Abstract: A content reproduction apparatus includes a storage unit storing a plurality of content files and performs treatments by playing the content files stored in the storage unit. The content reproduction apparatus also includes a treatment setting unit configured to set a treatment based on a treatment condition input by a user; a content file obtaining unit configured to obtain, from the storage unit, a content file corresponding to the treatment set by the treatment setting unit; and an edit-and-output unit configured to play the content file obtained by the content file obtaining unit or the content file edited according to an instruction of the user.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for introducing a gene into a target cell using a retrovirus vector, which is simple and highly efficient. Specifically disclosed is a method for introducing a gene into a target cell using a retrovirus vector, which comprises the steps of (a) placing a liquor containing a retrovirus vector having a foreign gene carried thereon into a culture vessel on which a retrovirus-binding substance has been immobilized, and incubating the liquor at a temperature lower than 25° C. for 4 hours or longer, thereby producing a culture vessel having the retrovirus vector bound thereto, and (b) adding a target cell to the culture vessel that has been produced in step (a) and incubating the culture vessel. The gene introduction method is simple and highly efficient, and is useful particularly in the fields of medicine, cell technology, gene technology, embryologic technology and the like.

Abstract: Content that is simultaneously viewed by users of remotely located communication apparatuses is recorded along with images and sound corresponding to the users, for a synthesized reproduction. Synthesis information including parameters relating to setting a synthesis situation of an image and sound of the content and an image and sound of the users, along with information representative of a standard time, is produced and stored. The content being played back is recorded with the standard time added thereto. Similarly, real-time recording of the users includes the standard time. The synthesis information is produced again and stored when a parameter relating to setting the synthesis situation is changed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus allowing a user to easily access an operating section even in a large-size apparatus can be provided. An image forming apparatus 100 includes a main machine 110 including an operating section 113 and capable of functioning as a multifunction machine by itself, and at least one option machine 120 to 190 added to a side-face side of an enclosure 111 of the main machine. The apparatus 100 includes the operating section 113 at a fixed position in the width direction of the enclosure. The enclosure has a unified first color of a same tone at a front face thereof, and an operating position line 101 is formed at a part of the front face of the enclosure and has a second color that is clearly different from the first color so as to be a guide indicating a position of the operating section 113.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program which make it possible for persons at remote places to enjoy simultaneous playback of various contents while promoting the protection of the copyright or the privacy. A copyright authentication section 112 decides, based on copyright restriction information added to a content and license information stored in a license storage section 62, whether or not utilization of the content is permitted. An accounting processing section 114 is controlled in response to a result of the decision so that it cooperates with an authentication server to perform an accounting process. A privacy authentication section 115 decides, based on privacy restriction information added to the content and privacy information, whether or not utilization of the content is permitted.

Abstract: A plate-shaped board is arranged so that fluid passages are respectively formed at a sensor-element mounting surface side of the plate-shaped board and at a backside surface side thereof being opposed to the sensor-element mounting surface side, a curved passage portion is provided which is located upstream of the plate-shaped board and changes its direction so as to form a curved line, and the curved passage portion has an outer-side wall surface including a sloping portion that slopes so that, of two edge portions of the outer-side wall surface in a direction perpendicular to board surfaces of the plate-shaped board, the edge portion located on a sidewall surface, facing the sensor-element mounting surface, of the curved passage portion is positioned closer to an inner wall surface of the curved passage portion than the edge portion located on a sidewall surface opposed to the first sidewall surface, along the sidewall surfaces.

Abstract: An electronic seal apparatus causing an image displaying/reading apparatus to display an electronic document. The electronic seal apparatus includes (i) a storage section for storing a first identification information of a user's first digit and an associated user's first seal image, (ii) a digit identifying section for determining whether a digit indicated on a subject image is the user's first digit, and (iii) a sealing section for sealing onto the electronic document, when the digit indicated on the subject image is the user's first digit, a seal image associated with the first identification information. Thereby, a seal image can be electronically sealed after finger authentication is performed even if a finger authentication scanner solely dedicated for reading an image from a digit is not provided.

Abstract: An information-processing apparatus operated by a user to carry out communications through a network transmits user-disclosure information to an other information-processing apparatus and receives other user-disclosure information from the other apparatus. The other user-disclosure information includes information about content being displayed by the other apparatus. The apparatus produces a determination result indicating whether a requested connection to the other information-processing apparatus is authorized by the other information-processing apparatus based on a response received from the other information-processing apparatus. The apparatus transmits/receives image and voice data to/from the other apparatus when authorized. The apparatus synthesizes content being displayed by the other apparatus.

