Abstract: In order to predict demand, in a demand prediction computing unit (100) a dealer demand prediction computing unit (200) predicts a demand for a dealer, a corporation demand prediction computing unit (300) predicts a demand for a corporation, and a totaling unit (400) totals the predicted demand for the dealer and the predicted demand for the corporation, predicting thereby an aggregate demand. The dealer demand prediction computing unit (200) takes the attribute of the dealer into account and predicts the demand, and the corporation demand prediction computing unit (300) takes the attribute of the corporation into account and predicts the demand. In this manner the attribute of a demander (customer) is taken into account and demand is predicted, and therefore the prediction accuracy is improved.

Abstract: The hole drilling process is for drilling a hole on a supported tube sheet by using a first drilling tool that can drill a hole with a diameter smaller than that of a mounting hole that is to become a target hole, and a second drilling tool that can drill a hole with a diameter equal to the diameter of the target hole, the process including: a temporary hole drilling step in which a temporary hole with a predetermined depth set beforehand is drilled by moving the first drilling tool to a drilled position set beforehand; a hole measuring step in which a distance (S) between an existing mounting hole and the temporary hole; a drilled position correcting step in which the drilled position is corrected based upon the distance (S) between the mounting hole and the temporary hole.

Abstract: A broaching device is provided with puller heads (132,134) that hold tip portions of broaches (116) and are supported in a horizontally freely movable manner, main motors (136, 140) capable of moving the puller heads (132, 134), retriever heads (133,135) that hold base end portions of the broaches (116) and are supported in a horizontally freely movable manner, sub motors (138,142) capable of moving the retriever heads (133,135), and a control device (117) that enables the puller heads (132,134) and the retriever heads (133, 135) to be synchronized with each other and to move at a fixed speed by controlling the motors (136,138,140,142), whereby machining accuracy can be improved.

Abstract: A hole drilling device and method include a drilling head (61), a plurality of hole drilling tools (63) detachably attached to the drilling head (61), a driving device (64) for allowing the drilling head (61) to move in the radial direction and axial direction of attachment holes (60) to be formed on a tube sheet (45), and a control device (65) for driving the driving device (64). The hole drilling tools (63) are disposed, in relation to the drilling head (61), along the arrangement direction of the attachment holes (60) and at an equal interval from one another, said interval being an integer multiple equal to or greater than double the pitch of the attachment holes (60); and the control device (65) drives the driving device (64).

Abstract: [Object] To provide a method for improving the quality of at least one member selected from breads, noodles, and confectioneries so that a soft texture (softness) and a moist texture (a moisture retaining property) are imparted, and the member is less susceptible to retrograding or aging even after the elapse of a certain period of time after production (retrogradation or aging is suppressed or prevented), and also to provide an agent to be used in the method.

Abstract: A cable coupler including an external cylinder mechanism having an inner conductor for electrically connecting the inner conductor itself to the outer conductors of the shielded cables, an outer conductor having a larger diameter than the inner conductor, a gap portion disposed between the inner conductor and the outer conductor, and capacitors arranged in the gap portion, for electrically connecting between the outer conductor and the inner conductor, an inner potion of the external cylinder mechanism being able to be opened and closed along a longitudinal direction, an internal coupling mechanism placed inside the inner conductor and having connecting pins for holding the core wires of the shielded cables, for electrically connecting between the core wires of the shielded cables, and a base for holding the external cylinder mechanism and for electrically connecting the external cylinder mechanism to an external conductor.

Abstract: Metal oxide nanoparticles, production method thereof, light-emitting element assembly, and an optical material are provided. A method of producing metal oxide nanoparticles includes the steps of (A) mixing a first metal alkoxide containing a first metal, a second metal alkoxide containing a second metal different from the first metal, and a surfactant under an inert atmosphere to prepare a reaction solution; and (B) mixing a reaction initiator prepared by mixing a catalyst with a solvent and the reaction solution, and then heating the mixture of the reaction initiator and the reaction solution under an inert atmosphere to produce metal oxide nanoparticles which have a rutile-type crystal structure based on an atom of the first metal, an atom of the second metal, and an oxygen atom, and the surfaces of which are coated with the surfactant.

Abstract: An optical material is provided. The optical material includes a nanoparticle-resin composite material in which metal oxide nanoparticles are dispersed in a polymer, wherein the metal oxide nanoparticles are crystalline and have a particle diameter of 1×10?8 m or less, wherein surfaces of the metal oxide nanoparticles are coated with a surfactant, and wherein the metal oxide nanoparticles are crystallized at a temperature greater than or equal to 200° C. and less than or equal to 400° C. A light assembly including the nanoparticle-resin composite material is also provided.

Abstract: A fuel injection control system for a motorcycle includes an ECU (Engine Control Unit) which calculates the amount of fuel to be injected by an injector based on data detected by various sensors. The fuel injection control system also includes a generator which supplies electric power to the injector and the ECU, and is driven in accordance with the engine, and a kick pedal for manually starting the engine by manually driving the generator with a user's foot. The ECU is configured to acquire data detected by the sensors at shorter intervals during a predetermined period before starting the engine than after the engine is started.

Abstract: A UV-curable resin material composition coating liquid is provided and includes a UV-curable resin material composition dissolved or dispersed in a nonpolar solvent or a substantially nonpolar mixed solvent. The UV-curable resin material composition includes a monomer and/or an oligomer thereof that have two or more (meth)acryloyl groups, and affinity to a nonpolar solvent, modified hollow silica fine particles altered to have affinity to a nonpolar solvent by introduction of an aliphatic hydrocarbon group to surfaces of hollow silica fine particles, and a polymerization initiator.

