Abstract: There is provided an agent for increasing brown fat, comprising a conjugated linoleic acid as an active ingredient.

Abstract: There is provided an agent for reducing body fat, comprising as an active ingredient a dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivative represented by formula (I): wherein R1 to R6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, provided that R1 and R2 and/or R4 and R5 combine together to form a methylene or ethylene group; and n, m, and l are each 0 or 1.

Abstract: There is provided an agent for increasing brown fat, comprising a conjugated linoleic acid as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A power supplying apparatus for automotive parts can prevent not only wasteful power consumption even if an electric heater is short-circuited, but also any adverse effects on engine operation during an engine start-up operation. To this and, a heater 3 is connected to a power supply means P for heating the automotive parts. A switch 5 is connected between the power supply means P and the heater 3 for selectively switching on and off the power supply from the power supply means P to the heater.

Abstract: There is provided a method for producing conjugated linoleic acid, comprising subjecting a fat or oil containing linoleic acid to alkali isomerization reaction in an alkali-propylene glycol solution.

Abstract: The present invention provides an underground-environment simulator which simulates underground environment spaces used for radioactive waste disposal or the like, and has a hermetic box, wherein the carbon dioxide gas concentration inside the box can be adjusted to an optional level, and the atmosphere inside the box can be uniformly and stably maintained. In the underground-environment simulator of the present invention, a carbon dioxide gas feeding means feeds carbon dioxide gas into a circulating gas circulation which controls the atmosphere inside the hermetic box, and the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the circulating gas is measured and adjusted to a predetermined level while oxygen is removed from the circulating gas in an oxyhydrogen reactor. Accordingly, the carbon dioxide gas concentration can be controlled within a low concentration range, and various underground environments can be accurately simulated by varying the carbon dioxide gas concentration to an optional level.

Abstract: An apparatus for fully reducing quantization distortion of a digital signal, which includes at least one digital low-pass filter, a counter, a selector and a corrector. Each of the digital low-pass filter(s) operates to pick up predetermined low frequency components from an input digital signal while expanding downward its bit length so as to obtain an output digital signal having the expanded bit length. The counter counts the number of consecutive samples having a same quantized level before and after each sample point of the input digital signal. And, in accordance with the count value of this counter, the selector selects and outputs either the input digital signal whose bit length was expanded downward or a digital signal passed through any one of the digital low-pass filters. Further, the corrector operates to make a discontinuous point (contained in the output of the selector) continuous.

Abstract: A correlation detector capable of obtaining a more correct and natural correlation value. The correlation detector outputs a correlation value representative of autocorrelation in accordance with a sum (r+ra) of the number r of consecutive autocorrelated data items before one timing and the number ra of consecutive autocorrelated data items after the one timing.

Abstract: A sampling frequency converter capable of performing an operation of multiplications and additions at a lower speed and realizing with a small amount of hardware.

Abstract: Misfiring in an engine cylinder can be detected based on the pressure therein as sensed by a pressure sensor with a high degree of reliability at any time even if the output signal of the pressure sensor contains an offset component superposed on a pressure component representative of the actual cylinder pressure. In one form, the pressure sensor output is differentiated to eliminate the influence of the offset component and then processed to generate a power stroke pressure information signal in the form of the time of a pressure-change peak in the differentiated pressure sensor output or an integrated value of the differentiated output, which is then compared with a threshold so as to determine whether misfiring took place in the cylinder.

Abstract: A valve seating noise discriminating system discriminates valve seating noises caused by valves of a valve system in an engine from noises caused by knocking. Ignition timing can be prevented from being erroneously retarded due to the valve seating noises. A variable valve operation control unit A1 selects one of a plurality of valve operation modes. A knocking detecting unit A2 detects vibrations equivalent to knocking and issues a knocking present signal K. A valve seating noise discriminating unit A3 discriminates a valve seating noise when a level of a first knocking present signal K meets a predetermined requirement. When it is in a standby state, a cylinder number storage A4 stores a cylinder number associated with the first knocking present signal K when the valve seating noise discriminating units discriminates the valve seating noise.

Abstract: A sampling frequency converter of a compact size a for converting input data sampled at a sampling frequency of M=F * m.sub.1 * m.sub.2, . . . , * m.sub.k * m.sub.k+1 (m.sub.1, m.sub.2, . . . , m.sub.k, m.sub.k+1 are positive integers) into data sampled at a sampling frequency of N=F * n.sub.1 * n.sub.2, . . . , * n.sub.k (n.sub.1, n.sub.2, . . . , n.sub.k are positive integers). The converter includes a serial circuit of cascaded n stages of over-sampling filters Vi for over-sampling the input data by an n.sub.i -fold (i=1, 2, . . . , k) and down-sampling filters Wi for down-sampling the outputs of the over-sampling filters by an m.sub.i -fold, and a down-sampling filter W.sub.k+1 for down-sampling an output of the down-sampling filter at the stage k by an m.sub.k+1 -fold.

