Abstract: A method for producing a metal pattern by processing a substrate having on its surface a metal layer with a photosensitive fiber having a specific composition, a method for producing a metal pattern, and a composition for producing the photosensitive fiber. The photosensitive fiber contains a positive photosensitive material. The positive photosensitive material may contain a novolac resin, etc. The method for producing a metal pattern includes a first step of forming a fiber layer of photosensitive resin on a substrate having on its surface a metal layer; a second step of exposing the fiber layer to light via a mask; a third step of developing the fiber layer with a developer to thereby form a photosensitive fiber pattern; and a fourth step of etching the metal layer with an etchant and removing the photosensitive fiber, to thereby form a network metal pattern.

Abstract: By a QTL analysis and so forth using 4-HPPD inhibitor-susceptible rice and 4-HPPD inhibitor-resistant rice, a hypothetical gene (HIS1 gene) of an iron/ascorbate-dependent oxidoreductase gene located on a short arm of chromosome 2 of rice has been identified as a 4-HPPD inhibitor-resistance gene. Further, it has also been revealed that a homologous gene (HSL1 gene) of the HIS1 gene is located on chromosome 6 of rice. Furthermore, it has been found out that utilizations of these genes make it possible to efficiently produce a plant having increased resistance or susceptibility to a 4-HPPD inhibitor and to efficiently determine whether a plant has resistance or susceptibility to a 4-HPPD inhibitor.

Abstract: The invention provides a fiber containing (A) a polymer compound containing a structural unit having, in a side chain, at least one kind of organic group selected from a hydroxy group, a hydroxymethyl group and an alkoxymethyl group having 1-5 carbon atoms, and (B) a photoacid generator.

Abstract: The invention provides a method capable of conveniently producing an intricate and fine resist pattern. The invention also provides a fiber containing a positive-type or negative-type photosensitive material.

Abstract: Provided are a method and means permitting the simultaneous measurement of the reactive properties of more than 10,000 of antigen-stimulated lymphocytes being held on a chip and the separate determination of the states of individual cells. A microwell array comprises multiple wells and a coating layer on one of the principal surfaces of a base member, the wells being of a size permitting the entry of only a single cell into each well. A coating layer of a substance capable of binding to a substance produced by the cells contained in the wells is present on the principal surface around the wells.

Abstract: There is provided a method for quantifying a subject substance, of which typical examples are amino acids. The method of the present invention comprises the following steps: the step of allowing an enzyme that can generate pyrophosphate by using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as a substrate with converting the subject substance to act on the subject substance to generate pyrophosphate; the step of allowing pyruvate pyrophosphate dikinase (PPDK) to act on the generated pyrophosphate in the presence of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to generate ATP, phosphoric acid, and pyruvate; and the step of quantifying the generated pyruvate, and amount of the subject substance is determined on the basis of the obtained amount of pyruvate. According to the present invention, an amino acid in a biological sample containing a lot of various kinds of contaminants such as inorganic phosphoric acid and urea can be conveniently and quickly quantified without being influenced by the contaminants.

Abstract: Provided are a method and means permitting the simultaneous measurement of the reactive properties of more than 10,000 of antigen-stimulated lymphocytes being held on a chip. A microwell array comprises multiple wells capturing single cells and a coating layer on a principal surface around the wells containing a substance capable of binding to a substance produced by the cells in the wells. A method for screening a target cell comprises: causing specimen cells and a cell culture broth to be contained in the wells of the microwell array; culturing the cells in a state permitting the diffusion of substances from the wells into the coating layer; feeding a label substance binding specifically to a substance produced by a target cell onto the coating layer; and detecting the substance produced by the target cell by the label substance binding around the well to specify the target cell.

Abstract: The invention provides a fiber containing (A) a polymer compound containing a structural unit having, in a side chain, at least one kind of organic group selected from a hydroxy group, a hydroxymethyl group and an alkoxymethyl group having 1-5 carbon atoms, and (B) a photoacid generator.