Abstract: A control system for an engine includes a regulator with an output waveform which includes a plurality of waves, each wave having a peak portion, a first portion located on a front side of the peak portion, and a second portion located on the other side of the peak portion, the second portion exhibiting a more rapid change in voltage than the first portion. An ECU is configured to turn on a fuel injector of the engine at a first timing and turn off an ignition plug of the engine at a second timing, the first and second timings corresponding to a shift in waveform output from the peak portion toward the first portion of a first wave and a second wave, respectively. The waveform shift corresponds to a predetermined angular shift in the rotational position of a crankshaft of the motorcycle engine of preferably about 3°.

Abstract: A computer aided design system and a computer aided design program which can greatly increase the utility of a computer aided design model, and can improve the efficiency of design and production processes, by adopting a curved surface theory which ensures the continuity of a free-form line or surface. A computer executes: a point sequence information extraction process for extracting a plurality of point sequences on a curved surface; a dividing process for generating a curved surface from the point sequences and dividing the curved surface into a predetermined number of mesh points; a first fundamental form computing process for computing coefficients of the first fundamental form; a second fundamental form computing process for computing coefficients of the second fundamental form; and a storage process for storing the point sequence information, the coefficients of the first fundamental form and the coefficients of the second fundamental form.

Abstract: A method of correcting an output of a NOx sensor including: a first step of obtaining a sensor-variation relational expression based on a relationship between an Ip2/Ip0 value and an output change percentage for a calibration sensor; a second step of obtaining, from the relational expression, an output change percentage ? that corresponds to an Ip2/Ip0 value of a subject NOx sensor; a third step of calculating a pressure correction coefficient ? based on the obtained ?; and a fourth step of performing output correction on the subject NOx sensor by calculating the pumping current Ip2(p0) under a reference pressure based on the pumping current Ip2(p) and a pressure p of the measurement gas which are detected upon measurement of the NOx concentration in the measurement gas.

Abstract: [Problems] A neck pad capable of enhancing fitting feeling to the neck and effectively warming or cooling the neck and its vicinity. [Means for Solving Problems] A neck pad for attaching to the neck comprising a housing unit (1) disposed at the back of the neck to house a cooling element or a heating element, and a pair of winding portions (2) connected with the opposite ends of the housing unit (1), constructed to be gradually more slender toward the tip ends, and arranged to be passed around the neck.

Abstract: A straddle-type vehicle that omits a main switch without requiring a special operation to start the engine when battery power is supplied to engine-related electrical components. An electrical circuit has a pickup sensor that detects that the engine is in a start preparation state. An ECU connects an ignition coil, injector and fuel pump with the battery when the start preparation state is detected.

Abstract: A method of producing metal oxide nanoparticles includes the steps of (A) mixing a metal alkoxide, a surfactant, and a first organic solvent under an inert atmosphere to prepare a reaction solution, (B) mixing a reaction initiator prepared by mixing a catalyst with a solvent and the reaction solution under an inert atmosphere and heating to produce an intermediate product, and (C) mixing the intermediate product with a second organic solvent followed by heating the mixture of the intermediate product and the second organic solvent under an inert atmosphere to prepare metal oxide nanoparticles, the surfaces of which are coated with the surfactant.

Abstract: A gas sensor includes a first space for a measurement gas from a gas-introducing hole via a first diffusion rate-determining section, a main pumping means for controlling a partial pressure of oxygen in the measurement gas introduced into the first space to have a predetermined value, a second space for the measurement gas from the first space via a second diffusion rate-determining section, and a measuring pumping means for reducing or decomposing a NOx component in the measurement gas introduced from the second space via a third diffusion rate-determining section so that oxygen produced thereby is pumped out to detect a current generated by pumping out the oxygen. A ratio (Wc/We) between a width (We) of an end of a sensor element and a width (Wc) of the gas-introducing hole is not less than 0.3 and less than 0.7.

Abstract: An organic layer capable of forming surface areas having an adsorption property different from that of a periphery due to the chemical change of a surface functional group is formed on a board. The surface of the organic layer is patterned and oxidized by a scanning probe microscope to form an array pattern in which small sections for adsorbing nanoparticles are arranged. Then, nanoparticle dispersed solution is applied to the organic layer having the array pattern or the organic layer is dipped in the nanoparticle dispersed solution to form a particle layer on the organic layer. At this time, the nanoparticles in the nanoparticle dispersed solution are respectively fixed only onto the small sections. Therefore, a nanoparticle array on which groups of nanoparticles are arranged in an array can be obtained. Thus, the nanoparticle array on which the groups of the nanoscale particles are arranged on the board is efficiently formed.

Abstract: A vehicle inclination angle detector is configured to suppress the difference between an actual vehicle inclination angle and a calculated vehicle inclination angle to allow for stable detection of the same. The detector includes a vertical acceleration sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, an inclination angle calculating module and a calculation cancelling module. A detection direction of the vertical acceleration sensor with respect to the vehicle is determined such that its acceleration in the gravity direction is detected when the vehicle is in a non-inclined state. Acceleration in the lateral direction is detected when the vehicle is in the non-inclined state. The inclination angle calculating module calculates an inclination angle of the vehicle in the lateral direction based on the detected vertical acceleration and the lateral acceleration.

Abstract: A fuel injection control system for a motorcycle includes an ECU (Engine Control Unit) which calculates the amount of fuel to be injected by an injector based on data detected by various sensors. The fuel injection control system also includes a generator which supplies electric power to the injector and the ECU, and is driven in accordance with the engine, and a kick pedal for manually starting the engine by manually driving the generator with a user's foot. The ECU is configured to acquire data detected by the sensors at shorter intervals during a predetermined period before starting the engine than after the engine is started.