Abstract: The present invention relates to a first low-temperature insulating material which comprises polyvinyl chloride, a plasticizer, a water-containing or absorbing gel or an aqueous solution of a water-soluble polymer and an emulsifier and a second low-temperature insulating material which comprises polyvinyl chloride gelled by mixing with a plasticizer and a surface-covered, water-containing hydrogel. The insulating materials are inexpensive and show excellent heat-insulating properties and excellent flexibility at low temperatures.

Abstract: A heat reserve material having excellent physical properties. The heat reserve material comprises;(A) a hydrophilic polymer having a hydroxyl group on a principal chain,(B) oxide glass, and(C) water and/or a water-soluble alcohol,wherein an amount of component (B) is within the range of 1 to 50 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of component (A), and an amount of component (C) is 6 to 50 times larger than the total weight of components (A) and (B).

Abstract: A method for producing a hydrophilic gel comprising polymerizing acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol to obtain a polymer (A) which is then subjected to neutralization followed by heat treatment or to heat treatment followed by neutralization, or polymerizing a neutralized product of acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol to obtain a polymer (B) which is then subjected to heat treatment, wherein said polymerization is carried out in an aqueous solution having a total concentration of acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid or its neutralized product (the weight of the neutralized product is converted to the acid basis) and polyvinyl alcohol of 10 to 60% by weight, said heat treatment temperature is 50.degree. to 150.degree. C., and the weight ratio of polyvinylalcohol is acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid or its salt (the weight of the neutralized product is converted to the acid basis) is 5 to 95: 95 to 5.

Abstract: In a process for extracting glucose isomerase from microorganism cells containing glucose isomerase by the so called high pressure release and impact method in which the suspension of the microorganism cells is homogenized for the extraction by releasing the pressure applied on said suspension instantaneously and giving the suspension an impact at very high velocity, the concentration of the suspension containing microorganism cells and the pressure applied on the said suspension are selected within specific ranges, namely from 0.5 to 10 wt. % (on a dry substance base) and from 400 to 700 Kg/cm.sup.2, respectively.

Abstract: Enzymes are immobilized by a process wherein the carrier used for immobilizing is a hydrophilic pullulan gel having a three-dimensionally reticulated structure obtained by the reaction between pullulan and a bifunctional compound capable of forming an ether linkage with the hydroxyl group contained in the glucose unit of pullulan, or an ionic pullulan gel obtained by the reaction between said hydrophilic pullulan gel and a compound having at one end an ionizable group and at the other end a functional group capable of forming an ether linkage with the hydroxyl group in the pullulan gel in the presence of an alkaline coumpound. Immobilized enzymes prepared according to this process have a high activity and good retention of the activity.

Abstract: A method for racemization of optically active amines which comprises contacting an optically active amine of the formula: ##STR1## wherein C* is an asymmetric carbon atom, R.sub.1 is alkyl, aralkyl or aryl and R.sub.2 is aryl or alkoxycarbonyl, the aryl or aralkyl moiety bearing optionally one or more alkyl or alkoxy groups on the aromatic ring, provided that R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are always different from each other, with a catalyst comprising an alkali metal and a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon until a sufficient amount of the optically active amine is racemized.

Abstract: Enzyme-immobilization carriers which comprise a macroporous amphoteric ion-exchange resin having a cation-exchange capacity due to carboxymethyl groups of 0.5 meq/g-dry resin or more, an anion-exchange capacity of 1 meq/g-dry resin or more, and a specific surface area of 1 m.sup.2 /g-dry resin or more, the total volume of macropores having a diameter of 100 A to 2000 A being 0.1 cc/g-dry resin or more, and a process for producing said carriers.

Abstract: A covered electrode for arc welding is disclosed which exhibits tight adhesion between the cover material and the core wire and provides good arc stability. This covered electrode comprises a core wire coated with a coating composition comprising (a) a powdered mixture of an inorganic oxide, carbonate and fluoride, (b) an alkali silicate and (c) 0.001 to 5.0% by weight of pullulan based on the alkali silicate.

Abstract: A process for the production of an optically active chrysanthemate which comprises reacting 2,5-dimethyl-2,4-hexadiene with a diazoacetate of the formula:N.sub.2 CHCOORwherein R is selected from the group consisting of (a) cycloalkyl group with or without substituent(s) whose total carbon atom number is 5-20, (b) tertiary aralkyl group whose carbon atom number is 9 to 20, and (c) tertiary alkyl group with or without alkoxy substituent(s) whose total carbon atom number is 4-20, in the presence of a copper complex coordinated with a chiral Schiff base of the formula: ##STR1## wherein C* is an asymmetric carbon atom, R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of (a) alkyl groups whose carbon atom number is 1-10 and (b) aralkyl groups with or without alkoxy substituent(s), whose total carbon atom number is 7-20, R.sup.2 is selected from aryl groups with alkoxy substituent(s), whose total carbon atom number is 7-30, and each of X.sup.1 and X.sup.

