Abstract: A process for producing a sulfur-containing ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid compound, which comprises a step for reacting a sulfur-containing dihydroxy compound with a cell or a material from treated cell of a microorganism that has an ability to convert the sulfur-containing dihydroxy compound to a corresponding ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid compound.

Abstract: A display device comprising at least one substrate(1, 2), a first and a second electrode(7, 8), a display medium (12) and an optically active layer(3, 5), wherein said optically active layer comprises a polarizer (3) and is arranged between said substrate and said display medium, and wherein said substrate is made of a birefringent material.

Abstract: A method of predicting an effect of a test chemical on living organisms, which comprises: a step of administering a plurality of chemicals whose effects on living organisms are known, to respective chemical dosed groups, administering a test chemical to a test chemical dosed group, collecting proteins from each group after a definite period of time, separating the proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, measuring the signal intensities of spots of the proteins and modified proteins formed therefrom, and calculating a signal intensity ratio of at least two spots, and a step of comparing the signal intensity ratio of test chemical dosed group with the signal intensity ratio of each chemical dosed group.

Abstract: The present invention provides an animal cell expressing a gene coding a ligand-responsive transcription control factor and securely maintaining a DNA comprising in a molecule, the following genes (a) and (b): (a) a reporter gene connected downstream from a transcription control region, in which said transcription control region substantially consists of a recognition sequence of said ligand-responsive transcription control factor and a minimum promoter which can function in said cell; and (b) a selective marker gene which can function in said cell; provided that the following gene (c): (c) a reporter gene connected downstream from a promoter which transcription activity is unchanged by having said responsive transcription control factor contacted with a ligand of said ligand-responsive transcription control factor, said reporter gene (c) coding a protein which can be differentiated from the protein coded by said gene (a) is not present in said cell and the like.

Abstract: This invention relates to a transflective liquid crystal display device (11, 21), comprising a plurality of pixels, each comprising a liquid crystal layer (12, 22), being sandwiched between front and back electrode means (13, 23; 14, 24) as well as front and back polarizer means (17a, 27a; 17b, 27b). Said display device is characterized in that an optical ?/4 layer (16a, 26a) at least partly is arranged between said front polarizer (17a, 27a) and said liquid crystal layer (12, 22), and said liquid crystal layer (12, 22) is a liquid crystal layer having a twist angle essentially within a range ±80-100°, such as 90°. The invention further relates to methods for generating a quarterwave foil for use in a liquid crystal display as defined above.

Abstract: A process for producing a phenol, which comprises the following steps of: (1) oxidizing an alkylbenzene with an oxygen-containing gas to obtain an oxidation reaction mixture containing a hydroperoxide; (2) subjecting the oxidation reaction mixture to extraction operation with an alkaline aqueous solution to obtain an extract containing the hydroperoxide; (3) subjecting the extract obtained in the step (2) to extraction operation with an organic solvent to obtain an extract containing the hydroperoxide; (4) subjecting the extract obtained in the step (3) to water washing to obtain an oil layer containing the hydroperoxide, in which a content of the alkali has been reduced; and (5) subjecting the hydroperoxide contained in the oil layer obtained in the water washing step (4) to acidolysis to obtain a phenol, wherein a concentration of the hydroperoxide to be subjected to the water washing in the step (4), is 20% by weight or less.

Abstract: A period indicator including a liquid-permeable substrate and an indicative section which is overlaid on a portion of the substrate and which is formed from a liquid-permeable material having a low light refractive index, the indicator containing a volatile liquid, wherein the indicative section is formed by coating a surface of the substrate with an indicative-section-forming material prepared by mixing a binder and finely divided particulate matter having a low light refractive index, the indicative section is composed of two or more regions, and the regions differ in height from one another as measured from the surface of the substrate, as the coating amounts per unit area of the indicative section forming material in respective regions differ from one another. Since the period indicator can indicate the chemical-containing state stepwise, it is useful for indicating the available period of use of a chemical such as a mothproofing agent, an insecticide, a deodorant, or a fragrance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing 3-methyl-2-butenyl acetate which comprises reacting 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol with acetic anhydride in the presence of an inorganic base catalyst and a method for producing purified 3-methyl-2-butenyl acetate which comprises subjecting crude 3-methyl-2-butenyl acetate to a step (A) of contacting it with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydrogen sulfite, or a step (B) of contacting it with an aqueous solution of a base, or both steps (A) and (B).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transition metal complex represented by the formula (I): wherein M represents a Group 4 transition metal; —Y— represents (a): —C(R1)(R20)-A-, (b): —C(R1)(R20)-A1(R30)-, (c): —C(R1)=A1-, or (d): —C(R1)=A1-A2-R30; A represents a Group 16 element and A1 and A2 each represents a Group 15 element; R1 to R9, R20, and R30 are the same or different and each represents an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, etc.; and X1 and X2 are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an optionally substituted C1-10 alkyl group, etc., and an intermediate product thereof, and a catalyst for olefin polymerization which comprises said transition metal complex as a component.

