Abstract: A navigation apparatus and a driving direction guiding method are capable of clearly indicating a correct direction in which a vehicle should be driven at an exit when the vehicle exits a parking area through the exit. When a position measurement unit detects that the vehicle has entered a parking area based on measured position information, a CPU clearly indicates, on a display, a correct direction in which the vehicle should be driven at an exit of the parking area so that a user can know in advance the correct direction in which to drive his/her vehicle after passing through the exit of the parking area.

Abstract: A novel adiponectin-like protein having therapeutic and/or preventive effects on arteriosclerosis and a gene encoding this protein are provided. A protein (a) comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No:3 or a protein (b) comprising an amino acid sequence resulting from deletion, substitution or addition of amino acid(s) in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 and having an activity of inhibiting the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells or salts of these proteins; and a DNA encoding the above proteins are provided.

Abstract: A signal processing unit of a radio communication section of a vehicle-mounted device mounted on a vehicle broadcasts first sets of data, each set of data including a vehicle speed and a traveling direction of the vehicle at a predetermined period when the vehicle changes the vehicle speed or the traveling direction. The signal processing unit broadcasts second sets of data including the current vehicle position, the vehicle speed, and the traveling direction of the vehicle at predetermined timing. When receiving the first data and the second data from a peripheral vehicle, the signal processing unit calculates a position of the peripheral vehicle in accordance with the first and second sets of data.

Abstract: An audio/video reproducing system, an audio/video device therein, and an audio/video reproducing method therewith are provided that allow appreciation of a great deal of audio or video using a recording medium with a small capacity. A server writes only a part of audio data read from an audio database in a recording medium. An audio reproducing device reads the audio data from the recording medium, while establishing communication connection with the server via the Internet to request lacking audio data. When an ID code and password sent from the audio reproducing device matches up with a pre-registered ID code and password, the server permits login and transmits the lacking audio data to the audio reproducing device. The audio reproducing device synthesizes the audio data read from the recording medium and the audio data sent from the server to produce complete audio data so as to reproduce audio.

Abstract: A terminal controller of a vehicle-mounted terminal includes a menu-screen obtaining unit for obtaining a menu screen including link information, a connection-status checking unit for checking the connection status of a linked server specified by each piece of the link information included in the menu screen, and a display processing unit for displaying the menu screen within a display such that the connection status of each linked server checked by the connection-status checking unit can be recognized.

Abstract: Communication data is relayed to vehicle-mounted terminals in vehicles traveling in a particular area via vehicle-mounted terminals in vehicles. Each of the vehicle-mounted terminals functioning as intermediary terminals relays communication data to vehicle-mounted terminals in vehicles existing in a particular direction only until the communication data reaches the vehicle-mounted terminal in the vehicle closest to the target position, i.e., the center of the particular area. The communication data having reached the vehicle-mounted terminal in the vehicle closest to the target position is relayed to surrounding vehicle-mounted terminals through broadcasting.

Abstract: A &bgr;-diketonatocopper(I) complex which contains as a ligand (L) an allene compound and is represented by formula (2) wherein, R6 and R7 may be the same or different and each represents linear or branched C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, or linear or branched C1-4 fluoroalkyl, R8 represents hydrogen or fluorine, and L represents the allene compound, and a process for producing the same. The complex is useful in forming a thin copper film by metal-organic vapor deposition (hereinafter abbreviated as MOCVD) method.

Abstract: A &bgr;-diketonatocopper(I) complex which contains as a ligand (L) an allene compound and is represented by formula (2) 1

Abstract: Cyclooctadiene derivative of the following formula (1): ##STR1## wherein A.sup.1, A.sup.2, A.sup.3 and A.sup.4 each independently represent COOR.sup.5 (where R.sup.5 represents a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, a phenyl group, a C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl group or CONR.sup.6 R.sup.7 (where R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group or a phenyl group), or A.sup.1 and A.sup.2, and/or A.sup.3 and A.sup.4 may be combined together to represent group(s) of: ##STR2## in which X represents an oxygen atom or NR.sup.8 {where R.sup.8 represents a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group or a phenyl group),R.sup.0, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group and an C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group,the symbol ------ represents a single or double bond, and when it is a double bond, then R.sup.1 and R.sup.