Abstract: The present invention is a process for producing a polyester-polycarbonate type thermoplastic polyester elastomer in which a hard segment consisting of a polyester constructed of aromatic dicarboxylic acid, and an aliphatic or alicyclic diol, and a soft segment consisting mainly of aliphatic polycarbonate are connected, comprising at least a step of increasing the molecular weight of an aliphatic polycarbonate diol by a reaction of an aliphatic polycarbonate diol and a chain extender, and a step of reacting aliphatic polycarbonate and a polyester constructed of aromatic dicarboxylic acid and an aliphatic or alicyclic diol in the molten state.

Abstract: [PROBLEMS] To produce a hyper-branched polymer having excellent resin strength, a good anti-blocking property and less environmental dependence. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] Disclosed are: a hyper-branched polymer of an ester type, wherein number-average molecular weight is 1,000 to 60,000, weight-average molecular weight/number-average molecular weight is within a range of from 2 to 15, glass transition temperature is not lower than 30° C. and hydroxyl value is 2 to 450 mg KOH/g; and a toner for electrophotography using the polymer. Preferably, disclosed are: the hyper-branched polymer of an ester type, wherein alicyclic or aromatic carboxylic acid where a molecular weight is not less than 100 has been made to react with a functional group of the core part of the hyper-branched structure of an ester type; and a toner for electrophotography using the polymer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a more practically advantageous enzyme usable as a reagent for measuring blood glucose than the known enzymes used as blood glucose sensors. A modified flavin adenine dinucleotide dependent glucose dehydrogenase (FADGDH) with more improved heat stability than FADGDH derived from wild-type FADGDH, the modified FADGDH being derived from preferably a eukaryote, more preferably a filamentous fungus, and furthermore preferably an Aspergillus fungus, and, for example, those having a primary structure with at least one amino acid substituted, deleted, inserted or added to FADGDH having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID Nos. 2 or 46 in the sequence table.

Abstract: A method for identifying a nucleotide polymorphism, the method comprising hybridizing a labeled oligonucleotide for a wild type or a mutant type to a nucleic acid containing a specific nucleotide polymorphic site in a sample; allowing a nucleic acid-specific label to act thereon; detecting an interaction between the label of the oligonucleotide and the nucleic acid-specific label; and identifying a nucleotide polymorphism, wherein the identification utilizes a difference due to the nucleotide polymorphism in conditions under which the hybridized oligonucleotide is separated into a single strand.

Abstract: The present invention provides (i) a method for proliferating a hepatitis virus, the method including the steps of: infecting, with the hepatitis virus, cells packed into a lumen of a hollow fiber made of a permeabilized membrane; and culturing the cells or (ii) a method for proliferating a hepatitis virus, the method including the steps of: infecting cells with the hepatitis virus; packing the cells into a lumen of a hollow fiber made of a permeabilized membrane; and culturing the cells. This provides an experimental system for infecting in vitro culture cells with a hepatitis virus such as HBV or HCV and then proliferating the hepatitis virus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for improving the heat stability of glucose dehydrogenase (GDH). The invention provides a method for preparing a glucose sensor with soluble flavin-bound GDH by providing a composition comprising soluble flavin-bound GDH at an acidic pH and heat drying the composition onto a glucose sensor.

Abstract: The present invention effectively produces glucose dehydrogenase derived from Aspergillus oryzae, and provides more practical glucose dehydrogenase. The invention makes it possible to efficiently produce glucose dehydrogenase and to obtain glucose dehydrogenase in more practical manner by using a glucose dehydrogenase gene isolated from Aspergillus oryzae.

Abstract: A composite ion exchange membrane having a high swelling resistance and being superior in mechanical strength and ion conductivity can be provided by means of an composite ion exchange membrane including an ion exchange resin composition and a support membrane having a continuous pore penetrating the support membrane, wherein the support membrane is one which accepts the ion exchange resin composition within the pore, and wherein the ion exchange resin composition is one which contains an ion exchange resin containing, as a main component, an aromatic polyether and/or its derivative, the aromatic polyether being obtained by mixing a compound having a specific structure, an aromatic dihalogenated compound and a bisphenol compound with a carbonate and/or a bicarbonate of an alkali metal and polymerizing the mixture in an organic solvent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high strength polyethylene fiber having an intrinsic viscosity of from about 5 dL/g to 40 dL/g, and containing carbon nanofiber modified with alkyl chains. The fiber obtained by the production method of a high strength polyethylene fiber of the present invention is industrially applicable to a wide range and greatly contributes to the industry.

