Abstract: A fiber article having excellent hydrolysis resistance, characterized in that the article is fiber structure composed of 10 to 90% by weight of a fiber (A) comprised of a biodegradable plastic formulated with a carbodiimide compound as a stabilizer against hydrolysis and 90 to 10% by weight of at least one fiber (B) selected from a natural fiber, a regenerated fiber, a semi-synthetic fiber and a synthetic fiber, which fiber structure has been subjected to at least one treatment processing selected from scouring processing, bleaching processing, liquid ammonium processing, mercerization processing, biological processing, dyeing processing, or resin treatment, and concentration of total terminal carboxyl groups derived from the fiber (A) in said fiber article is not higher than 30 equivalents/ton based on the fiber (A), etc.

Abstract: In a solar simulator for measuring the current-voltage characteristics of photovoltaic devices, it is to provide a measurement method using a solar simulator in which locative unevenness of irradiance on the test plane of the test plane side is drastically improved, not in a light source side, and a means for adjusting irradiance and the like.

Abstract: A fuel cell separator is molded from a resin composition containing specific amounts of graphite, thermosetting resin and internal release agent. The graphite is a synthetic graphite powder prepared by graphitizing lump coke. The thermosetting resin is a mixture of phenolic novolac, benzoxazine and polycarbodiimide resins. The molded separator does not need to be machined, has a significantly improved electrical conductivity, heat resistance and mechanical strength, and even when very thin is resistant to breakage during molding and fuel cell assembly.

Abstract: To reduce the number of components of the automatic shoe clearance adjustment apparatus and to improve the ease of assembly of the same, the proximal portion of the driving member is fixed on the strut. The operating portion and the arm of the driving member are integrally formed therewith is placed between the brake shoe and the strut. The operating portion together with the arm of the driving member are moved (rotated) so as to follow the movement of the brake shoe by utilizing the resilient force of the driving member, and the pawl at the end of the arm drives the adjustment teeth of the strut to extend the entire length of the strut.

Abstract: The composite elastic yarn may be made from a wide, stretchable textile fabric or stretchable knitted fabric. A composite elastic yarn is obtained by drawing an elastic yarn 11 at a first draft rate to prepare a precursor composite elastic yarn with an inelastic yarn 31 and further drawing the precursor composite elastic yarn at a second draft rate of a value smaller than that of the first draft rate to make a composite with the removable inelastic yarn 31; and stretchable textile fabric and stretchable knitted fabric fabricated using this composite elastic yarn.

Abstract: Seam puckering on a sewn product made of cellulosic fibers, synthetic fibers and/or animal fibers can be prevented from occurring by simply applying a (meth)acrylate resin finish and/or a polyester resin finish to the seams on the sewn product, then hot pressing the seam. The addition of an acidic catalyst, a polyether compound, or a combination of a cellulose-reactive resin finish with an acidic catalyst to the (meth)acrylate finish and/or polyester resin finish provides a better seam pucker preventing effect on cellulosic fibers than do existing cellulose-reactive resin finishes.

Abstract: A kit comprising an oligonucleotide-immobilized substrate obtained by immobilizing, on a substrate, one or more kinds of oligonucleotides that enable detection of a polymorphism in a nucleotide sequence of mitochondrial DNA control region of chum salmon, of which standard is represented by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8, at a position selected from the 10th, 30th, 42nd, 57th, 70th, 96th, 108th, 154th, 194th, 231st, 242nd, 250th, 260th, 339th, 340th, 386th, 395th, 401st and 471st positions is used to detect the polymorphism based on hybridization of the oligonucleotides with a nucleic acid derived from specimen chum salmon and thereby determine a haplotype of the specimen chum salmon.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fuel cell bipolar plate that improves dimensional accuracy even with viscous material, eliminates the need for large-scale production equipment such as a press to make a pre-formed product, and furthermore, enables manufacturing time for the fuel cell bipolar plate to be reduced. Powdered raw material A containing electrically conductive material and resin is dropped into a filling container so that a top thereof is flat. The powdered raw material A inside the filling container is then heated to form a temporary cast B, the temporary cast B is set in a mold in which a predetermined pattern is formed, and heated and compressed to form a fuel cell bipolar plate.

Abstract: An electric double-layer capacitor has an electrolyte solution and an element constructed of a positive electrode and a negative electrode which are each composed of a current collecting substrate and an active material composition, and a separator situated between the positive and negative electrodes. When the element is in place within the capacitor, the portion of the separator sandwiched between the active material compositions of the respective electrodes has a pore volume which is at least 0.4 times the total pore volume of the positive and negative electrodes. This construction enables the separator to hold the electrolyte solution required by the electrodes for charging and discharging, thus endowing the capacitor with a high capacitance and a long cycle life.

Abstract: A polymer gel electrolyte includes an electrolyte solution composed of a plasticizer with at least two carbonate structures on the molecule and an electrolyte salt, in combination with a matrix polymer. Secondary batteries made with the polymer gel electrolyte can operate at a high capacitance and a high current, have a broad service temperature range and a high level of safety, and are thus particularly well-suited for use in such applications as lithium secondary cells and lithium ion secondary cells. Electrical double-layer capacitors made with the polymer gel electrolyte have a high output voltage, a large output current, a broad service temperature range and excellent safety.

Abstract: A drum brake device prevents shoe clearance over-adjustment by means of a thermo-sensitive member with a lower leg opening force and provides a smaller thermo-sensitive member with a lower cost. A portion between both ends of the brake lever (50) in a direction of crossing the shoe return inhibitor (61) engages with one end of the shoe return inhibitor (61) automatically restricting the return position of the pair of brake shoes (20) and (30); the proximate portion (50a) of the brake lever (50) is pivotally supported on the brake shoe (20); and the free end (50b) side of the brake lever (50) is supported at an end nipple (54) of a brake cable (52) via the thermo-sensitive member (73).

