Abstract: A switching optical antenna that includes: a waveguide including a light input end and a light output end; a ring waveguide coupled with the waveguide through a first directional coupler; a diffraction grating that is disposed within the ring waveguide and that is coupled with the ring waveguide through a second directional coupler; and a refractive index adjusting section that changes a refractive index of at least a portion of the ring waveguide.

Abstract: A nanoheterostructure includes a first inorganic component and a second inorganic component one of which is a matrix, and the other of which is three-dimensionally and periodically arranged in the matrix, and has a three-dimensional periodic structure whose average value of one unit length of a repeated structure is 1 nm to 100 nm.

Abstract: To provide a drive force transmission device that is capable of transmitting elastic energy of an elastic member to an output shaft with a simpler structure than the structure of the related art. A drive force transmission device includes a first shaft (input shaft), and a second shaft (a crankshaft, a crank disc, an intermediate shaft). A force is applied to the second shaft in a predetermined direction of rotation and in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation. The force varies in strength in association with the rotation. The first shaft is connected to the second shaft, and transmission of a drive force of the first shaft to the second shaft is enabled.

Abstract: A method of increasing the biomass of a plant that includes planting a plant having plant cells carrying an exogenous gene that encodes a thermophilic restriction enzyme that promotes double-stranded DNA breakage, and growing the plant at least until after true leaf development, wherein the mean biomass of plants having the plant cells carrying the exogenous gene that are grown at least until after true leaf development is increased in comparison with the mean biomass of plants of the same species that do not carry the exogenous gene that are grown for the same amount of time.

Abstract: A position measurement section of an on-board device measures a position of a vehicle. A travelling position identification section identifies a travelling position of the vehicle on map data based on the measured position of the vehicle and the map data. Then, a position error measurement section computes error information indicating the difference between the measured position of the vehicle and travelling position. Then, a communications section transmits the error information and the position information to a server. A communication section of the server receives the transmitted error information and position information. An error registration section stores the error information in an error database in association with the received position information. Then, for each respective item of position information, a priority level setting section sets a priority level corresponding to the position information based on the error information stored in the error database.

Abstract: An object is to provide a composite plating film excellent in the water-repellent property and oil-repellent property using a material that is less likely to accumulate in the environment, as substitute for a fluorine resin. A composite plating film is provided which includes an alloy matrix phase and a silicone dispersed in the alloy matrix phase. In the composite plating film, the silicone preferably has Hansen solubility parameters comprising a dispersion term ?D of 15 MPa1/2 or less, a polar term ?P of 3 MPa1/2 or less, and a hydrogen bonding term ?H of 3 MPa1/2 or less. The silicone preferably has an interaction radius of a Hansen solubility sphere of 5.0 MPa1/2 or less.

Abstract: A current command value calculating unit (174) calculates current command values for a rotor winding (30) and current command values for a stator winding (20) with respect to a torque command value between a first rotor (28) and a second rotor (18) and a torque command value between a stator (16) and the second rotor (18) based on an evaluation function representing a total copper loss of the rotor winding (30) and the stator winding (20) and using first and second magnetic interference models. The first magnetic interference model represents a relationship of a linkage magnetic flux ?in of the rotor winding (30) with respect to a current Iin in the rotor winding (30) and a current Iout in the stator winding (20). The second magnetic interference model represents a relationship of a linkage magnetic flux ?out of the stator winding (20) with respect to the current Iin, Iout.

Abstract: A reaction mechanism generation method comprises the steps of: carrying out the molecular dynamics calculation on atoms constituting each molecule in a reaction system in every time step; when a chemical reaction occurs in the reaction system before and after the time step, identifying a reaction molecule that contributes to the chemical reaction and a generated molecule; constituting an elementary reaction constituted by the reaction molecule and the generated molecule which are related to each other on the basis of the atom-level relation between the reaction molecule and the generated molecule; and calculating a reaction rate constant of the above-constituted elementary reaction.

Abstract: A method for producing a plant includes growing a plant from plant cells in which a promoter and a coding sequence under the control of the promoter have been artificially introduced; and selecting the plant in which an amount of phloem tissue is increased 2.0 times or more in comparison with a wild type plant of the same species. The promoter is a promoter for a gene encoding a protein having at least 60% identity with the amino acid sequence of tracheary element differentiation inhibitory factor (TDIF) receptor (TDR) of Arabidopsis thaliana. The coding sequence encodes either (i) a protein having three common sequences composed of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 3 in this order starting from the N-terminal side, or (ii) a protein having 95% or more identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5.

Abstract: A method for producing a nanoimprint transfer body includes the steps of: forming, on a substrate, a film including a block copolymer capable of microphase separation and an inorganic precursor incorporated in one polymer block component constituting the block copolymer or a polymer phase including the polymer block component; subjecting the block copolymer to microphase separation to form a microphase separated structure including the block copolymer and the inorganic precursor incorporated in the polymer block component or the polymer phase including the polymer block component; removing organic components from the microphase separated structure to form a nanostructure of an inorganic component; and forming a nanoimprint transfer body by using the nanostructure as a master mold.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a plurality of reactor vessels containing a hydrogen storage material; a hydrogen tank storing a hydrogen gas; a fuel cell; a cooling device to dissipate exhaust heat from the reactor vessels or the fuel cell to the outside; a hydrogen gas line that can switch supply routes of the hydrogen gas among the reactor vessels, the hydrogen tank, and the fuel cell; a heat exchange line that can switch circulation routes of a heat exchange medium among the reactor vessels, the fuel cell, and the cooling device; and a control mechanism to switch the supply routes of the hydrogen gas and the circulation routes of the heat exchange medium.

