Abstract: A structure, which has both a drug holding capability and a sustained release ability utilizing a liposome and mechanical strength of a polyhydroxyalkanoate. This structure is excellent in holding capability for hydrophilic drugs and other water-soluble substances, as well as lipophilic drugs and other hydrophobic substances, and is capable of controlling the sustained release ability. The polyhydroxyalkanoate coats at least a part of the outer wall of the liposome.

Abstract: A structure, comprising a base material, coated with polymer which can be compatible with reduced load against environment and living organisms and various functionalities is provided. The base material is covered with polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). The invention also relates to a method for production of the structure comprising immobilizing the enzyme which synthesize PHA on the surface of the base material, biosynthesizing the PHA and coating the base material. The invention also provides toner containing such the structure and production thereof. Further, the invention relates to an image forming method comprising forming the image by providing such toner to the medium to be recorded.

Abstract: There is provided a construct in which at least a part of the magnetic material is coated with a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), and a method for producing a construct by immobilizing a PHA synthesizing enzyme on the surface of the magnetic material, thereby biosynthesizing and coating a PHA.

Abstract: A construct that comprises a base material and a polyhydroxyalkanoate, wherein at least a part of the base material is coated with the polyhydroxyalkanoate, and the polyhydroxyalkanoate comprises a 3-hydroxyalkanoic acid unit other than 3-hydroxypropionic acid unit, 3-hydroxy-n-butyric acid unit, and 3-hydroxy-n-valeric acid unit. In addition, an electrostatic charge image developing toner allows to design the toner characteristics such as chargeability, flowability, stability in time and environmental stability uniform among the toners of different colors. The toner has a small particle size enough for enabling uniform dispersion and being excellent in color saturation and transparency. The toner also shows higher contribution to the environmental security. The toner includes a coloring agent of which at least a part of the surface is covered with polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA).

Abstract: The invention provides a novel polyester adapted for use in a charge control agent for a toner for an electrophotographic process, having a charge stability, a high charge amount, an improved dispersibility and a biodegradability, and a producing method and an application technology therefor.

Abstract: A structure containing polyhydroxyalkanoate and a magnetic substance includes an external phase part containing polyhydroxyalkanoate and an internal phase part contained in the external phase part, at least one of the external phase part and the internal phase part containing a magnetic substance. Accordingly, provided is a microcapsule, which can be suitably used for formation of an active ingredient of a sustained release pharmaceutical preparation or an ultrasonic contrast agent.

Abstract: The invention provides a polyhydroxyalkanoate having a bromo group in a unit and being thermally stable and capable of arbitrarily controlling physical properties, and a producing method thereof. According to the invention, there are provided a polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer including a 3-hydroxy-?-bromoalkanoic acid unit represented by a formula—[OCH((CH2)nBr)CH2C(O)]— (n=1 to 8) (1) and a unit represented by a formula —[OCH((CH2)mR)CH2C(O)]— (2) within a same molecule, and a method for producing a polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer by microorganisms, utilizing a ?-bromoalkanoic acid represented by a formula Br(CH2)pCH2CH2COOH (p=1 to 8) (20) and a compound represented by a formula R(CH2)qCH2CH2COOH (21) as raw materials.

Abstract: The invention provides a PHA copolymer including at least a 3-hydroxy-?-carboxyalkanoic acid represented by a formula (19) or (32) and simultaneously at least a unit represented by a formula (2) or a formula (3) in a molecule, a precursor PHA copolymer having a corresponding vinyl group or a corresponding alkoxycarbonyl group, a biosynthesis method thereof by microorganisms, and a method of producing a desired PHA copolymer from the precursor PHA copolymer: (wherein k, m, n are integers; R18 represents H, Na, K, R27? represents (A); R1 represents a substituent on a cyclohexyl group and represents H, CN, NO2, a halogen atom, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, CF3, C2F5, or C3F7; R includes a residue including a phenyl structure or a thienyl structure; these being independent for each unit).

Abstract: Microorganisms showing higher productivity of unusual-polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) than ever by using an inexpensive substrate or under specific conditions are obtained from wild strains and mutant strains. The microorganisms are cultured with such substrates to synthesize an unusual-polyhydroxyalkanoate. The unusual-polyhydroxyalkanoate can be produced with high efficiency at low cost.

Abstract: To provide a toner for developing electrostatic images which is not easily cause the phenomenon of toner-spent, constituent materials are so selected that a charge control resin has hardness which is the same as the hardness of a binder resin or the charge control resin is harder than the binder resin, as measured with a scanning probe microscope in a viscoelasticity evaluation mode in respect to the binder resin and the charge control resin which are present in the particle interiors or particle surfaces of the toner.

Abstract: A large amount of a medium containing a volatile chlorinated organic compound (VOC) with a low concentration is passed throuth an adsorber filled with an adsorbent which adsorb and desorb the VOC to collect the VOC in the medium in the adsorber; a gas containing water vapor is then brought into contact with the adsorbent to desorb and discharge the VOC from the adsorber; the desorbed gas is cooled to condense the VOC and water; a small amount of the VOC with a high concentration vaporized from the condensate is further irradiated with light in the presence of chlorine to decompose the VOC; and the decomposed product is subsequently treated. This constitution can allow a large amount of the VOC with a low concentration to be irradiated with light in the presence of chlorine to efficiently treat the VOC.

