Abstract: The present invention relates to a mannose-1-phosphate transferase gene from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), a process for producing a mannose-1-phosphate-containing acidic sugar chain which comprises culturing yeast cells transformed with a plasmid DNA containing said gene, obtaining mannose-1-phosphate transferase from the culture, and allowing the enzyme to act on a neutral core sugar chain in vivo or in vitro, and a process for producing a phosphate-containing acidic sugar chain which comprises removal of a mannose moiety by acid-treatment of said mannose-1-phosphate-containing acidic sugar chain. According to the present invention, an acidic sugar chain having mannose-1-phosphate added to the same neutral core sugar chain as a high mannose type sugar chain produced by mammalian (e.g. human) cells can be produced in large amounts with high purity by genetic engineering means using yeast.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of decomposing hard type rubber products, which comprises treating hard type rubber products with a microorganism belonging to the genus Nocardia in the presence of soft type rubber products. According to the present invention, hard type rubber products, particularly tires, can be efficiently decomposed.

Abstract: A vic-dichloro-fluorinated alkene of the formula: R.sup.1 --CCl.dbd.CCl--R.sup.2, and a fluorinated alkane of the formula: R.sup.1 --CR.sup.3 R.sup.4 --CR.sup.5 R.sup.6 --R.sup.2, wherein each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represents a perfluoroalkyl group or both of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 form together a perfluoroalkylene group, and R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 independently represent hydrogen or fluorine, are produced from an inexpensive raw material. More specifically, hexachlorocyclopentadiene is reacted with gaseous chlorine using an antimony catalyst, and then the reaction product is reacted with hydrogen fluoride to give 1,2-dichlorohexafluorocyclopentene. Thus-obtained compound is either (i) hydrogenated, or (ii) treated with a fluorinating agent to substitute the chlorine atoms by fluorine atoms, and then hydrogenated, to give the intended fluorinated alkane.

Abstract: In a system (apparatus and method) which employs a light absorbent material surrounded by an optically transparent matrix as a recording medium and in which the presence or absence of emission light of a specific wavelength from unity of the light absorbent material is used for optical writing and reading, the light emitted in response to reading light is condensed and spectrally diffracted and the light intensity is detected for each specific wavelength and related to recorded information.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ester compound that is resistant to decomposition in blood, but is quickly hydrolyzed in cancer cells, and functions as an anticancer agent. The ester compound has a structure represented by formula (I) or formula (II): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a methyl group, a methoxy group, or a trifluoroacetamido group; R.sub.2 represents a phenyl group or a phenylmethyl group; and the absolute configuration of the asymmetric center marked with an asterisk is R.

Abstract: A method of detecting an ultraviolet laser beam, which includes irradiating a detector with the ultraviolet laser beam to produce photoluminescence from the detector, and sensing the photoluminescence. The detector includes a specific polysilmethylene compound or a specific polysiloxane compound. A method of recording an information is also disclosed which includes exposing a photosensitive layer to an ultraviolet laser beam according to the information. The photosensitive layer includes a specific polysilmethylene compound or a specific polysiloxane compound. By irradiating the exposed photosensitive layer to a reference ultraviolet laser beam, the recorded information is read.

Abstract: A distributed pressure sensor is constructed such that a wire-like electrode member is arranged in the vertical (row) direction so that electrode surfaces alternately appear on the surface and the rear surface of a sheet-shaped pressure sensitive electrically conductive material, and moreover, a wire-like electrode is arranged also in the lateral (line) direction at right angles to the vertical (row) direction, and intersections defined by the electrode members arranged in the vertical direction and the lateral direction are located such that the pressure sensitive electrically conductive material is sandwiched from both the surfaces. The distributed pressure sensor has high flexibility and exhibits improved durability to repeated bending.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a novel process for epoxidation of perfluoro-olefins.This invention relates to a process for epoxidizing a perfluoro-olefin, characterized by employing a tertiary amine N-oxide represented by the general formula (I): ##STR1## (wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each is a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a lower alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or an aromatic group which may have a nitro group or a cyano group as a substituent; provided that all of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are selected from the above alkyl groups, R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 may combine with one another directly or through oxygen atoms or nitrogen atoms to form a cyclic compound of 5-7 membered ring), or iodosobenzene.According to the present invention, perfluoro-olefins can be converted to corresponding perfluoroepoxides cheaply and in high yields.

Abstract: The invention provides the following:1. A transparent and conductive ultrathin film comprising a transition metal, formed on a substrate, with a film thickness of 1 to 200 nm.2. a method of producing transparent and conductive ultrathin films which comprises vapor-depositing at least one vaporized transition metal on a substrate in an excited state under vacuum to thereby form a thin film of said transition metal.

Abstract: A cold electron emitting device has an emitter base portion, an emitter projection portion and a source region, each of which is an n-type semiconductor, formed on a p-type silicon substrate. A metal film which serves as an extraction electrode and a gate electrode of FET is formed via an insulating layer on the region of the substrate which includes the peripheral regions of the emitter base portion and source region. This cold electron emitting device can be manufactured as follows. First, a conical emitter having an emitter projection portion and emitter base portion and a source region are formed on a p-type semiconductor substrate. Next, an insulating layer and a metal film, which becomes an extraction electrode and a gate electrode of FET, is formed on the substrate which includes peripheral regions of the emitter base portion and source region. Then, an n-type impurity is doped in the emitter and the source region to form an n-type emitter and an n-type source region.

