Abstract: A problem with conventional rearing apparatuses for deep-sea organisms was difficulty in supplying dissolved gas into water in an appropriate amount. A dissolved gas supplying device 1 for supplying dissolved gas such as hydrogen sulfide, methane and hydrogen to water in a water tank, includes: a circulation path 11 to take out the water from the water tank A and return it to the water tank; a pressure pump 12 to allow the water to flow through the circulation path 11; a gas cylinder 13 filled with gas to be dissolved; a dissolved gas supplying means 14 that is disposed in the circulation path 11 to allow the water to pass through it and to dissolve the gas of the gas cylinder 13 in the water; and a gas regulating valve 16 to open/close a gas channel 15 that connects the gas cylinder 13 to the dissolved gas supplying means 14. With this configuration, the device can supply the dissolved gas into the water in an appropriate amount according to need.

Abstract: An object is to maintain the hydrogen sulfide concentration in rearing water at a constant value without measuring the hydrogen sulfide concentration in the rearing water. The present invention includes: a water tank 10 that stores rearing water W leaving a gas phase at an upper part; a gas sensor 50 to detect hydrogen sulfide gas concentration in the gas phase G; and a hydrogen sulfide supplying means F to supply hydrogen sulfide to the rearing water W based on a detection signal output from the gas sensor 50 so as to maintain a hydrogen sulfide concentration in the rearing water W at a predetermined value.

Abstract: The object is to provide a technique for modifying a bacterium belonging to the genus Kocuria through genetic engineering for industrially effectively utilizing the bacterium belonging to the genus Kocuria. The above object can be achieved by providing a cyclic plasmid, which has a replication region comprising the base sequence of a DNA-binding protein-like protein gene, the base sequence of a replicase-like protein gene, and the base sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:45, and is autonomously replicable in bacteria. As an example of the aforesaid plasmid, a plasmid containing a base sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:3 or 4 which originates in Kocuria sp. MBE131 strain (FERM P-21885) can be cited.

Abstract: A method for immobilizing living microorganisms includes a step (1) of disposing a solution containing microorganisms as an electrolyte on the surface of a substrate at least one portion of which is an electrode, and applying a constant potential to the electrode to cause at least a portion of the microorganisms to attach to the surface of the substrate. The constant potential in step (1) is greater than ?0.5 V but not greater than ?0.2 V (vs Ag/AgCl) or greater than +0.2 V but not greater than +0.4 V (vs Ag/AgCl). The electrolyte in step (1) does not contain a source of nutrition for the microorganisms.

Abstract: A meteorological simulation method acquires the geomorphological data of a predetermined region, acquires the meteorological data of the predetermined region entirely or partially, acquires the 3D spatial data of a partial region in the predetermined region where the 3D space is defined by grids, calculates the meteorological data in the predetermined region by using the geomorphological data and the meteorological data, acquires the attribute data of each grid including the geometrical factors of the grids, calculates heat radiation energy of every grid based on the attribute data of each grid, calculates the flux between a solid object or the like and the ground surface and the pressure variation on the boundary of the solid object and the atmosphere based on the heat radiation energy thus calculated, calculates the weather data on the boundary of the solid object or the like and the atmosphere based on the flux and pressure variation, and calculates the meteorological data in the predetermined region furth

Abstract: To easily change internal pressure of a container according to a change in external pressure. In a strain gauge device 100, a piston 54 attached to a tubular opening portion 53A provided at a housing part 53 slides in response to external pressure. Thereby varying the volumes of a regulator oil containing region 52 and a sensitive region 15 so as to achieve a balance with the external pressure, to change the internal pressure. Then, in the above-described strain gauge device, because the internal pressures of the regulator oil containing region 52 and the sensitive region 15 are changed according to a change in external pressure only by sliding of the piston 54, it is possible to easily perform regulation of the internal pressure. Further, because the above-described pressure balance mechanism 51 is achieved with a simple configuration, it is possible to easily perform regulation of the external pressure and the internal pressure even in a high-temperature/high-pressure environment.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a calcite single crystal which is appropriately fine in a large scale with no difficulty. The method for producing a calcite single crystal according to the present invention is characterized in comprising the steps of mixing raw material calcium carbonate with an ammonium nitrate aqueous solution to obtain a raw material mixed liquid, wherein pH of the ammonium nitrate aqueous solution is not less than 7.0 and not more than 8.0, a concentration of the ammonium nitrate aqueous solution is not less than 2 M, and a concentration of calcium carbonate in the raw material mixed liquid is not less than 4 g/L and not more than 16 g/L; heating the raw material mixed liquid at not less than 125° C.; and then gradually cooling the raw material mixed liquid.

Abstract: A float device includes a drive motor provided inside a float hull, a plunger reciprocating along with rotation of the drive motor, an internal oil reservoir for housing an hydraulic oil therein, an externally-opened cylinder attached to the float hull, a buoyant force adjustment piston reciprocating in the cylinder along with exit/entry of the hydraulic oil, and a three-way valve having a first connection port connected to the plunger, a second connection port connected to the internal oil reservoir, and a third connection per connected to the cylinder, for switching the flow between the first connection port and the second connection ports and the flow between the first connection port and the third connection port.

Abstract: A cellulose gel medium having good visibility of microbial colonies, a cellulose gel culture substrate for manufacturing the cellulose gel medium, a method for manufacturing the cellulose gel culture substrate, a method for screening cellulase-producing microorganisms or cellulase activity with greater efficiency and rapidity, and a culture substrate, which includes a cellulose gel containing cellulose and water as medium-solidifying components, the cellulose has the viscosity of 12 to 35 mPa·S as measured at 26° C. with a solution prepared by dissolving the cellulose at a concentration of 2.5 mg/mL in dimethylacetamide containing 8% (W/V) lithium chloride.

