Abstract: A novel cathode of low hydrogen overvoltage is provided which is useful for electrolysis of water and electrolysis of an aqueous alkali metal chloride such as sodium chloride. A process for producing the cathode is also provided. The low hydrogen overvoltage cathode comprises an electroconductive base material; and a coating layer containing at least one organic compound selected from the group consisting of amino acids, monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, monoamines, diamines, triamines, and tetramines, and derivatives thereof at a content of from 0.5% to 18% by weight in terms of carbon, and a metal component selected from the group consisting of nickel, nickel-iron, nickel-cobalt, and nickel-indium at an indium content ranging from 1% to 90% by weight.

Abstract: A fire-retardant polymer composition is provided which comprises 100 parts by weight of a polymer such as polystyrene, 1 to 30 parts by weight of heat-expandable graphite, and 1 to 30 parts by weight of a phosphorus compound. The polymer composition is fire-retardant, and emits less smoke and less corrosive gas on burning.

Abstract: A sample containing hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is simultaneously brought in contact with a solid phase and anti-HbA1c antibody, the anti-HbA1c antibody bound to the adsorbed HbA1c on the solid phase and the anti-HbA1c antibody in solution are separated, and the anti-HbA1c antibody bound to the adsorbed HbA1c on the solid phase is detected. HbA1c % is determined by one-step immunoassay, and the time required for measurement is shortened in comparison with conventional immunoassay methods. Since the exposure time to the pretreatment solution present in the reaction solution during the immune reaction is shortened, formation of a precipitate in the sample as well as inactivation of the enzyme of the enzyme-labeled anti-HbA1c antibody, when used, is reduced.

Abstract: A heterocyclic aromatic halide or an aryl halide is reacted with an amine compound in the presence of a base to give a heterocyclic aromatic amine or an arylamine, respectively. In this reaction, a catalyst comprising a palladium compound and a tertiary phosphine is used for the preparation of a heterocyclic aromatic amine, and a catalyst comprising a palladium compound and a trialkylphosphine is used for the preparation of an arylamine.

Abstract: Disclosed are a vinyl chloride-based polymer-polyurethane composite comprising vinyl chloride-based polymer (1), polyurethane, plasticizer (4), metal salt of higher fatty acid (6) and hydrocarbon-based lubricant (7), the metal of metal salt of higher fatty acid being at least one element selected from a group consisting of magnesium, zinc and lead, which have low hardness and excellent hydrolysis resistance, compression set characteristic and profile extrusion moldability, and a method of producing vinyl chloride-based polymer-polyurethane composite which is produced by means of of heating, melting and mixing not less than 200 parts by weight to not more than 800 parts by weight of polymer polyol (2), isocyanate compound (3) with three or more isocyanate groups in amount of the molar ratio of isocyanate group in isocyanate compound (3) to hydroxyl group in polymer polyol (2) being not less than 0.3 to not more than 0.

Abstract: A novel optical fiber connector part is provided which comprises a ferrule having a capillary hole for holding an optical fiber, the ferrule being formed from a zirconia-alumina composite oxide containing yttria at a content ranging from 2 to 4 mol % in zirconia. In the optical fiber connector part, a sleeve for connecting and holding the ferrule may be formed from zirconia and/or a zirconia-alumina composite oxide. A process for producing the optical fiber connector part is provided wherein the granular zirconia-alumina composed of a particulate zirconia-alumina mixture having an average particle diameter of not more than 1 .mu.m is used as raw material. The granular zirconia-alumina preferably contains alumina at a content ranging from 0.1% to 50% by weight. The process comprises spray-drying a slurry containing a particulate zirconia-alumina mixture having an average particle diameter of not more than 1 .mu.m.

Abstract: Disclosed are an amorphous aluminosilicate wherein the total volume of the pores having a diameter of from 10.sup.3 angstroms to 10.sup.5 angstroms as measured by the mercury penetration method accounts for at least 60% of the total volume of all the pores detected by the mercury penetration method, and the total volume of the pores having a diameter of from 20 angstroms to 120 angstroms as measured by the nitrogen adsorption method is 0.01 cc/g or larger, and a process for producing the amorphous aluminosilicate.

