Abstract: A metal-clad laminate and techniques using the metal-clad laminate are provided where the metal-clad laminate has excellent adhesiveness between a substrate and metal foil in addition to good dielectric characteristics and heat resistance. The metal-clad laminate includes an insulating layer in contact with metal foil where the insulating layer further includes a resin composition and a fibrous base material. The resin composition contains a specific resin (A) and specific core-shell polymer particles (B), and a surface of the metal foil has a ten-point average roughness (Rz) of not more than 2.0 ?m.

Abstract: An acrylic fiber for artificial hair may include an acrylic copolymer. The acrylic fiber has a fiber cross section including 2 to 4 T-shaped protrusions that extend radially from a central portion. Each of the T-shaped protrusions has an arc-shaped upper side that bulges in a direction away from the central portion. A circumradius of the fiber cross section is 40.0 to 60.0 ?m. A distance between adjacent end portions of the corresponding upper sides of the adjacent T-shaped protrusions is 3.0 to 60.0 ?m. An axial width is 10.0 ?m or more. Torsional rigidity of the acrylic fiber is 0.30 to 2.0 mg·cm2. The acrylic fiber for artificial hair has high volume, good texture, and good twist processability, and a hair ornament may include the acrylic fiber for artificial hair.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a bronchoscope facilitating observation of a peripheral bronchus, and a method of using the same. The bronchoscope includes: a sheath having a longitudinal axis direction, the sheath having a first lumen and a second lumen each extending in the longitudinal axis direction; an endoscopic camera disposed in the first lumen; and a balloon catheter including a shaft inserted to the second lumen to be shiftable in the longitudinal axis direction and a balloon provided at a distal portion of the shaft, wherein the balloon has a pressurization lumen to be provided with fluid to receive positive pressure, and the second lumen is configured to receive negative pressure to cause a distal end of the sheath to stick to an inner wall of a bronchus.

Abstract: Polypropylene-based resin extruded expanded particles have a low open cell ratio and are inexpensively obtainable. The polypropylene-based resin extruded expanded particles are obtained by extrusion expansion of a resin composition that contains a polypropylene-based resin (A) which has a branched structure and a polypropylene-based resin (B) in which a branched structure is not introduced. Furthermore, the polypropylene-based resin (B) has a weight average molecular weight of not less than 500,000 and a flexural modulus of not less than 950 MPa.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a drilling fluid containing water, biodegradable fibers, and a thickener. The thickener contains a water-absorbing silicate, and the biodegradable fibers have a fiber length of 5.0 to 50 mm.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a medical instrument set facilitating safe observation of a peripheral bronchus portion, and a method of using the same. The medical instrument set includes a bronchoscope including a sheath having a longitudinal axis direction, the sheath having a first lumen and a second lumen each extending in the longitudinal axis direction, an endoscopic camera disposed in the first lumen, and a balloon catheter including a shaft inserted to the second lumen to be shiftable in the longitudinal axis direction and a balloon provided at a distal portion of the shaft; and a probe having a distal end positioned distally beyond a distal end of the balloon, the probe configured to detect a peripheral bronchus portion.

Abstract: A fluffy and voluminous artificial hair and a method for producing the same are provided. Artificial hair including a fiber cord with one or more fiber bundles braided or spirally wound has a configuration in which the fiber bundle is a bundle of a plurality of fibers including a first fiber and a second fiber. A cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the fiber bundle has a core and a shell enclosing the core. The core has a blend of the first fiber and the second fiber. The shell consists of the second fiber. A total area of voids in the shell on the cross section is larger than a total area of voids in the core on the cross section.

Abstract: A method for producing purified fine polymer particles (A), includes an organic solvent mixing step of mixing an organic solvent (B) and a latex that contains fine polymer particles (A) and an emulsifying agent having a polyethylene group to obtain a mixture, and a mixed state maintaining step of allowing the mixture to stand and/or stirring the mixture. The method can efficiently purify fine polymer particles from a latex and has reduced environmental impact.

Abstract: A (meth)acrylic ester copolymer (A) has a reactive silicon group represented by the following formula (1): —SiR1cX3-c (1), wherein R1 is a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, X is a hydroxy group or a hydrolyzable group, and c is 0 or 1. A monomer component of the (meth)acrylic ester copolymer (A) includes a (meth)acrylic ester (a1), a polyoxyalkylene polymer (a2) having more than one (meth)acryloyl groups per molecule, and a chain transfer agent (a3) having a mercapto group. The molar ratio of the polyoxyalkylene polymer (a2) to the chain transfer agent (a3) is 0.06 or more. The monomer component further includes a monomer (a4) having a reactive silicon group and a polymerizable unsaturated group, and/or the chain transfer agent (a3) further has a reactive silicon group.

Abstract: A polysiloxane-based resin that can be stably dispersed or dissolved in an aqueous medium and that has an appropriate level of viscosity, when made into a solution, is provided. The polysiloxane-based resin contains a polymer containing, as a structural unit, a structural unit derived from a monomer having a radically polymerizable group. The monomer includes (i) a monomer that is soluble in water and forms no micelles in water and (ii) a monomer that is capable of forming micelles in water.