Abstract: A nucleic acid to be immobilized and used for hybridization of nucleic acids using an immobilized nucleic acid, which has a polymer comprising a compound having an unsaturated bond, said polymer being bonded to the 3? end or 5? end or both ends of the nucleic acid; a nucleic acid-immobilized substrate comprising a substrate for immobilizing a nucleic acid and the polymer-having nucleic acid immobilized on the substrate; and a method for detecting a nucleic acid by hybridization using an immobilized nucleic acid, which comprises using the nucleic acid-immobilized substrate.

Abstract: The brake cable connecting apparatus for the drum brake which ensures easy connecting operation between the brake cable and the brake lever and also ensures rigid connection therebetween, i.e., the brake cable cannot easily be disconnected from the brake lever after connected thereto. The brake cable connecting apparatus for the drum brake comprises the seating extending toward the back plate in the free end of the brake lever and the cable inserting groove formed in the seating at the back plate side. The clearance is formed between the end of the seating and the back plate to allow the inner cable to pass therethrough only when the inner cable is forcibly deformed.

Abstract: A brake cable connecting apparatus that prevents a connecting pin from falling out, and whereby it is unnecessary to adjust the insertion depth of the connecting pin. The brake cable connecting apparatus comprises a regulating projection in the strut to prevent over-insertion of a connecting pin. A cable connecting groove is formed in the plate-like brake lever and is supported on the strut by the two facing surface walls. Two resilient members are deformed to allow the connecting pin to move into a cable connecting groove if an inner cable is pulled to insert the connecting pin laterally bridged between two facing plates of the clevis of the brake cable. Further, a cable disengagement restriction portion prevents passage of the connecting pin if the connecting pin may potentially fall out from the cable connecting groove.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet recording sheet which comprises a substrate and an ink accepting layer composed of at least two layers on the substrate, characterized in that the ink accepting layer comprises at least one cracked layer having cracks in lower layers other than a surface layer (the layer farthest from the substrate) and a contact layer in contact with the cracked layer, wherein part of the contact layer cuts into the cracked layer, and the cracked layer contains a hydrophobic resin (e.g. styrene-acrylics copolymer resin) as a binder, or wherein the contact layer is formed by coating with a coating solution having viscosity of at most 3000 mPa.s and a proportion of solid content in the range of 10 to 30% by weight. The above ink accepting layer is excellent in water resistance and strength of adhesion among the interlayers, whereby the ink jet recording sheet as a whole becomes excellent in scratch-abrasion resistance under wet conditions as well as image density.

Abstract: Flaky particles which are produced through easy conversion from mother particles by using an organic compound other than monomers having double bonds as the hardening and crosslinking agent and to which at least one mechanical or functional characteristic selected from among reactivity, close adhesion, and tackiness is imparted by the presence of part of the unreacted reactive groups of the organic compound inside and on the particles; and a process for the production of the flaky particles. More specifically, flaky particles composed of mother particles (A) having functional groups and an organic compound (B) which has groups reactive with the functional groups of the particles (A) and is soluble in a solvent, characterized in that at least part of the functional groups of the mother particles (A) and at least part of the reactive groups of the organic compound (B) react with each other to form crosslinks.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte which contains an ionic liquid having general formula (1) below and a melting point not higher than 50° C., a compound which reductively decomposes at a more noble potential than the ionic liquid, and a lithium salt. In formula (1), R1 to R4 are each independently an alkyl group of 1 to 5 carbons or an alkoxyalkyl group of the formula R?—O—(CH2)n— (R? being methyl or ethyl, and the letter n being an integer from 1 to 4), and any two from among R1, R2, R3 and R4 may together form a ring, with the proviso that at least one of R1 to R4 is an alkoxyalkyl group of the above formula. X is a nitrogen atom or a phosphorus atom, and Y is a monovalent anion.

Abstract: A fuel cell separator which is low in cost and high in hydrophilicity and electrical conductivity and a process for producing the fuel cell separator. The fuel cell separator is characterized in that by using a starting material for a fuel cell separator subjected to a hydrophilization treatment in a hydrophilizing gas, the surface contact angle of the fuel cell separator as measured by a sessile drop method using water is in a range of 3 to 70°; and the process of the present invention for producing a fuel cell separator is characterized in that a starting material for the fuel cell separator after molding or machining is subjected to a hydrophilization treatment in a hydrophilizing gas and thereby the surface contact angle of the fuel cell separator as measured by a sessile drop method using water is controlled at 3 to 70°.

Abstract: A method of measuring the heat conductivity of an object to be measured, comprising generating heat between the object to be measured and a heat resistant material, causing heat to flow through the interior of the object to be measured and the interior of the heat resistant material and obtaining the heat conductivity of the object to be measured from a temperature difference between at least two points of the heat resistant material, a heat conductivity measuring instrument using the same and a method of producing a heat insulating material.

Abstract: An electric double-layer capacitor consists in part of an electrolyte solution and an element constructed of a positive electrode and a negative electrode which are each composed of a current collecting substrate and an active material composition, and a separator situated between the positive and negative electrodes. When the element is in place within the capacitor, the portion of the separator sandwiched between the active material compositions of the respective electrodes has a pore volume which is at least 0.4 times the total pore volume of the positive and negative electrodes. This construction enables the separator to hold the electrolyte solution required by the electrodes for charging and discharging, thus endowing the capacitor with a high capacitance and a long cycle life.