Abstract: A heat pump including an evaporator and an adsorber is provided. The adsorber is regenerated by applying heat from a chemical thermal storage reactor, a heat accumulator or an external heat source, at a temperature higher than or equal to a temperature to regenerate the adsorber.

Abstract: An operation mode selection unit selects an efficiency priority mode for minimizing the overall loss in a power supply system based on a load request voltage obtained in accordance with the condition of a load and on the conditions of DC power supplies, and generates a mode selection signal in accordance with the selection result. When SOC and/or output power have/has reached power supply restriction values in any DC power supply, an operation mode modification unit generates a final mode selection instructing signal so as to modify selection of the efficiency priority mode by the mode selection signal to select an operation mode in which power distribution between the DC power supplies can be controlled.

Abstract: A hot press-forming method includes a forming step that clamps a steel sheet heated to a temperature not less than an austenite transformation temperature and press-forms the steel sheet into a desired shape by causing a forming concave of a die and a convex of a punch to be close to each other. A formed portion has side and top portions that merge. The side portion rises up from an inner circumferential edge of a flange portion having been clamped by the die and the blank holder. A cooling step cools a region of the steel sheet after the heating step has been completed and before the forming step is completed. The particular region is along an inter-edge area formed between an opening circumferential edge of the forming concave and a top circumferential edge of the forming convex before the forming step is completed.

Abstract: A gas storage/supply system includes a gas storage material capable of reversibly absorbing and desorbing a gas, a gas storage tank having the gas storage material sealed therein, a chemical heat storage material capable of making a forward reaction and a reverse reaction with an operation medium, a chemical heat storage tank having the chemical heat storage material sealed therein, a heat exchange mechanism for transferring heat between the gas storage tank and the chemical heat storage tank, and a control mechanism for controlling the gas storage/supply system such that gas absorption heat released upon absorption of the gas to the gas storage material is stored in the chemical heat storage tank and gas desorption heat which is necessary for desorption of the gas from the gas storage material is supplied from the chemical heat storage tank.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide: a thermoplastic resin composition which exhibits excellent rigidity, while having excellent impact strength characteristics; and a method for producing the thermoplastic resin composition. This thermoplastic resin composition, wherein a polyolefin resin contains a polyamide resin that is dispersed therein, is characterized in that: the thermoplastic resin composition is obtained by melting and kneading a polyolefin resin and a mixed resin that is obtained by melting and kneading a polyamide resin and a compatibilizer; and the compatibilizer is a modified elastomer that is obtained by providing an elastomer (such as an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer or a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer) with a reactive group that is reactive with the polyamide resin.

Abstract: The present application discloses a deflector including a substrate portion, a movable portion, a reflective portion, a support portion, and a moving mechanism. The movable portion is supported by a first end of the support portion. A second end of the support portion is supported by the substrate portion. An end of the movable portion is capable of coming into contact with the substrate portion. The reflective portion is formed on the movable portion. The moving mechanism is capable of driving the movable portion so as to bring the movable portion into at least any one of a first state, a second state, a third state, and a fourth state.

Abstract: First, a reaction gas is supplied to a fuel cell stack including a laminate of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells and power generation is performed so that a temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches 65° C. or higher (heating power generation step). Next, the reaction gas is supplied to the fuel cell stack and the power generation is performed under a condition in which relative humidity is 100% or more (cleaning power generation step). Cooling water of room temperature may be supplied to the fuel cell stack from the outside before the cleaning power generation step is performed after the heating power generation step is completed, or after the cleaning power generation step is completed (quenching step).

Abstract: A jointed body that has been solid-phase jointed at normal temperature and that has a non-conventional structure is presented. The jointed body is formed by solid-phase joining a first jointed member to a second jointed member, and has a junction interface between the first member and the second member. This jointed body includes an average crystal grain size in a near interface structure that constitutes a near interface area having a total width of 20 micrometers and extending at both sides of the junction interface as a center is 75-100% of an average crystal grain size in an around interface structure that constitutes around interface areas located at both outer sides of the near interface area. In the jointed body, the near interface structure after the joining is almost the same as the structure before the joining, allowing the jointed body to exert similar characteristics to the jointed members.

Abstract: A radar apparatus which can simply determine the sign of velocity of an object is provided. Laser light reflected by the object undergoes quadrature optical heterodyne detection performed by mixers, optical detectors, and a ?/2 phase shifter, whereby I and Q component signals are output. A frequency analyzer performs FFT on a complex signal composed of the I component signal (real part) and the Q component signal (imaginary part) to thereby obtain its frequency spectrum. Since the frequency spectrum is calculated without being folded back even in a region where the frequency is negative, the sign of the Doppler frequency fd can be determined. When the Doppler frequency fd is positive, the sign of the velocity of the object is a direction toward the radar apparatus. When the Doppler frequency fd is negative, the sign of the velocity of the object is a direction away from the radar apparatus.