Abstract: Provided is a method that is for producing acrylamide, continuously produces acrylamide from acrylonitrile using a biocatalyst, and is characterized in that a continuous reaction is started by means of introducing acrylamide into a reaction vessel and then causing acrylonitrile to contact a biocatalyst. The method for producing acrylamide has superior operability and a low cost, and is capable of continuously extracting an aqueous solution of acrylamide at a target concentration in a short period of time after starting the continuous reaction.

Abstract: This method for producing a compound uses a continuous tank reactor which is provided with two or more reaction tanks for producing the compound and with a reaction liquid feeding pipe that feeds a reaction liquid from an upstream reaction tank to a downstream reaction tank, said method being characterized in that the Reynold's number of the reaction liquid that flows in the reaction liquid feeding pipe is configured to be 1800-22000. Furthermore, this compound production system is used in said method for producing a compound, and is formed by housing at least one of the reaction tanks in a portable container.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an amide compound solution comprising an amide compound and a surfactant. More specifically, the invention relates to an amide compound solution comprising amide compound, and 2.7˜20 mg of a cationic surfactant per 1 kg of the amide compound or 0.01˜10 mg of a C15˜C20 carboxylic acid or its salt as an anionic surfactant per 1 kg of the amide compound. The present invention provides an amide compound solution which is manufactured using a biocatalyst and which has a low level of foaming, and thereby improving the operability and yield when manufacturing an amide compound-based polymer.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a charging management system. Based on an estimated duration from a time when an electric vehicle having arrived at each of a charging facilities starts charging until the charging is complete, the system determines the charging facility a charging facility utilization of which is to be recommended to be one of the charging facilities related to a path to a destination which has a shortest maximum wait time from a time when a plurality of electric vehicles arrive at the charging facility until the charging is complete, and reports information indicative of the determined charging facility to the electric vehicle not having arrived at the charging facility.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, there is provided a consumed power amount estimation apparatus including an estimation unit configured to estimate a power amount necessary for an electric vehicle having a similar power consumption tendency to run, based on a parameter used to compensate for information affecting power consumption by running of the electric vehicle based on consumed power amount information of each of a plurality of electric vehicles having similar power consumption tendencies.

Abstract: A low friction assembly is desired. The present invention relates to a new low-friction lubrication assembly comprising a first member relatively slidable against a second member, the first member having chemical affinity with an OH-group on its sliding surface; and one or more oxygen containing compounds, provided on the sliding surface of the first member and being able to produce a tribofilm attached to the sliding surface of the first member through hydrogen bond interactions. Preferably the second member comprises a similar OH-terminated sliding surface wherein an oxygen containing compound (lubricant)-supported interface between the first and second sliding surfaces results in a H- and/or OH-terminated interface developing repulsive forces thereinbetween.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a charge management apparatus includes an input unit, a first estimation unit, a determination unit, a generation unit, and an output unit. The input unit accepts an input of traffic demand data indicative of a number of vehicles. The first estimation unit estimates charge wait times at plural charge stations based on the traffic demand data. The determination unit compares the estimated charge wait times at the respective charge stations, and determines whether a desired condition is satisfied. The generation unit generates charge recommendation information indicative of a charge station according to a determination result. The output unit outputs the charge recommendation information to an external terminal.

Abstract: Provided is a technique which can easily realize the retention time of the reaction mixture in the reactor suitable for the production quantity by controlling the amount of the reaction liquid in accordance with the production quantity and thus can suppress the amount of a biocatalyst used in a method for producing acrylamide from acrylonitrile by using a biocatalyst. Provided is a method for producing acrylamide from acrylonitrile through a continuous reaction using a biocatalyst in reactors by using two or more reactors connected in series, wherein one reactor A and a reactor B connected to the reactor A on an upstream side are communicated with each other below liquid faces of reaction liquids in both reactors, and the producing method comprises controlling a liquid volume of a reaction liquid in the reactor B by controlling a level of a reaction liquid in the reactor A to be between a disposed position of a communicating port with the reactor B and a full level position.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a technique for suppressing a decrease in nitrile hydratase activity and improving the productivity of the amide compound in the course of producing an amide compound from a nitrile compound using a biocatalyst. Specifically, the invention pertains to a method for producing the corresponding amide compound from a nitrile compound in the presence of a biocatalyst having nitrile hydratase activity, wherein the method for producing an amide compound using a nitrile compound is characterized in that the zinc concentration of the nitrile compound is 0.4 ppm or less.

