Abstract: A process is disclosed for hydrolyzing an oil or fat by mixing and feeding an oil-phase substrate and a water-phase substrate to a packed layer with an immobilized enzyme packed therein. The oil or fat is subjected to a hydrolytic reaction under feeding conditions such that a shear stress factor (?w), which is applied to a surface of said immobilized enzyme and is expressed by the following formula (1): ?w=(?P/L)×dp×?/(1??)??(1) wherein ?P represents a maximum pressure loss [MPa] through said packed layer during said hydrolytic reaction, L represents a thickness [m] of said packed layer, dp represents a weight-basis average particle size [m] of particles of said packed, immobilized enzyme, and ? represents a void volume [-] of said packed layer, remains within a range of from 1×10?4 to 1.4×10?3 MPa.

Abstract: An image formation device changes the rotational rate of a polygon motor, i.e. the main-scanning rate, and selects one of pulse width conversion tables when an image formation is performed multiple times on a single sheet of transfer paper. The changing of the main-scanning rate is for preventing inconsistent sizes between a first recorded image and a second recorded image caused by shrinkage of transfer paper. The pulse width conversion tables allow the pulse widths to be modulated.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for exposing a photosensitive material includes two pairs of nip rollers. One pair of nip rollers is disposed upstream from a position at which the photosensitive material is exposed, and the other pair of nip rollers is disposed downstream from the exposure position. When a leading edge of the photosensitive material passes through the upstream pair of nip rollers, both pairs of nip rollers are moved into a position at which to nip the photosensitive material to prevent the photosensitive material from becoming jammed. When the leading edge of the photosensitive material passes through the downstream pair of nip rollers, the pairs of nip rollers are moved out of the nipping position to allow edges substantially parallel to a conveyance path of the photosensitive material to be aligned in the direction substantially orthogonal to the conveyance path.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip carrying a plurality of contact electrodes on a principal surface thereof, wherein the contact electrodes are arranged symmetrically about an axis of symmetry according to the types of the contact electrodes.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of reducing a color misalignment in a color overlapping process, and a color misalignment due to variation of the circumferential length of an intermediate transfer member due to an environmental change over time during a successive copy operation. The image forming apparatus carries out image formation by primarily transferring an image electrophotographically formed on an image carrier onto the rotatably driven intermediate transfer member, and then secondarily transferring the images on the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium. An image forming operation of primarily transferring the image onto the intermediate transfer member is controlled according to the length of the intermediate transfer member in a circumferentially moving direction thereof and a variation of a predetermined parameter relating to the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: Provided is a downhole percussion drill, which is installed at an end portion of a drillstring and performs drilling by giving impact blows to a drill bit at the bottomhole, which includes a hydraulic hammering mechanism 7 which uses oil having high lubricating ability as a driving medium, a hydraulic pump 8 which pressurizes the oil, and a downhole motor 9 which drives the hydraulic pump 8.

Abstract: An exhaust passage (20) of an internal-combustion engine (1) is provided with an exhaust emission control unit (40) capable of reducing harmful substances in exhaust gas under a given exhaust pressure condition and an exhaust sensor (22) for detecting the concentration of a specific exhaust component (H2, O2) in the exhaust gas, and a performance lowering identifying unit identifies lowering of the performance of the exhaust emission control (40) by detecting a failure to fulfill the given exhaust pressure condition in accordance with the output of the exhaust sensor.

Abstract: A light beam cut-off device installed separately from a light beam scanning device and making it possible to cut off a light beam emitted from the light beam scanning device to a photosensitive material when exposure for the photosensitive material is stopped, and prevent transmission of vibration to the light beam scanning device. The light beam cut-off device disposed below the light beam scanning device. An elongated plate shutter member extending along a main scanning direction of a laser beam emitted from the light beam scanning device, is provided so as to, when exposure for the photosensitive material is stopped, swing due to driving force of the stepping motor to a position at which the laser beam is blocked. Further, when the photosensitive material is exposed, the shutter member swings to a position at which it retreats from the optical path of the laser beam.

Abstract: A process for fractionating an oil composition containing at least 50% by weight of partial diglycerides into a solid portion and a liquid portion, which includes dissolving an emulsifier in the oil composition, cooling the solution to deposit crystals and then conducting solid-liquid separation. The process permits easily fractionating the oil composition into a solid oil composition and a liquid oil composition.

