Abstract: A blood pressure measurement device accurately calculates an index useful in determining the degree of arteriosclerosis by accurately detecting a difference in time of appearance of a ejection wave and reflected wave in a blood pressure waveform. The device sets a threshold value based on an index that expresses a characteristic of the blood pressure waveform with respect to the point of appearance of the reflected wave in the blood pressure and estimates a rise point of the reflected wave by calculating an x-coordinate value of a point based on a maximum amplitude of the reflected wave and the threshold value. The device obtains the index of degree of arteriosclerosis by calculating a time difference in appearance between the ejection wave and the reflected wave based on the estimated rise point of the reflected wave.

Abstract: In an upper main body of a sample holder, a laminate of an insulative thin film and a secondary electron emission protective thin film is provided. An electron beam emitted from an electron gun enters the secondary electron emission protective thin film side. The undersurface of the insulative thin film is a sample adhesion surface, where a sample to be an observation target is held by adsorption or the like. The secondary electron emission protective thin film is made of a material having a low secondary electron emission coefficient ? and, preferably, is non-insulative. That is, the secondary electron emission protective thin film is conductive even though the electric resistance is high. Accordingly, the charge level of a site irradiated with the electron beam has a low charge level.

Abstract: A CPU detects pulse waves in a pressure signal of a cuff detected during a period of reducing pressure applied by the cuff to a measurement site and acquires blood flow sound signals corresponding to blood flow sounds occurring in the pressure reduction period. Then, data for a pulse wave envelope that associates the amplitude values of the detected pulse waves with the pressurizing pressures at the pulse wave generation times, and data for a blood flow sound envelope that associates the amplitude values of the blood flow sound signals with the pressurizing pressures at the blood flow sound generation times are generated, and the data for the pulse wave envelope and the data for the blood flow sound envelope are used to determine whether or not there is periodic variation in the blood pressure during the pressure reduction period.

Abstract: The blood pressure measurement apparatus includes a pressure sensor that detects the pressure in a cuff and outputs a cuff pressure signal, and a pulse wave detection unit that detects a pulse wave in the cuff pressure signal. The pulse wave detection unit includes an analog HPF that extracts a high-frequency component from the cuff pressure signal, an A/D conversion unit, a signal storage unit that stores a signal obtained by performing A/D conversion on the cuff pressure signal detected at the time when the pressurizing pressure changes from increasing to decreasing, a subtraction unit that subtracts the signal stored by the signal storage unit from an output signal of the A/D conversion unit, and a digital HPF that extracts a high-frequency component from the output signal of the subtraction unit.

Abstract: A CPU of a blood pressure measurement apparatus configured to be used while attached to a wrist of a measurement subject calculates an inclination angle formed by a forearm of the measurement subject with respect to a reference plane, and a rotation angle about an axis, where the forearm is used as the axis, of the blood pressure measurement device, based on information detected by an acceleration sensor, and uses the distance d between the radial artery and the ulnar artery that pass through the wrist, the inclination angle, and the rotation angle to determine the relative positional relationship between the radial artery and the ulnar artery. In accordance with the relative positional relationship, the CPU guides the measurement orientation of the measurement subject.

Abstract: A pulse measurement device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a data obtainment unit that obtains a pulse wave signal by detecting a pulse wave using a pulse wave sensor, an exercise intensity obtainment unit that obtains an exercise intensity signal by detecting movement using a body movement sensor, a storage unit that stores the pulse wave signal, a frequency conversion unit that finds a frequency spectrum of the pulse wave signal by converting the time-domain pulse wave signal into a frequency domain, a searched range setting unit that sets a searched frequency range for searching for an intensity peak along a frequency axis of the frequency spectrum, a peak extraction unit that extracts an intensity peak from the searched frequency range, and a pulse rate calculation unit that finds a pulse rate of the measurement subject based on a frequency of the extracted intensity peak.

Abstract: A piezoelectric pump is provided with an actuator containing a piezoelectric element and a vibrating sheet; a first diaphragm, positioned opposite the actuator, with a first connecting hole provided therein; a pump chamber formed by the space between the actuator and the first diaphragm; and a second diaphragm positioned opposite the first diaphragm. The part of the second diaphragm opposite the first connecting hole is provided with an opposing wall portion that prevents a fluid that has been introduced into the pump chamber via the first connecting hole from flowing back towards a suction side via the first connecting hole.

Abstract: A pulse wave analysis device stores a pulse waveform for multiple beats, and calculates a pulse wave analysis index by analyzing the pulse waveform. In the calculation of the pulse wave analysis index, pulse waveform shapes of each beat that constitute the pulse waveform for multiple beats are integrated, and beats for which a degree of approximation between the integrated pulse waveform shape and the pulse waveform shape of the beat is low are excluded as targets of calculation of the pulse wave analysis index.

Abstract: In a fluid control device, a check valve includes a first valve housing and a first diaphragm. The first diaphragm defines a first valve chamber and a second valve chamber. An exhaust valve includes a second valve housing and a second diaphragm. The second diaphragm defines a third valve chamber and a fourth valve chamber. The check valve is opened and closed by a difference in pressure between the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber. The exhaust valve is opened and closed by a difference in pressure between the third valve chamber and the fourth valve chamber.

Abstract: In a fluid control device, a check valve includes a first valve housing and a first diaphragm. The first diaphragm defines a first valve chamber and a second valve chamber. An exhaust valve includes a second valve housing and a second diaphragm. The second diaphragm defines a third valve chamber and a fourth valve chamber. The check valve is opened and closed by a difference in pressure between the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber. The exhaust valve is opened and closed by a difference in pressure between the third valve chamber and the fourth valve chamber.