Abstract: A method for producing cement is disclosed. The method has the advantages that a setting time can be shortened as compared with conventional cement, and a manganese slag can be treated at low cost without giving load to environment, by using the manganese slag which has conventionally been subjected to waste disposal, as a cement raw material. The method comprises using, as a part of cement materials, a manganese slag which is an insoluble component formed in extraction step and refining step in a production of electrolytic manganese dioxide comprising extracting a manganese component from manganese-containing ore, refining a manganese-containing aqueous solution obtained, and conducting electrolytic treatment, to produce manganese dioxide.

Abstract: A chlorosulfonated ethylene-.alpha.-olefin copolymer composition comprising a chlorosulfonated ethylene-.alpha.-olefin copolymer, a thiuram compound, a bismaleimide compound, a nickel dialkyldithiocarbamate, and a diarylmonoamine compound, and a motorcar joint boot obtained by molding and vulcanizing the chlorosulfonated ethylene-.alpha.-olefin copolymer composition. The copolymer composition is excellent in the tensile characteristics at room temperature and low temperature, in the compression set under a low-temperature atmosphere, and in the fatigue resistance.

Abstract: A treating agent for bonding a polyester fiber and a chlorosulfonated polyolefin compound, which consists of a resorcinol/formaldehyde/latex mixture, wherein:1) the molar ratio of the resorcinol to the formaldehyde is from 1/0.1 to 1/5,2) the polymer component of the latex is a 2,3-dichlorobutadiene-containing polymer,3) the weight ratio of the solid content of the latex to the sum of the resorcinol and the formaldehyde is from 1/100 to 1/1,4) the amount of the 2,3-dichlorobutadiene-containing polymer solid content of the latex in the resorcinol/formaldehyde/latex mixture is from 5 to 50 wt %, and5) the amount of a surfactant in the resorcinol/formaldehyde/latex mixture is from 0.5 to 2.5 wt %.

Abstract: A catalyst for polymerization of an olefin, which comprises (a) a transition metal compound of the following formula (1), (2) and/or (3): ##STR1## wherein each of M.sup.1, M.sup.2 and M.sup.3 is a titanium atom, a zirconium atom or a hafnium atom, each of Cp.sup.1, Cp.sup.2, Cp.sup.3, Cp.sup.4 and Cp.sup.5 is a cyclopentadienyl group, an indenyl group, a fluorenyl group or a substitution product thereof, R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1-20 hydrocarbon group or a C.sub.1-20 alkylsilyl group, each of X.sup.1, X.sup.2, X.sup.3, X.sup.4, X.sup.5 and X.sup.6 is a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1-20 hydrocarbon group, Z.sup.1 is a C.sub.1-20 hydrocarbon group, a silicon-containing C.sub.1-20 hydrocarbon group or a C.sub.1-20 alkylsilanediyl group, which serves to connect Cp.sup.3 and Cp.sup.4, Z.sup.2 is a C.sub.1-20 hydrocarbon group, a silicon-containing C.sub.1-20 hydrocarbon group or a C.sub.1-20 alkylsilanediyl group, which serves to connect Cp.sup.

Abstract: An apparatus has a holder unit for sample vessels and reaction vessels, a dispensing unit and a washing unit; wherein, (i) the holder unit involves a sample-vessel holder including a linear array of holes for receiving the sample vessels, a reaction-vessel holder including a linear array of holes for receiving the reaction vessels, a coupling arrangement for coupling together the sample-vessel holder and the reaction-vessel holder so that the linear arrays of the holes of the holders are arranged parallel to each other, and a moving arrangement for horizontally moving the coupled sample-vessel holder and the reaction-vessel holder, (ii) the dispensing unit is movable in the direction orthogonal to the horizontal-moving direction of the sample-vessel holder and the reaction-vessel holder, and (iii) the washing unit supplies cleaning liquid to the reaction vessels and absorbs the liquid-phase component from the reaction vessels.