Abstract: A method for improving the water-resistance of pullulan, which is a linear high polymer having the following structural formula: ##STR1## and useful as films, sheets, fibers and the like.

Abstract: A method for racemization of optically active 2,2-dimethyl-3-(1'-alkenyl)-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acids of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or, when taken together with the carbon atom to which they are attached, represent a cycloalkylidene group having 4 to 6 carbon atoms, which comprises the step of contacting the corresponding acid halide with boron halide at a temperature of not more than 20.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for producing ionic pullulan gels which comprises gelation of pullulan by crosslinking and introduction of ionic groups into the resulting pullulan gel, the former comprising reacting pullulan with a bi-functional compound in a solvent in the presence of an alkaline substance, and the latter comprising reacting the resulting pullulan gel with a compound having a carboxyl, sulfonic, phosphoric or amino group in a solvent in the presence of an alkaline substance.

Abstract: A diethylaminoethyl derivative or its salt is reacted with a synthetic resin of a macroporous type having functional groups reactive with said diethylaminoethyl derivative or its salt, having a specific area of at least 1 m.sup.2 /g-dry resin and containing macropores of which the total volume of those with pore sizes from 100 A to 2,000 A is at least 0.1 cc/g-dry resin, in the presence of an alkaline compound to give an enzyme-immobilization carrier which can provide an immobilized enzyme high in activity with good activity retentivity and also large in amount of the immobilized enzyme per unit weight of the carrier.

Abstract: A method for racemization of optically active amines which comprises contacting an optically active amine of the formula: ##STR1## wherein C* is an asymmetric carbon atom, R.sub.1 is alkyl, aralkyl or aryl and R.sub.2 is aryl or alkoxycarbonyl, the aryl or aralkyl moiety bearing optionally one or more alkyl or alkoxy groups on the aromatic ring, provided that R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are always different from each other, with a catalyst comprising an alkali metal and a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon until a sufficient amount of the optically active amine is racemized.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of water-insoluble gels containing at least a hydroxyl group and a carboxylate group in molecules thereof which comprises saponifying copolymers comprising a vinyl ester component and an acrylic or methacrylic acid ester component or terpolymers comprising said two components and an ethylene component in the presence of an alkali catalyst and a solvent under conditions in which said copolymers or terpolymers are not dissolved.

Abstract: A process for producing furan derivatives of the formula, ##STR1## wherein R is hydrogen, methyl or chloromethyl, which comprises reacting a mono- or a disaccharide with hydrochloric acid in a mixture containing water, an organic solvent and a catalytic amount of a surface active agent.

Abstract: Cross-linked pullulans are obtained by the reaction of pullulan with a cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of polycarboxylic acids, halogenated dicarboxylic acids, polycarboxylic anhydrides, aldehyde compounds, N-methylol compounds, isocyanate compounds, metaphosphoric acid salts, divinyl compounds, bis-aziridine and bifunctional compounds of the formula,X--R--Zwherein X and Z are each a halogen atom or an epoxy group and R is an aliphatic residue having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, in a solvent, and are useful as gels or beds for chromatography or in various fields requiring high degrees of water absorbency and retention.

Abstract: Non-specific proteases produced by bacteria belonging to the genus Streptomyces are immobilized by adsorption on a specific class of anion exchangers to produce water-insoluble enzymatically active immobilized proteases.

Abstract: A highly absorbent polymer is obtained by saponifying a crosslinked copolymer of a vinyl ester and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or the derivative thereof. The absorbent polymer is suitable as a material, for example, for separation and purification of substances and a seed culturing media for plants.

Abstract: A method for optical resolution of DL-lysine alkyl ester or acid-addition salts thereof by contacting an aqueous solution of the ester or salts thereof with a non-specific protease obtained by culturing bacteria belonging to the genus Streptomyces, e.g. St. griseus, at weakly acidic pH and a temperature not exceeding 60.degree. C until 60 - 90% by weight of L-lysine ester or acid-addition salts thereof takes part in a reaction, and recovering L-lysine or acid-addition salts thereof thus produced by a conventional manner. The protease may be immobilized on an insoluble carrier in advance.