Abstract: An information processing method for use in a computer includes: acquiring a charging state and a deterioration state of a battery; determining an upper limit of the charging state of the battery based on the deterioration state; determining a charging plan of the battery based on the upper limit of the charging state determined and the charging state; and outputting the charging plan determined.

Abstract: A vehicle front recognition apparatus includes an imager that captures an image of an environment ahead of a vehicle on the road, an image analyzer that analyzes the image of the environment with artificial intelligence to segment the image areas of the image by classes to which objects captured in the image belong, and a road information acquirer that acquires high-precision map information ahead of the vehicle. The vehicle front recognition apparatus acquires dynamic information that is not included in the high-precision map information from the classes. The image analyzer includes a feeling-of-strangeness area extractor extracting a feeling-of-strangeness area using the classes from the image areas. The vehicle front recognition apparatus further includes a feeling-of-strangeness area verifier that verifies whether the vehicle can pass through the feeling-of-strangeness area and a notifier that notifies a driver when the vehicle cannot pass through the feeling-of-strangeness area.

Abstract: A vehicle drive assist apparatus is to be applied to a vehicle. The vehicle drive assist apparatus includes an object recognizer, a risk area setter, and a risk level setter. The object recognizer is configured to recognize an object in front of the vehicle. The risk area setter is configured to, when small objects are around the object, set a risk area including the small objects. The risk level setter is configured to set a risk level for the risk area with respect to the vehicle based on distribution of height information items within the risk area.

Abstract: A vehicle drive assist apparatus is to be applied to a vehicle. The apparatus includes an object recognizer, a risk area setter, a risk level setter, a route candidate setter, a route evaluation value calculator, and a vehicle travel route setter. The object recognizer recognizes an object in front of the vehicle. The risk area setter sets, when small objects are around the object, a risk area including the small objects. The risk level setter sets a risk level for the risk area based on a distribution state of the small objects within the risk area. The route candidate setter sets patterns of route candidates for avoiding a risk resulting from the risk area. The route evaluation value calculator calculates a route evaluation value for each of the route candidates. The vehicle travel route setter sets, as a vehicle travel route, the route candidate having an optimum route evaluation value.

Abstract: A vehicle drive assist apparatus is to be applied to a vehicle. The vehicle drive assist apparatus includes an object recognizer, a dispersion area extractor, and a risk area setter. The object recognizer is configured to recognize an object in front of the vehicle. The dispersion area extractor is configured to extract a dispersion area where luminance values are dispersed around the recognized object. The risk area setter is configured to set, as a risk area where small objects are distributed, an area including the dispersion area.

Abstract: A control device controls non-excitation-actuated electromagnetic brake operation. The control device includes an electronic component having a characteristic that when an inter-terminal voltage of two electrodes is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage, a resistance value is lower than when the voltage is lower than the voltage and a diode disposed such that a cathode is on a side having a higher potential than an anode. The coil in the non-excitation-actuated electromagnetic brake and the electronic component are connected in series to form a first series circuit, the first series circuit and the diode are connected in parallel, and the electronic component is connected in series with the coil provided in the non-excitation-actuated electromagnetic brake so as not to be conducted when the inter-terminal voltage is lower than the predetermined voltage, but to be conducted when the inter-terminal voltage becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined voltage.

Abstract: Provided are a method for screening agents for the prevention or treatment of diseases caused by interleukin 6, interleukin 13, TNF, G-CSF, CXCL1, CXCL2, or CXCL5 and an agent for the prevention or treatment of diseases caused by interleukin 6, interleukin 13, TNF, G-CSF, CXCL1, CXCL2, or CXCL5. A method for screening agents for the prevention or treatment of diseases caused by interleukin 6, interleukin 13, TNF, G-CSF, CXCL1, CXCL2, or CXCL5 having as the index at least one selected from the group consisting of changes in the expression of the MEX3B gene or MEX3B protein and changes in the function of the MEX3B protein.

Abstract: Provided are a refractory asthma prophylactic/therapeutic agent screening method, and a refractory asthma prophylactic/therapeutic agent. This refractory asthma prophylactic/therapeutic agent screening method uses at least one indicator selected from the group consisting of: inhibited activity of the CXCL2 protein or the CXCR2 protein; suppressed expression of the CXCL2 gene or the CXCR2 gene; and suppressed expression of the CXCL2 protein or the CXCR2 protein.

Abstract: Provided are a method for screening agents for the prevention or treatment of diseases caused by interleukin 6, interleukin 13, TNF, G-CSF, CXCL1, CXCL2, or CXCL5 and an agent for the prevention or treatment of diseases caused by interleukin 6, interleukin 13, TNF, G-CSF, CXCL1, CXCL2, or CXCL5. A method for screening agents for the prevention or treatment of diseases caused by interleukin 6, interleukin 13, TNF, G-CSF, CXCL1, CXCL2, or CXCL5 having as the index at least one selected from the group consisting of changes in the expression of the MEX3B gene or MEX3B protein and changes in the function of the MEX3B protein.

Abstract: A control device controls non-excitation-actuated electromagnetic brake operation. The control device includes an electronic component having a characteristic that when an inter-terminal voltage of two electrodes is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage, a resistance value is lower than when the voltage is lower than the voltage and a diode disposed such that a cathode is on a side having a higher potential than an anode. The coil in the non-excitation-actuated electromagnetic brake and the electronic component are connected in series to form a first series circuit, the first series circuit and the diode are connected in parallel, and the electronic component is connected in series with the coil provided in the non-excitation-actuated electromagnetic brake so as not to be conducted when the inter-terminal voltage is lower than the predetermined voltage, but to be conducted when the inter-terminal voltage becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined voltage.

