Abstract: An energy saving support system according to an embodiment is configured to provide a consumer, who has an electric load to which electric energy is supplied from an electric power supply system within a house, with energy consumption-related information through a photo frame or the like. The information providing apparatus is configured to acquire an acceptability level, which stepwise indicates a degree of interest of the consumer in the energy consumption-related information, and to determine the energy consumption-related information to be newly provided to the consumer based on the acceptability level.

Abstract: An energy saving support system according to an embodiment is configured to provide a consumer, who has an electric load to which electric energy is supplied from an electric power supply system within a house, with energy consumption-related information through a photo frame or the like. The information providing apparatus is configured to acquire an acceptability level, which stepwise indicates a degree of interest of the consumer in the energy consumption-related information, and to determine the energy consumption-related information to be newly provided to the consumer based on the acceptability level.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an operation display device, a hardware key input device, a placement detector, and processing circuitry. The operation display device includes a touch panel. The hardware key input device is configured to be placed on the operation display device. The hardware key input device includes a key top having a high dielectric constant for pressing the touch panel. The placement detector is configured to detect placement of the hardware key input device on the operation display device. The processing circuitry is configured to cause a display on the touch panel to transition to a mode enabling a pressing operation using the hardware key input device when the placement detector detects the placement of the hardware key input device.

Abstract: Provided is a technique for preventing foreign-matter entrance from a connecting member disposed between at least two members. A connecting member includes the following: a body that is a flexible strip; a slit dividing the body into a first side and a second side facing each other; a pair of cuts disposed at both end portions in the longer-side direction of the body, each cut being a triangle; and notches disposed in respective positions contiguous to the slit on the first and second sides, each notch being a triangle. The slit is transformed into an opening by deforming the first and second sides and also changing the positions of the first and second sides in such a manner that two sides of the triangle of each cut abut, and that two sides of the triangle of each notch abut. The body continuously extends in its entire periphery.

Abstract: A power supply management system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a fee setting unit configured to set power fee unit prices (first power fee unit price and second power fee unit price) for each time slot, and a notification unit configured to notify a consumer of information on the set power fee unit prices. The first power fee unit price is a power unit price for a household electrical load, and the second power fee unit price is a power unit price in a case of using a charge/discharge device to charge a vehicle-mounted storage battery. The fee setting unit is configured to set, by predicting a load factor of a transformer, a discount rate of the second power fee unit price to become higher (second power fee unit price to become lower) as the predicted load factor becomes lower. The second power fee unit price is determined on the basis of the first power fee unit price and the discount rate.

Abstract: Provided is a technique for preventing foreign-matter entrance from a connecting member disposed between at least two members. A connecting member includes the following: a body that is a flexible strip; a slit dividing the body into a first side and a second side facing each other; a pair of cuts disposed at both end portions in the longer-side direction of the body, each cut being a triangle; and notches disposed in respective positions contiguous to the slit on the first and second sides, each notch being a triangle. The slit is transformed into an opening by deforming the first and second sides and also changing the positions of the first and second sides in such a manner that two sides of the triangle of each cut abut, and that two sides of the triangle of each notch abut. The body continuously extends in its entire periphery.

Abstract: An energy saving support system according to an embodiment is configured to provide a consumer, who has an electric load to which electric energy is supplied from an electric power supply system within a house, with energy consumption-related information through a photo frame or the like. The information providing apparatus is configured to acquire an acceptability level, which stepwise indicates a degree of interest of the consumer in the energy consumption-related information, and to determine the energy consumption-related information to be newly provided to the consumer based on the acceptability level.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is the finding that Zscan4 is an early embryonic factor that facilitates cellular reprogramming. In particular, Zscan4 can replace the oncogenic reprogramming factor c-Myc to produce induced pluripotent stem cells when co-expressed with Klf4, Oct4 and Sox2. In addition, several Zscan4-dependent genes were identified that promote iPSC formation when co-expressed with known reprogramming factors. Thus, the present disclosure provides an ex vivo method of producing an iPS cell by reprogramming of a somatic cell. The method includes contacting the somatic cell with a Zscan4, or a Zscan4-dependent gene, and at least one reprogramming factor. Also provided are iPS cells produced by the disclosed method and non-human animals generated from such iPS cells.

Abstract: A power supply management system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a fee setting unit configured to set power fee unit prices (first power fee unit price and second power fee unit price for each time slot, and a notification unit configured to notify a consumer of information on the set power fee unit prices. The first power fee unit price is a power unit price for a household electrical load, and the second power fee unit price is a power unit price in a case of using a charge/discharge device to charge a vehicle-mounted storage battery. The fee setting unit is configured to set, by predicting a load factor of a transformer, a discount rate of the second power fee unit price to become higher (second power fee unit price to become lower) as the predicted load factor becomes lower. The second power fee unit price is determined on the basis of the first power fee unit price and the discount rate.

Abstract: An energy saving support system according to an embodiment is configured to provide a consumer, who has an electric load to which electric energy is supplied from an electric power supply system within a house, with energy consumption-related information through a photo frame or the like. The information providing apparatus is configured to acquire an acceptability level, which stepwise indicates a degree of interest of the consumer in the energy consumption-related information, and to determine the energy consumption-related information to be newly provided to the consumer based on the acceptability level.

Abstract: This vacuum cleaning device is provided with: a vapor chamber in which vapor of a hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent is generated; a condensation chamber; a first heat exchanger in which heat exchange between the vapor and a heating medium is carried out; a cleaning chamber in which a workpiece can be cleaned under vacuum by the condensed cleaning agent that has been generated in the condensation chamber; a compressor that adiabatically compresses and further heats the heating medium that was heated by the first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger that carries out heat exchange between the heating medium heated by the compressor and the hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent in the vapor chamber; and a vacuum unit that further cools the heating medium that has been cooled by the second heat exchanger by forcing vacuum expansion of the heating medium.

