Abstract: An energy supply system includes: an energy supply device (1a) configured to supply electric power and/or heat; and a controller (6) configured to set a first maximum operation time of a first specified period including a plurality of second specified periods, the first maximum operation time being an upper limit of an operation time of the energy supply device in the first specified period; calculate and set a second target maximum operation time of each of the second specified periods of the first specified period such that the operation time of the energy supply device in the first specified period does not exceed the first maximum operation time, the second target maximum operation time being a target value of an upper limit of the operation time of the energy supply device in the second specified period; and reconfigure the second target maximum operation time of a future second specified period of a certain first specified period based on a time in which the energy supply device has been actually operat

Abstract: An energy supply system comprises an energy supply device (1a) for supplying at least one of electric power and heat, and a controller (6) configured to set first maximum operation time which is an upper limit value of operation time of the energy supply device in a first specified period shorter than a guaranteed operation period of the energy supply device such that operation time of the energy supply device does not reach operation time life before the guaranteed operation period lapses, and calculate and set second maximum operation time which is an upper limit value of the operation time of the energy supply device in a second specified period shorter than the first specified period based on the set first maximum operation time such that the operation time of the energy supply device within the first specified period does not exceed the first maximum operation time.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion element is configured to have two types of conductors with different Seebeck coefficients physically connected alternately with an electrode via one or more electrical resistance layers formed by electrical resistor having electrical resistance rate of 1×10?3 ?em or more. This arrangement enables charges to be generated by the difference of temperature in both ends of the element and to be densely stored in the electrical resistance layers formed by electrical resistor. Moreover, it is thought that thermal energy equivalent to the difference of temperature is input into the electrical resistance layers and that electromotive force increases as a result of an increase of output voltage.

Abstract: A terminal relay member includes a plurality of relay terminals, each of which has a body section in which an opening is formed so as to penetrate the body section, and a terminal section to be connected to the circuit board; and a covering section for covering the body sections. The covering section includes holes corresponding to the openings. The opening is configured so that, by inserting a terminal pin of a connector to the opening, a part of the body section around the opening is deformed toward an inner wall of the hole of the covering section to contact the terminal pin.

Abstract: A disposable diaper includes a pants member and a body fluid absorbent pad lying inside the pants member. The pad is connected to elastic first and second suspender members extending in a circumferential direction of the diaper and joined under extension in the circumferential direction of the diaper to the pants member. Front and rear ends of the pad are joined to the suspender members in middle zones of these suspender members of which transversely opposite side edges are joined to transversely opposite side edges of front and rear waist regions. Inner and outer ends of the suspender members are joined to the front and rear waist regions in a joining zones arranged intermittently in the circumferential direction of the diaper.

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention comprises a fuel cell (13), a load value detecting means (16) configured to detect a load value of a load of electric power or heat which is generated by equipment (14) supplied with the electric power or the heat from the fuel cell system, a load value storage means (17) configured to store a history of the load value which is detected by the load value detecting means (16), a load value predicting means (18) configured to predict a load value which is going to be generated, based on the history of the load value, and to store the predicted load value as load value data, and scheduled start-up time of a fuel cell (13) is decided based on the load value data.

Abstract: A method for producing a rose characterized by artificially suppressing the rose endogenous metabolic pathway and expressing the pansy gene coding for flavonoid 3?,5?-hydroxylase.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing a flowering plant which can flower at a low light intensity. Specifically, the invention relates to a transgenic plant which can flower in a low light environment; a method for producing the same; a method for inducing the same to flower; and so on. More specifically, the invention relates to a transgenic plant which is engineered so as to flower in a low light environment (e.g., indoors) by introducing a FT gene thereinto; a method for producing the same; a method for inducing the same to flower; and so on.

Abstract: The present invention provides an enzyme having the lignan glycosidation activity by identifying the enzyme that is involved in the production of lignan glycosides, identifying the amino acid sequence of the enzyme polypeptide and the base sequence for a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide, and based on the information of these sequences, preparing the transformants capable of producing the lignan glycosides.

Abstract: A method of acylating the 3? position of anthocyanin using an enzyme that transfers an aromatic acyl group to a sugar at the 3? position of anthocyanin or a gene encoding the enzyme.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a wearing article improved so that various types of nonwoven fabrics can be effectively used for target nonwoven fabric without anxiety that the target nonwoven fabric once engaged with hook elements might be readily torn. As an outer sheet 8 defining a garment-facing side of a chassis 2, a commonly-used nonwoven fabric is used and this nonwoven fabric is oriented in a longitudinal direction Y. Rear waist region's side edges 14 of the chassis 2 are provided with flaps 16 attached thereto. Each of the flaps 16 has a joint region 19 along which the flap 16 is joined to the chassis 2 and first and second hook elements 21, 22. Between the joint region 19 and the first and second hook elements 21, 22 as viewed in the transverse direction X, a contractible region 23 adapted to be contractible in the transverse direction X. The contractible region 23 is provided with a plurality of flap's elastic members 24.