Abstract: A communication device transmits voice and facsimile signals in the same channel between a terminal device and a packet network. The communication device has an echo canceler and a jitter buffer. The jitter buffer has a delay recovery control function that selectively deletes data from the jitter buffer to recover from packet delays. After detecting a facsimile tone, the communication device waits to detect a certain interval of silence, then deactivates its echo canceler and delay recovery control function and switches into facsimile communication mode. If a certain interval of silence is detected during the facsimile transmission, the communication device reactivates its echo canceler and delay recovery control function and continues communicating in voice mode if the line is left connected.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium on which a document management program capable of calculating an evaluation value for objectively judging information transparency in an organization is recorded. When an original document is inputted, a document input section stores the document in a document store section. After that, a document correction section corrects a character string of the document stored in the document store section in response to operation input and registers a correction history including a number of characters deleted by a character string deletion process and a correction history including a number of characters before replacement by a replacement process in a correction history table.

Abstract: A communication device transmits voice and facsimile signals in the same channel between a terminal device and a packet network. The communication device has an echo canceler and a jitter buffer. The jitter buffer has a delay recovery control function that selectively deletes data from the jitter buffer to recover from packet delays. After detecting a facsimile tone, the communication device waits to detect a certain interval of silence, then deactivates its echo canceler and delay recovery control function and switches into facsimile communication mode. If a certain interval of silence is detected during the facsimile transmission, the communication device reactivates its echo canceler and delay recovery control function and continues communicating in voice mode if the line is left connected.

Abstract: A system recognizes an occurrence of offline action when a state in which a person-to-be-recorded does not perform a computer operation continues for or longer than a predetermined time. Then, action related information such as action schedule information about a person-to-be-recorded, movement position information indicating the position of a person-to-be-recorded, immobile target position information indicating the position of an immobile target such as a building, a point on a map, etc., position-action correspondence associating the immobile target position information with the content of offline action, etc. is acquired. According to the information, the content of the offline action is estimated. When a next computer operation is detected, the estimated content is displayed for confirmation by the person-to-be-recorded. The system accepts and records the input of supplement, amend, approve, etc. from the person-to-be-recorded.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium on which a document management program capable of calculating an evaluation value for objectively judging information transparency in an organization is recorded. When an original document is inputted, a document input section stores the document in a document store section. After that, a document correction section corrects a character string of the document stored in the document store section in response to operation input and registers a correction history including a number of characters deleted by a character string deletion process and a correction history including a number of characters before replacement by a replacement process in a correction history table.

Abstract: An apparatus registers a participant instance with an incentive inputted by a member “a” (a participant), a searcher instance as supplement to the participant instance inputted by a member “b” (a searcher), and an approval incentive added by a member “c” (an approver) in an instance database 11. Then, when a solver “d” who viewed the participant instance and proposed a solution requests display of incentive allocation, the apparatus sums up the incentive for the participant instance from the instance database 11 and the approval incentive to calculate incentive allocation between the searcher of the associated searcher instance and the solver based on a pre-determined rate. The apparatus further weights, using pre-determined rate, on the allocation to the searcher of searcher instance referenced by others. The apparatus displays the calculated incentive allocation on a terminal 2d of the solver “d”.

Abstract: In a work-flow process, a work-flow apparatus, and a computer-readable medium storing a work-flow program for delivering work requests to stations in an organization: a station in charge of executing each work request is determined by comparing the work request with work definitions, and the work request is delivered to the station in charge; acceptance or rejection of the work request by the station in charge is recorded in a request-processing history in association with an identifier of the work request; and the number of work requests which have been improperly or indirectly delivered to each station is obtained on the basis of the numbers of work requests which have been rejected by the station. When the number of work requests which have been improperly or indirectly delivered to each station is greater than a predetermined number, the work definition for the station is determined to be corrected.

Abstract: A computer program, method, and apparatus serving as a tool for analyzing teamwork activities performed by a group of workers at a particular workplace during a particular time period, based on actual work log records of individual workers. In response to a teamwork analysis request specifying a group of workers, a teamwork finder extracts two workers' individual work log records having overlapping work periods. If their other data fields coincide at least in part, the teamwork finder finds the extracted log records to be of a teamwork activity. A teamwork log generator produces teamwork log records from the individual work log records identified as being of teamwork activities. The produced teamwork log records are then stored in a teamwork log database.

Abstract: A system recognizes an occurrence of offline action when a state in which a person-to-be-recorded does not perform a computer operation continues for or longer than a predetermined time. Then, action related information such as action schedule information about a person-to-be-recorded, movement position information indicating the position of a person-to-be-recorded, immobile target position information indicating the position of an immobile target such as a building, a point on a map, etc., position-action correspondence associating the immobile target position information with the content of offline action, etc. is acquired. According to the information, the content of the offline action is estimated. When a next computer operation is detected, the estimated content is displayed for confirmation by the person-to-be-recorded. The system accepts and records the input of supplement, amend, approve, etc. from the person-to-be-recorded.

Abstract: A sodium-based dechlorinating agent is added to a flue gas; hydrogen chloride contained in this flue gas is removed as residue of dechlorination; the thus removed residue of dechlorination is dissolved by adding water; water-insoluble constituents are separated from the resulting aqueous solution; and after adjusting pH of the aqueous solution remaining after separation of the water-insoluble constituents, mercury, dioxin, and the like are removed and discharged. The sodium-based dechlorinating agent is mixed with a hydrophilic anti-caking agent, with an angle of repose of 40° or more, a dispersibility of less than 50, and a floodability index value of less than 90. This permits inhibition of occurrence of a pressure drop and leakage in the filter cloth of the dust collector.