Abstract: A doze detection method, which accurately detects a blink burst and improves speed and accuracy of doze detection, includes measuring a state where the eye is substantially open as an open eye time and another state as a closed eye time, defining a time shorter than an average blink interval of a healthy adult in an alert state as a first threshold time; defining a time longer than an average closed eye time of a healthy adult in an alert state as a second threshold time; and defining blinks as a blink burst when detecting an eye opening equal to or shorter than the first threshold time. A doze state is determined when the closed eye time of a blink among the blinks during the blink burst reaches at least the second threshold time, the blink occurring after an open eye time equal to at most the first threshold time.

Abstract: Methods are provided measuring L-lysine using a variant enzyme, an L-lysine measurement kit, and an enzyme sensor. Variant L-amino acid oxidase having a predetermined amino acid mutation, and having oxidase activity that is highly substrate-specific for L-lysine; a method for measuring L-lysine using this variant enzyme; an L-lysine measurement kit; and an enzyme sensor are also provided.

Abstract: There is provided an anisotropically shaped powder preferred as plate-like crystals used in the process of producing niobate-based KNbO3—NaNbO3—LiNbO3-based crystal-oriented ceramics and the like, and a method for producing the same. The production method includes, an oxide powder, such as Nb2O5, and a surfactant are added to an aqueous solution of alkali hydroxides, such as NaOH and KOH to perform hydrothermal synthesis, the product obtained after this reaction is washed with an organic solvent, and further, the product after the washing is fired at 170° C. to 700° C. In addition, according to this production method, it is possible to obtain an anisotropically shaped powder having a ratio of an average particle length in a major axis direction to an average particle length in a thickness direction in the range of 2 to 20 and having a pseudo-cubic perovskite structure in which a crystal face is oriented in a (100) plane.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing (S)-1,1,1-trifluoro-2-propanol with high optical purity and high yield by having at least one kind of microorganism, which is selected from the group consisting of Hansenula polymorpha, Pichia anomala, Candida parapsilosis, Candida mycoderma, Pichia naganishii, Candida saitoana, Cryptococcus curvatus, Saturnospora dispora, Saccharomyces bayanus and Pichia membranaefaciens, act on 1,1,1-trifluoroacetone. Since microorganisms found in nature are made to act in a natural state, the problems to be raised when a transformant or the like is used can be avoided in this method. Consequently, the method can be easily put in industrial practice.

Abstract: A piezoelectric ceramic contains as a main component an oxide which is represented by the general formula: sA1B1O3-t(Bi.A2)TiO3-(1-s-t)BaMO3 (where A1 is at least one element selected from among alkali metals; B1 is at least one element selected from among transition metal elements and contains Nb; A2 is at least one element selected from among alkali metals; and M is at least one element selected from the 4A group and contains Zr). In the general formula, s and t satisfy 0.905?s?0.918, 0.005?t?0.02, and a piezoelectric constant d33(25) at 25° C. and a piezoelectric constant d33(200) at 200° C. satisfy the relationship (d33(25)?d33(200)/d33(25)?0.13.

Abstract: By a QTL analysis and so forth using 4-HPPD inhibitor-susceptible rice and 4-HPPD inhibitor-resistant rice, a hypothetical gene (HIS1 gene) of an iron/ascorbate-dependent oxidoreductase gene located on a short arm of chromosome 2 of rice has been identified as a 4-HPPD inhibitor-resistance gene. Further, it has also been revealed that a homologous gene (HSL1 gene) of the HIS1 gene is located on chromosome 6 of rice. Furthermore, it has been found out that utilizations of these genes make it possible to efficiently produce a plant having increased resistance or susceptibility to a 4-HPPD inhibitor and to efficiently determine whether a plant has resistance or susceptibility to a 4-HPPD inhibitor.