Abstract: A sodium styrenesulfonate hemihydrate is provided. This novel sodium styrenesulfonate hemihydrate solves the problems involved in conventional sodium styrenesulfonate such as decrease of effective component by polymerization during storage and transportation, and drop of commercial value by lumping. A composition containing the sodium styrenesulfonate hemihydrate, and a process for producing the sodium styrenesulfonate hemihydrate and the composition are also provided.

Abstract: In an electron beam apparatus having an energy analyzer for analyzing the electron beam energy, matching may be performed accurately and easily of the position to be irradiated by an electron beam and the position for which an energy analysis is performed. The electron beam apparatus includes: an electron-optical lens column 401 provided as capable of scanning an electron beam ED in an XY direction and capable of deflecting it in the XY direction; an energy analyzer 408; and image display means 416 for displaying an SEM image of a predetermined range on a sample 407 by an electron beam scanning. An energy analysis area 504 for which electrons are efficiently taken into the energy analyzer is displayed as an image upon the SEM image by analyzing an output information obtained at the energy analyzer 408 at the time of an electron beam scanning.

Abstract: An enzyme substrate is disclosed which comprises a phosphoric ester and an organic acid or a salt thereof having a zinc chelating stability factor constant (log K) of from 8 to 14 in an aqueous solution having an ionic strength of 0.1 at 20 to 25.degree. C. A reagent kit for an enzyme activity assay, a reagent kit for an immunoassay, a method for stabilizing a phosphoric ester, a method for producing a stabilized phosphoric ester.

Abstract: An automatic sample pretreatment device is provided which is capable of conducting a series of treatments or reactions from pretreatment to measurement automatically in a short time by employing a separate reaction system from the reaction system for measurement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing benzyl acetate and benzyl alcohol.Benzyl acetate itself is useful as a solvent and a perfume. Benzyl alcohol which is derived from the benzyl acetate by hydrolysis or by transesterification with methanol is an important compound useful as a powerful solvent, a nontoxic medical additive, and an intermediate compound for agricultural chemicals and medicines.

Abstract: A crystalline zeolite X adsorbent comprising a crystalline zeolite X having an SiO.sub.2 /A.sub.2 O.sub.3 molar ratio of not larger than 3.0, where lithium cations associated with an AlO.sub.2 tetrahedron unit are 80 to less than 88 mol % of the total cations and the content of alkaline earth metal cations is from 0.5 to less than 4.6 mo % is produced by ion-exchanging with lithium cations at least 90 mol % of the cations associated with an Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 tetrahedron unit of a crystalline zeolite X having an SiO.sub.2 /Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 molar ratio of not larger than 3.0, ion-exchanging the crystalline zeolite X again with an aqueous solution of mixed salts of an alkali metal salt and an alkaline earth metal salt to decrease the lithium cations associated with the AlO.sub.2 tetrahedron unit to 80 to less than 88 mol %, followed by washing and drying, and activating the crystalline zeolite X.

Abstract: Monoclonal antibodies recognizing gp130 protein and binding to the protein to inhibit IL-6 functions completely (that is to the same level as that is the absence of IL-6) when present in enough amount; a hybridoma producing the monoclonal antibody; a process for production of the monoclonal antibodies using the hybridoma; and an inhibitory agent for inhibition of physiological actions of IL-6 comprising the monoclonal antibodies.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of industrially producing high-quality polyethylenepolyamines, which exerts high decolorizing effect and is economical, comprising the steps that hydrogen halide is added to a mixture of polyethylenepolyamines and heated, then distillation is performed to fractionate components each having a boiling point not higher than that of triethylenetetramine, next alkali metal hydroxide is added to that residual liquor after distillation to neutralize, and distillation is performed again to fractionate components each having a boiling point not lower than that of tetraethylenepentamine.