Abstract: A bacterial toxin protein such as a Shiga toxin protein is efficiently produced using plant cells. The plant cells are transformed using a DNA construct containing DNA encoding a hybrid protein in which the bacterial toxin proteins such as the Shiga toxin proteins are tandemly linked through a peptide having the following characteristics (A) and (B) to produce the bacterial toxin protein in the plant cells: (A) a number of amino acids is 12 to 30; and (B) a content of proline is 20 to 35%.

Abstract: In an abnormal driving behavior detection system for a vehicle, an obtainer repeatedly obtains an observed value indicative of at least one of a running condition of the vehicle and a driver's driving operation of the vehicle. A mode-probability calculator calculates, each time an observed value is obtained at a given obtaining timing as a target obtained value, a mode probability for each of driving modes as a function of one or more previous observed values. A deviation calculator obtains a predicted observed value for each driving mode using a driver's normal behavior model defined therefor, and calculates a deviation of the target observed value from the predicted observed value for each driving mode. An abnormality determiner determines whether there is at least one driver's abnormal behavior based on the mode probability for each driving mode and the deviation calculated for each driving mode.

Abstract: By increasing, in a plant, expression of a gene or the like encoding a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, it is possible to promote root elongation of the plant and/or increase biomass of the plant.

Abstract: A method and device for evaluating a solar cell each of which makes it possible to easily evaluate a defect of a solar cell especially in such a manner that an internal cause defect and an external cause defect are distinguished from each other. The device includes: electric current passing means for passing, in a forward direction, an electric current through a solar cell element constituting the solar cell; light emission detecting means for detecting, out of light emitted from the solar cell element due to the electric current passed by the electric current passing means, light in a first range of wavelengths from 800 nm to 1300 nm and light in a second range of wavelengths from 1400 nm to 1800 nm; and judging means for distinguishing between an internal cause defect and an external cause defect.

Abstract: A processing unit is provided which executes speech recognition on speech signals captured by a microphone for capturing sounds uttered in an environment. The processing unit has: an initial reflection component extraction portion that extracts initial reflection components by removing diffuse reverberation components from a reverberation pattern of an impulse response generated in the environment; and an acoustic model learning portion that learns an acoustic model for the speech recognition by reflecting the initial reflection components to speech data for learning.

Abstract: A robot hand which can be formed in the shape of a human hand and improves maintenance performance, and generates fingertip force is provided. A robot hand (1) of the present invention is provided with a hand section (3) and an arm section (5). The hand section (3) corresponds to the portion of a human hand which is forward from the wrist thereof. The arm section (5) is provided with a drive device (d5) including a plurality of motors and generates driving torque for driving each movable section of the hand section (3). The hand section (3) and the arm section (5) are configured in such a manner that a group (g36) of wrist-mounted pulleys which are first driving torque transmitting members coaxially arranged and a group (r5) of arm pulleys which are second driving torque transmitting members coaxially arranged transmit driving torque generated by the drive device (d5) to each movable section of the hand section (3) via gears meshing with each other.

Abstract: The invention provides an SiC semiconductor element having fewer interface defects at the interface between the SiC and the insulating film of the SiC semiconductor, as well as improved channel mobility. The semiconductor element is provided with at least an SiC semiconductor substrate and an insulating film in contact with the substrate, wherein the insulating film is formed on a specific crystal plane of the SiC semiconductor substrate, the specific crystal plane being a plane having an off-angle of 10-20° relative to the {11-20} plane toward the [000-1] direction or at an off-angle of 70-80° relative to the (000-1) plane toward the <11-20> direction. Through the use of a specific crystal plane unknown in the prior art, interface defects between the SiC semiconductor substrate and the insulating film can be reduced, and channel mobility of the semiconductor element can be improved.

Abstract: According to a method of generating a key of the present invention, a first device and a second device are first brought into contact with one vibrator. In this state, the vibrator generates vibration. A first acceleration sensor provided in the first device and a second acceleration sensor provided in the second device detect the vibration. Subsequently, the first device notifies the second device of a first feature value based upon the detection result of the first acceleration sensor. The second device notifies the first device of a second feature value based upon the detection result of the second acceleration sensor. Then the first device compares the notified second feature value with the first feature value and generates a key based upon the comparison result. The second device compares the notified first feature value with the second feature value and generates a key based upon the comparison result.

Abstract: The present invention has been created to provide a near infrared high emission rare-earth complex having an excellent light-emitting property in the near infrared region. The near infrared high emission rare-earth complex of the present invention is characterized in that its structure is expressed by the following general formula (1): where Ln(III) represents a trivalent rare-earth ion; n is an integer equal to or greater than three; Xs represent either the same member or different members selected from a hydrogen atom, a deuterium atom, halogen atoms, C1-C20 groups, hydroxyl groups, nitro groups, amino groups, sulfonyl groups, cyano groups, silyl groups, phosphonic groups, diazo groups and mercapto groups; and Z represents a bidentate ligand.

