Abstract: Components, for example, nanoparticles for detecting and/or treating one or more active carious lesions or microcavities in teeth of a subject are provided. The component or nanoparticle may comprise a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer (e.g., a starch) bearing at least one cationic region and/or having a net positive charge and thereby capable of associating with one or more active and/or early carious lesions on a tooth in an oral cavity of a subject. The components or nanoparticles are optionally water soluble or dispersible. The components or nanoparticle also comprises an imaging agent (e.g., a fluorophore or dye) bonded to the biocompatible and biodegradable polymer. The component or nanoparticle is thus capable of indicating the presence of one or more active carious lesions when the component or nanoparticle is associated therewith. Oral care compositions comprising such compounds/nanoparticles and methods of making and using the same are also provided.

Abstract: Components, for example, nanoparticles for detecting and/or treating one or more active carious lesions or microcavities in teeth of a subject are provided. The component or nanoparticle may comprise a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer (e.g., a starch) bearing at least one cationic region and/or having a net positive charge and thereby capable of associating with one or more active and/or early carious lesions on a tooth in an oral cavity of a subject. The components or nanoparticles are optionally water soluble or dispersible. The components or nanoparticle also comprises an imaging agent (e.g., a fluorophore or dye) bonded to the biocompatible and biodegradable polymer. The component or nanoparticle is thus capable of indicating the presence of one or more active carious lesions when the component or nanoparticle is associated therewith. Oral care compositions comprising such compounds/nanoparticles and methods of making and using the same are also provided.

Abstract: Components, for example, nanoparticles for detecting and/or treating one or more active carious lesions or microcavities in teeth of a subject are provided. The component or nanoparticle may comprise a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer (e.g., a starch) bearing at least one cationic region and/or having a net positive charge and thereby capable of associating with one or more active and/or early carious lesions on a tooth in an oral cavity of a subject. The components or nanoparticles are optionally water soluble or dispersible. The components or nanoparticle also comprises an imaging agent (e.g., a fluorophore or dye) bonded to the biocompatible and biodegradable polymer. The component or nanoparticle is thus capable of indicating the presence of one or more active carious lesions when the component or nanoparticle is associated therewith. Oral care compositions comprising such compounds/nanoparticles and methods of making and using the same are also provided.

Abstract: This invention provides a redox fuel cell comprising an anode and a cathode separated by an ion selective polymer electrolyte membrane; means for supplying a fuel to the anode region of the cell; means for supplying an oxidant to the cathode region of the cell; means for providing an electrical circuit between the anode and the cathode; a non-volatile catholyte solution flowing in fluid communication with the cathode, the catholyte solution comprising a polyoxometallate redox couple being at least partially reduced at the cathode in operation of the cell, and at least partially re-generated by reaction with the oxidant after such reduction at the cathode, the catholyte solution further comprising vanadium species that result from the speciation of the polyoxometallate at an elevated temperature and/or pressure.

Abstract: Components, for example, nanoparticles for detecting and/or treating one or more active carious lesions or microcavities in teeth of a subject are provided. The component or nanoparticle may comprise a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer (e.g., a starch) bearing at least one cationic region and/or having a net positive charge and thereby capable of associating with one or more active and/or early carious lesions on a tooth in an oral cavity of a subject. The components or nanoparticles are optionally water soluble or dispersible. The components or nanoparticle also comprises an imaging agent (e.g., a fluorophore or dye) bonded to the biocompatible and biodegradable polymer. The component or nanoparticle is thus capable of indicating the presence of one or more active carious lesions when the component or nanoparticle is associated therewith. Oral care compositions comprising such compounds/nanoparticles and methods of making and using the same are also provided.

