Abstract: The present invention comprises methods and compositions for reducing ethanol toxicity due to accumulation of acetaldehyde in a cell. A method comprises administering to a cell a composition comprising a compound that increases the expression, the amount of, and/or the activity of at least one member of the aldehyde dehydrogenase superfamily.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an information processing device includes a memory device, one or more peripheral devices, a processor, and a state controller. The processor is able to change between a first state, in which a command is executed, and a second state, in which an interrupt is awaited. When the processor enters the second state and if an operation for data transfer is being performed between at least one of the peripheral devices and the memory device, the state controller switches the information processing device to a third state in which power consumption is lower as compared to the first state. If the operation for data transfer is not being performed between any of the peripheral devices and the memory device, the state controller switches the information processing device to a fourth state in which power consumption is lower as compared to the third state.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method for producing polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) with an excellent color using biomass-derived 1,4-butanediol (BG). The invention relates to a method for producing PBT comprising a step of subjecting a diol component containing raw material 1,4-BG having a nitrogen content of 0.01 to 50 ppm by mass and a dicarboxylic acid component to esterification or ester-exchange reaction, and a polycondensation reaction step for obtaining PBT from the reactant, wherein the content of gamma butyrolactone in the raw material 1,4-BG is 1 to 100 ppm by mass.

Abstract: An optical information recording apparatus configured to record information into an information recording medium by using holography, the apparatus including: a signal generation unit configured to generate two-dimensional data; and a two-dimensional spatial light modulator unit configured to display the two-dimensional data and to spatially modulate a transmitted or reflected beam, wherein the two-dimensional spatial light modulator unit includes a signal region and an external region, the signal region displays two-dimensional data based on user data, the external region displays two-dimensional data not including the user data, and the signal generation unit generates two-dimensional data in such a manner that a frequency of the two-dimensional data displayed on the external region becomes equal to or larger than a frequency of the two-dimensional data displayed on the signal region.

Abstract: A server device stores a plurality of first messages and a plurality of second messages to be made available to a player as a result of a use condition being satisfied. The server device generates, if the use condition is not satisfied, a first message list including only the first fixed messages and generates, if the use condition is satisfied, a second message list including at least one of the second fixed messages. In response to a request from a player terminal, the server device generates, before the use condition is satisfied, data of a game screen including a selection operation area allowing a player to select a message from the first message list and generates, after the use condition is satisfied, data of a game screen including a selection operation area allowing a player to select a message from the second message list.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sustained-release injectable preparation which is in a medication administration form that can provide the effect of 7-[4-(4-benzo[b]thiophen-4-yl-piperazin-1-yl)butoxy]-1H-quinolin-2-one for a prolonged period of time, the preparation releasing a therapeutically effective amount of 7-[4-(4-benzo[b]thiophen-4-yl-piperazin-1-yl)butoxy]-1H-quinolin-2-one for at least one week. The present invention provides an injectable preparation containing 7-[4-(4-benzo[b]thiophen-4-yl-piperazin-1-yl)butoxy]-3H-quinolin-2-one or a salt thereof as an active ingredient, which releases the active ingredient in such a manner that its blood concentration is maintained for at least one week.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide high-quality 1,4BG capable of working out to a raw material of PBT with good color tone, by efficiently removing and refining impurities mixed when producing a biomass-derived 1,4BG on an industrial scale and the present invention relates to a production method of refined 1,4BG, where a crude 1,4BG-containing solution is obtained from refined raw material 1,4BG obtained by removing bacterial cells, salt contents and water from the fermentation culture medium, through a step of removing high-boiling-point components and/or low-boiling-point components by distillation and/or a step of converting an unsaturated compound to a hydride and the target product is obtained as a side stream in a further distillation step.

Abstract: At the time of producing a polyester by using a dicarboxylic acid component and a biomass-resource-derived diol as raw materials, a polyester is efficiently produced with good color tone, as the raw material diol derived from biomass resources, a diol in which the content of a cyclic carbonyl compound having a carbon atom number of 5 or 6 is from 0.01 to 12 ppm by mass, is used, and by controlling the content of a cyclic carbonyl compound having a carbon atom number of 5 or 6 in the raw material diol to fall in a prescribed range, the color tone of the polyester is improved.

Abstract: A processor unit in an electric power converter executes detection of an overheating predicted state that is a stage prior to overheating of the IGBTs, a short circuit predicted state that is a stage prior to a short circuit in the arms, and a voltage drop predicted state that is a stage prior to a drop in a control voltage to be supplied to a driver circuit. When none of these predicted states is detected, a determination that an abnormality is not caused in the power module based on a latch signal is made by the processor unit. When an overheating predicted state is detected, the processor unit lowers the duty ratio of a motor control signal. When a short circuit predicted state is detected, the processor unit prolongs the dead time in which the upper IGBTs and the lower IGBTs are both maintained in the off-state.

Abstract: Upper arm connection sections and lower arm connection sections are provided in parallel. An upper arm transformer and a power supply are provided in an area opposed to the lower arm connection sections with respect to the upper arm connection sections. A power supply control section is provided in at least one of an area opposed to the upper arm connection sections with respect to the upper arm transformer, and an area which is sandwiched between at least one of the upper and lower connection sections closest to one side of the substrate positioned in a direction in which the upper arm connection sections are arranged, and the one side. The lower arm transformer is provided in an area opposed to the upper arm connection sections with respect to the lower arm connection sections. The lower arm transformer is common to at least two of the lower arm switching elements.