Abstract: Provided is a method that is for producing acrylamide, continuously produces acrylamide from acrylonitrile using a biocatalyst, and is characterized in that a continuous reaction is started by means of introducing acrylamide into a reaction vessel and then causing acrylonitrile to contact a biocatalyst. The method for producing acrylamide has superior operability and a low cost, and is capable of continuously extracting an aqueous solution of acrylamide at a target concentration in a short period of time after starting the continuous reaction.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a technique for suppressing a decrease in nitrile hydratase activity and improving the productivity of the amide compound in the course of producing an amide compound from a nitrile compound using a biocatalyst. Specifically, the invention pertains to a method for producing the corresponding amide compound from a nitrile compound in the presence of a biocatalyst having nitrile hydratase activity, wherein the method for producing an amide compound using a nitrile compound is characterized in that the zinc concentration of the nitrile compound is 0.4 ppm or less.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a charge management apparatus includes an input unit, a first estimation unit, a determination unit, a generation unit, and an output unit. The input unit accepts an input of traffic demand data indicative of a number of vehicles. The first estimation unit estimates charge wait times at plural charge stations based on the traffic demand data. The determination unit compares the estimated charge wait times at the respective charge stations, and determines whether a desired condition is satisfied. The generation unit generates charge recommendation information indicative of a charge station according to a determination result. The output unit outputs the charge recommendation information to an external terminal.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a charging management system. Based on an estimated duration from a time when an electric vehicle having arrived at each of a charging facilities starts charging until the charging is complete, the system determines the charging facility a charging facility utilization of which is to be recommended to be one of the charging facilities related to a path to a destination which has a shortest maximum wait time from a time when a plurality of electric vehicles arrive at the charging facility until the charging is complete, and reports information indicative of the determined charging facility to the electric vehicle not having arrived at the charging facility.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, there is provided a consumed power amount estimation apparatus including an estimation unit configured to estimate a power amount necessary for an electric vehicle having a similar power consumption tendency to run, based on a parameter used to compensate for information affecting power consumption by running of the electric vehicle based on consumed power amount information of each of a plurality of electric vehicles having similar power consumption tendencies.

Abstract: A method for producing acrylamide from acrylonitrile by a biocatalyst method, wherein both evaporation of acrylonitrile into a gas phase and damaging of a catalyst by stirring are prevented, is provided. In the present invention, the production of acrylamide from acrylonitrile by the biocatalyst method comprises feeding acrylonitrile into an aqueous medium comprising a microbial catalyst.

Abstract: A support apparatus, computer-implemented method, and article of manufacture for supporting a processing of a character string in a document. The support apparatus includes: a document storage unit; a designation reception unit; a document acquisition unit; a historical-information storage unit; a reference-information generator; and a presentation unit. The method includes: receiving designation from a user; acquiring a document from the document storage device based on the designation by the user; reading pieces of historical information related to the acquired document from the historical-information storage device, and thereby generating reference information for helping the user to select a processing of the character string in the document; and presenting, to the user, a screen for receiving the designation of the processing of the character string in the acquired document, together with the reference information.

Abstract: A system and method for analyzing and managing business performance by designing and evaluating the performance of a business process model comprising a flow of business tasks and artifact sources that generate business artifacts. Business processes may be parsed to identify transformation opportunities meeting transformation conditions specified in a transformation knowledge. One or more identified transformation opportunities may be adopted, and parts of the process may be transformed according to transformation rules specified in a transformation knowledge. Analytics and computer simulation may be employed to evaluate business performance metrics of each of said transformed business processes. Iterative changes may be made to said business processes to manage business performance, reiterating transformation and evaluation steps until a satisfactory business process model is obtained.

Abstract: A transition metal nitride is obtained by a nitriding treatment of a surface of a base material including a transition metal or an alloy of the transition metal, and the transition metal nitride has a crystal structure of an M4N type and a crystal structure of an ?-M2˜3N type, and is formed over a whole area of the surface of the base material and continuously in a depth direction from the surface.

Abstract: Analyzes chromosomal states based on amounts of expression of genes. An example apparatus comprising: a unit for storing probability distribution of amounts of expression of genes for each chromosomal state, assuming any of the chromosomal states in which the distributions of amounts of expression are different; a unit for supplying state transition probability indicating probability in which when each of the genes arrayed on the chromosome assumes any one of the chromosomal states, a certain gene array assumes any one of the chromosomal states; an input unit for receiving an expression amount measurement value of the amount of expression for each of the genes on the chromosome; and a unit for detecting a combination of the chromosomal states maximizing a probability among those that can be assumed by the genes on the chromosome, based on the probability distribution and the state transition probability.

Abstract: There is provided a sliding member including a base body and a hard carbon coating formed on the base body to define a sliding surface for sliding contact with an opposing member under lubrication according to one embodiment of the present invention. The hard carbon coating has an outermost surface portion lower in hydrogen content than a remaining portion thereof, or an outermost coating layer lower in hydrogen content than at least one other coating layer.