Abstract: A disclosed etching method includes (a) preparing a substrate in a chamber, (b) forming a deposit on the substrate, (c) supplying ions from a plasma generated from the process gas to the deposit to modify the deposit, and (d) etching the dielectric film by using a plasma after (c). The substrate includes a dielectric film and a mask. The deposit is supplied from a plasma generated from a process gas containing a gas component containing fluorine and carbon. A power level of a source radio frequency power in (c) is not higher than a power level of the source radio frequency power in (b). An electric bias has a level in (c) higher than a level of the electric bias in (b), or is not supplied in (b). A level of the electric bias in (d) is higher than the level of the electric bias in (c).

Abstract: Provided is an operation support apparatus including: a calculation unit which calculates, based on an electricity cost or an amount of power consumption for each of predetermined times associated with operation of a plurality of electrolyzers operating in parallel, an amount of production by time unit which is an amount of production of a product for each of the times that satisfies a target amount of production of the product, the product being produced by the plurality of electrolyzers over a predetermined period of time; and a specification unit which specifies an electrolyzer to be operated among the plurality of electrolyzers, based on the amount of production by time unit calculated by the calculation unit.

Abstract: A particle discrimination mechanism includes: a channel in which a plurality of first nanoparticles each including an absorber having a predetermined absorption level and a plurality of second nanoparticles each of which does not include the absorber having the predetermined absorption level exist, the channel including a first input section and a second input section; a laser that outputs first light, which is absorbed by the absorber having the predetermined absorption level, in a direction from the first input section toward the second input section; a laser that outputs second light, which is not absorbed by the absorber having the predetermined absorption level but is scattered or absorbed by the second nanoparticles, in a direction from the second input section toward the first input section.

Abstract: Provided is a chemical analysis apparatus which has a stirring function for stirring, by using an ultrasonic element, a reagent or the like and a sample to be measured, and with which it is possible to infer the presence or absence of a reaction liquid and estimate the liquid amount of the reaction liquid without using a means such as a sensor and a visual inspection. This chemical analysis apparatus has an ultrasonic stirring mechanism and is characterized in that the ultrasonic stirring mechanism comprises: a piezoelectric element; a plurality of electrodes provided to the piezoelectric element; a power source unit for applying voltage to the electrodes; a detection unit for measuring electric impedance for each of the plurality of electrodes or for any combination of the electrodes; and an analysis unit for determining the liquid amount in a reaction vessel from the electric impedance detected by the detection unit.

Abstract: A method of preparing a measurement specimen according to one or more embodiments may include removing red blood cells from a blood sample using a solid phase substance capable of binding to red blood cells and reacting the blood sample from which the red blood cell is removed with a reagent to immunostain cells. Removing red blood cells may include forming a complex comprising red blood cells and the solid phase substance; and separating the formed complex.

Abstract: A specimen preparation apparatus includes a holder that holds a sample container and a centrifuge tube, a centrifugation section that centrifuges a specimen stored in the centrifuge tube, a transfer unit that transfers the centrifuge tube between the holder and the centrifugation section, and a dispenser that dispenses a sample stored in the sample container or a specimen prepared based on a sample into the centrifuge tube held in the centrifugation section. The transfer unit transfers the centrifuge tube storing a centrifuged sample or specimen to the holder.

Abstract: According to the technology of the present disclosure, candidates of a selection-type value included in metadata in a key-value format, which is registered in association with scanned image data, can be appropriately displayed. An information processing apparatus, which assigns metadata in a key-value format to scanned image data obtained by scanning a document, includes: a first obtaining unit configured to obtain a character string extracted from the scanned image data; a second obtaining unit configured to obtain a template of the metadata; a display control unit configured to display a screen for inputting the metadata; and a setting unit configured to set a value in association with the scanned image data, based on operation by a user via the screen, the value corresponding to a key included in the template of the metadata obtained by the second obtaining unit.

Abstract: An oil supply structure which supplies lubricating oil to a portion to be lubricated in a casing, the oil supply structure comprises an opening portion provided on a wall portion of the casing which corresponds to a shaft end portion of a rotary shaft supported by a bearing in the casing, and an oil passage configured to provide communication from the opening portion to at least the bearing.

Abstract: A sample processing method may include: removing a liquid component in a container housing a suspension containing a magnetic particle bound with an analyte, while causing magnetic adhesion of the magnetic particle in the container; discharging an elution liquid for releasing the analyte from the magnetic particle from a pipette into the container from which the liquid component has been removed so as to mix the magnetic particle and the elution liquid; moving, after discharging the elution liquid into the container, the pipette relative to and close to an inner wall of the container so as to collect a droplet attached to the inner wall onto an outer surface of the pipette; and moving a tip of the pipette to an accumulation area in which the elution liquid accumulates in the container so as to move the droplet collected on the outer surface of the pipette to the accumulation area.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus compares a total memory usage obtained from the obtained memory usages of the respective image processes and the memory usage when the requested new image process is executed, with an allowable memory capacity representing a memory usage allowed to be used in a process of executing the plugin application; and, in a case where the total memory usage does not exceed the allowable memory capacity as a result of the comparison, executes the new image process, and in a case where the total memory usage exceeds the allowable memory capacity, notifies a request source of an error representing that the new image process cannot be executed owing to an insufficient memory, without executing the new image process.

