Abstract: Particles flowed through a micro-channel are imaged by imaging means. Particle speed measuring means determines the particle speed from the image data. Particle counting means counts the particles flowed for a predetermined time. Particle size measuring means measures the size of the particles. The measurements of the particles flowed at a predetermined timing are managed by data associating means. With this, the speed, number and size of particles flowed through a micro-channel can be determined at a time, and associated data can be obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel secretory or membrane protein expressed specifically in skeletal muscles, a nucleic acid encoding the same, an antibody against the same, useful as a prophylactic/therapeutic agent or diagnostic agent for a disease associated with an abnormality of differentiation of skeletal muscle cell or metabolism function, or as a tool for screening a drug-candidate compound effective for the prophylaxis/treatment of the disease.

Abstract: An atomizer including an air motor and a rotary atomizing head, mounted in a front side of a housing member, while a high voltage generator applying a high voltage to paint through the air motor is mounted in a rear side of the housing member. A cover member is fitted on the housing member to cover an outer surface of the housing member. Opposite axial ends of the cover member are fitted on and attached to opposite axial ends of the housing member so as to leave an annular gap space between the cover member and the housing member. The annular gap space keeps almost entire radially confront areas of the cover member and the housing member, preventing high voltage electrostatic charges on the outer surfaces of the cover member from leaking through the housing member.

Abstract: When connecting a semiconductor device such as an IC chip with a circuit board by the flip-chip method, a semiconductor device is provided without forming bumps thereon, which enables highly reliable and low cost connection between the IC chip and circuit board while ensuring suppressing short-circuiting, lowering connection costs, suppressing stress concentrations at the joints and reducing damage of the IC chip or circuit board. The bumpless semiconductor device is provided with electrode pads 2 on the surface thereof and with a passivation film 3 at the periphery of the electrode pads 2, and conductive particles 4 are metallically bonded to the electric pads 2. Composite particles in which a metallic plating layer is formed at the surface of resin particles are employed as the conductive particles 4.

Abstract: Buffer solution and blood are streamed in a channel of a micro chip so as to form layers. Aggregation inducing agent for aggregating platelets in blood is coated at a wall face on a buffer solution streaming side. If streaming amount of blood is increased in this state, a layer width of blood can be increased, and detail analysis between the aggregation inducing agent and the platelets is possible thereby. Even if it is necessary to take an image or a moving image for comparison between a pre-aggregation state and an aggregation state, it is sufficient to take only a portion where the aggregation inducing agent is coated, that is, a reaction portion. Then, a device can be made cheaper without two cameras or a moving mechanism for the camera or a micro chip.

Abstract: An atomizer, provided with an air motor and a rotary atomizing head is mounted on a front side of a housing member. An external electrode assembly, provided with support arms, electrode support members and acicular electrode members is mounted on the outer side of the housing member. A high voltage is supplied to acicular electrode members by a high voltage generator. Electrode support members are covered by a tubular cover member formed of an insulating resin film. An annular gap space is formed between the cover member and electrode support members.

Abstract: An optical termination unit is provided for allowing an optical cable to be easily projected straight in any of five directions, including upward, downward, rightward, leftward, and rearward directions, thereby enhancing the efficiency of cable laying or the like. An end securing box 150 of the optical termination unit 100 includes a two-stage multi-tiered box structure separable to two bodies, the first stage including a clamp tray 120 and the second stage including a fusion tray 130 which is provided with a lid (lid 140) thereupon. An inlet Im (m=1, 2, 3, 4, 5) for introducing the end of a second optical cable to be embedded in a wall or a pillar is provided at each face of the enclosure. Holes H1 and H2 formed on the rear face 115 are provided for securing the end securing box 150 with a nylatch n. The end securing box 150 having a rectangular solid shape has multiple holes formed therein.

Abstract: There is provided a toner cartridge capable of suppressing the use of the toner cartridge beyond its lifetime due to excessive refilling of toner, the toner cartridge including a housing 2 which forms an internal space for housing toner to be fed to an image forming apparatus and which has a filling port 6 for filling the internal space with the toner, a divider plate 4 which is pivotably supported in a swingable manner inside the housing 2 and which can divide the internal space when being hung down by gravity, and a fixing means which can fit the divider plate 4 in between an engaging projection 9 and a stopper 10 by screw-feeding the lower end of the divider plate 4 by a feed screw 3 for feeding toner and which can fix the divider plate 4 in the state of dividing the internal space.

Abstract: An atomizer including an air motor and a rotary atomizing head, mounted in a front side of a housing member, while a high voltage generator applying a high voltage to paint through the air motor is mounted in a rear side of the housing member. A cover member is fitted on the housing member to cover an outer surface of the housing member. Opposite axial ends of the cover member are fitted on and attached to opposite axial ends of the housing member so as to leave an annular gap space between the cover member and the housing member. The annular gap space keeps almost entire radially confront areas of the cover member and the housing member, preventing high voltage electrostatic charges on the outer surfaces of the cover member from leaking through the housing member.

Abstract: An atomizer (1) which is composed of an air motor (2) and a rotary atomizing head (3) is mounted in a front side of a housing member (9), outer surfaces (9A) of which are covered in a cover member (10). Further, a high voltage discharge electrode assembly (15) is provided around a front side of the housing member (9), with outer periphery of the cover member (10) circumvented by a blade ring (17) of the high voltage discharge electrode assembly (15). An edge portion (19) in the shape of a thin blade is provided at a projected rear end of the blade ring (17). Thus, electric field is concentrated at the edge portion (19) to induce a corona discharge on and around entire blade ring (17).

