Abstract: A network management program is executed in a managing device for managing network which includes multiple devices to be managed and plural managing devices. The network management program comprises computer instructions for exchanging management information between said plural managing devices, judging in accordance with said exchanged management information whether said plural managing devices are performing duplicative management with respect to the same managed device or not, and making only one of said plural managing devices manage said device duplicatively managed. The network management servers (managing devices) comprising computers operates in accordance with the network management program installed in memory on both computers so as to prevent dupulicative management of the multiple devices to be managed belonging to the network.

Abstract: A toner including toner particles containing at least a binder resin and a colorant. The binder resin is a vinyl-based resin. The toner contains a THF insoluble matter in a quantity of 0.0 mass % or more to less than 16.0 mass %. The toner has a main peak in a molecular weight domain Dr1 ranging from 5,000 to 80,000 in measurement of THF soluble matter of the toner with a gel permeation chromatogram (GPC)-differential refractive index detector (RI), and the toner has a main peak in a molecular weight domain Dm1 ranging from 10,000 to 120,000 and at least one peak in a molecular weight domain Dm2 ranging from 300,000 to 7,000,000 in the GPC-RI measurement in measurement with a GPC-multi-angle laser light scattering detector (MALLS).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed, in which the index data of a document data is detected, and based on the particular index data, the contents of each index are displayed. Based on this display, an index is selected and the portion of the document data corresponding to the selected index is printed.

Abstract: Introduction service is supported, in order to activate and facilitate community activities. A community management center 1 searches for offered-service information that matches at least partly with an application designated by a coordinator terminal 2, and selects participants specified by detected offered-service information, as introduction candidates. Then, an introduction candidate list that describes private information, desired terms, and possessed value of ticket for each of the selected introduction candidates is displayed on a coordinator terminal 2. When the coordinator terminal 2 selects a participant to be introduced to the applicant, out of the introduction candidates described in the introduction candidate list, then, the private information and the desired terms of selected participant is displayed on a participant terminal 3 of the applicant.

Abstract: A toner is provided which is excellent in low-temperature fixability and offset resistance, has a wide fixing temperature range, provides fixed images with high gloss, and can form toner images having high quality. The toner is composed of toner particles having toner base particles each containing a binder resin and a colorant. When the viscosities of each of the toner particles measured at 100° C. and 110° C. by a flow tester heat-up method are represented by ?100 (Pa·s) and ?110 (Pa·s), respectively, an average variation in viscosity A?T represented by the following equation (1) satisfies the relationship of 0?A?T??0.064: A?T=(log(?100)?log(?100)/(110?100)??(1); and ?100 is 15,000 to 40,000 Pa·s.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a stabilized fluoropolymer which comprises producing the stabilized fluoropolymer by subjecting a treatment target substance containing a sulfonic-acid-derived-group-containing fluoropolymer to a fluorination treatment, wherein the sulfonic-acid-derived-group-containing fluoropolymer is a fluoropolymer containing —SO3M (in which M represents H, NR1R2R3R4 or M11/L; R1, R2, R3 and R4 are the same or different and each represents H or an alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and M1 represents an L-valent metal), and the treatment target substance has a moisture content of not higher than 500 ppm by mass.

Abstract: The invention provides a material for sliding contacts that is suitable for a small-sized DC motor used in recent downsized CD players and is excellent in durability. A material for sliding contacts used in a commutator of a small-sized DC motor that consists essentially of 0.01 to 3.0% Ni by weight, 0.01 to 6.0% ZnO by weight and/or 0.01 to 3.0% MgO by weight, furthermore, in some cases, 0.01 to 5.0% Cu by weight, and the balance Ag, in which Ni metal particles, ZnO particles or MgO particles are dispersed in the matrix of Ag.

Abstract: An image processing device is disclosed, in which the data on a job, a password related to the job and the information specifying whether the input of the password is required to control the job are stored. In the image processing device, the information is stored to specify that the input of the password is not required to control a predetermined job in the case where a predetermined condition is met for the predetermined job.

Abstract: A compound semiconductor film is formed with a compound containing: A. at least one element selected from zinc, tin, cadmium, indium, and gallium; B. at least one element selected from oxygen and sulfur; and C. an element of Group IIa. A solar cell is configured to include: a substrate (11); a conductive layer (12) formed on the substrate (11); a light-absorption layer (13) that is formed on the conductive layer (12) with a compound semiconductor containing an element of Group Ib, an element of Group IIIa, and an element of Group VIa; the above-described compound semiconductor film (14) formed on the light-absorption layer (13); and a transparent conductive layer (16) formed on the compound semiconductor film (14). Such a configuration provides a compound semiconductor film having a low electric resistivity. Further by employing the compound semiconductor film having a low electric resistivity as a buffer layer of a solar cell, the energy conversion efficiency of the solar cell is improved.

Abstract: An air vent apparatus for a water tube, comprising: an air separator pipe installed to have an axial direction along a vertical direction, and connected to a portion, where an air reservoir tends to occur, of the water tube for passage of water; and air vent means for venting air accumulating in the air separator pipe.