Abstract: An image scaling processor includes: a coefficient computing circuit that calculates interpolation coefficients to be used in an image scaling process; a multiplier that multiplies input image data by the interpolation coefficients provided from the coefficient computing circuit such that the interpolation coefficients respectively correspond to input pixels constituting the input image data; an adder that iteratively adds pieces of multiplied data output from the multiplier and obtains a total sum of the pieces of multiplied data for a predetermined number of the input pixels; a selector that outputs a total sum of the multiplied data at a timing at which the total sum of the pieces of multiplied data is obtained for the predetermined number of the input pixels; and a shift circuit that shifts an output of the selector to adjust a bit count of the output image data to a bit count of the input image data.

Abstract: A lens barrel comprises a first zoom/focus lens group and a second zoom/focus lens group configured to respectively vary a focal distance and imaging distance by moving in an optical axis, a first actuator configured to drive the first zoom/focus lens group, a second actuator configured to drive the second zoom/focus lens group, and a drive controller configured to independently control the first actuator and the second actuator. The drive controller is configured to wobble the first zoom/focus lens group by reciprocating only the first zoom/focus lens group out of the first and second zoom/focus lens groups in a optical axis direction.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a document detecting apparatus includes a light-emitting element, a photoelectric conversion element, a light-emission controller and a detection processor. The light-emitting element projects light onto a detection position of a document. The light-emitting element is not used for reading an image of the document. The photoelectric conversion element converts light projected onto the detection position into an electric signal and outputs the electric signal. The light-emission controller changes the light quantity of the light emitted by the light-emitting element during a predetermined interval. The detection processor detects the presence or absence of the document at the detection position of the document based on whether a value of the output electric signal during the predetermined interval changes in correspondence to the change of the light quantity caused by the light-emission controller.

Abstract: A composite valve has a communication path communicating a first valve chamber with a second valve chamber, a second valve port communicating the second valve chamber with an outflow port, and a pilot passage communicating a back pressure chamber with the outflow port. In the case that a lift amount of a second valve body for a small flow rate control is equal to or less than a predetermined amount, the pilot passage is closed by a pilot valve body, and a first valve port is closed by a first valve body, thereby taking a small flow rate control state. In the case that the lift amount of the second valve body goes beyond the predetermined amount, the pilot valve body is moved up in conjunction with the upward movement of a valve shaft so as to open the pilot passage, thereby taking a large flow rate control state.

Abstract: In a disposable wearing article, front and rear waist elastics are attached between respective outer and inner sheets. An absorbent structure and leg-cuffs are attached to an inner side of the inner sheet. Lateral proximal portions of the respective leg cuffs are bonded between the absorbent structure and the inner sheet and lateral distal portions of the respective leg cuffs extend outwardly in a transverse direction beyond the absorbent structure and are not bonded to the inner sheet. These lateral distal portions are provided with a plurality of cuff elastics. Front and rear waist regions respectively include first through third sub-regions which are adjacent one to another in this order and the respective sub-regions are provided with first through third waist elastics. A tensile stress in the first and third sub-regions is higher than that in the second sub-region and the cuff elastics extend to at least the second sub-region.

Abstract: A vehicle brake apparatus capable of preventing abnormal vibration due to thickness variations in a disc rotor includes a motor drive unit configured to control the motor which presses the brake pad against the disc rotor, a brake pressure detection unit for detecting a braking pressure for pressing the brake pad, and a wheel speed sensor for detecting a rotation speed of the disc rotor. If an amount of variation in the detection values detected by the brake pressure detection unit during one rotation of the disc rotor exceeds a variation amount determination threshold value and a detection value variation frequency has a correlation with the rotation speed of the disc rotor and the detection value variation frequency exceeds a variation frequency determination threshold value, the motor drive unit controls the motor in inverted phase to the variation in the detection values.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; a first electrode electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type provided on the first semiconductor layer; a third semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type selectively provided on the second semiconductor layer; a second electrode electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer; a third electrode and a floating electrode provided from an upper surface side of the third semiconductor layer through the third semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer to the first semiconductor layer via a first insulating film; a second insulating film provided between the second electrode and the third electrode, the second electrode and the floating electrode.

Abstract: An object is to provide a highly reliable semiconductor device having stable electric characteristics by using an oxide semiconductor film having stable electric characteristics. Another object is to provide a semiconductor device having higher mobility by using an oxide semiconductor film having high crystallinity. A crystalline oxide semiconductor film is formed over and in contact with an insulating film whose surface roughness is reduced, whereby the oxide semiconductor film can have stable electric characteristics. Accordingly, the highly reliable semiconductor device having stable electric characteristics can be provided. Further, the semiconductor device having higher mobility can be provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to an exhaust control device of an engine (10) comprising a catalyst (45) in an exhaust passage (40). In this invention, the active element transforms as a solid solution in the carrier when a catalyst temperature is higher than or equal to a predetermined solid solution temperature and an atmosphere in the catalyst is an oxidation atmosphere and the active element precipitates from the carrier when the catalyst temperature is higher than or equal to a predetermined precipitation temperature and the atmosphere in the catalyst is a reduction atmosphere.

Abstract: A side airbag device for vehicle includes: a gas generator that is disposed in a seat cushion side part in a vehicular seat and generates a gas for inflation and deployment by actuation; and a side airbag in which the inside thereof is partitioned into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a up-down dividing tether having a connecting hole and the gas from the gas generator is supplied to the lower chamber.