Abstract: A method for preparing a cDNA from a mRNA using a reverse transcriptase wherein reverse transcription is performed at a temperature at which the mRNA does not take a secondary structure, for example, at a temperature of 45.degree. C. or more. The method is performed, for example, using a heat-labile reverse transcriptase in the presence of a substance exhibiting chaperone function having chaperone function such as saccharides. The method is performed, for example, in the presence of metal ions necessary for activation of the reverse transcriptase and a chelating agent for the metal ions such as a deoxynucleotide triphosphate. The method is capable of reverse transcription over the full length of mRNA template even if the mRNA is a long chain mRNA and, as a result, producing a full length cDNA.

Abstract: Disclosed are a photosensitive resin composition containing a fullerene and a polymer compound bearing a functional group which can react with the fullerene under irradiation of visible light; method for forming negative-type picture elements comprising steps of: forming a layer composed of the above composition, irradiating the layer with visible light through a photo mask having a pattern transmitting the visible light as a part of the mask to cure portions of the layer irradiated by the visible light, and removing uncured portions of the layer to form a resist film having cured portions of the pattern: and a method for producing devices comprising steps of: forming a layer of the above composition on an image-forming layer provided on a substrate, irradiating the layer with visible light through a photo mask having a pattern transmitting the visible light as a part of the mask to cure portions of the layer irradiated by the visible light, removing uncured portions of the layer to form a resist film having

Abstract: (a) A surface shape of an object 1 is measured from different positions and/or different directions and plural partial measurement data 2 including common part 1a is obtained. (b) A parametric surface showing the surface shape of each measurement range is formed from the data. (c) A plurality of sampling points are set at a predetermined pitch in the common part and the Gaussian curvature K and/or an average curvature H are calculated from the principal curvatures (.kappa..sub.1, .kappa..sub.2) in the points. (d) Three or more characteristic points are selected in accordance with the order from larger absolute values of K or H in the common part and a normal vector of a plane constructed by three points among the points is calculated. (e) The common parts are made coincide with each other by moving the parametric surfaces so as to coincide the three characteristic points with each other and to coincide the directions of the normal vectors with each other.

Abstract: Lens systems are disclosed having multiple focal lines and that are operable to form multiple narrow superimposable focal lines. The focal lines typically have linewidths of .ltoreq. approximately 10 .mu.m, formed from an incident light flux from a laser. The superimposed focal lines can have sufficient energy density to serve as a pumping-laser source for an X-ray laser. The lens systems comprise, axially from the incident light side, a wave-surface splitter and a focusing system. The wave-surface splitter splits the wave surface of the incident light into subfluxes. The focusing system focuses the subfluxes into respective linear focal lines that can be superimposed to form a combined focal line having very high energy density. The wave-surface splitter is preferably a prism having multiple facets with respective prism angles; the focusing system preferably comprises multiple cylindrical lenses each having a generation line perpendicular to the ridge lines separating the facets of the prism.

Abstract: Embryonic stem cells derived from an inbred mouse strain selected from the group consisting of C3H/HeN, C57BL/6N, DBA/1J, and BALB/c strains, for example, C-2 cell having the accession number FERM BP-5933 and C-6 cell having the accession number FERM BP-5934 are disclosed. The embryonic stem cells of the present invention are derived from genetically complete inbred strains, and therefore, they are extremely useful for close genetic research.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polyester synthase gene coding for a polypeptide containing the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or a sequence where in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, one or more amino acids are deleted, replaced or added, the polypeptide bringing about polyester synthase activity; a gene expression cassette comprising the polyester synthase gene and either of open reading frames located upstream and downstream of the gene; a recombinant vector comprising the gene expression cassette; a transformant transformed with the recombinant vector; and a process for producing polyester by culturing the transformant in a medium and recovering polyester from the resulting culture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 where in, one or more amino acids are deleted, replaced or added, and the polypeptide having polyester synthase activity. A polyester synthase gene comprising DNA coding for the above polypeptide; a recombinant vector comprising the gene; and a transformant transformed with the recombinant vector is also provided.