Abstract: A solar cell for achieving an increase in performance. The solar cell is a back junction solar cell comprising a semiconductor substrate, first semiconductor layers stacked in a first region which is a part of the back side of the semiconductor substrate, and second semiconductor layers stacked in a second region which is another part of the back side of the semiconductor substrate. In the second region, the first semiconductor layers are present in some parts between the semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor layers, wherein the first semiconductor layers comprise sea shapes in a sea-island structure.

Abstract: A cyclic lipopeptide-producing microbial strain improve productivity of a cyclic lipopeptide, such as surfactin, via microbial culture. The cyclic lipopeptide-producing microbial strain, lack at least one of a gene encoding betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (EC:1.2.1.8) or a gene encoding choline dehydrogenase (EC:1.1.1.1), and a method for producing a cyclic lipopeptide comprising culturing such microbial strain are provided.

Abstract: A positive electrode composite active material, a lithium ion secondary battery, a method for producing a positive electrode composite active material, a method for producing a lithium ion secondary battery, and a composite active material is provided. The positive electrode composite active material includes a positive electrode active material and an oxide-based solid electrolyte. The positive electrode active material is coated with the oxide-based solid electrolyte. The oxide-based solid electrolyte is represented by Li1+p+q+rAlpGaq(Ti,Ge)2?p?qSirP3?rO12 (0<p?1, 0?q<1, 0?r?1). The oxide-based solid electrolyte is layered and has a coating thickness of 5 nm or more and 50 nm or less. In the oxide-based solid electrolyte, an amorphous portion and a crystalline portion are mixed, and the amorphous portion is in contact with the positive electrode active material.

Abstract: A chlorinated polyvinyl chloride-based resin that is excellent in processability, thermal stability, and physical properties is provided. A method for producing the chlorinated polyvinyl chloride-based resin includes a chlorination step of supplying chlorine to slurry containing a polyvinyl chloride-based resin and powder of a polypropylene-based resin that has a viscosity average molecular weight of not less than 3,500, and irradiating the slurry with ultraviolet light to thereby chlorinate the polyvinyl chloride-based resin.

Abstract: A self-healing resin composition of a polymer formed from the reaction between a thermoplastic polymer having terminal functional groups and a benzoxazine compound is provided. Also provided is a method of forming such a self-healing resin composition. A method of self-healing an article is also provided. In such a method, an article may have a rupture, and may be formed from a polymer resulting from reaction between a thermoplastic polymer having terminal functional groups and a benzoxazine compound. The method may include maintaining the article formed from the polymer at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time such that the rupture is repaired.

Abstract: It is an object to provide P3HA in which impurities (in particular, residual protein) are reduced, at a high yield, from microbial cells containing P3HA. The above object is attained by a method for producing P3HA having a weight average molecular weight of 100,000 to 700,000, the method including: (a) a step of adjusting the pH of a culture solution including microbial cells containing P3HA to 8.0 to 12.0; (b) a step of adding an enzyme to the culture solution to perform an enzyme treatment; and (c) a step of adjusting the pH of the culture solution to 10.0 to 12.0.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a cell population comprising mesenchymal stem cells, comprising efficiently isolating a cell population comprising mesenchymal stem cells at high purity from an amnion. Provided is a method of producing a cell population comprising amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells, comprising (1) storing an amnion in a medium for 4 hours or longer at ?1° C. or higher and 25° C. or lower, followed by (2) isolating the amnion from the medium and treating the amnion with an enzyme; and (3) culturing a cell fraction comprising mesenchymal stem cells after the treatment with the enzyme.

Abstract: A power control system, which enables more effective utilization of electrical power generated by using renewable energy, includes a monitoring unit, an output control unit, and a power storage control unit. The monitoring unit monitors the amount of electrical power generated by a power generation device using renewable energy and the amount of electrical power purchased by a consumer through utility grid. When the amount of purchased electrical power is less than a first threshold on the basis of a monitoring result of the monitoring unit, the output control unit suppresses output of electrical power generated by the power generation device. When the amount of the purchased electrical power is less than a second threshold which is greater than the first threshold on the basis of the monitoring result, the power storage control unit charges a storage battery with the generated electrical power outputted by the power generation device.

Abstract: A multilayer film includes a first resin layer and a second resin layer. Each of the first and second resin layers contains a poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) resin. The ratio of the thickness of the first resin layer to the thickness of the second resin layer is from 1.0:0.015 to 1.0:5.0. A heat quantity ?H of the first resin layer is 30 J/g or more, and a heat quantity ?H of the second resin layer is 25 J/g or less. The heat quantity ?H of each of the first and second resin layers is heat of melting over a temperature range of 130 to 190° C.

Abstract: An optical member and a method for producing this optical member are provided. The optical member is composed of an injection molded article. The injection molded article includes a glutarimide resin that contains a glutarimide unit having an imidocarbonyl group provided by the imidization of a carbonyl group deriving from (meth)acrylate ester monomer, a repeat unit deriving from (meth)acrylate ester monomer, and a repeat unit deriving from aromatic vinyl monomer. The glutarimide resin has an orientation birefringence of ?0.5×10?3 to 0.5×10?3, a photoelastic constant of ?3.0×10?12 Pa?1 to 3.0×10?12 Pa?1, and a glass transition temperature of at least 125° C. The average value of the phase difference of the optical member is not more than 20 nm.