Abstract: An exhaust gas cleaner is constituted of an Ag catalyst carrying an Ag component and a base metal catalyst carrying a Cu component and optionally W, V, Mo components, and a noble metal catalyst carrying a noble metal component. The base metal catalyst and the noble metal catalyst may be physically mixed to form a mixed catalyst. Another exhaust gas cleaner is constituted of the first Ag catalyst carrying an Ag component, the second Ag catalyst carrying an Ag component, a base metal catalyst carrying a Cu component and optionally W, V, Mo components, and a noble metal catalyst carrying a noble metal component. The second Ag catalyst carries the Ag component in an amount larger than that of the first Ag catalyst. The noble metal catalyst is physically mixed with the base metal catalyst to form a mixed catalyst. The exhaust gas cleaner can effectively remove nitrogen oxides in a wide temperature range of exhaust gas.

Abstract: A method of decomposing dioxin compounds, such as polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorodibenzofurans, contained in a waste material into unharmful substances, wherein the waste material is treated with a supercritical water at a temperature higher than the critical temperature of water and a pressure higher than the critical pressure of water.

Abstract: A composite material is produced by irradiating a surface of a shaped body of a carbonaceous material with an ion beam to form a layer of carbon nanotubes on the surface. The composite material is useful as a cathode of an electron beam source element.

Abstract: Nitrogen oxides are removed from an exhaust gas containing nitrogen oxides and oxygen in an amount larger than its stoichiometric amount relative to unburned components in the exhaust gas, by (i) disposing an exhaust gas cleaner in a flow path of the exhaust gas, the exhaust gas cleaner comprising 0.2-15 weight % (on a metal basis) of fine silver or silver oxides having an average diameter of 10-1,000 nm and supported on a porous inorganic oxide; (ii) introducing hydrocarbons and/or 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 200.degree.-600.degree. C., thereby causing a reaction of nitrogen oxides with the hydrocarbons and/or oxygen-containing organic compounds.

Abstract: The present invention provides ice nucleating-active materials which are free from problems like corrosiveness against a device owing to the materials used and harmfulness of the materials themselves; and have a function of elevating freezing temperature of water which is effective for releasing an over-cooling state of it, and generates a method for an ice bank system exhibiting a large energy-saving effect. This invention relates to ice nucleating-active materials containing trioctahedral smectites capable of being dispersive in water as effective components, and a method for an ice bank system comprising adding the trioctahedral smectites into a liquid in the ice bank system at a concentration of at least 30 ppm and freezing it by using a freezer.

Abstract: The computer-aided design system of the present invention is characterized in that a grasping force sensor 4 is mounted on that operating bar 3 at the front end of a manipulator 1 which is grasped directly and operated by an operator, and that the mechanical response characteristics of the system are varied on the basis of an output from the grasping force sensor 4. That is, the rigidity on the part of the manipulator is increased in response to a high grasping force during operation, since the rigidity of the hand is also high; and the rigidity on the part of the manipulator is decreased for a low grasping force during operation, since the rigidity of the hand is also low. In scenes in which a space on a computer screen defining no shapes is crossed by a cusor on the screen, a weak grip will lower the rigidity on the part of the manipulator, thus achieving the feeling of a smooth operation.

Abstract: A novel method is proposed for the preparation of a calcium silicate powder particularly useful as a filter aid in the filtration of an acidic aqueous liquid by virtue of the extremely high acid resistance of the calcium silicate powder. The inventive method comprises a hydrothermal reaction of a blend of a silica-containing material and calcium oxide or hydroxide in a specified molar ratio under specified reaction conditions to form calcium silicate, which is then subjected to a heat treatment at 800.degree.-1200.degree. C. for 0.5-2 hours. An improvement can be obtained in the clarity of the filtrate obtained by the filtration using the calcium silicate powder prepared by the inventive method as a filter aid when the hydrothermal reaction for the preparation thereof is conducted in an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide in a specified concentration.

Abstract: Selenate ion is removed from a selenate ion-containing aqueous waste liquid by treating the aqueous liquid with an organic reducing agent in the presence of a photocatalyst while irradiating the aqueous waste liquid with an actinic radiation to convert the selenate ion into elemental selenium which is in the form of solid precipitates and/or hydrogen selenide which is in the form of a gas.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel compound having activity as an ionophore for ion transport, which is a monoester or monoamide of 1,3,5-trimethyl-1,3,5-cyclohexane tricarboxylic acid, i.e. Kemp's triacid or the stereoisomer thereof, the group R in the ester group --COOR or in the amide group --CONHR being an aralkyl group or aryloxyalkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms. The monoester and monoamide derivatives can be synthesized from anhydride of Kemp's triacid by subjecting the anhydride to a ring-opening esterification or amidation reaction with an alcohol or amine. On the other hand, both of the stereoisomers can be obtained by the dehydrohalogenation reaction of 1,3,5-trimethyl-1,3,5-cyclohexane tricarboxylic acid anhydride acid halide with an alcohol or amine followed by the ring-opening hydrolysis reaction on the anhydride group.

Abstract: The present invention provides metal-based composite with oxide particle dispersion and a method for producing the same.The present invention relates to a method for producing metal-based composite with oxide particle dispersion, comprising sintering of metal-based ultrafine powders (with an average grain size of about 20 nm to 100 nm and a grain size distribution of about 5 nm to 300 nm and with the surface oxidized for handling) in vacuum, in an inert gas or in a reducing atmosphere by rapid sintering, crystallizing the ultrafine powders with a grain size of about 50 nm or less to metal oxide during sintering and simultaneously removing the oxygen on the surface of the ultrafine powders with the grain size of about 50 nm or more, and the metal-based composite with oxide particle dispersion produced according to the said method.