Abstract: This vacuum cleaning device is provided with: a vapor chamber in which vapor of a hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent is generated; a condensation chamber; a first heat exchanger in which heat exchange between the vapor and a heating medium is carried out; a cleaning chamber in which a workpiece can be cleaned under vacuum by the condensed cleaning agent that has been generated in the condensation chamber; a compressor that adiabatically compresses and further heats the heating medium that was heated by the first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger that carries out heat exchange between the heating medium heated by the compressor and the hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent in the vapor chamber; and a vacuum unit that further cools the heating medium that has been cooled by the second heat exchanger by forcing vacuum expansion of the heating medium.

Abstract: Provided is a vehicle sun roof apparatus comprising: a movable panel configured to open and close an opening section, a guide rail provided at an edge portion of the opening section in the vehicle width direction, a sliding member linked to an edge portion of the movable panel in the vehicle width direction and provided along the guide rail so as to be movable in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, a check mechanism configured to release a movement lock of the movable panel by locking the movement of the movable panel, and an engagement and disengagement switching mechanism provided with a first member supported by either the sliding member or the edge portion of the movable panel in the vehicle width direction.

Abstract: Inexpensive heating fuel is used to generate heat required for completion of reformation of raw material to be reformed such as hydrocarbon gas, heavy oil or oil refining pitch so that the raw material may be reformed economically and stably. A reformer has a raw material feeder that feeds a predetermined amount of raw material to be reformed to a fluidized-bed reforming furnace; a fuel feeder feeds heating fuel to a fluidized-bed combustion furnace; and a controller regulates the fuel to be fed to the combustion furnace so as to impart heat to the circulating particles in the combustion furnace such that the raw material fed to the reforming furnace can be completely reformed in the reforming furnace.

Abstract: A roof apparatus for a vehicle includes a function part which is movable along a guide rail provided at a roof portion and supports a movable panel, a drain channel extending in the vehicle width direction and movable along the guide rail, and a stopper provided at the guide rail at a rear side, wherein the stopper allows the drain channel to be in contact therewith for stopping a movement of the drain channel and the drain channel allows the function part to be in contact therewith for stopping a movement of the function part, and the drain channel includes an interposition portion including a contacting surface defined by a contact with the stopper and a contacted surface defined by a contact with the function part, and projected images of the contacting surface and the contacted surface are at least partly overlapped each other in the vehicle front/rear direction.

Abstract: A roof apparatus for a vehicle includes a shoe member and a support member including an end portion rotatably connected to the shoe member within a predetermined rotation range. One of the end portion of the support member and the shoe member integrally includes first and second vertical wall portions and a support portion including a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion. The other of the end portion of the support member and the shoe member includes a bearing portion pivotally supporting the large diameter portion and including an opening through which an insertion and removal of the small diameter portion is allowed in a state where the support member is positioned out of the predetermined rotation range and through which the insertion and removal of the small diameter portion is prohibited in a state where the support member is positioned within the predetermined rotation range.

Abstract: Provided is a vehicle sun roof apparatus comprising: a movable panel configured to open and close an opening section, a guide rail provided at an edge portion of the opening section in the vehicle width direction, a sliding member linked to an edge portion of the movable panel in the vehicle width direction and provided along the guide rail so as to be movable in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, a check mechanism configured to release a movement lock of the movable panel by locking the movement of the movable panel, and an engagement and disengagement switching mechanism provided with a first member supported by either the sliding member or the edge portion of the movable panel in the vehicle width direction.

Abstract: A roof apparatus for a vehicle includes a shoe member and a support member including an end portion rotatably connected to the shoe member within a predetermined rotation range. One of the end portion of the support member and the shoe member integrally includes first and second vertical wall portions and a support portion including a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion. The other of the end portion of the support member and the shoe member includes a bearing portion pivotally supporting the large diameter portion and including an opening through which an insertion and removal of the small diameter portion is allowed in a state where the support member is positioned out of the predetermined rotation range and through which the insertion and removal of the small diameter portion is prohibited in a state where the support member is positioned within the predetermined rotation range.

Abstract: A roof apparatus for a vehicle includes a function part which is movable along a guide rail provided at a roof portion and supports a movable panel, a drain channel extending in the vehicle width direction and movable along the guide rail, and a stopper provided at the guide rail at a rear side, wherein the stopper allows the drain channel to be in contact therewith for stopping a movement of the drain channel and the drain channel allows the function part to be in contact therewith for stopping a movement of the function part, and the drain channel includes an interposition portion including a contacting surface defined by a contact with the stopper and a contacted surface defined by a contact with the function part, and projected images of the contacting surface and the contacted surface are at least partly overlapped each other in the vehicle front/rear direction.

Abstract: A roof apparatus for a vehicle includes a guide member sliding along a guide rail, a support member supporting a movable panel, a drive member driving the movable panel and the guide member, a first garnish supported by the guide rail and covering a clearance between the support member and the guide rail from an interior space of the vehicle under tilt-up and opening operations of the movable panel, a second garnish supported by the movable panel and covering the support member from the interior space, the second garnish covering the guide member under a fully closed state and the tilt-up operation of the movable panel; and a third garnish connected to the guide member or the support member and covering an opening portion between the first and second garnishes from the interior space under the tilt-up and opening operations and the fully closed state of the movable panel.