Abstract: An exhaust passage (20) of an internal-combustion engine (1) is provided with exhaust emission control means (40) capable of reducing harmful substances in exhaust gas under a given exhaust pressure condition and an exhaust sensor (22) for detecting the concentration of a specific exhaust component (H2, O2) in the exhaust gas, and performance lowering identifying means identifies lowering of the performance of the exhaust emission control means (40) by detecting a failure to fulfill the given exhaust pressure condition in accordance with the output of the exhaust sensor.

Abstract: Provided is a downhole percussion drill, which is installed at an end portion of a drillstring and performs drilling by giving impact blows to a drill bit at the bottomhole, which includes a hydraulic hammering mechanism 7 which uses oil having high lubricating ability as a driving medium, a hydraulic pump 8 which pressurizes the oil, and a downhole motor 9 which drives the hydraulic pump 8.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip carrying a plurality of contact electrodes on a principal surface thereof, wherein the contact electrodes are arranged symmetrically about an axis of symmetry according to the types of the contact electrodes.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip carrying a plurality of contact electrodes on a principal surface thereof, wherein the contact electrodes are arranged symmetrically about an axis of symmetry according to the types of the contact electrodes.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate has an element formation region and a scribe line region surrounding the element formation region. A metal wiring layer is formed so as to cover end portions of a plurality of interlayer insulating films over the entire periphery of the element formation region and includes cut portions at the corner of the element formation region. Then, a SOG film is formed on the entire surface of the substrate by spin coating, at that time, material of the SOG film flows out through the cut portion toward the scribe line region to prevent a SOG puddle from forming at the corner of the element formation region.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for hydrolyzing an oil or fat by mixing and feeding an oil-phase substrate and a water-phase substrate to a packed layer with an immobilized enzyme packed therein.

Abstract: A light beam cut-off device installed separately from a light beam scanning device and making it possible to cut off a light beam emitted from the light beam scanning device to a photosensitive material when exposure for the photosensitive material is stopped, and prevent transmission of vibration to the light beam scanning device. The light beam cut-off device disposed below the light beam scanning device. An elongated plate shutter member extending along a main scanning direction of a laser beam emitted from the light beam scanning device, is provided so as to, when exposure for the photosensitive material is stopped, swing due to driving force of the stepping motor to a position at which the laser beam is blocked. Further, when the photosensitive material is exposed, the shutter member swings to a position at which it retreats from the optical path of the laser beam.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for exposing a photosensitive material includes two pairs of nip rollers. One pair of nip rollers is disposed upstream from a position at which the photosensitive material is exposed, and the other pair of nip rollers is disposed downstream from the exposure position. When a leading edge of the photosensitive material passes through the upstream pair of nip rollers, both pairs of nip rollers are moved into a position at which to nip the photosensitive material to prevent the photosensitive material from becoming jammed. When the leading edge of the photosensitive material passes through the downstream pair of nip rollers, the pairs of nip rollers are moved out of the nipping position to allow edges substantially parallel to a conveyance path of the photosensitive material to be aligned in the direction substantially orthogonal to the conveyance path.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing a diglyceride, which includes: in an enzyme-packed tower which includes an immobilized lipase preparation, carrying out an esterification reaction between: (1) an acyl group donor selected from the group including a fatty acid, a lower alcohol ester thereof, and a mixture thereof; and (2) an acyl group acceptor selected from the group including glycerol, a monoglyceride, and a mixture thereof; to obtain a reaction fluid from the enzyme-packed tower; reducing a water content or a lower alcohol content in the reaction fluid; and subsequent to the reducing, recirculating the reaction fluid to the enzyme-packed tower, wherein a residence time of the reaction fluid in the enzyme-packed tower is 120 seconds or less; to obtain a diglyceride. According to the present invention, a high-purity glyceride can be provided at a high yield in a short period of time.

Abstract: A process for fractionating an oil composition containing at least 50% by weight of partial diglycerides into a solid portion and a liquid portion, which includes dissolving an emulsifier in the oil composition, cooling the solution to deposit crystals and then conducting solid-liquid separation. The process permits easily fractionating the oil composition into a solid oil composition and a liquid oil composition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a partial glyceride, which includes, in a glycerolysis reaction of oil or fat making use of a lipase, conducting the reaction in the presence of water under conditions that crystals are partially precipitated in the reaction system in the course of the reaction and the concentration of free fatty acids in an oil phase amounts to at least 5% by weight.