Abstract: A spectrometric method is disclosed which uses a novel tunable laser as a monochromatic light source to carrying out spectrometry efficiently. As the tunable laser, a tunable laser is used which comprises a laser resonator so provided therein with a laser medium 14 capable of laser oscillation in a predetermined range of wavelength and a birefringent acousto-optic element 100 and which is capable of wavelength selection by selecting a frequency of an acoustic wave to be generated in the birefringent acousto-optic element 100 by means of a piezoelectric element 22 connected to a RF power source 20. The tunable laser is used instead of a spectroscopic light source and a monochromator in a conventional spectrophotometer to thereby carry out spectrometry efficiently.

Abstract: A light beam emitted by a light source is projected through a collimator lens, a beam splitter and an objective on a sample having a laminated structure. The light beam reflected from the sample travels through the beam splitter to a detector and the detector provides a confocal signal. The detector provides an interference signal upon the reception of the reflected light beam and a reference light beam reflected by a reference mirror. The sample and the reference mirror are moved on the basis of the confocal signal and the interference signal, and the thickness and the refractive index of layer of the sample are determined on the basis of the respective displacements of the sample and the reference mirror.

Abstract: There is provided a method of three-dimensionally cutting a mold including the steps, in sequence, of (a) rotating a single ball end mill at a rate in the range of 50,000 rpm to 200,000 rpm, the ball end mill being made of material having high thermal resistance, (b) driving the ball end mill in horizontal, reciprocating movement at a rate in the range of 10 m/min to 100 m/min, and driving the ball end mill in transverse movement at a predetermined depth of cut in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the ball end mill is reciprocated, at opposite ends of the reciprocating movement to cut a workpiece in a surface thereof at a common depth of cut, and (c) vertically feeding the ball end mill at a predetermined depth of cut. This method makes it possible to significantly increase a rotation speed and a feeding speed of a cutting tool to thereby remarkably reduce time necessary for cutting a mold.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for collecting DNA by lysing microbial cells, adsorbing released DNA on a carrier and collecting the DNA adsorbed on the carrier, which method comprises the following steps of (1) lysing the microbial cells in the presence of the carrier so that the DNA obtained by lysing cells is adsorbed onto the carrier, separating solutions used for lysing cells and adsorbing DNA from the carrier, and eluting the DNA adsorbed on the carrier with a solution for eluting DNA and collecting eluted DNA, or (2) feeding microbial cells into a column comprising the carrier provided on a membrane filter capable of retaining a solution and permeating the solution when aspirated, lysing the microbial cells in the column so that the DNA obtained by lysing cells is adsorbed onto the carrier, separating solutions used for lysing cells and adsorbing DNA in the previous step from the column by aspiration, and feeding a solution for eluting DNA into the column and aspirating to collect the DNA adsorbed on the carrier

Abstract: Poly(3-hydroxybutanoic acid) having a number average molecular weight of not less than 500,000 is oriented at a draw ratio of 2-fold or more to reproducibly obtain a film made of poly(3-hydroxybutanoic acid) having biodegradability and biocompatibility as well as sufficient strength and flexibility (for example, tensile strength of not less than 30 MPa and elongation to break of not less than 15%).

Abstract: An electrode (4) is disposed spaced away from and in facing relation with an electrically conductive grinding wheel (2). There is applied a voltage across the grinding wheel and the electrode with making electrically conductive fluid (7) flow between the grinding wheel and the electrode. A position of the grinding wheel is numerically controlled with the grinding wheel being dressed by electrolysis to thereby grind a work with the grinding wheel. The work is ground in accordance with command data Zx.sup.(i), and then a shape of a ground surface is measured by means of a measuring device (12). The measurement data is filtered to thereby record shape error data e.sub.x.sup.(i). There is established new command data Zx.sup.(i+1) by adding compensation, and then the work is ground again with the thus established new command data. The compensation refers to past command data, and determines new command data to be equal to an expected value of the past command data.