Abstract: A connection member of simple structure having a high reliability and capable of performing electric cable branching is provided. Connection portions of a plurality of electric cable terminals having an electric cable are respectively inserted into an electric cable terminal insertion hole of a holding body. Cylindrical contact points of the connection portions are aligned in a pin terminal insertion hole and a pin terminal is inserted into the pin terminal insertion hole. The pin terminal is successively inserted into the cylindrical contact points of the electric cable terminals arranged in parallel in the pin terminal insertion hole so that the pin terminal is electrically connected to the plurality of connection portions and the connection portions are short-circuited with one another.

Abstract: Provided is a connecting member by which an electric wire can be branched easily with high reliability. Receptacle connecting ends (2a) of a plurality of wire terminals (2) having wires (3) are inserted into a wire terminal inserting hole (1a) of a holder (1), then, a pin terminal (4a) is inserted into a pin terminal inserting hole (1b) of the pin terminal (4a). The pin terminal (4a) is inserted through a tubular contact (2c) of the receptacle connecting ends (2a) arranged in the pin terminal inserting hole (1b), and electricity is carried between the wire terminals (2) through the pin terminals (4a).

Abstract: There are provided a head gimbal assembly and an information recording and reproducing apparatus capable of easily positioning a light guiding portion and a slider on a tongue portion and performing a stable recording and reproducing operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a genetic sequence encoding a polypeptide having methyltransferase activity and the use of the genetic sequence and/or the polypeptide to modify one or more phenotypic characteristics of a plant. More particularly, the methyltransferase of the present invention acts on flavonoids, preferably wherein the flavonoid is an anthocyanin. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a polypeptide having S-adenosyl-L-methionine: anthocyanin 3?-O-methyltransferase or S-adenosyl-L-methionine: anthocyanin 3?, 5?-O-methyltransferase activity. The present invention still further provides a genetic sequence encoding a polypeptide having methyltransferase activity derived from Petunia, Torenia Fuchsia or Plumbago or botanically related plants.

Abstract: A waterproof harness connector that is simple, highly reliable, and can branch a wire. An inner holder is inserted into an outer holder from an opening, and then, joints of wire terminals, where seal members are attached to wires, are inserted into wire terminal holding holes of the inner holder through wire terminal insertion openings of the outer holder. When a pin terminal is inserted into pin terminal insertion hole of the inner holder, the pin terminal penetrates tubular contacts of the joints, which are placed in the holding hole, to electrically connect the wire terminals to each other. After that, a waterproof member is fixed to an opening to make the inside of the outer holder a waterproof structure.

Abstract: A novel flavonoid glucosyltransferase originating from rose, a nucleic acid encoding that enzyme, for example, a flavonoid glucosyltransferase having an amino acid sequence indicated in SEQ ID NO. 2 or SEQ ID NO. 4, a nucleic acid encoding that enzyme, a method for changing the color of a rose flower using that nucleic acid, and a rose plant capable of changing color, are provided.

Abstract: A circuit board case with an electrical connector comprises a case member having formed thereon a connector mating portion, and a connection member accommodated in the case member and mounted on the connector mating portion to electrically connect the counterpart connector and the circuit board. The connection member comprises a terminal provided with a first bar portion and a second bar portion, and a first fixing member which holds the first bar portion of the terminal and is mounted on the connector mating portion of the case member to fix the terminal, and a second fixing member which holds the second bar portion and is mounted on the case member to regulate movement of the terminal in a direction in which the first bar portion extends into the case member.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator comprises a reformer configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas through a reforming reaction in an internal space thereof using a material gas and steam; a material gas supply passage through which the material gas is supplied to the reformer; a material gas supplier which is provided at the material gas supply passage to supply the material gas to the reformer; a first valve configured to open and close the material gas supply passage; an evaporator configured to generate a steam supplied to the reformer; a water supplier configured to supply water to the evaporator; a communicating passage for allowing the reformer to communicate with atmosphere; a second valve configured to open and close the communicating passage; and a controller configured to stop the material gas supplier and the water supplier and close the first valve and the second valve at shutdown of the hydrogen generator; and open the second valve prior to opening the first valve when the material gas supplier resumes

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention comprises a fuel cell (101); a first heat medium path through which a first heat medium for cooling the fuel cell (101) flows; a first flow control device (107) configured to flow the first heat medium in the first heat medium path; an abnormality detector configured to detect an abnormality; and a controller (110) configured to control the first flow control device (107) such that the fuel cell (101) after shut-down of power generation is cooled with a higher rate in an abnormal shut-down process performed after the abnormality detector detects the abnormality, than in a normal shut-down process.