Abstract: There is provided a method for quantifying a subject substance, of which typical examples are amino acids. The method of the present invention comprises the following steps: the step of allowing an enzyme that can generate pyrophosphate by using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as a substrate with converting the subject substance to act on the subject substance to generate pyrophosphate; the step of allowing pyruvate pyrophosphate dikinase (PPDK) to act on the generated pyrophosphate in the presence of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to generate ATP, phosphoric acid, and pyruvate; and the step of quantifying the generated pyruvate, and amount of the subject substance is determined on the basis of the obtained amount of pyruvate. According to the present invention, an amino acid in a biological sample containing a lot of various kinds of contaminants such as inorganic phosphoric acid and urea can be conveniently and quickly quantified without being influenced by the contaminants.

Abstract: Methods are provided measuring L-lysine using a variant enzyme, an L-lysine measurement kit, and an enzyme sensor. Variant L-amino acid oxidase having a predetermined amino acid mutation, and having oxidase activity that is highly substrate-specific for L-lysine; a method for measuring L-lysine using this variant enzyme; an L-lysine measurement kit; and an enzyme sensor are also provided.

Abstract: A doze detection method, which accurately detects a blink burst and improves speed and accuracy of doze detection, includes measuring a state where the eye is substantially open as an open eye time and another state as a closed eye time, defining a time shorter than an average blink interval of a healthy adult in an alert state as a first threshold time; defining a time longer than an average closed eye time of a healthy adult in an alert state as a second threshold time; and defining blinks as a blink burst when detecting an eye opening equal to or shorter than the first threshold time. A doze state is determined when the closed eye time of a blink among the blinks during the blink burst reaches at least the second threshold time, the blink occurring after an open eye time equal to at most the first threshold time.

Abstract: A method for analyzing L-threonine contained in an specimen, which includes the steps of mixing a sample containing the specimen with an L-threonine dehydrogenase derived from Cupriavidus necator and a coenzyme NAD+ and analyzing the amount of NADH or 2-amino-3-oxobutyric acid after a predetermined period; an L-threonine dehydrogenase derived from Cupriavidus necator, which is a novel L-threonine dehydrogenase (TDH; EC 1.1.1.103) and can be utilized in the above-mentioned analysis method; a method for preparing a gene or the like to be used in the preparation of the enzyme, or a method for preparing the enzyme; an L-threonine analysis kit which includes (A) the L-threonine dehydrogenase and (B) a coenzyme NAD+; an enzyme preparation for use in the analysis of L-threonine, which includes the L-threonine dehydrogenase contained in a buffer solution; and an enzyme sensor utilizing the L-threonine dehydrogenase.

Abstract: Provided is a new method for producing a glucuronide, having excellent productivity and being replaceable with a method using Saccharomyces pombe, and to provide a new means used in this production method. Disclosed are: a transformed Saccharomyces cerevisiae wherein a gene coding for a UDP-glucose dehydrogenase and a gene coding for a UDP-glucose transferase are inserted in a manner such that said genes can be expressed; a transformed Saccharomyces cerevisiae wherein a gene coding for a cytochrome P450 gene is further inserted in a manner such that said gene can be expressed; and a method for producing a glucaronide that includes culturing transformed Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the presence of glucose and a substance to be conjugated, generating the glucuronide of the aforementioned substance to be conjugated.

Abstract: A chip useful for treating cells and the like which has a mechanism and a structure wherein the size of a hole pattern is arbitrarily changed so that cells can easily move in and get out from the hole in scattering or collecting cells but can hardly get out from the hole during washing or antigen-stimulation. The chip comprises a crosslinked product of a temperature-responsive polymer as a constituting member and being provided with a film having a hole pattern on the surface of a baseboard. A method of producing the chip comprises applying a composition containing a crosslinkable temperature-responsive polymer on the surface of a baseboard to thereby form a coating film, crosslinking the coating film to thereby form the crosslinked product as described above and then forming a hole pattern on the coating film of the crosslinked product.