Abstract: A novel polyhydroxyalkanoate having a monomer unit represented by the formula (1), the unit having a carboxyl group substituting a ring structure at the end of side chain, obtainable by oxydizing vinyl or methyl group substituting a ring structure at the end of the side chain. The polyhydroxyalkanoate has high thermal stability, charge stablity, a high charge amount, improved dispersibility and biodegradability together, and therefore, suitable for resin moldings, and binders and charge controlling agents for toners used in the electrophotographic process.

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer comprises one kind of unit of —[OCH((CH2)x—SOC6H5R)CH2CO]— (n=1-7) ??(1) (wherein R is any one of H, halogen, CN, NO2, COOR?, SO2R? (R? is any one of H, Na, K, CH3 and C2H5; R? is any one of OH, ONa, OK, halogen, OCH3 and OC2H5), CH3, C2H5, C3H7, (CH3)2—CH and (CH3)3—C) and —[OCH((CH2)x—SO2C6H5R)CH2CO]— (n=1-7) ??(2) (wherein R is any one of H, halogen, CN, NO2, COO R?, SO2R? (R? is any one of H, Na, K, CH3 and C2H5; R? is any one of OH, ONa, OK, halogen, OCH3 and OC2H5), CH3, C2H5, C3H7, (CH3)2—CH and (CH3)3—C) and at least one unit of chemical formulae (3) to (6): —[OCH((CH2)m—Rz)CH2CO]— (n=1-8) ??(3) (wherein Rz comprises a residue having either a phenyl structure or a thienyl structure), —[OCH((CH2)k—C6H11Ra)CH2CO]— (n=1-8) ??(4) (wherein Ra is any one of H, CN, NO2, halogen, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, CF3, C2F5 and C3F7) —[OCH((CH2)n—CH?CH2)CH2CO]— (n=1-8) ??(5), and —[OCH((CH2)n—COORb)CH2CO]— (n=1-8) ??(6) (wherein Rb is any one of H, Na and K).

Abstract: Provided are a PHA having an active group, which is produced by microorganisms with high productivity, and in which the ratio of units on its side chain having an active group can be controlled and the physical properties can be arbitrarily controlled so that its application as a polymer is not limited, and a method for producing the same. A 3-hydroxy-?-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]alkanoic acid unit expressed by the following chemical formula (1): wherein x can be one or more integers within the range shown in the chemical formula.

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate containing in a molecule at least one unit represented by the chemical formula (1). The polyhydroxyalkanoate is a biodegradable plastic with enhanced melt-processability and exhibits excellent charging stability, high chargeability, and enhanced dispersibility when used as a charge control agent of a toner in an electrophotographic process. (R denotes -A1(—SO2R1)x. R1 is selected from OH, a halogen atom, ONa, OK, and OR1a. R1a and A1 are selected from a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic hydrocarbon structure, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring structure, and a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic structure. Further, m and x are integers selected from 1 to 8, and when two or more units exist, each of R, R1 R1a, A1, m, and x is defined as above independently for each of the units.

Abstract: The present invention provides a negataively chargeable charge controlling agent to control a charged state of a powder or granular material such as toner for electrophotography, where the agent comprises a polyhydroxyalkanoate having at least one kind of 3-hydroxy-?-carboxyalkanoic acid unit represented by the chemical formula (1): wherein n is an integer selected from 1 to 8; R1 is an H, Na or K atom, or and when more than one unit exists, n and R1 is the same or different between the units. The charge controlling agent is excellent in electrophtographic properties and propitious to environment because of the biodegradability of the polyhydroxyalkanoate. wherein n is an integer selected from the range shown in the same chemical formula; R1 is an H atom, Na atom, K atom, or and when more than one unit exists, n and R1 may differ from unit to unit.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing polyhydroxyalkanoate-containing structure, at least a part of a base material surface of the structure being coated with polyhydroxyalkanoate, the method comprises the steps of immobilizing a polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase on the base material surface, synthesizing, on the base material surface, polyhydroxyalkanoate using a 3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A to become the substrate of the synthase and the synthase and coating at least a part of the base material surface with the synthesized polyhydroxyalkanoate, wherein the synthase contains an amino acid sequence capable of binding to the base material.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing polyhydroxyalkanoate-containing structure, at least a part of a base material surface of the structure being coated with polyhydroxyalkanoate, the method comprises the steps of immobilizing a polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase on the base material surface, synthesizing, on the base material surface, polyhydroxyalkanoate using a 3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A to become the substrate of the synthase and the synthase and coating at least a part of the base material surface with the synthesized polyhydroxyalkanoate, wherein the synthase contains an amino acid sequence capable of binding to the base material.

Abstract: A process for forming a fine pattern comprised of a polyhydroxyalkanoate on a substrate is provided. The process comprises steps of applying a polyhydroxyalkanoate-synthesizing enzyme and a 3-hydroxyacyl CoA to coexist in an intended pattern on a substrate, and polymerizing the 3-hydroxyalkanoate by action of the enzyme to form the polyhydroxyalkanoate in a pattern on the substrate. In particular, the fine pattern can be formed by an inkjet system.

Abstract: A micro-capsulated pigment containing pigment ink being excellent in density, fineness, transparency, and coloring and color rendering properties required for ink solutions and having excellent dispersibility and dispersion stability with time due to the reduced particle size is provided. At least a color material with at least part of the surfaces of pigment particles covered with polyhydroxyalkanoate, and a medium for dispersion of the color material are used to obtain the pigment ink.