Abstract: The present invention has its object to provide a method of producing PHA by extracting, separating, and purifying PHA from biomass containing PHA having an weight average molecular weight of more than 2,000,000, by which smooth stirring can be carried out during extraction and filterability of a residue becomes good to thereby efficiently produce PHA with good operability. In the present invention, PHA is extracted, separated, and purified from biomass by a method of producing polyhydroxyalkanoate by extracting and isolating polyhydroxyalkanoate by using an aprotic organic solvent from biomass containing polyhydroxyalkanoate having a weight average molecular weight of more than 2,000,000, which comprises decreasing the weight average molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate through any one of the following treatments: (a) the biomass is heated at 40 to 500° C. before addition of the aprotic organic solvent; (b) the biomass is heated at 40 to 500° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for simply producing an optically active 2-thiomethyl-3-phenylpropionic acid derivative useful as an intermediate for medicines from inexpensive raw materials. An optically active 2-hydroxymethyl-3-phenylpropionic acid ester derivative which can be relatively easily obtained by asymmetric reduction reaction with an enzyme is cyclized to an optically active P-lactone derivative which is then reacted with a sulfur compound to produce an optically active 2-thiomethyl-3-phenylpropionic acid derivative in high yield.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a floating caliper type disc brake which can effectively suppress the occurrence of uneven wear in linings of respective pads, and effectively suppress the occurrence of noise and judder during braking. In the present invention, a caliper is supported by a support member displaceably in an axial direction of a rotor. Pressed-side shim plates are respectively lined on reverse surfaces of back plates of pads supported by the support, while supporting-side shim plates are lined on an inner side surface of a claw portion and on a distal end face of a piston. The pressed-side shim plates and the pressing-side shim plates are respectively retained by mating members to be lined on by means of resilient retainers, and one surface of each of the mutually opposing pressed-side shim plates and one surface of each of the pressing-side shim plates are slidably abutted against each other.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for efficiently producing an optically active 2-bromocarboylic acid and an optically active 2-sulfonyloxycarboxylic acid, which are important in the production of medicinal compounds and so forth. An optically active 2-sulfonyloxycarboxylic acid ester is subjected to deprotection under acid conditions to obtain an optically active 2-sulfonyloxycarboxylic acid. A metal bromide is caused to act on the acid to brominate it with configuration inversion at position 2 to thereby produce an optically active 2-bromocarboxylic acid. The resultant optically active 2-bromocarboxylic acid is isolated/purified by subjecting it to a step in which the acid is crystallized and separated as a salt with a base. Thus, an optically active 2-bromocarboxylic acid having a high chemical purity and high optical purity can be produced.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for obtaining a biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate by a solvent extraction method without causing a significant molecular weight decrease. The present invention relates to a method for producing a polyhydroxyalkanoate which comprises extracting a polyhydroxyalkanoate from a polyhydroxyalkanoate-containing biomass having the water content of 5% by weight or less using an extraction solvent, crystallizing, and recovering the resultant.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for conveniently obtaining a biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate by a solvent extraction method. A method for producing a polyhydroxyalkanoate crystal comprises precipitating a polyhydroxyalkanoate crystal using a monohydric alcohol having 4 to 10 carbon atoms as a extraction solvent, keeping a polyhydroxyalkanoate solution containing 0.1 to 10% by weight of water relative to the total amount of the solution warm at 70° C. or higher, and cooling the solution to below 70° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for easily obtaining a biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate by a solvent extraction method. A method for producing a polyhydroxyalkanoate crystal which comprises mixing a solution of a polyhydroxyalkanoate in a good solvent with a poor solvent at 50 to 130° C. to precipitate a polyhydroxyalkanoate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a paste or solid cleaning agent composition for cleaning human skin, hair and such that gives a mild and refreshing tactile sensation, and exhibits superior stability and a sufficient foaming performance. The first portion of the present invention characteristically comprises (a) 5-50 mass % of a specific acyl salt anionic surfactant, (b) one, two or more chosen from inorganic salts, organic acids, and organic salts, (c) polyethylene glycol, and (d) water wherein the total electrolyte molar concentration is 1.8 mol/kg or more. The second portion of the present invention characteristically is in a paste or solid form and has a system melting point of 40° C. or higher, comprising (a) an anionic surfactant having a Kraft point of 40° C. or lower, (b) one, two, or more chosen from inorganic salts and organic salts, (c) trihydric or higher polyol, and (d) water.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first cell spanning one of the p-wells and one of the n-wells adjacent to each other, and having one end on a dividing line inside the p-well and another end on a dividing line inside the n-well, and having a height determined by the one end and the another end; and a second cell, spanning another one of the p-wells and another one of the n-wells adjacent to each other, with a height covering the entire widths of the p- and n-wells measured along the column direction, the height of the second cell is double that of the first cell.

