Abstract: A method of etching a surface of a transparent solid material with a laser beam, wherein the surface is irradiated with the laser beam having a fluence of 0.01-100 J/cm2/pulse while maintaining a fluid capable of absorbing the laser beam in contact with an opposite surface of the solid material.

Abstract: The invention provides an ammonia elimination reagent in solution, comprising a thermo-resistant isocitrate dehydrogenase with prominent stability under conditions at high alkaline pHs. For example, the isocitrate dehydrogenase is preferably derived from the genus Thermus. For an assay system of biological substances generating a reaction product ammonia, an ammonia elimination reagent can be prepared by selecting and using the enzyme; the resulting ammonia elimination reagent can be stored in solution; additionally, the assay system can be designed in combination with both the coenzymes NAD+ and NADP+. The ammonia elimination reagent is novel and can eliminate ammonia in an extremely short time.

Abstract: A gaseous composition for dry etching, comprising a perfluorocycloolefin and 1 to 40% by mole, based on the perfluorocycloolefin, of at least one oxygen ingredient selected from oxygen gas and oxygen-containing gaseous compounds. As the perfluorocycloolefin, those having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, especially 4 to 6 carbon atoms, are preferably used.

Abstract: A non-magnetic substance particle arrangement method is provided which can regularly arrange non-magnetic substance particles such as abrasive particles very easily and very cost effectively and can be applied to techniques such as micro grinding work, micro component assembly, and micro decorating work. The method includes the steps of: coating a magnetic fluid mixed with the non-magnetic substance particles on a surface of a magnetic recording medium recorded with a magnetic pattern; and applying a uniform d.c. magnetic field or an a.c. magnetic field superposed upon the d.c. magnetic field to the surface of the magnetic recording medium to form the non-magnetic substances in an in-plane of the magnetic recording medium or cubically on the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: A photocatalytic powder for environmental clarification, comprising finely divided titanium dioxide particles having a coating of porous calcium phosphate formed on at least part of the surface of each titanium dioxide particle, wherein an anionic surface active agent is present at least on the interface between said coating of porous calcium phosphate and the titanium dioxide particle. This photocatalytic powder is produced by dispersing finely divided titanium dioxide particles in an aqueous slurry containing an anionic surface active agent, and then forming a coating of porous calcium phosphate on at least part of the surface of each titanium dioxide particle. This photocatalytic powder is used, for example, by supporting it in an organic polymer shaped article.

Abstract: A method of testing frequency characteristics of a laser displacement/vibration meter by the use of a novel which can cope with a broader frequency range and finer micro-level displacements to enhance the reliability of the displacement/vibration meter. Upon applying impact on one end face of a round metal rod, an elastic wave pulse which propagates through the metal rod generates a stepwise dynamic displacement of the other end face of the rod when reflected there. This dynamic displacement is measured simultaneously by a reference laser interferometer with a reference laser beam and a laser displacement/vibration meter with unknown frequency response characteristics, followed by comparison of measurement data over a frequency range to determine the frequency response characteristics of the unknown laser displacement/vibration meter.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel ceramic materials with excellent electrostrictive property, and the present invention relates to electrostrictive ceramics consisting of solid solution ceramics which can be obtained by combining about 30 molar % of primitive perovskite-type compound PbTiO3 with a composite perovskite compound Pb(Ni⅓Nb⅔)O3.

Abstract: Nitrogen oxides are removed from an exhaust gas containing nitrogen oxides and oxygen in a proportion larger than its stoichiometric proportion relative to unburned components in the exhaust gas, by (i) disposing an exhaust gas cleaner in a flow path, the exhaust gas cleaner comprising a first catalyst composed of 0.2-20 parts by weight (on a metal basis) of silver or silver oxide supported on a porous inorganic oxide, and a second catalyst composed of 1-50 parts by weight (on an oxide basis) of tungsten and/or vanadium supported on a porous inorganic oxide; (ii) introducing oxygen-containing organic compounds having 2 or more carbon atoms or a fuel containing the oxygen-containing organic compounds into the exhaust gas on the upstream side of the exhaust gas cleaner; and (iii) bringing the exhaust gas into contact with the exhaust gas cleaner at a temperature of 150-650° C., thereby causing a reaction of the nitrogen oxides with the oxygen-containing organic compounds to remove the nitrogen oxides.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring particle size distribution comprises an electric mobility classifying section (11) that comprises an outside electrode (12), an inside electrode (13) and an annular cylindrical hollow portion (14) defined by the outside and inside electrodes, a particle size measuring section (21) that is disposed under the electric mobility classifying section for measuring particle size distribution, and a guide frame (31) that allows the electric mobility classifying section and the annular cylindrical hollow section to communicate with each other. A sample gas containing charged particles under measurement is supplied from above into the annular cylindrical hollow section of the electric mobility classifying section to classify the particles according to their electric mobilities. The gas containing the classified particles is supplied into the particle size measuring section via the guide frame to directly obtain approximate particle sizes.

Abstract: A metal complex represented by the formula: (X)nML1L2, (X)2M(L1)2 or (L1)2ML2 wherein M represents a Group VIII metal, X represents a polar group, L1 represents a phenanthroline containing at least one carboxyl group which may be neutralized, L2 represents a nitrogen-containing polycyclic compound which may contain one or more substituents, and n is an integer of 1 or 2. A dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode includes an electrically conductive body, an oxide semiconductor film provided on a surface of the electrically conductive body, and the above metal complex. A solar cell may be constructed from the above dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor electrode, a counter electrode, and a redox electrolyte contacting with both electrodes.

Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention includes an inverted J-shaped pipe disposed under the sea and including shorter and longer open end portions, and a connecting portion joining them such that the shorter and longer portions extend downward from connecting portion to their respective open ends. An injector nut injecting the carbon dioxide-containing gas into a portion of said short pipe adjacent to said first open end into said shorter pipe. An accumulator is in fluid communication with the connecting portion for collecting gas, which remains undissolved in the seawater during the passage of the carbon dioxide-containing gas through said shorter pipe.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermostable Flap endonuclease whose optimum temperature is 75° C. or more and DNA coding for (a) a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or (b) a protein with Flap endonuclease activity, consisting of an amino acid sequence where in the amino acid sequence (a), one or more amino acids are deleted, substituted or added. According to the present invention, there is provided a thermostable Flap endonuclease whose optimum temperature for reaction is 75° C. or more. Further, this enzyme is thermally stable, so it becomes possible to develop new techniques of conducting artificial homologous recombination or genetic shuffling highly efficiently by coupling the enzyme reaction with PCR.

Abstract: This invention provides a catalyst for partial oxidation of unsaturated hydrocarbon, characterized in that the catalyst comprises finely divided gold particles immobilized on a titanium-containing oxide and is one subjected to a silylating treatment or a hydrophobilizing treatment. The catalyst of the invention shows little deactivation with time in a reaction for preparing an epoxide from unsaturated hydrocarbon, and can stably retain a high selectivity, a high activity and like excellent catalytic capability for a long term.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermostable Flap endonuclease whose optimum temperature is 75° C. or more and DNA coding for (a) a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or (b) a protein with Flap endonuclease activity, consisting of an amino acid sequence where in the amino acid sequence (a), one or more amino acids are deleted, substituted or added. According to the present invention, there is provided a thermostable Flap endonuclease whose optimum temperature for reaction is 75° C. or more. Further, this enzyme is thermally stable, so it becomes possible to develop new techniques of conducting artificial homologous recombination or genetic shuffling highly efficiently by coupling the enzyme reaction with PCR.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel structured body of carbon in the form of a particle having electric conductivity comparable with graphite, which has a frustum-formed protrusion formed from a top flat consisting of a single carbon pentagon and a lateral surface consisting of a plurality of carbon hexagons. The structured body of carbon is prepared by a two-stage heat treatment of a carbonaceous material having a carbon pentagon to form a crystalline structure, such as a fullerene compound, in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. The first stage heat treatment is conducted at 800 to 1200° C. to effect complete degradation of the crystalline structure of the starting material into an amorphous state and the second stage heat treatment is conducted at 1800 to 2500° C. to effect re-crystallization but not to cause graphitization.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel optical recording medium which is a multi-layered body comprising: (a) a substrate disk of a transparent material; (b) a first protective layer formed on one surface of the substrate disk; (c) a recording layer formed on the first protective layer, which is made from a material capable of causing a change in the optical properties in response to light or heat; (d) a second protective layer formed on the recording layer; (e) a transmissivity-controlling layer formed on the second protective layer, which is made from a material capable of reversibly and continuously causing a change in the optical properties in response to light or heat at a speed higher than the speed of changes in the recording layer; and, optionally, (f) a third protective layer formed on the transmissivity-controlling layer. Method and apparatus for recording of signals and reproduction of recorded signals by using the above defined optical recording medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: In a process for preparing a fluorinated olefin having a carbon—carbon double bond, the carbon atoms of which have a fluorine atom, by reacting a halogenated olefin having at least one carbon—carbon double bond, a carbon atom or the carbon atoms of which bond have a chlorine atom or atoms bound thereto, and, in which the carbon atom or atoms with a single bond in the molecule have no halogen atom other than a fluorine atom, with an alkali metal fluoride, said reaction of the halogenated olefin with the alkali metal fluoride is conducted in the presence of an organic halogen-containing compound having a carbon—carbon single bond, a carbon or the carbons of which have at least one halogen atom other than fluorine atom.

Abstract: A rewritable, heat sensitive, color image recording medium having a pair of opposed substrate sheets at least one of which is transparent, and a heat sensitive layer interposed between the substrate sheets and containing a cholesteric liquid crystal compound having a molecular weight of not greater than 2,000 and a glass transition point of at least 35° C. A color image is formed on the recording medium by varying imagewise the temperature of the heat sensitive layer from a first temperature to a second temperature such that the cholesteric liquid crystal compound assumes a cholesteric liquid crystal phase at at least one of the first and second temperatures. The image is fixed by rapidly cooling the recording medium to a temperature lower than the glass transition point of the cholesteric liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: This invention relates to highly toughened alumina sintered bodies, and the highly toughened alumina sintered bodies are fabricated by sintering an &agr;-aluminum oxide powder which is obtained by employing an aluminum hydroxide produced by the Bayer's process as a starting material, and calcining at 900-1200° C. a mixture obtained by adding abrasion powder worn from pulverizing alumina balls or another product to the material, in an amount of 0.01-20 mass % as seed crystals for &agr;-aluminum oxide.

Abstract: A substrate is disposed in a reactor kept to be a vacuum state, a material gas is supplied into a space in front of the substrate, high-frequency electric power is supplied to the material gas to generate plasma based on electric discharge excitation in the front space of the substrate, and an amorphous silicon thin film is deposited on the substrate by chemical vapour deposition. Further, an electrode section comprising tubular electrodes supplying the material gas through a plurality of gas discharge openings, and tubular electrode sucking and evacuating gases to the outside through a plurality of gas suction openings. Thereby, a higher silane gas and the like generated during the film deposition can be removed from a reactive region immediately, and a thin film is deposited on the substrate surface with the same condition of the film deposition at any spot of the substrate surface. Consequently, the amorphous silicon thin film with film quality may be deposited on the large-area substrate.