Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a technique to inhibit methanogens from producing methane. The use of Alcaligenes faecalis can inhibit methanogens from producing methane.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a technique to inhibit methanogens from producing methane. The use of Alcaligenes faecalis can inhibit methanogens from producing methane.

Abstract: A combination electrode for ion concentration measurement is provided including a glass electrode and a reference electrode whose internal electrode is made of silver-silver chloride, wherein a sealing means is provided configured to seal an upper surface of a reference electrode chamber formed in an outer tube which houses an internal electrode and an internal solution of the reference electrode, and around a glass support tube penetrating the outer tube along a substantially center axis thereof an annular silver member which the glass support tube penetrates along a center axis thereof, annular sealing elastic members for liquid-tightly sealing a space between the silver member and the glass support tube, and a space between the silver member and the outer tube, respectively, and the reference electrode internal electrode is connected to a terminal for a reference electrode through the silver member.

Abstract: A method of certifying the existence of electronic information released on a network at a time and date. The network connects one or more computer servers and a plurality of client computers with each other. Electronic information of a web page stored in one of the plurality of client computers is accessed using information of its location from one of the computer servers based on a request from one of the client computers. A copy of the electronic information is then obtained. Attribute information is generated from the location, access time, and date when the electronic information is accessed. An electronic certificate may be generated by uniquely specifying the electronic information and the attribute information as inherent information identifying the electronic information. The copy of the electronic information is stored in a memory by tying up the electronic information with the electronic certificate and the attribute information.

Abstract: A method of certifying the existence of electronic information released on a network at a time and date. The network connects one or more computer servers and a plurality of client computers with each other. Electronic information of a web page stored in one of the plurality of client computers is accessed using information of its location from one of the computer servers based on a request from one of the client computers. A copy of the electronic information is then obtained. Attribute information is generated from the location, access time, and date when the electronic information is accessed. An electronic certificate may be generated by uniquely specifying the electronic information and the attribute information as inherent information identifying the electronic information. The copy of the electronic information is stored in a memory by tying up the electronic information with the electronic certificate and the attribute information.

Abstract: A method of certifying the existence of electronic information released on a network at a time and date. The network connects one or more computer servers and a plurality of client computers with each other. Electronic information of a web page stored in one of the plurality of client computers is accessed using information of its location from one of the computer servers based on a request from one of the client computers. A copy of the electronic information is then obtained. Attribute information is generated from the location, access time, and date when the electronic information is accessed. An electronic certificate may be generated by uniquely specifying the electronic information and the attribute information as inherent information identifying the electronic information. The copy of the electronic information is stored in a memory by tying up the electronic information with the electronic certificate and the attribute information.

Abstract: A vibration damping tool having the following structure is provided. In the vibration damping tool, a hollow portion is formed in the interior of the distal end portion of a tool body and one end of a weight member is connected to the inner wall surface of the distal end side of this hollow portion. A gap created between the outer peripheral surface of the weight member and the inner wall surface of the hollow portion is filled with a visco-elastic body. The one end of the weight member is formed as a narrow diameter shaft portion. The tool body can be divided into two and freely removed from and reattached at a dividing surface located on the base end side of the hollow portion. A hole portion is formed inside the other end of the weight member by hollowing out the interior thereof. Chatter vibration is thus absorbed using a simple structure without there being any effects from heat generated during cutting processing.

Abstract: A photographing lens includes an aperture stop having a predetermined aperture, a first lens having a positive refractive power and a convex surface facing the object side, a second lens having a positive refractive power and aspherical surfaces on both sides, the object-side aspherical surface being concave, and a third lens having a negative refractive power and aspherical surfaces on both sides, the object side surface being convex. The aperture stop and the first, second, and third lenses are arranged in order from the object side toward the image-plane side. With such a three-unit, three element lens configuration, a proper back focus is ensured, aberrations are properly corrected, and the total lens length and thickness of the photographing lens are reduced. The photographing lens can be suitably applied to high-resolution image pickup devices with a million pixels or more.

Abstract: To obtain a small and thin zoom lens unit, the present invention includes a first lens group having a negative refractive power as a whole, a second lens group having a positive refractive power as a whole, and a third lens group having a positive refractive power as a whole, arranged from an object side to an image side. The zoom lens zooms from a short-focal end to a long-focal end and corrects image surface changes required in accordance with the zooming by means of moving the second lens group and the third lens group, wherein the first lens group includes a first lens having a negative refractive power and a prism having a negative refractive power and changing an incident light path, arranged from the object side to the image side, the second lens group including a single second lens, said third lens group including a single third lens.

Abstract: A photographing lens includes an aperture stop having a predetermined aperture, a first lens having a positive refractive power and a convex surface facing the object side, a second lens having a positive refractive power and aspherical surfaces on both sides, the object-side aspherical surface being concave, and a third lens having a negative refractive power and aspherical surfaces on both sides, the object side surface being convex. The aperture stop and the first, second, and third lenses are arranged in order from the object side toward the image-plane side. With such a three-unit, three element lens configuration, a proper back focus is ensured, aberrations are properly corrected, and the total lens length and thickness of the photographing lens are reduced. The photographing lens can be suitably applied to high-resolution image pickup devices with a million pixels or more.