Abstract: A method for designing a semiconductor integrated circuit, includes placing first, second and third cells, respectively including first stage synchronous circuit having signal propagation time, second stage synchronous circuit having a signal propagation time almost equal to the first stage synchronous circuit, and logic circuit; routing wirings so as to electrically connect the first to third cells; verifying signal propagation timing of the semiconductor integrated circuit having the first to third cells; adjusting the signal propagation timing based on critical path of the signal propagation timing of the semiconductor integrated circuit; and extracting the critical path to replace the second stage synchronous circuit by synchronous circuit of different synchronous type from the first stage synchronous circuit so as to provide a shorter signal propagation time than the first stage synchronous circuit.

Abstract: An optically active amino acid derivative is produced by N-protecting an optically active 3-haloalanine derivative followed by cyclization, or cyclizing this derivative followed by N-protection to thereby give an optically active N-protected-aziridine-2-carboxylic acid derivative which is protected by a benzenesulfonyl group substituted by nitro at the 2- and/or 4-positions and then treating this product with an organic metal reagent, or by N-protecting an optically active 3-haloalanine derivative to thereby give N-protected-aziridine-2-carboxylic acid which is protected by a benzenesulfonyl group substituted by nitro at the 2- and/or 4-positions and then treating this product with an organic metal reagent. According to this process, natural and unnatural optically active amino acids can be produced from inexpensive materials by using simple procedures.

Abstract: A process for easily and industrially advantageously producing a high-purity 2-aralkyl-3-acetylthiopropionic acid and a high-purity 2-aralkylpropionic acid having a leaving group in the 3-position from easily available compounds. A 2-aralkyl-1-propanol having a sulfonyloxy group or halogen atom in the 3-position is oxidized with a permanganate under acidic conditions to produce a high-purity 2-aralkylporpionic acid having sulfonyloxy or the halogen in the 3-position. This acid is reacted with a thioacetate in the presence of water to produce a high-purity 2-aralkyl-3-acetylthiopropionic acid.

Abstract: A hair dye composition comprising a component (A), which is a specified long-chain acyl sulfonic acid salt anionic surfactant, in an amount of 0.1 to 10.0 wt. %; a component (B), which is an aliphatic alcohol, in an amount of 0.25 to 25.0 wt. %; and a component (C), which is an acid dye and/or a natural dyestuff. The hair dye composition is stable even in a strongly acidic region (pH 1.5 to 4.5) where it exerts a dyeing effect. It has an appropriate viscosity and provides excellent sensation upon use. Furthermore, the composition can be easily rinsed off after use thereof.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a plurality of flip-flops, each of which has an external input terminal and external output terminal, the flip-flops being cascade-connected by having data output terminals respectively connected to data input terminals of the next-stage flip-flops. A reset signal is input via the external input terminal of the first-stage flip-flop and is sequentially transferred from the external output terminal thereof to the next-stage flip-flops. The reset signal is transferred via a transmission path different from the original data transmission path to reset all of the flip-flops.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a plurality of flip-flops, each of which has an external input terminal and external output terminal, the flip-flops being cascade-connected by having data output terminals respectively connected to data input terminals of the next-stage flip-flops. A reset signal is input via the external input terminal of the first-stage flip-flop and is sequentially transferred from the external output terminal thereof to the next-stage flip-flops. The reset signal is transferred via a transmission path different from the original data transmission path to reset all of the flip-flops.