Abstract: A condensation compound of a fluorinated cyclopentane ring and an aromatic ring, which is useful, for example, for electronic materials, and a process for producing the same are provided. For instance, according to Scheme 1 below, a compound (68) containing a condensed structure formed of a hexafluorocyclopentane ring and an aromatic ring is synthesized. The aromatic ring is not limited to a thiophene ring but can be any ring and any substituent can be used. Thus a compound containing a condensed ring structure formed of a hexafluorocyclopentane ring and an aromatic ring, particularly, for instance, a thiophene ring, which was impossible to produce conventionally, can be produced easily with high yield. The compound of the present invention is particularly suitable to be applied to, for example, electronic materials or semiconductors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sulfonium salt of the formula (Ia) a polymeric compound comprising a structural unit of the formula (Ib) and a chemical amplification type positive resist composition comprising (A) an acid generator comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a sulfonium salt of the formula (Ia), a polymeric compound comprising a structural unit of the formula (Ib), and a sulfonium salt of the formula (Ic); and (B) resin which contains a structural unit having an acid labile group and which itself is insoluble or poorly soluble in an alkali aqueous solution but becomes soluble in an alkali aqueous solution by the action of an acid.

Abstract: A process for producing a sulfur-containing ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid compound, which comprises a step for reacting a sulfur-containing dihydroxy compound with a cell or a material from treated cell of a microorganism that has an ability to convert the sulfur-containing dihydroxy compound to a corresponding ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid compound.

Abstract: To provide a solution composition having a significantly high viscosity comprising one or more solvent(s) and one or more polymer(s) having a polystyrene-reduced Z-average molecular weight of 5.0×104 to 5.0×106, and the solution composition allows to easily obtain a film having a favorable film formability and high uniformity.

Abstract: A method of purifying propylene oxide, which comprises subjecting the propylene oxide containing methyl formate as an impurity to extractive distillation using a hydrocarbon of 7 to 10 carbon atoms as an extractant with an extractive distillation column, adding water to the distillate from the overhead of the extractive distillation column to conduct oil-water separation, recycling the oil layer separated to the extractive distillation column, removing the aqueous layer outside the system thereby to obtain propylene oxide in which a methyl formate concentration is reduced as a bottom liquid of the extractive distillation column.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an impact energy absorbing structure in the form of resin moldings such as interior components of automobiles and other impact energy absorbing structures, with better impact properties, particularly the performance in absorbing impact energy to passenger heads. The invention relates to an impact energy absorbing structure for absorbing the kinetic energy of a colliding object by means of its own deformation, wherein when a certain colliding object collides with the impact energy absorbing structure at a certain velocity, the relationship between dimensionless displacement D, where the deformation of the impact energy absorbing structure is normalized by the permissible deformation, and the dimensionless energy E, where the kinetic energy absorbed by the impact energy absorbing structure is normalized by the kinetic energy of the colliding object prior to collision, meets E>D.

Abstract: A liquid crystalline polyester resin composition comprising 100 parts by weight of a liquid crystalline polyester; 50 to 150 parts by weight of at least one whisker selected from aluminum borate whisker and titanium oxide whisker; and 1 to 30 parts by weight of carbon black having a specific surface area of at least 200 m2/g. This liquid crystalline polyester resin composition has excellent mechanical properties and provides an insulator which is hardly charged.

Abstract: A process for producing a phenol, which comprises the following steps of: (1) oxidizing an alkylbenzene with an oxygen-containing gas to obtain an oxidation reaction mixture containing a hydroperoxide; (2) subjecting the oxidation reaction mixture to extraction operation with an alkaline aqueous solution to obtain an extract containing the hydroperoxide; (3) subjecting the extract obtained in the step (2) to extraction operation with an organic solvent to obtain an extract containing the hydroperoxide; (4) subjecting the extract obtained in the step (3) to water washing to obtain an oil layer containing the hydroperoxide, in which a content of the alkali has been reduced; and (5) subjecting the hydroperoxide contained in the oil layer obtained in the water washing step (4) to acidolysis to obtain a phenol, wherein a concentration of the hydroperoxide to be subjected to the water washing in the step (4), is 20% by weight or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides an anti-glare film having rough surface of which R (0) and R (30 or more)/R (0) are 1% or less and 0.001 or less, respectively, wherein R (0) is if the regular reflectance along the regular reflection direction against incidence light at any angle from 5 to 30° from the normal line of said anti-glare film and R (30 or more) is the reflectance against said incidence light, along a direction inclined by 30° or more toward said anti-glare film side from said normal reflection direction. And the present invention also provides the method of producing the above-mentioned anti-glare film.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of reactivating a catalyst for methacrylic acid production, which catalyst is used in production of methacrylic acid through vapor-phase oxidation of methacrolein or vapor-phase oxidative dehydrogenation of isobutyric acid, contains P and Mo, and exhibits reduced activity. The process comprises treating the catalyst, whose activity level has dropped (deteriorated catalyst), with a gas containing a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound (e.g., pyridine, piperidine, piperazine, quinoline).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for analyzing the amount of intraabdominal adipose tissue comprising: determining the amount of intraabdominal tissue in a test-animal from the concentration of a protein in a body fluid, tissue or cell of said test-animal or in a prepared test solution from the body fluid, tissue or cell of said test-animal, based on the positive relationship between the amount of the intraabdominal adipose tissue in an animal and the concentration of a protein in a body fluid, tissue or cell of said animal or in a prepared solution from the body fluid, tissue or cell of said animal, wherein the protein is (1) encompassed by the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1 or is (2) recognized by an antibody against a protein encompassed by the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1.