Abstract: To obtain a small and thin zoom lens unit, the present invention includes a first lens group having a negative refractive power as a whole, a second lens group having a positive refractive power as a whole, and a third lens group having a positive refractive power as a whole, arranged from an object side to an image side. The zoom lens zooms from a short-focal end to a long-focal end and corrects image surface changes required in accordance with the zooming by means of moving the second lens group and the third lens group, wherein the first lens group includes a first lens having a negative refractive power and a prism having a negative refractive power and changing an incident light path, arranged from the object side to the image side, the second lens group including a single second lens, said third lens group including a single third lens.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus for generating a plasma for supplying a high-frequency power to a plasma generating device which is a load. The power supply apparatus comprises: a DC power supply; a power conversion circuit which comprises an amplifier circuit of D-class comprising a plurality of switching elements, and which converts a DC power output of the DC power supply to a high-frequency power to output; and a load impedance conversion circuit which converts a load impedance to a predetermined delayed load, wherein the power supply apparatus is adapted to supply the high-frequency power output from the power conversion circuit to a plasma generating device through the load impedance conversion circuit.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus for generating a plasma for supplying a high-frequency power to a plasma generating device which is a load. The power supply apparatus comprises: a DC power supply; a power conversion circuit which comprises an amplifier circuit of D-class comprising a plurality of switching elements, and which converts a DC power output of the DC power supply to a high-frequency power to output; and a load impedance conversion circuit which converts a load impedance to a predetermined delayed load, wherein the power supply apparatus is adapted to supply the high-frequency power output from the power conversion circuit to a plasma generating device through the load impedance conversion circuit.

Abstract: A vibration damping tool having the following structure is provided. In the vibration damping tool, a hollow portion is formed in the interior of the distal end portion of a tool body and one end of a weight member is connected to the inner wall surface of the distal end side of this hollow portion. A gap created between the outer peripheral surface of the weight member and the inner wall surface of the hollow portion is filled with a visco-elastic body. The one end of the weight member is formed as a narrow diameter shaft portion. The tool body can be divided into two and freely removed from and reattached at a dividing surface located on the base end side of the hollow portion. A hole portion is formed inside the other end of the weight member by hollowing out the interior thereof. Chatter vibration is thus absorbed using a simple structure without there being any effects from heat generated during cutting processing.

Abstract: A method of certifying the existence of electronic information released on a network at a time and date. The network connects one or more computer servers and a plurality of client computers with each other. Electronic information of a web page stored in one of the plurality of client computers is accessed using information of its location from one of the computer servers based on a request from one of the client computers. A copy of the electronic information is then obtained. Attribute information is generated from the location, access time, and date when the electronic information is accessed. An electronic certificate may be generated by uniquely specifying the electronic information and the attribute information as inherent information identifying the electronic information. The copy of the electronic information is stored in a memory by tying up the electronic information with the electronic certificate and the attribute information.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of supplying dissolved carbon dioxide to plants in an aqueous medium characterized by electrolyzing the water in the aqueous medium by electrodes disposed in the aqueous medium and supplied with electric current. At least one of the electrodes is a carbon electrode which acts as a positive electrode. The current density is supplied to the electrodes at or below the level at which no, or substantially no, gaseous oxygen is formed at the positive carbon electrode.

Abstract: A boring tool includes a concave groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of a tool body on the side opposite from a cutting blade with respect to an axis of the tool body. The concave, groove 10 is formed so as to extend from a position x, which is separated rearwardly from a front end face of a head portion, toward the rear side, and to be open downward from above a rake face. Furthermore, a sub-groove is formed between the concave groove and a chip pocket. Accordingly, the natural frequency is increased by reducing the weight of the head portion while limiting rigidity reduction, thereby restricting chattering.

Abstract: A system for transmitting map data between a parent station and a child station. The child station extracts figure data from an optical disk, specifies the retrieval range and transmits it as data for extraction to the parent station. Upon receipt, the parent station extracts the figure data including the retrieval range from the database. Then the date and/or time of update of the figure data and also of the data for extraction are checked. When the date and/or time of the update of the data for extraction is earlier, the figure data is transmitted to the child station.

Abstract: An autoclave (1) is provided with an internal table (1) upon which articles to be sterilised can be placed. The autoclave is provided with a mechanism (2, 3, 5) for shaking or vibrating the table, and thereby shaking or vibrating the liquid undergoing sterilization, resulting in a more even temperature distribution within the liquid, thereby reducing the length of time for sterilization and reducing the occurrence of flash evaporation of the culture medium. The shaking or vibration may, for example, be induced by a shaft (2) which passes sealingly through a wall of the autoclave or may be induced by a number of magnets (41) located on a ring (38) around the autoclave which magnetically attract associated magnets (35) on the table within the autoclave.

Abstract: The present invention provides a carbon dioxide-generating electrode apparatus made up of a carbon anode, the upper end part thereof being fixed to a terminal part, and a cathode disposed in a non-contacting relationship so as to face the carbon anode, characterized in that the distance between the carbon anode and the cathode is broadened relatively and continuously from the lower part toward the upper part. The distances between the carbon anode and the cathode are set to be an equal distance at positions on the same horizontal cross section, and the difference (W.sub.1 -W.sub.2) between a distance (W.sub.1) between the side face at the upper end part of the carbon anode and the inner face of the cathode from a distance (W.sub.2) between the side face at the lower end part of the carbon anode and the inner face of the cathode is preferably set to a range of 1.0 to 5.0 mm.