Abstract: A control amplitude and a control frequency of a voltage applied to a piezoelectric pump are determined, control is carried out so that a voltage at the determined control amplitude and control frequency is applied to the piezoelectric pump, and a blood pressure value is calculated based on a cuff pressure detected by a pressure detection unit during inflation when the cuff pressure is increased by the piezoelectric pump. The amplitude of the voltage is controlled in predetermined steps, and a voltage having an amplitude that is a value above the control amplitude by at least one step and a voltage having an amplitude that is a value below the control amplitude by at least one step are applied, in a predetermined order, so that the control is the same or essentially the same as when a voltage at the determined control amplitude is applied.

Abstract: When injection of electrons into a sample supporting member causes a potential gradient between an insulative thin film and a conductive thin film at a site of electron beam injection, the potential barrier of the surface of the insulative thin film becomes thin, and an electron emission phenomenon is caused by tunnel effects. Secondary electrons caused in the insulative thin film tunnel to the conductive thin film along the potential gradient. The secondary electrons, having tunneled, reach a sample while diffusing in the conductive thin film. In the case where the sample is a sample with a high electron transmittance, such as a biological sample, the secondary electrons also tunnel through the interior of the sample. The secondary electrons are detected to acquire an SEM image in which the inner structure of the sample is reflected.

Abstract: A specimen supporting member (10) includes: a specimen supporting film (11) such as a silicon nitride film, a carbon film, and a polyimide film; an X-ray radiation film (13) provided on one principal surface of the specimen supporting film, and for radiating a characteristic X-ray in a soft X-ray region upon irradiation with charged particles; and a specimen adsorption film (12) which is a metal film provided on another principal surface of the specimen supporting film (11), and which fixes by adsorption a specimen (1) to be observed. Since a protein which is a constitutive substance of a biological specimen has a characteristic to easily adsorb to a metallic ion, a specimen adsorption film (12) is formed on one principal surface of the specimen supporting film (11) so that an observation specimen adsorbs thereto.

Abstract: A measurement device includes a blood pressure measurement unit that measures blood pressures in the upper and lower limbs, a pulse wave measurement unit that measures pulse waves in the upper and lower limbs, a first index calculation unit that calculates an ABI by calculating the ratio of the blood pressures in the upper and lower limbs, a second index calculation unit that calculates a second index used for evaluation of the ABI using the pulse waves in the upper and lower limbs, an evaluation unit that evaluates the reliability of the ABI using the ABI and the second index, and an output unit that outputs the ABI along with the result of evaluation.

Abstract: A measurement device includes a detection device to detect a pulse wave signal at a first measurement location in a vascular pathway from the heart of a measurement subject to an area where an arterial aneurysm is predicted to occur and a pulse wave signal at a second measurement location in a vascular pathway from the heart of the measurement subject to an area that is different from the area where an arterial aneurysm is predicted to occur, a comparison device to calculate a comparison result by comparing frequency characteristics between the pulse wave signals, and a determination device to determine at least one of the presence/absence and size of an arterial aneurysm based on a predetermined characteristic amount for a frequency contained in the comparison result.

Abstract: A measurement device includes a pulse wave measurement unit for measuring a pulse wave, and a calculation unit for calculating a predetermined parameter value from the pulse wave, and calculating an index value corresponding to Ankle Brachial Blood Pressure Index as an index value of arteriostenosis using the parameter value.

Abstract: Observation samples in a sample solution are held due to absorption or the like on a rear face of a first X-ray transmission film. In a mirror body, while an X-ray emission film and X-ray transmission films are bent to be convex outward due to a pressure difference, an X-ray transmission film is bent to be convex toward the X-ray transmission film side due to gas expansion in a second cavity part. This bending results in widening of a gap between the first and second X-ray transmission films in their center part more compared with a gap between their end parts. However, there is almost no change between the X-ray transmission films.

Abstract: A phase line tilt calculating unit (actual measurement) receives phase characteristics Pa(f) and Pb(f) outputted from frequency conversion units, and calculates phase difference characteristics of actual measurement based on a phase difference on each frequency component between the phase characteristics. A phase line tilt calculating unit (model) calculates phase difference characteristics between a transfer function Ga(f) and a transfer function Gb(f) calculated by a transfer function calculating unit, and outputs the calculated phase difference characteristics to a search unit. The search unit fits a variable k and determines a variable kopt (optimum solution) in which a tilt g(k) and a tilt gexp substantially match each other. The variable kopt is an index indicating a degree of arterial sclerosis of a subject.

Abstract: A cuff of a pulse wave meter equipped with an arteriosclerosis degree judgment device has air bags for compressing a living body having a double structure along an artery including an avascularization air bag and a pulse-wave measuring air bag. Provided at outer circumferential sides of these air bags are a curler for integrally pressing these air bags against an upper arm, and an air bag for pressing the curler from the outer circumferential side. A member for suppressing vibrations is provided between a curler-compressing air bag and the pulse-wave measuring air bag, and suppresses propagation of vibrations from the curler-compressing air bag to the pulse-wave measuring air bag. The pulse wave meter measures a pulse wave based on changes in internal pressure in the pulse-wave measuring air bag while the avascularization air bag provides avascularization at the peripheral side.

Abstract: A blood pressure measurement device includes a cuff, a display, a distance sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a CPU. The display displays a positional relationship between the patient's heart and the device, which includes a flat screen. The distance sensor measures a distance between the device and the patient, and detects a subject to be measured on a line perpendicular to the flat screen of the display and measures the distance. The acceleration sensor measures an angle of inclination of the device when mounted on the patient's wrist. The CPU calculates a positional relationship between the patient's heart and the device based on the distance between the device and the subject to be measured, the angle of inclination of the device mounted on the patient's wrist, the length of the patient's forearm and upper arm, and a vertical distance between the patient's shoulder and heart.