Abstract: Disclosed are an SiC semiconductor element and manufacturing method for an SiC semiconductor element in which the interface state density of the interface of the insulating film and the SiC is reduced, and channel mobility is improved. Phosphorus (30) is added to an insulating film (20) formed on an SiC semiconductor (10) substrate in a semiconductor element. The addition of phosphorous to the insulating film makes it possible to significantly reduce the defects (interface state density) in the interface (21) of the insulating film and the SiC, and to dramatically improve the channel mobility when compared with conventional SiC semiconductor elements. The addition of phosphorus to the insulating film is carried out by heat treatment. The use of heat treatment to add phosphorous to the insulating film makes it possible to maintain the reliability of the insulating film, and to avoid variation in channel mobility and threshold voltage.

Abstract: A substrate having rod-like molecules on a surface thereof including: a substrate in which a pattern including a convex portion with a flat upper surface is formed on at least a portion thereof; and a plurality of rod-like molecules, which are formed into rod-like shape, are aligned in line in a direction crossing a molecular length direction of each of the rod-like molecules an the upper surface of the convex portion, and have liquid crystalline states, wherein the molecular length LR of the rod-like molecule is 2.0 or less times LN, which is a length of the rod-like molecule in the molecular length direction within the convex portion; and a method for producing a substrate having rod-like molecules on a surface thereof.

Abstract: A silicon carbide layer is thermally etched by supplying the silicon carbide layer with a process gas that can chemically react with silicon carbide, while heating the silicon carbide layer. With this thermal etching, a carbon film is formed on the silicon carbide layer. Heat treatment is provided to the silicon carbide layer to diffuse carbon from the carbon film into the silicon carbide layer.

Abstract: A separation signal generation unit generates a plurality of separation signals which are independent from one another from the mixed signals for one frame which are converted into those in a frequency region. A mask processing unit judges a noise condition of a first separation signal for each frequency bin on the basis of the first separation signal and second separation signals. The mask processing unit further removes a first noise component obtained on the basis of a judgment result on the noise condition from the first separation signal. A noise amount measuring unit measures the amount of noise in the first separation signal. A noise signal selection unit selects a noise signal for each frequency bin on the basis of the amount of noise measured by the noise amount measuring unit. A noise removing unit removes a second noise component from a noise removal signal inputted from the mask processing unit.

Abstract: Provided are a signal separating apparatus and a signal separating method capable of solving the permutation problem and separating user speech to be extracted. The signal separating apparatus separates a specific speech signal and a noise signal from a received sound signal. First, a joint probability density distribution estimation unit of a permutation solving unit calculates joint probability density distributions of the respective separated signals. Then, a classifying determination unit of the permutation solving unit determines classifying based on shapes of the calculated joint probability density distributions.

Abstract: On a substrate, a silicon carbide layer provided with a main surface is formed. A mask is formed to cover a portion of the main surface of the silicon carbide layer. The main surface of the silicon carbide layer on which the mask is formed is thermally etched using chlorine-based gas so as to provide the silicon carbide layer with a side surface inclined relative to the main surface. The step of thermally etching is performed in an atmosphere in which the chlorine-based gas has a partial pressure of 50% or smaller.

Abstract: A silicon carbide layer includes a first region having a first conductivity type, a second region provided on the first region and having a second conductivity type, and a third region provided on the second region and having the first conductivity type. A trench having an inner surface is formed in the silicon carbide layer. The trench penetrates the second and third regions. The inner surface of the trench has a first side wall and a second side wall located deeper than the first side wall and having a portion made of the second region. Inclination of the first side wall is smaller than inclination of the second side wall.

Abstract: A scan asynchronous memory element includes: an asynchronous memory element configured to receive an n-input; and a scan control logic circuit configured to generate an n-bit signal input and the n-input to the asynchronous memory element from a scan input. The scan control logic circuit outputs the signal input when a control signal supplied to the scan control logic circuit has a first bit pattern, the scan control logic circuit outputs the scan input when the control signal has a second bit pattern, and the scan control logic circuit outputs a bit pattern allowing the asynchronous memory element to hold a previous value when the control signal has a bit pattern other than the first and second bit patterns.

Abstract: A disclosed molecular communication system includes a molecular transmitter configured to transmit an information molecule in which prescribed information is encoded, a molecular receiver configured to receive the information molecule, and a molecular capsule configured to carry the information molecule from the molecular transmitter to the molecular receiver. Each of the molecular transmitter, the molecular receiver, and the molecular capsule has an artificial cell membrane in which at least one kind of molecular switch is embedded, the molecular switch being responsive to an external input signal so as to control association and separation between the molecular transmitter and the molecular capsule, and association and separation between the molecular capsule and the molecular receiver, upon application of the external input signal.

Abstract: Provided is a compound semiconductor nanoparticle that exhibits circularly polarized luminescence characteristics. CdS prepared inside a core of ferritin, which is a cage-like protein, exhibits a high circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). A wavelength of the circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) can be controlled by laser irradiation, thereby enabling utilization of the compound semiconductor nanoparticle in the field of bionanotechnology, for example, in creating a WORM (Write-Once Read-Many times) memory. As the cage-like protein, which is a protein with a cavity formed therein, a protein belonging to the ferritin protein family, such as apoferritin, or a recombinant thereof can be used.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a MOSFET includes the steps of: introducing an impurity into a silicon carbide layer; forming a carbon layer in a surface layer portion of the silicon carbide layer having the impurity introduced therein, by selectively removing silicon from the surface layer portion; and activating the impurity by heating the silicon carbide layer having the carbon layer formed therein.