Abstract: There is provided an equipment for transforming plants which comprises: a microporous body having a surface on which a plant seed is germinated and grown into a plant body, wherein the plant seed is germinated and grown by absorbing an aqueous nutrition which is retained in communicating pores in the microporous body from the surface of the microporous body; and a carrier solution containing a gene with which the plant body is transformed, wherein the grown plant body is transformed by immersing it in the carrier solution according to an in planta method. According to the equipment for transforming plants of the present invention, a method for experimenting, investigating and developing higher plants can be conducted more exactly, conveniently, speedy and efficiently.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel secondary alcohol dehydrogenase useful for the synthesis of optically active alcohol and DNA encoding said enzyme. A microorganism belonging to genus Candida was found to produce a novel secondary alcohol dehydrogenase with a high stereochemical specificity. Using said enzyme, optically active alcohols were prepared, and by cloning of DNA encoding said enzyme, the base sequence of said DNA was determined. By providing a novel secondary alcohol dehydrogenase with a high stereochemical specificity and the gene encoding said enzyme, an efficient production of optically active alcohols became possible.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel secondary alcohol dehydrogenase useful for the synthesis of optically active alcohol and DNA encoding said enzyme. A microorganism belonging to genus Candida was found to produce a novel secondary alcohol dehydrogenase with a high stereochemical specificity. Using said enzyme, optically active alcohols were prepared, and by cloning of DNA encoding said enzyme, the base sequence of said DNA was determined. By providing a novel secondary alcohol dehydrogenase with a high stereochemical specificity and the gene encoding said enzyme, an efficient production of optically active alcohols became possible.

Abstract: A computer-controlled automotive air conditioning system comprises an air conditioning unit which, when operated, produces a conditioned air fed to a passenger room of the vehicle. An outside temperature sensor, an inside temperature sensor, a temperature setter switch, a solar radiation sensor and an intake air temperature sensor are arranged for issuing first, second, third, fourth and fifth information signals. A computer-installed control unit is employed for controlling operation of the air conditioning unit in accordance with the first, second, third, fourth and fifth information signals. The computer is operated under a fuzzy system theory so that the magnitude of at least one of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth information signals is divided into a predetermined number of fuzzy labels of membership function to derive a parameter for operation of the air conditioning unit.