Abstract: An information-processing apparatus including a reproducer for synchronously reproducing content data common to another information-processing apparatus, a user information input for inputting first user condition information including a voice and image of a user, a user information receiver for receiving second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from the other information-processing apparatus, a synthesizer for synthesizing a voice and image of the content data synchronously reproduced by the reproducer with the voice and image of the second user condition information received by the user-information receiver; an information analysis unit for analyzing at least either the first user condition information input or the second user condition information; and a parameter-setting unit for setting a control parameter used for controlling a process on the basis of an analysis result produced by the information analysis unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a cell population containing memory-like T cells, said method being characterized by including a step for in vitro culturing of a cell population containing T cells or T cell precursor cells using a retinoic acid and a CD3 ligand. Further disclosed is a method for producing a cell population wherein the proportion of memory-like T cells is increased and wherein a desired gene is introduced with a high efficiency and is highly expressed.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a recording medium, and a program for allowing communicating parties at remote locations to view the same displayed content and to point to desired positions on the displayed image of the content. A user A and a user B viewing themselves and the content on a cross-faded mode may point to desired positions on the content image with their fingertips. Motion vectors of the fingertips are then detected in particular areas extracted from the image in a manner containing the detected positions. The detected motion vectors are translated into a pointer for the user A and a pointer for the user B, the pointers being alpha-blended with the content image. The two pointers extracted from a single image are associated with the users A and B by use of different Cyber Codes attached to the fingertips of each user, for example.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to the present invention has: an apparatus main body whose external appearance is configured from an upper casing, a lower casing, and a link casing that vertically links the upper casing and the lower casing and that has a paper discharge opening for discharging paper on one side face; a paper discharge portion that is formed as a space between the upper casing and the lower casing and that is to store paper discharged from the paper discharge opening; and an operation panel portion that is disposed in a vertically tiltable manner on a front face of the upper casing. When viewing the apparatus main body from the front side, an open space that allows paper discharged to the paper discharge portion to be viewed is provided between the operation panel portion and the link casing.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a recording medium, and a program for allowing communicating parties at remote locations to view the same displayed content and to point to desired positions on the displayed image of the content. A user A and a user B viewing themselves and the content on a cross-faded mode may point to desired positions on the content image with their fingertips. Motion vectors of the fingertips are then detected in particular areas extracted from the image in a manner containing the detected positions. The detected motion vectors are translated into a pointer for the user A and a pointer for the user B, the pointers being alpha-blended with the content image. The two pointers extracted from a single image are associated with the users A and B by use of different Cyber Codes (2D code) attached to the fingertips of each user, for example.

Abstract: An electronic device includes: a PHLCT circuit (15), which includes an input signal DCT coefficient computation module configured to compute DCT coefficients of an input signal of a subject block region in a plurality of block regions and block regions adjacent to the subject block region, respectively, an offset function DCT coefficient computation module configured to compute DCT coefficients of a gradient offset function, which offsets the gradient of the input signal at a block boundary between each subject block region and its adjacent block regions from the DCT coefficients of the input signal, and a residual computation module configured to compute a residual of the DCT coefficients of the input signal and the DCT coefficients of the gradient offset function; a quantization circuit configured to quantize the residual to obtain compressed data; and an entropy coding circuit (17) configured to encode the compressed data.

Abstract: An information-processing apparatus including a reproducer for synchronously reproducing content data common to another information-processing apparatus, a user information input for inputting first user condition information including a voice and image of a user, a user information receiver for receiving second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from the other information-processing apparatus, a synthesizer for synthesizing a voice and image of the content data synchronously reproduced by the reproducer with the voice and image of the second user condition information received by the user-information receiver; an information analysis unit for analyzing at least either the first user condition information input or the second user condition information; and a parameter-setting unit for setting a control parameter used for controlling a process on the basis of an analysis result produced by the information analysis unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tire air-pressure sensor (30) in which water is hard to intrude into a communication passage (36) communicating with a sensor portion (18a) of an air-pressure sensor element (18) and in which water having intruded into the communication passage (36) is discharged out of a case (32). Two air holes (34), (34) are formed in a crest portion of the case (32) of the tire air-pressure sensor (30) arranged and fixed in a wheel (10) in a manner to be positionally shifted in a rotating direction of the wheel (10), and an opening of an air vent hole (16) is formed in a cap (38) which is put on the air-pressure sensor element (18) arranged in the case (32), at an intermediate position between the two air holes (34), (34) in the rotating direction.

Abstract: A motor includes a rotor having a magnet, a stator having two coils, and a controller configured to control excitations of the two coils. The stator includes first and second yokes excited by the coils, and first and second rotor detectors configured to detect a magnetic flux. The first yoke is arranged for each electric angle of 360°, and the second yoke shifts from the first yoke by an electric angle of 90°. The first rotor position detector is arranged at the same position as the first yoke. The controller generates an excitation switching signal for each coil based on detection signals from the first and second rotor position detectors, and excites a corresponding coil, and obtains first and second delay angles.