Abstract: The memory size used in DEM calculation of particle having a particle diameter distribution is suppressed.

Abstract: An underwater traveling vehicle includes: a vehicle body 2; an endless track means 3 which is rotatably mounted to the vehicle body 2; a drive means which is provided in the vehicle body 2 so as to drive the endless track means 3; and a thruster 4 which is provided in the vehicle body 2.

Abstract: A method for immobilizing living microorganisms includes a step (1) of disposing a solution containing microorganisms as an electrolyte on the surface of a substrate at least one portion of which is an electrode, and applying a constant potential to the electrode to cause at least a portion of the microorganisms to attach to the surface of the substrate. The constant potential in step (1) is greater than ?0.5 V but not greater than ?0.2 V (vs Ag/AgCl) or greater than +0.2 V but not greater than +0.4 V (vs Ag/AgCl). The electrolyte in step (1) does not contain a source of nutrition for the microorganisms.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture processing system that includes a signal transmission unit for generating and radiating a plurality of chirp waves to an irradiation region from measuring sites, a signal reception unit for receiving a plurality of reflected waves caused by the plurality of chirp waves, a range compression unit for range-compressing each of the reflected waves and generating reception data consisting of sinc functions, a cross-correlation computation unit for, based on a plurality of model data segments, calculating correlation values representing a degree of correlation between each of the model data segments and the reception data, and image output unit for outputting the correlation values calculated by cross-correlation computation unit.

Abstract: The object is to provide a technique for modifying a bacterium belonging to the genus Kocuria through genetic engineering for industrially effectively utilizing the bacterium belonging to the genus Kocuria. The above object can be achieved by providing a cyclic plasmid, which has a replication region comprising the base sequence of a DNA-binding protein-like protein gene, the base sequence of a replicase-like protein gene, and the base sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:45, and is autonomously replicable in bacteria. As an example of the aforesaid plasmid, a plasmid containing a base sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:3 or 4 which originates in Kocuria sp. MBE131 strain (FERM P-21885) can be cited.

Abstract: It is an object to maintain a processing speed while increasing accuracy of a sonar image. Disclosed is a phased-array synthetic-aperture sonar system, including: a plurality of phased array processors (9) which perform, in parallel, phased array processing for a plurality of incoming data; a phased array distribution device (8) which distributes each simultaneously incoming data to the plurality of phased array processors (9), the incoming data being input from a plurality of receivers disposed in a platform; a synthetic aperture processor (11) which performs synthetic aperture processing by using a plurality of phased array processing results; and a data-shaping buffer device (10) which transfers the phased array processing results output from the plurality of phased array processors (9) to the synthetic aperture processor (11) in the order of receipt of the incoming data.

Abstract: A DNA fragment containing a gene which encodes a specific gene regulatory region alone or the gene regulatory region together with a signal peptide; a recombinant vector containing the DNA fragment; a transformant containing the recombinant vector; and a method of producing a recombinant protein by using the transformant. According to the invention, it is possible to produce a protein in a large amount at a high efficiency regardless of the kind of the recombinant protein.

Abstract: To easily change internal pressure of a container according to a change in external pressure. In a strain gauge device 100, a piston 54 attached to a tubular opening portion 53A provided at a housing part 53 slides in response to external pressure. Thereby varying the volumes of a regulator oil containing region 52 and a sensitive region 15 so as to achieve a balance with the external pressure, to change the internal pressure. Then, in the above-described strain gauge device, because the internal pressures of the regulator oil containing region 52 and the sensitive region 15 are changed according to a change in external pressure only by sliding of the piston 54, it is possible to easily perform regulation of the internal pressure. Further, because the above-described pressure balance mechanism 51 is achieved with a simple configuration, it is possible to easily perform regulation of the external pressure and the internal pressure even in a high-temperature/high-pressure environment.

Abstract: In the valve mechanism 60, when a valve sleeve 62 and a valve plunger 63 move in an inside of a valve holder 61 by driving of a power unit 65, to be at a predetermined position, a coupling port 63C provided in a flow path 63A of the valve plunger 63 and a slit 610 in the valve holder 61 are communicated with one another, thereby connecting a regulator oil containing region 52 and a sensitive region 15, and in the case where the internal pressures of the regulator oil containing region 52 and the sensitive region 15 are different from each other, the pressures fluctuate so as to equalize those. On the other hand, when those are at positions other than the predetermined position, the coupling port 63C and the slit 610 are not communicated with one another, thereby cutting off the connection between the regulator oil containing region and the sensitive region, and therefore, it is possible to easily perform a pressure regulation even in a high-temperature and high-pressure environment.

Abstract: Grid structured data arranged for a spherical structured grid constituted by combining two component structured grids are visualized by using computer graphics technology. Coordinate conversion means 31 converts grid point coordinates of first and second component structured grids (referred to as N and E systems, respectively), represented by specific regions in spherical coordinates, into local xyz coordinates used in computer graphics. Filter means 32 obtains first and second graphic objects for the N and E systems, respectively. Using E system rotation and N and E system synthesis means 33, the second graphic object for the E system is rotated by 90 degrees with respect to an x axis of a first local xyz coordinate system, and is then rotated by 180 degrees with respect to a z axis of the first local xyz coordinate system, thereby obtaining the rotated second graphic object for the E system, and then, both of the graphic objects are synthesized.