Abstract: A method of producing a lithium-ion secondary battery includes the following (?) and (?): (?) preparing a lithium-ion secondary battery, the lithium-ion secondary battery including at least a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte solution; and (?) adding a zwitterionic compound to the electrolyte solution. The negative electrode includes at least a negative electrode active material and a film. The film is formed on a surface of the negative electrode active material. The film contains a lithium compound. The zwitterionic compound contains a phosphonium cation or an ammonium cation and a carboxylate anion in one molecule.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fusion protein containing a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The fusion protein is a fusion protein of BDNF and a specific range of human anti-transferrin receptor antibody, which makes BDNF administered into the blood able to pass through the blood-brain barrier.

Abstract: A printer includes a transport part that transports a sheet, a printing part that prints on the sheet, a cutting part that cuts the sheet by moving a movable blade toward a stationary blade, and a controller that controls the transport part and the cutting part. When the sheet is label paper having an adhesive layer, the controller controls the transport part and the cutting part to transport the sheet rearward before moving the movable blade that cut the sheet, move the movable blade in a direction away from the stationary blade in a state where the sheet is fed in rearward, and thereafter transport the sheet frontward.

Abstract: A sintered material excellent in thermal stress and bonding strength; a connection structure containing the sintered material; a composition for bonding with which the sintered material can be produced; and a method for producing the sintered material. The sintered material has a base portion, buffer portions, and filling portions. The buffer portions and filling portions are dispersed in the base portion. The base portion is a metal sintered body, each buffer portion is formed from a pore and/or material that is not the same as the sintered body, and each filling portion is formed from particles and/or fibers. The sintered material satisfies A>B. A is the kurtosis of volume distribution of the base portions in a three-dimensional image of the sintered material. B is the kurtosis of volume distribution of the base portions in a three-dimensional image of the sintered material from which the filling portions are removed.

Abstract: A seat includes a seat body and a sensor configured to acquired information on an occupant seated on the seat body. The seat includes a coating as a location marker that marks a location of the sensor to render the location visually recognizable from outside the seat body.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a main assembly and a cartridge mountable to the main assembly, with the cartridge being movable in the main assembly between a developing position at a terminal end of a mounting path and a spaced position moved from the developing position in a direction different from a direction of the mounting path. The cartridge includes a developer carrying member and a coupling member capable of inclining relative to a rotational axis of the developer carrying member. The coupling member is capable of taking a reference position when the cartridge is at a developing position, an at-dismounting position inclined relative to the rotational axis of the developer carrying member when the cartridge is dismounted from the main assembly, and an at-spaced position inclined relative to the rotational axis of the developer carrying member in a direction different from that in the at-dismounting position.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a positive electrode active material having a spinel-type crystal structure that can reduce an increase in resistance and a decrease in capacity retention rate due to repeated charging and discharging of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. The positive electrode active material disclosed herein is configured of a lithium manganese composite oxide having a spinel-type crystal structure, wherein the lithium manganese composite oxide includes secondary particles in which a plurality of primary particles are aggregated, an average particle diameter of the secondary particles based on a SEM image is 10 ?m or more and 20 ?m or less, an average particle diameter of the primary particles based on a SEM image is 4 ?m or more and 8 ?m or less, and nickel atoms are provided in the surface layer portion of the secondary particles.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a decorative lighting device and a game machine, with which the brightness of a light presentation can be increased and a light presentation with a more dramatic effect can be given even if the number of light sources is limited. A decorative lighting device (1), which has an elongated shape in the vertical direction and is installed on both sides of a game machine, comprises a case (2) in which at least the front and side surfaces of the device are open; a transparent cover (3) that covers the open portion of the case (2); a plurality of light guide plates (4S, 4M, 4L) that are housed inside the case (2) and are disposed spaced apart in the front-rear direction of the device, with each light emitting surface (4a) facing the front surface of the device; and a plurality of light sources provided corresponding to the plurality of light guide plates (4S, 4M, 4L).

Abstract: A testing device includes: a first update unit that updates a screen transition diagram that is displayed on a display device and shows a transition of a screen state according to input of an operation on a screen relating to a program to be tested; and a second update unit that divides or integrates a node according to an operation of the node for each screen or each screen state in the screen transition diagram. Thus, the testing device makes it possible to obtain the advantage of exploratory testing while reducing a man-hour to perform the exploratory testing.

Abstract: An oxide semiconductor layer which is intrinsic or substantially intrinsic and includes a crystalline region in a surface portion of the oxide semiconductor layer is used for the transistors. An intrinsic or substantially intrinsic semiconductor from which an impurity which is to be an electron donor (donor) is removed from an oxide semiconductor and which has a larger energy gap than a silicon semiconductor is used. Electrical characteristics of the transistors can be controlled by controlling the potential of a pair of conductive films which are provided on opposite sides from each other with respect to the oxide semiconductor layer, each with an insulating film arranged therebetween, so that the position of a channel formed in the oxide semiconductor layer is determined.

Abstract: A cause-effect sentence analysis device including: a cause-effect sentence extraction unit configured to extract a cause-effect sentence including a cause expression and an effect expression from a text; an acquisition unit configured to acquire information indicating a reference expression for analyzing the degree of similarity; a similarity degree analysis unit, for a cause-effect sentence extracted by the cause-effect sentence extraction unit, configured to calculate a cause similarity degree, namely, the degree of similarity between the reference expression and the cause expression included in the cause-effect sentence, and an effect similarity degree, namely, the degree of similarity between the reference expression and the effect expression; and a desired cause-effect sentence extraction unit for extracting a cause-effect sentence in which one of the cause expression and the effect expression included in the cause-effect sentence is similar to the reference expression and the other is not similar to the

Abstract: A fuel cell module comprises: at least one cell stack including a plurality of single fuel cells supplied with a fuel gas and an oxidizing gas to generate power; a sealable housing accommodating the at least one cell stack and forming a power generation chamber inside the housing; a pressure vessel accommodating the housing; and an oxidizing gas supply pipe for supplying the oxidizing gas to the cell stack. At least one pressure equalizing opening is formed in the housing to allow communication between inside and outside of the housing. The at least one pressure equalizing opening includes only one pressure equalizing opening, or a plurality of pressure equalizing openings in which a distance between a pressure equalizing opening in the highest position and a pressure equalizing opening in the lowest position is within 0.1H, where H is a height of the housing.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for determining a distance between a distal end of an endoscope and a target during an endoscopic procedure are disclosed. A surgical laser feedback control system comprises a feedback analyzer and a controller. The feedback analyzer can receive at least two reflected signals from a target in response to electromagnetic radiation directed at the target. The at least two reflected signals correspond to respective different distances between a distal end of a device of a surgical laser system and the target. The feedback analyzer can determine a distance between the distal end of the device of the surgical laser system and the target based on the at least two reflected signals. The controller can generate a control signal to the surgical laser system to perform a predetermined operation based on the determined distance.