Abstract: A film-shaped adhesive application apparatus includes a supply reel retainer for mounting a film-shaped adhesive supply reel used to wind into a roll shape a film-shaped adhesive 1 comprising a base film and an adhesive layer formed thereon, thermocompression bonding means for thermocompression-bonding the film-shaped adhesive drawn from the film-shaped adhesive supply reel to an adherend, and a winding reel retainer for mounting a winding reel used to wind the base film of the thermocompression-bonded film-shaped adhesive, and further temperature control means (thermal shield plate, cooler, or the like) for controlling the film-shaped adhesive supply reel mounted on the supply reel retainer at a prescribed temperature.

Abstract: A conductive particle can be used for connecting a variety of adherends. The conductive particle includes a resin particle, a first conductive particle disposed around the resin particle, a first resin coating disposed on the periphery of the resin particle. The first resin coating being softer than the resin particle. A second conductive thin film is disposed therearound. When the surface part of an electrode of an adherend that is to be connected is hard, a first resin coating of the conductive particle and the second conductive thin film are destroyed by pressure to bring the second conductive thin film in contact with the electrode and a metal wiring. If the surface part of the electrode is soft, the second conductive thin film on the surface side comes in contact with the electrode, which makes it possible for the particle to be used regardless of the surface state of an adherend.

Abstract: An atomizer, provided with an air motor and a rotary atomizing head is mounted on a front side of a housing member. An external electrode assembly, provided with support arms, electrode support members and acicular electrode members is mounted on the outer side of the housing member. A high voltage is supplied to acicular electrode members by a high voltage generator. Electrode support members are covered by a tubular cover member formed of an insulating resin film. An annular gap space is formed between the cover member and electrode support members.

Abstract: Buffer solution and blood are streamed in a channel of a micro chip so as to form layers. Aggregation inducing agent for aggregating platelets in blood is coated at a wall face on a buffer solution streaming side. If streaming amount of blood is increased in this state, a layer width of blood can be increased, and detail analysis between the aggregation inducing agent and the platelets is possible thereby. Even if it is necessary to take an image or a moving image for comparison between a pre-aggregation state and an aggregation state, it is sufficient to take only a portion where the aggregation inducing agent is coated, that is, a reaction portion. Then, a device can be made cheaper without two cameras or a moving mechanism for the camera or a micro chip.

Abstract: A current sensor for detecting a full return current is connected to a high voltage generator. A leakage current detector including current sensors for detecting a leakage current is provided at the surface of the cover of a coating machine, air passages and a paint passage. Based on current detection values obtained by the current sensors, a high voltage control unit controls a power supply voltage control unit and a high voltage to be output from the high voltage generator can be raised or dropped. By employing the current detection values, the high voltage control unit can identify and provide notification of a location where the leakage current is increased and the insulation is deteriorated, and can request an operator to perform maintenance for the pertinent location. Further, upon occurrence of the insulation being deteriorated, the high voltage control unit can stop the high voltage supply.

Abstract: A film-shaped adhesive application apparatus includes a supply reel retainer for mounting a film-shaped adhesive supply reel used to wind into a roll shape a film-shaped adhesive 1 comprising a base film and an adhesive layer formed thereon, thermocompression bonding means for thermocompression-bonding the film-shaped adhesive drawn from the film-shaped adhesive supply reel to an adherend, and a winding reel retainer for mounting a winding reel used to wind the base film of the thermocompression-bonded film-shaped adhesive, and further temperature control means (thermal shield plate, cooler, or the like) for controlling the film-shaped adhesive supply reel mounted on the supply reel retainer at a prescribed temperature.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protein containing the same or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the amino acid sequence starting at Amino Acid No. 1 in the amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO:2 or 4, the nucleic acid that encodes it, a method of screening a prophylactic/therapeutic substance for a disease involved in differentiation of skeletal muscle cell and/or metabolic abnormality, which uses the protein or a nucleic acid that encodes it, and the like.

Abstract: To provide a method for preparing optically active compounds, which mainly contain (R)-amino compounds, by microbial enzymes efficiently and inexpensively; a polypeptide having stereoselective transaminase activity which can be suitably used for the above preparation method; and a DNA encoding the polypeptide. A method for preparing an optically active amino compound, characterized in stereoselectively transaminating by acting a transaminase on an amino group acceptor, a ketone compound in the presence of an amino group donor, a primary amine; a DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having stereoselective transaminase activity; and a polypeptide having stereoselective transaminase activity obtainable from a culture of a microorganism belonging to the genus Arthrobacter.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is provided. The image pickup apparatus permitting a conversion lens to be mounted and dismounted, wherein a lens hood is composed of a base portion on the mounting side and a tubular portion on the front side, the base portion and the tubular portion are detachably coupled to each other, and another lens is contained in the inside of the lens hood when the another lens is mounted on the front side of an optical system, whereby even when the conversion lens is being used, the lens hood can be used as it is, and the incident light contracting function of the lens hood can be maintained.

Abstract: When connecting a semiconductor device such as an IC chip with a circuit board by the flip-chip method, a semiconductor device is provided without forming bumps thereon, which enables highly reliable and low cost connection between the IC chip and circuit board while ensuring suppressing short-circuiting, lowering connection costs, suppressing stress concentrations at the joints and reducing damage of the IC chip or circuit board. The bumpless semiconductor device is provided with electrode pads 2 on the surface thereof and with a passivation film 3 at the periphery of the electrode pads 2, and conductive particles 4 are metallically bonded to the electric pads 2. Composite particles in which a metallic plating layer is formed at the surface of resin particles are employed as the conductive particles 4.