Abstract: A sampling frequency converter capable of obtaining data sampled by sampled pulses having a sampling frequency of 2-, 4-, or 8-fold of 44.1 kHz without using an over-sampling filter. Input data sampled by sampling pulses having a sampling frequency of 32 kHz is over-sampled by a 3-fold by a first over-sampling filter, and down-sampled by a one-2nd-fold by a first down-sampling filter. One of input data sampled by sampling pulses having a sampling frequency of 48 kHz and the output of the first down-sampling filter is selected by a first selector. The output of the selector is over-sampled by a 147-fold by a second over-sampling filter, and down-sampled by a one-20th-fold by a second down-sampling filter. The output of the second down-sampling filter is down-sampled by one-2nd-, one-4th-, and one-8th-folds respectively by third, fourth, and fifth down-sampling filters. One of the outputs of the second to fifth down-sampling filters is selected by a second selector.

Abstract: Misfiring in an engine cylinder can be detected based on the pressure therein as sensed by a pressure sensor with a high degree of reliability at any time even if the output signal of the pressure sensor contains an offset component superposed on a pressure component representative of the actual cylinder pressure. In one form, the pressure sensor output is differentiated to eliminate the influence of the offset component and then processed to generate a power stroke pressure information signal in the form of the time of a pressure-change peak in the differentiated pressure sensor output or an integrated value of the differentiated output, which is then compared with a threshold so as to determine whether misfiring took place in the cylinder.

Abstract: A knock sensor detects the vibration of an internal combustion engine and the half wave of its output of the sensor is amplified by a half wave amplifier. From the amplified output, a vibration-signal producing circuit produces a vibration signal representative of the vibration of engine in synchronism with the crank angle. An arithmetic operation unit produces a reference signal. Then a comparator compares the reference signal with the vibration signal to output a knock signal indicative of the occurrence of knocking of the engine when the vibration signal exceeds the reference signal. A gain adjusting circuit may be provided between the knock sensor and the half wave amplifier for adjusting the input level to the half wave amplifier to set the output level of the amplifier to a proper level. The half wave amplifier may be provided with a gain selecting circuit which automatically changes the gain of half wave amplifier in accordance with the level of the knock sensor output.

Abstract: Misfiring in an engine cylinder can be detected based on the pressure therein as sensed by a pressure sensor with a high degree of reliability at any time even if the output signal of the pressure sensor contains an offset component superposed on a pressure component representative of the actual cylinder pressure. In one form, the pressure sensor output is differentiated to eliminate the influence of the offset component and then processed to generate a power stroke pressure information signal in the form of the time of a pressure-change peak in the differentiated pressure sensor output or an integrated value of the differentiated output, which is then compared with a threshold so as to determine whether misfiring took place in the cylinder.

Abstract: Misfiring in a cylinder of an engine can be detected with high reliability using a statistical treatment even if the level of ion current generated by a spark plug upon ignition thereof is affected by noise. An ion current, which is generated when a spark plug for a cylinder discharges, is detected to provide a corresponding voltage which is then integrated or peak held to produce a current component signal which is generated for a predetermined time from the time of discharge of the spark plug. The current component signal is used as misfiring information and compared with a prescribed threshold so as to determine whether there is misfiring in the cylinder. Misfirings thus detected are counted so as to evaluate the state or extent of misfiring in the cylinder. If the state of misfiring is serious, the fuel supply to the cylinder is stopped.

Abstract: A cylinder identifying apparatus for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine can generate an exact reference position signal at an earliest possible time during engine start-up operation, thereby making it possible to identify predetermined reference positions of each cylinder in a highly accurate manner. A first signal generator 1 is provided on a camshaft for generating a cylinder identifying signal SC in synchronization with the rotation of the camshaft. A second signal generator 4 is provided on a crankshaft for generating, in synchronization with the rotation of the crankshaft, a pulse signal P containing a series of pulses each corresponding to predetermined first and second crank positions of each cylinder.

Abstract: A direct current power supply applies a positive voltage between the center electrode and the ground electrode of a spark plug in an internal combustion engine after discharge of the spark plug. Ionic current flowing between the electrodes due to the positive voltage is measured by a current sensor. The ionic current caused by the positive voltage is due to electrons, so it has a large magnitude and can be easily measured.

Abstract: A knock suppressing apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes: a knock sensor for sensing the vibrations of an engine and generating a corresponding output signal; an interface circuit for generating a vibration level based on the output signal of the knock sensor; a noise level detector for generating a noise level based on the vibration level; a memory for storing a basic noise level, a basic threshold level and a correction value in relation to the number of revolutions per minute of the engine; a calculator for updating the correction value based on the noise level, the basic noise level and a current engine operating condition, and generating a corrected threshold for knock determination based on the basic threshold and the updated correction value; a knock determiner for making a comparison between the vibration level and the corrected threshold and generating a knock determination signal if the vibration level exceeds the corrected threshold; and a controller for controlling, based on the kn