed to a bottom surface of the concave portion, a substrate-side terminal portion for being electrically connected to the chip-side terminal portion is disposed on a surface of the substrate in which the concave portion is formed, and the pressure pulse wave sensor further includes: an electroconductive member connecting the chip-side terminal portion and the substrate-side terminal portion to each other; and a protective member covering the electroconductive member.

Abstract: A toothbrush of the present invention includes: a main body including a head portion having a bristle raising surface on which bristles are provided in a standing manner; a light emission unit configured to emit light through a specific region of the bristle raising surface to a tooth surface; and a light reception unit configured to receive radiated light from the tooth surface resulting from the light through the specific region, the light emission unit and the light reception unit being provided in the main body. The toothbrush also includes a detection unit configured to collectively detect whether or not dental plaque or dental calculus is present on the tooth surface based on an output from the light reception unit. The toothbrush further includes a determination unit configured to determine that dental calculus is present on the tooth surface.

Abstract: A pulse wave detecting device includes a sensor section and a control unit. The sensor section is rotatable about a first axis and is rotatable about a second axis. The control unit determines a rotation angle about the second axis and a rotation angle about the first axis in a state where a roll angle of the sensor section is controlled to the optimal roll angle. Then, the control unit, presses the sensor section against the body surface in a state where the sensor section is controlled into the optimal roll angle and the optimal pitch angle, detects a pulse wave based on pressure signals detected by pressure detecting elements during the increase, and calculates vital information based on the detected pulse wave.

Abstract: The pulse wave detecting device includes a sensor section in which two element rows consisting of a plurality of pressure detecting elements arranged in a direction B are arranged in a direction A perpendicular to the direction B, and an air bag pressing the sensor section to a body surface in a state that the direction B intersects a direction in which an artery below the body surface of a living body. An arrangement interval between the two element rows in the direction A is 5 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

Abstract: A blood pressure measurement device is equipped with a pressing surface which is formed with pressure sensors, an air bag for pressing the pressing surface toward a radius artery that runs under a skin of a living body; an air bag drive unit for controlling the pressing force of the air bag, and a control unit for calculating blood pressure values in the radius artery on the basis of pressure pulse waves that were detected by all of the pressure sensors in a process that the pressing force was increased or decreased.

Abstract: The present invention provides a PPAR? activator containing a novel PPAR? agonist (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ?) as an active ingredient, and an exercise tolerance-improving agent containing the same as an active ingredient. The present invention is a PPAR? activator containing a guanidine derivative or a biguanidine derivative as an active ingredient, wherein the PPAR? activator activates transcriptional activity of PPAR?, and the guanidine derivative and the biguanidine derivative are capable of fitting within a PPAR? ligand binding pocket in a state where a guanidino group or a biguanidino group forms a hydrogen bond with amino acid residues corresponding to each of the 413th histidine, 287th histidine, 253rd threonine and the 437th tyrosine of human PPAR?, among amino acid residues constituting an interior surface of the ligand binding pocket; and is an exercise tolerance-improving agent containing the PPAR? activator as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A pulse wave detecting device includes a sensor section and a control unit. The sensor section is rotatable about a first axis and is rotatable about a second axis. The control unit determines a rotation angle about the first axis based on DC components of pressure detecting elements included in element rows. Then, in a state where the sensor section is controlled to the optimal pitch angle, the sensor section is pressed against the body surface, and a pulse wave is detected based on pressure signals detected by pressure detecting elements in this state, and vital information is calculated based on the detected pulse wave.

Abstract: A sphygmomanometer according to the present invention includes an air leakage testing unit that performs air leakage testing on an air system to obtain an air leakage testing result, and a storage unit that stores the air leakage testing result. The air leakage testing result stored in the storage unit is displayed, on a display device, in a first display mode during a transition from a power-off state to a standby state or a non-blood pressure measurement state where a measurement start operation is disabled, or during a transition from the standby state to the power off state or the non-blood pressure measurement state where the measurement start operation is disabled, whereas, in the standby state or during blood pressure measurement, the air leakage testing result is not displayed or is displayed in a second display mode lower in degree of enhancement than the first display mode.

Abstract: A sensor assembly of the present invention includes a fluid chamber. A pressure transmitting fluid disposed facing an artery passing portion of a part to be measured via a film which forms a part of an outer wall of the fluid chamber is accommodated in the fluid chamber. A pressure sensor is provided for detecting pressure of the pressure transmitting fluid as pressure applied to the artery passing portion of the part to be measured. Plate members each having a flat shape along a longitudinal direction of a wrist as the part to be measured are disposed on a side opposite to the part to be measured along the film.

Abstract: A pulse wave detection method includes: increasing a pressing force of a pressing member for pressing a strain sensor fixed thereto against a body surface, the flexible strain sensor having a plurality of strain detection elements arranged on a substrate; determining a deformation stop timing at which deformation of a detection face of the strain sensor has been stopped based on the strain detection signal detected by each of the plurality of strain detection elements in a pressure raising process in which the pressing force is increased; setting a level of the strain detection signal detected at the deformation stop timing as a reference level; calibrating the first strain detection signal detected after the deformation stop timing based on the reference level; and generating a pressure signal from the calibrated first strain detection signal.

Abstract: A pulse wave detecting device includes a sensor section and a control unit. The sensor section is rotatable about a first axis and is rotatable about a second axis. The control unit determines a rotation angle about the second axis and a rotation angle about the first axis in a state where the sensor section is pressed against the body surface with a prescribed pressing force. After determining the optimal roll angle and the optimal pitch angle, the control unit reduces the pressing force to a reset value smaller than the prescribed pressing force and larger than zero, increases the pressing force from this state, detects a pulse wave based on pressure signals detected by pressure detecting elements during the increase, and calculates vital information based on the detected pulse wave.

Abstract: A pulse wave detecting device includes a sensor section and a control unit. The sensor section is rotatable about a first axis and is rotatable about a second axis. The control unit determines a rotation angle about the first axis, and determines a rotation angle about the second axis in a state where a pitch angle of the sensor section is controlled to the optimal pitch angle. Then, in a state where the sensor section is controlled to the optimal roll angle and the optimal pitch angle, the sensor section is pressed against the body surface, and a pulse wave is detected in this state based on pressure signals detected by pressure detecting elements, and vital information is calculated based on the detected pulse wave.