Abstract: A redox fuel cell comprising an anode and a cathode separated by an ion selective polymer electrolyte membrane; means for supplying a fuel to the anode region of the cell; means for supplying an oxidant to the cathode region of the cell; means for providing an electrical circuit between respective anodes and cathodes of the cell; a catholyte solution comprising at least one catholyte component, the catholyte solution comprising a redox mediator couple; and a regeneration zone comprising a catholyte channel and a porous member having an active surface, the catholyte channel being arranged to direct a flow of catholyte adjacent to or towards the active surface, the means for supplying an oxidant to the cell being adapted to supply the oxidant to the porous member.

Abstract: This invention provides a redox fuel cell comprising an anode and a cathode separated by an ion selective polymer electrolyte membrane; means for supplying a fuel to the anode region of the cell; means for supplying an oxidant to the cathode region of the cell; means for providing an electrical circuit between the anode and the cathode; a non-volatile catholyte solution flowing in fluid communication with the cathode, the catholyte solution comprising a polyoxometallate redox couple being at least partially reduced at the cathode in operation of the cell, and at least partially re-generated by reaction with the oxidant after such reduction at the cathode, the catholyte solution further comprising vanadium species that result from the speciation of the polyoxometallate at an elevated temperature and/or pressure.

Abstract: There is provided a method of regenerating a catholyte solution in a redox fuel cell, comprising the steps of: providing a redox fuel cell comprising a catholyte solution; providing droplet formation means for catholyte solution atomisation; atomising, by way of the droplet formation means or other means, the catholyte solution, thereby generating a mist of fine droplets; feeding the mist of fine droplets into an oxidant stream; regulating the oxidant stream flow so that time of flight of the droplets is sufficient to accomplish required mass transfer; reaching sufficient time of flight; and providing separation means for separating the mist of fine droplets from the oxidant stream. A regeneration zone, a fuel cell, and use of the regeneration zone are also provided.

Abstract: A redox fuel cell comprising an anode and a cathode separated by an ion selective polymer electrolyte membrane; means for supplying a fuel to the anode region of the cell; means for supplying an oxidant to the cathode region of the cell; means for providing an electrical circuit between respective anodes and cathodes of the cell; a catholyte solution comprising at least one catholyte component, the catholyte solution comprising a redox mediator couple; and a regeneration zone comprising a catholyte channel and a porous member having an active surface, the catholyte channel being arranged to direct a flow of catholyte adjacent to or towards the active surface, the means for supplying an oxidant to the cell being adapted to supply the oxidant to the porous member.

Abstract: There is disclosed a device (1) for generating fine bubbles, comprising a substrate (3) having holes (5) therethrough, each hole comprising a gas inlet (7) and a gas outlet (9), wherein the width of the gas outlet is greater than the width of the gas inlet. A method of manufacturing said device and a method of generating fine bubbles.

Abstract: An information processing device includes a processing unit that recognizes an action based on sensor data output by a sensor and obtained in a same timing as a photographing timing of an image string. The processing unit associates information indicating the action as information for a selection of a reproduction position at a time of a reproduction of the image string with the image string. In addition, the processing unit extracts a plurality of features from the sensor data. The processing unit recognizes the action based on a time series of the plurality of features using a model for a recognition.

Abstract: A picture processing apparatus is disclosed which includes: an acquiring device which, apart from a first picture sequence picked up for reproduction purposes, acquires a second picture sequence picked up in synchronism with the first picture sequence, the second picture sequence being made up of pictures wider in angle than those constituting the first picture sequence; a calculating device operable to calculate degrees of similarity between scenes each made up of a predetermined number of consecutive pictures included in the second picture sequence; and a linking device which, after appropriating the degrees of similarity calculated by the calculating device for the degrees of similarity between the corresponding scenes in the first picture sequence, links together those of the corresponding scenes which have high degrees of similarity in the first picture sequence.