Abstract: An optically active amino acid derivative is produced by N-protecting an optically active 3-haloalanine derivative followed by cyclization, or cyclizing this derivative followed by N-protection to thereby give an optically active N-protected-aziridine-2-carboxylic acid derivative which is protected by a benzenesulfonyl group substituted by nitro at the 2- and/or 4-positions and then treating this product with an organic metal reagent, or by N-protecting an optically active 3-haloalanine derivative to thereby give N-protected-aziridine-2-carboxylic acid which is protected by a benzenesulfonyl group substituted by nitro at the 2- and/or 4-positions and then treating this product with an organic metal reagent. According to this process, natural and unnatural optically active amino acids can be produced from inexpensive materials by using simple procedures.

Abstract: There is provided a process for preparing a pharmacologically acceptable salt of N-(1(S)-ethoxycarbonyl-3-phenylpropyl)-L-alanyl-amino acid which comprises condensing an amino acid and N-(1(S)-ethoxycarbonyl-3-phenylpropyl)-L-alanine.N-carboxyanhydride under basic condition, carrying out decarboxylation under between neutral and acidic condition to obtain N-(1(S)-ethoxycarbonyl-3-phenylpropyl)-L-alanyl-amino acid, and forming a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the production of a by-product (3): is suppressed by carrying out in an aqueous liquid a series of operations till formation of the pharmacologically acceptable salt or till isolation of the pharmacologically acceptable salt. The present invention enables to prepare the pharmacologically acceptable salt of N-(1(S)-ethoxycarbonyl-3-phenylpropyl)-L-alanyl-amino acid having high quality, in a commercial scale with high yield and economical efficiency.

Abstract: A nitrous acid salt is added at a temperature of 10 to 80° C. to an aqueous solution which contains an optically active 2-aminocarboxylic acid (4) and a protonic acid, the amount of the latter acid being 1 to 3 equivalents to the former, and which has a proton concentration of 0.5 to 2 mol/kg to conduct a reaction to thereby produce an optically active 2-hydroxycarboxylic acid (1). Thionyl chloride and a basic compound are caused to act on the compound (1) to chlorinate it and simultaneously invert the configuration in the 2-position. Thus, an optically active 2-chlorocarboxylic acid chloride (5) is induced. The compound (5) is hydrolyzed to induce an optically active 2-chlorocarboxylic acid (2). The compound (2) is reacted with a thioacetic acid salt to incorporate an acetylthio group thereinto and simultaneously invert the configuration in the 2-position to thereby produce an optically active 2-acetylthiocarboxylic acid (3).

Abstract: There is provided a process for preparing a pharmacologically acceptable salt of N-(1(S)-ethoxycarbonyl-3-phenylpropyl)-L-alanyl-amino acid which comprises condensing an amino acid and N-(1(S)-ethoxycarbonyl-3-phenylpropyl)-L-alanine.

Abstract: An optically active amino acid derivative is produced by N-protecting an optically active 3-haloalanine derivative followed by cyclization, or cyclizing this derivative followed by N-protection to thereby give an optically active N-protected-aziridine-2-carboxylic acid derivative which is protected by a benzenesulfonyl group substituted by nitro at the 2- and/or 4-positions and then treating this product with an organic metal reagent, or by N-protecting an optically active 3-haloalanine derivative to thereby give N-protected-aziridine-2-carboxylic acid which is protected by a benzenesulfonyl group substituted by nitro at the 2- and/or 4-positions and then treating this product with an organic metal reagent.