Abstract: According to one embodiment, a thermionic power generation element includes a cathode, an anode, and an insulating member. The cathode includes an electrically-conductive material. The anode includes an electrically-conductive material. The insulating member is located between the cathode and the anode. The cathode and the anode have a gap between the cathode and the anode. A first through-hole is provided in the anode. The first through-hole extends through the anode in a first direction and communicates with the gap. The first direction is from the cathode toward the anode.

Abstract: A power management system including a management apparatus configured to assign divided computation processing constituting at least a part of predetermined computation processing to a distributed computing device placed in a facility, wherein the management apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive a message including an information element indicating a type of corresponding computation processing that the distributed computing device is capable of handling, and a controller configured to perform assignment processing to assign the divided computation processing to the distributed computing device based on the type of the corresponding computation processing.

Abstract: A method for producing a coating film-forming composition for lithography, including a step for passing a liquid through a filter cartridge. The filter cartridge is obtained by layering more than one type of filtration base fabrics or winding same around a hollow inner tube, wherein: the fabrics are non-woven fabrics in which metal-adsorbing groups are chemically bonded to polyolefin fibers; the fabrics contain non-woven fabric layers A and B; layer A is configured from polyolefin fibers to which sulfonic acid groups are chemically bonded as metal-adsorbing groups; and layer B is configured from polyolefin fibers to which at least one type selected from among amino groups, N-methyl-D-glucamine groups, iminodiacetic acid groups, iminodiethanol groups, amidoxime groups, phosphoric acid groups, carboxylic acid groups and ethylenediamine triacetic acid groups chemically bonded as metal-adsorbing groups. Thus, the amount of metal impurities that are the cause of minute defects on a wafer can be reduced.

Abstract: A power management system including a management apparatus configured to assign divided computation processing constituting at least a part of predetermined computation processing to a distributed computing device placed in a facility, wherein the management apparatus includes a controller configured to perform assignment processing configured to assign the divided computation processing to the distributed computing device based on at least one of a prediction value of an output power of a distributed power supply placed in the facility, a prediction value of power consumption of the facility, and a prediction value of a surplus power of the facility.

Abstract: An information processing method that is executed by a computer includes a process of: acquiring information indicating a connection status of an electric vehicle to a charger/discharger managed by an aggregator; specifying a degree of contribution to the aggregator by the electric vehicle according to the connection status; and giving a benefit in association with a user of the electric vehicle according to the specified degree of contribution. Preferably, the degree of contribution is specified on the basis of a parallel waiting time of the electric vehicle for the charger/discharger, the number of parallel waiting operations, the number of times the electric vehicle is charged and discharged through the charger/discharger, a charge and discharge time, charge and discharge power, or an amount of charge and discharge power.

Abstract: In a spark plug 1 of the present invention, in a mirror-polished surface 230a obtained by mirror-polishing a cut surface 230 obtained by cutting an insulator 2 in a direction perpendicular to an axial line AX direction, at a position separated by 2 mm from a portion having a maximum diameter of a diameter-enlarged portion 31a to a rear end side along the axial line AX direction, when 20 first observation regions X each being 192 ?m×255 ?m are set so as to each overlap a reference position m1 being a position 0.2 mm in a radial direction from an inner peripheral surface 2a side of the insulator 2 and so as not to overlap each other, a proportion (porosity) of an area of all of pores included in the 20 first observation regions X relative to a total area (100%) of the 20 first observation regions X is not greater than 3.

Abstract: A spark plug 1 of the present invention includes: an insulator 2 made from an alumina-based sintered body; a center electrode being a bar-like electrode inserted in the insulator 2 and having, on a rear end side of the center electrode, a diameter-enlarged portion enlarged in a radial direction and engaged with an inner wall of the insulator; and a conductive sealing material provided on the rear end side of the center electrode 3 inside the insulator.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate includes a first main surface and a second main surface opposing each other. The semiconductor substrate includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, and a plurality of second semiconductor regions constituting pn junctions with the first semiconductor region. The semiconductor substrate includes the plurality of second semiconductor in a side of the second main surface. Each of the plurality of second semiconductor regions includes a first region including a textured surface, and a second region including no textured surface. A thickness of the first region at a deepest position of recesses of the textured surface is smaller than a distance between a surface of the second region and the deepest position in a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate. The first main surface is a light incident surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A spark plug 1 of the present invention includes: an insulator 2 made from an alumina-based sintered body; a center electrode being a bar-like electrode inserted in the insulator 2 and having, on a rear end side of the center electrode, a diameter-enlarged portion enlarged in a radial direction and engaged with an inner wall of the insulator; and a conductive sealing material provided on the rear end side of the center electrode 3 inside the insulator.

Abstract: In a spark plug 1 of the present invention, in a mirror-polished surface 230a obtained by mirror-polishing a cut surface 230 obtained by cutting an insulator 2 in a direction perpendicular to an axial line AX direction, at a position separated by 2 mm from a portion having a maximum diameter of a diameter-enlarged portion 31a to a rear end side along the axial line AX direction, when 20 first observation regions X each being 192 ?m×255 ?m are set so as to each overlap a reference position ml being a position 0.2 mm in a radial direction from an inner peripheral surface 2a side of the insulator 2 and so as not to overlap each other, a proportion (porosity) of an area of all of pores included in the 20 first observation regions X relative to a total area (100%) of the 20 first observation regions X is not greater than 3.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a body structure for a vehicle capable of improving a vibration damping effect by a damping member while preventing an increase in an application amount of the damping member and a shape change of a component. Embodiments include a body structure for a vehicle in which a first bonded surface of a first body component and a second bonded surface of a second body component are bonded via a damping member, with which a portion between the first bonded surface and the second bonded surface is filled. The first bonded surface of the first body component has a vertical wall extending toward the second bonded surface or away from the second bonded surface. The portion between the first bonded surface and the second bonded surface is filled with the damping member such that the damping member contacts the vertical wall.