Abstract: An information processing device connected via a network to another information processing device that recognizes action of a user on a basis of an output of a sensor incorporated in the other information processing device and transmits action information indicating the recognized action of the user includes: a table DB configured to manage correspondence relation between each action recognizable in the other information processing device and communication tools; and a communication means selection processing unit configured to select a communication tool corresponding to the action of the user of the other information processing device, the action of the user being indicated by the action information, as a tool used for communication with the user of the other information processing device on a basis of the correspondence relation managed by the table DB, and execute an application that manages the selected communication tool.

Abstract: An information processing device and method, a program, and an information processing system, for location identification at small granularity with high accuracy are disclosed. A portable terminal has a camera in addition to a GPS module. In a location recognition model construction phase, a location recognition model is constructed from an image sequence taken by the camera, associated with location information collected by the GPS module and the like, and stored. In a location identification phase, the current location in a global area is identified by the GPS module, and the current location in a local area is identified on the basis of the location recognition model selected from the identification result and the image sequence obtained at the time. The present invention can be applied to portable terminals such as notebook type personal computers, PDAs and mobile telephones.

Abstract: A situation recognition apparatus includes: an optical information acquisition unit configured to acquire optical information; a storage configured to store a plurality of pieces of optical information; a processing unit configured to match a plurality of the pieces of optical information stored in the storage and optical information newly acquired by the optical information acquisition unit; and an output unit configured to output a result of the matching. The storage further stores a probabilistic model that numerically represents transitions between the plurality of pieces of optical information.

Abstract: There is provided an activity recognition apparatus for detecting an activity of a subject. The apparatus includes: a sensor unit including a plurality of linear motion sensors configured to detect linear motions and a plurality of rotational motion sensors, the linear motions being orthogonal to each other, the rotational motions being orthogonal to each other; and a computational unit configured to receive and process signals from the sensors included in the sensor unit so as to detect an activity of the subject. The sensor unit is directly or indirectly supported by the subject with an arbitrary orientation with respect to the subject. The computational unit performs a calculation that uses the signals from both linear motion sensors and rotational motion sensors to determine the activity of the subject independent of the orientation of the sensor unit.

Abstract: An information processing device and method, a program, and an information processing system, for location identification at small granularity with high accuracy are disclosed. A portable terminal has a camera in addition to a GPS module. In a location recognition model construction phase, a location recognition model is constructed from an image sequence taken by the camera, associated with location information collected by the GPS module and the like, and stored. In a location identification phase, the current location in a global area is identified by the GPS module, and the current location in a local area is identified on the basis of the location recognition model selected from the identification result and the image sequence obtained at the time. The present invention can be applied to portable terminals such as notebook type personal computers, PDAs and mobile telephones.

Abstract: An information processing device connected via a network to another information processing device that recognizes action of a user on a basis of an output of a sensor incorporated in the other information processing device and transmits action information indicating the recognized action of the user includes: a table DB configured to manage correspondence relation between each action recognizable in the other information processing device and communication tools; and a communication means selection processing unit configured to select a communication tool corresponding to the action of the user of the other information processing device, the action of the user being indicated by the action information, as a tool used for communication with the user of the other information processing device on a basis of the correspondence relation managed by the table DB, and execute an application that manages the selected communication tool.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an information processing device including an associating section for recognizing action of a person having a device including a sensor that outputs sensor data obtained in same timing as photographing timing of an image string on a basis of the sensor data, and associating information indicating the recognized action as information to be used for selection of a reproduction position at a time of reproduction of the image string with the image string.

Abstract: There is provided an activity recognition apparatus for detecting an activity of a subject. The apparatus includes: a sensor unit including a plurality of linear motion sensors configured to detect linear motions and a plurality of rotational motion sensors, the linear motions being orthogonal to each other, the rotational motions being orthogonal to each other; and a computational unit configured to receive and process signals from the sensors included in the sensor unit so as to detect an activity of the subject. The sensor unit is directly or indirectly supported by the subject with an arbitrary orientation with respect to the subject. The computational unit performs a calculation that uses the signals from both linear motion sensors and rotational motion sensors to determine the activity of the subject independent of the orientation of the sensor unit.