Abstract: A specimen transport apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a holder including first and second trenches and configured to hold a specimen; a first transporter including a first protrusion to engage with the first trench and configured to transport the holder by transferring the first protrusion engaged with the first trench in an extension direction of the second trench; a second transporter including a second protrusion to engage with the second trench and configured to transport the holder by transferring the second protrusion engaged with the second trench in an extension direction of the first trench. The first trench is formed in at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface of the holder. The second trench is formed in at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the holder, and is formed to extend to a lateral surface of the holder.

Abstract: A lubrication structure of a power transmission device, includes a housing including a bottom space to store lubricating fluid in which a rotating body is immersed to be lubricated, a partition dividing the bottom space into a first space in which a rotating body is provided and a second space opening to the first space, a tubular duct including a projection duct projecting in a projection direction from an end of the first space to the second space such that the first space and the second space communicate with each other via the tubular duct, and a strainer provided in the second space and including a suction inlet through which the strainer is configured to suction the lubricating fluid stored in the bottom space, the suction inlet being located between the end of the first space and a tip end of the projection duct in the projection direction.

Abstract: According to the technology of the present disclosure, candidates of a selection-type value included in metadata in a key-value format, which is registered in association with scanned image data, can be appropriately displayed. An information processing apparatus, which assigns metadata in a key-value format to scanned image data obtained by scanning a document, includes: a first obtaining unit configured to obtain a character string extracted from the scanned image data; a second obtaining unit configured to obtain a template of the metadata; a display control unit configured to display a screen for inputting the metadata; and a setting unit configured to set a value in association with the scanned image data, based on operation by a user via the screen, the value corresponding to a key included in the template of the metadata obtained by the second obtaining unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus compares a total memory usage obtained from the obtained memory usages of the respective image processes and the memory usage when the requested new image process is executed, with an allowable memory capacity representing a memory usage allowed to be used in a process of executing the plugin application; and, in a case where the total memory usage does not exceed the allowable memory capacity as a result of the comparison, executes the new image process, and in a case where the total memory usage exceeds the allowable memory capacity, notifies a request source of an error representing that the new image process cannot be executed owing to an insufficient memory, without executing the new image process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store a device control application for causing the image forming apparatus to carry out a job, a storage control unit configured to perform control for causing the storage unit to store an image processing plug-in application for extending the device control application, and a processing unit configured to execute the image processing plug-in application in conjunction with execution of the device control application.

Abstract: An oil supply structure which supplies lubricating oil to a portion to be lubricated in a casing, the oil supply structure comprises an opening portion provided on a wall portion of the casing which corresponds to a shaft end portion of a rotary shaft supported by a bearing in the casing, and an oil passage configured to provide communication from the opening portion to at least the bearing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus displays, for example, a setting screen as a screen for selecting an application corresponding to an icon selected on a main menu screen. The setting screen displays image processing icons for selecting existing applications and an extended image processing icon for selecting an application added as a plug-in.

Abstract: A lubrication structure of a power transmission device, includes a housing including a bottom space to store lubricating fluid in which a rotating body is immersed to be lubricated, a partition dividing the bottom space into a first space in which a rotating body is provided and a second space opening to the first space, a tubular duct including a projection duct projecting in a projection direction from an end of the first space to the second space such that the first space and the second space communicate with each other via the tubular duct, and a strainer provided in the second space and including a suction inlet through which the strainer is configured to suction the lubricating fluid stored in the bottom space, the suction inlet being located between the end of the first space and a tip end of the projection duct in the projection direction.

Abstract: A sample processing method may include: removing a liquid component in a container housing a suspension containing a magnetic particle bound with an analyte, while causing magnetic adhesion of the magnetic particle in the container; discharging an elution liquid for releasing the analyte from the magnetic particle from a pipette into the container from which the liquid component has been removed so as to mix the magnetic particle and the elution liquid; moving, after discharging the elution liquid into the container, the pipette relative to and close to an inner wall of the container so as to collect a droplet attached to the inner wall onto an outer surface of the pipette; and moving a tip of the pipette to an accumulation area in which the elution liquid accumulates in the container so as to move the droplet collected on the outer surface of the pipette to the accumulation area.

Abstract: A specimen transport apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a holder including first and second trenches and configured to hold a specimen; a first transporter including a first protrusion to engage with the first trench and configured to transport the holder by transferring the first protrusion engaged with the first trench in an extension direction of the second trench; a second transporter including a second protrusion to engage with the second trench and configured to transport the holder by transferring the second protrusion engaged with the second trench in an extension direction of the first trench. The first trench is formed in at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface of the holder. The second trench is formed in at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the holder, and is formed to extend to a lateral surface of the holder.