Abstract: A solar cell including a light-absorption layer of a compound semiconductor with a chalcopyrite crystal structure and having excellent characteristics such as conversion efficiency is provided. The solar cell includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, a p-type semiconductor layer interposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and an n-type semiconductor layer interposed between the p-type semiconductor layer and the second electrode layer. The p-type semiconductor layer includes a compound semiconductor containing a group Ib element, a group IIIb element and a group VI element and having a chalcopyrite structure. The bandgap of the p-type semiconductor layer increases from the n-type semiconductor layer side to the first electrode layer side monotonically. The bandgap of the p-type semiconductor layer on the main surface at the n-type semiconductor layer side is at least 1.

Abstract: In a non-magnetic toner having non-magnetic toner particles containing at least a binder resin and a colorant, and an inorganic fine powder, the non-magnetic toner particles contain at least one ether compound having a specific structure, and the ether compound is in a content of from 5 ppm to 1,000 ppm.

Abstract: An electronic device including a new oxide layer and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The electronic device of the present invention includes an oxide layer, which is formed of an oxide containing an element from group IIa, an element from group IIb and an element from group IIIb. For example, it can be applied to a solar cell including a back electrode serving as a first electrode layer, a transparent electrically conductive film serving as a second electrode layer having a light-transmitting property, and a semiconductor layer that is provided between the back electrode and the transparent electrically conductive film and functions as a light-absorption layer, and including an oxide layer provided between the semiconductor layer and the transparent electrically conductive film.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a counter circuit, which can be operated with a high frequency clock. In order to realize the operation with a high frequency the counter circuit comprises first counter circuit 1 and second counter circuit 2, counting input signals, and a counter output switching circuit 3, to switch the output signal of the first counter circuit 1 and the second counter circuit 2.

Abstract: Disclosed is a therapeutic autologous-cell delivery support system 100, in which a therapeutic autologous cell extracted from a member is reserved in reserve means 34, and an autologous-cell delivery request from the member which includes ID information and positional information is received. Membership information is retrieved in accordance with the received ID information, and the membership information and positional information of the member is output. When the reserve means is provided in plural number at geographically different locations, one reserve means having a shortest delivery time is selected in accordance with the positional information included in the delivery request. The delivery request can be issued using ID information storage means 11 for transmitting the ID information, in a simple operation, or automatically issued using a monitor of physical data.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image data processing method of recording image data coded with the MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) technique to a recording medium. For transition of the bit occupancy in a VBV buffer to a target value, the initial value of a bit occupany in a VBV buffer is calculated on the basis of auxiliary data read from a recording medium, a comparison is made between the target and intial values of the bit occupany, and the number of bits for assignment to each GOP of to-be-coded image data correspondingly to the result of comparison.

Abstract: The invention provides a material for sliding contacts that is suitable for a small-sized DC motor used in recent downsized CD players and is excellent in durability. A material for sliding contacts used in a commutator of a small-sized DC motor that consists essentially of 0.01 to 3.0% Ni by weight, 0.01 to 6.0% ZnO by weight and/or 0.01 to 3.0% MgO by weight, furthermore, in some cases, 0.01 to 5.0% Cu by weight, and the balance Ag, in which Ni metal particles, ZnO particles or MgO particles are dispersed in the matrix of Ag.

Abstract: A moving picture encoding apparatus in which a minimum picture quality may be maintained even though the bitrate of an output encoded datastream is changed. A real-time distribution system for moving pictures 1 includes a frame rate conversion unit 11 for controlling the frame rate of input moving picture data, an encoding unit 12 for encoding moving picture data, having a controlled frame rate, in accordance with the MPEG-4, a frame rate calculating unit 16 for calculating a setting value of the frame rate, a transmission unit 13 for transmitting/receiving data over a network, and a receiving unit 14. The receiving unit 14 detects the state of communication on the network and, based on the detected state of communication on the network, calculates a target bitrate. The encoding unit 12 controls the bitrate of the MPEG-4 datastream responsive to this target bitrate.

Abstract: In order to print a marked-up region in a color appropriate for printing, a MFP includes a communicating portion to which print data is input, a marked-up region extract portion for extracting a marked-up region from the print data, a marked-up region converter for converting a color of the extracted marked-up region to a conversion color appropriate for printing, and a printer for printing the marked-up region extracted from the print data in the conversion color.

Abstract: A semiconductor film has a composition in which a Group Ia element and a Group Vb element are added to a compound semiconductor with a chalcopyrite structure containing a Group Ib element, a Group IIIb element and a Group VIb element. This allows the provision of a semiconductor film whose carrier density can be controlled effectively. A solar cell of the present invention includes: a substrate and the semiconductor film of the present invention that is provided as a light-absorption layer on the substrate. With this configuration, a light-absorption layer whose carrier density can be controlled effectively can be provided, so that a solar cell having a high energy conversion efficiency can be provided.