Abstract: A multi-step method of detecting a gene in a nuclear chromosome which is involved in mitochondrial recombination is disclosed. The method disclosed includes the steps: a) fusing enucleated .omega..sup.- mitochondrial donor cells expressing a first marker gene with nucleus-containing .omega..sup.+ mitochondrial recipient cells expressing a second marker gene different from the first marker gene to form fused cells wherein the fused cells have one type of mitochondria and b) selecting fused cells that are .omega..sup.+ and express the first and second marker genes to identify those enucleated .omega..sup.- mitochondrial donor cells with a reduced recombination frequency. The method includes the further steps of judging that the gene in a nuclear chromosome of the recipient cells involved in mitochondrial recombination is normal when the mitochondrial recombination frequency is high or that the gene is mutated when the recombination frequency is low.

Abstract: An antithrombogenic material whose stickiness to cells is maintained but whose stickiness to blood platelet is inhibited, is disclosed, which comprises a substrate and a biopolymer material coated on said substrate, the antithrombogenic material being obtained by irradiating the biopolymer material with ion beam to maintain its stickiness to a cell but reduce its stickiness to a blood platelet. In accordance with the present invention, there is also provided a method for producing the antithrombogenic material.

Abstract: A process for an induction culture of a cytotoxic T lymphocyte having cell killing activities against a tumor cell which comprises the step of coculturing a tumor tissue containing said tumor cell and a lymphocyte of autologous peripheral blood obtained from a subject from which the tumor tissue is derived. The process is convenient since no separation and pure culture of tumor cells is required. The resulting cytotoxic T lymphocyte cells are useful for clinical treatments of tumors, e.g. adoptive immunotherapies.

Abstract: Disclosed are: a part for assembling reaction vessels comprising a base plate with holes passing through said plate in the direction of thickness; a method for preparation of reaction vessels containing a reaction solution characterized in that the part is immersed in a reaction solution to introduce the reaction solution into the holes and then one of apertures of each hole is sealed with a membrane to complete said reaction vessels; and a plate comprises a base plate with holes passing through the plate in the direction of thickness and a membrane for sealing one of the apertures of each hole. The plate is used for purification of DNA sequencing samples using a pressure difference or an electrical potential, and transferring DNA sequencing samples to a separation/detection system.

Abstract: Novel GalNAc .alpha. 2,6-sialyltransferases P-B1 and P-B3; GalNAc .alpha. 2,6-sialyltransferase genes encoding the above GalNAc .alpha. 2,6-sialyltransferases P-B1 and P-B3; and an extracellularly releasable protein catalyzing GalNAc .alpha. 2,6-sialic acid transfer which comprises a polypeptide portion as being an active domain of the GalNAc .alpha. 2,6-sialyltransferase P-B1 or P-B3 together with a signal peptide are provided. Also provided is a process for preparing a sialyltransferases which enables efficient recovery of a sialyltransferase expressed in a large quantity in microorganisms.

Abstract: Anti-obesity agents which comprise 3-ketosteroid compounds as an active ingredient are provided. The anti-obesity agents of the present invention have a high anti-obesity effect with little or no side effects and toxicity. Food products which contain anti-obesity agents comprising 3-ketosteroid compounds as an active ingredient, pharmaceutical compositions which comprise 3-ketosteroid compounds as an active ingredient and pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, and methods for preventing and treating obesity which comprise administering an effective amount of a 3-ketosteroid compound to a human are also provided.

Abstract: An X-ray microscope utilizing X-rays radiating from a laser-irradiated target so as to form an X-ray image of a specimen placed in a sample cell, the X-ray microscope includes a target for radiating X-rays when the same is irradiated with a laser beam, a sample cell for housing a specimen, the sample cell provided near the surface of target placed opposite to where the target is irradiated with the laser beam, and a detector for forming an X-ray image of the specimen by X-ray penetration, wherein the target, the sample cell and the detector are unified in a unit. The unit is placed at a place where the laser beam is irradiated to the target. A spacer is provided between the target and the sample cell, wherein the size of the spacer is determined depending on a distance between the specimen and the target. With this construction, this facilitates the fabrication of the unit.