Abstract: An operation device for a vehicle includes an operation body configured to be displaced by being operated so as to turn the vehicle according to a displacement of the operation body while the vehicle is being manually operated, a detector configured to detect the displacement of the operation body so as to turn the vehicle according to the displacement of the operation body while the vehicle is being manually operated, and a determination section configured to determine a state of the operation body and the detector based on the displacement of the operation body as detected by the detector while the vehicle is in non-manual operation.

Abstract: An adhesion interface observation method is adapted to observe a region in vicinity of an adhesion interface following adhesion and curing of an adhesive that is coated on adhered members and adheres the adhered members to each other. The adhesion interface observation method includes: exposing the cured adhesive by removing one of the adhered members; forming an observation region by cutting a predetermined part of the adhesive by a predetermined thickness; obliquely cutting the observation region in an oblique direction that is inclined with respect to a thickness direction of the observation region; and observing, by a surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy, Raman scattering light generated by applying excitation light to an observation possible region that is positioned on a side, of a part of the observation region having been subjected to the oblique cutting, on which a thickness of the part of the observation region is small.

Abstract: A polyarylene sulfide in which when the cumulative integral value from the molecular weight of 100 to the molecular weight of 10,000 in a molecular weight distribution curve is 100, the cumulative integrated value at the molecular weight of 4000 is 48 to 53, and when the melt flow rate of the polyarylene sulfide is defined as MFR1, and when the melt flow rate obtained after mixing the polyarylene sulfide with an epoxy silane coupling agent at a weight ratio of 100:1 and heating the resulting mixture at 315.5° C. for 5 minutes is defined as MFR2, the rate of change represented by MFR2/MFR1 is not more than 0.085.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a body structure for a vehicle capable of improving a vibration damping effect by a damping member while preventing an increase in an application amount of the damping member and a shape change of a component. Embodiments include a body structure for a vehicle in which a first bonded surface of a first body component and a second bonded surface of a second body component are bonded via a damping member, with which a portion between the first bonded surface and the second bonded surface is filled. The first bonded surface of the first body component has a vertical wall extending toward the second bonded surface or away from the second bonded surface. The portion between the first bonded surface and the second bonded surface is filled with the damping member such that the damping member contacts the vertical wall.

Abstract: A resin laminated steel plate includes steel plates and resin layers. The resin layers are interposed between the steel plates. Each of the resin layer includes resin-absent areas where no resin exists. The resin-absent areas provide gaps in a predetermined range between the steel plates. Resin materials constituting the each of the resin layers are dotted such that the resin-absent areas include areas where no resin material exists.

Abstract: A polyphenylene sulfide resin composition exhibits excellent initial toughness and toughness after a long-term high temperature treatment typified by a tensile elongation at break after a dry heat treatment without impairing mechanical strength, chemical resistance and electrical insulation properties. The polyphenylene sulfide resin composition includes 0.01 to 10 parts by weight of an organosilane compound and 0.01 to 5 parts by weight of a metal salt of phosphorus oxoacid based on 100 parts by weight of a polyphenylene sulfide resin, and a tensile elongation at break, which is measured in accordance with ASTM-D638 under the conditions of a tensile speed of 10 mm/min and an ambient temperature of 23° C. after treating at 200° C. for 500 hours using an ASTM No. 4 dumbbell test piece obtained by injection molding the composition, is 10% or more.

Abstract: Provided is an optical module comprising a substrate, a holder, and a spacer. An optical waveguide is formed in/on the substrate and end parts thereof are protruding from one surface of the substrate. The holder holds an optical fiber and exposes one end part of the optical fiber in such a manner that the one end part of the optical fiber can be optically connected to the end parts of the optical waveguide at a side of one surface of the holder. The spacer is held the one surface of the substrate and the one surface of the holder.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure satisfies at least one of the following (A), (B), and (C): (A) an adhesive amount per unit area of a first adhesive in a second adjacent part is smaller than an adhesive amount per unit area of the first adhesive in a first adjacent part; (B) an adhesive amount per unit area of a panel adhesive in a second panel adjacent part is smaller than an adhesive amount per unit area of the panel adhesive in a first panel adjacent part; and (C) an adhesive amount per unit area of a second adhesive in a stacking adjacent part is smaller than an adhesive amount per unit area of the second adhesive in a non-stacking adjacent part.

Abstract: An autonomous driving device allows for autonomous driving of a vehicle. The autonomous driving device includes a monitoring unit and a switching unit. The monitoring unit monitors an operation state of a driving-system operation device of the vehicle. The switching unit switches a driving mode of the vehicle to manual driving, in which a user drives the vehicle, when the monitoring unit confirms that the driving-system operation device has been operated in accordance with a specified procedure under a condition that a vehicle speed is lower than or equal to a specified value.