Abstract: The present invention is to obtain without any trouble a photosensitive resin composition, a photosensitive layer and a photosensitive resin printing original plate, which are developable with an aqueous developer, resistant to an aqueous ink and a cosolvent ink, and assured of good image reproducibility. The present invention relates to a photosensitive resin composition comprising (A) hydrophobic polymers obtained from at least two or more water dispersion latexes, (B) a photopolymerizable compound and (C) a photopolymerization initiator, wherein the two or more hydrophobic polymers each is present in a fine particle state.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cosmetic for skin roughness improvement/skin care containing a biosurfactant, particularly MEL-A, MEL-B or MEL-C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polyamide based mixed resin laminated film roll formed by winding up a polyamide based mixed resin laminated film comprising a plurality of polyamide mixed resin sheets stacked on top of each other. A first sample cutout portion is provided within 2 m from the winding end of film, and a final sample cutout portion is provided within 2 m from the winding start of film. The roll is regulated so that, when sample cutout portions are provided at intervals of about 100 m from the first sample cutout portion, for all samples cutout from the cutout portions, the elastomer content, tensile modulus of elasticity, thickness unevenness in the longitudinal direction and other properties fall within a predetermined variation range.

Abstract: To provide a heat shrinkable film that, when used as a label of beverage container, enhances the smoothness of external surface side to thereby prevent merchandise jamming in an automatic vending machine of beverage and that is fully satisfactory in solvent bonding capability and excels in processability. There is provided a heat shrinkable polyester film characterized in that (A) at least one major surface thereof is overlaid with 0.002 to 0.5 g/m2, in terms of solid content coating amount of a silicone containing easily slipping layer, (B) a friction coefficient between one and the same easily-slipping layer satisfies a relationship of ?d?0.27, and that (C) the heat shrinkable polyester film exhibits a heat shrinkage percentage of not less than 50% in a maximum shrinkage direction, after immersion in hot water at 95° C. for 10 seconds.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polysulfone type hollow fiber membrane which is reliable in safety and stability of performance and is easily incorporated into a module, and thus can be suitably used in a highly water permeable blood purifier for use in a therapy of chronic renal failure. The present invention relates to a polysulfone type selectively permeable hollow fiber membrane comprising a polysulfone type resin and a hydrophilic polymer as main components, and characterized in that (A) the content of the hydrophilic polymer in the uppermost layer of a surface of the polysulfone type hollow fiber membrane on the blood-contacting side is at least 1.1 times larger than the content of the hydrophilic polymer in the proximate layer of the surface on the blood-contacting side, and (B) the content of the hydrophilic polymer in the uppermost layer of the other surface of the polysulfone type hollow fiber membrane, i.e., the reverse side of the surface on the blood-contacting side, is at least 1.

Abstract: The invention provides a modified flavin adenine dinucleotide dependent glucose dehydrogenase (FADGDH), as well as a glucose sensor comprising the modified FADGDH and a method for measuring glucose comprising using the glucose sensor to measure glucose of a sample

Abstract: The present invention provides a hollow fiber membrane submodule comprising a hollow fiber membrane element, permeated fluid collectors, and snaps for securing the permeated fluid collectors to the hollow fiber membrane element, wherein the permeated fluid collectors are closely attached to the hollow fiber membrane element with the snaps in engagement therebetween and being arranged non-continuously around the outer periphery of each permeated fluid collector, and the permeated fluid collectors can be removed from and installed in the hollow fiber membrane element. With the hollow fiber membrane submodule of the present invention, when replacing the membranes, the hollow fiber membrane element is replaced with a new hollow fiber membrane element, and then the permeated fluid collectors can be reattached to the replaced element and reused.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat-shrinkable polyester film with very good perforation-tear property and also very high productivity. A heat-shrinkable polyester film made of a polyester resin including ethylene terephthalate as a main constituent and containing 15% by mole or more of at least one monomer capable of forming an amorphous component in the whole components of the polyester resin, which exhibits specific heat shrinkage properties and specific mechanical properties after the heat shrinkage.

Abstract: A polyester resin that can be beneficially employed as one finding application in deactivation of polycondensation catalysts for polyester production and suppression of forming of acetaldehyde and other aldehydes and cyclic ester oligomers at molding stage. In particular, there is provided a polyester resin composed mainly of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid component and a glycol component wherein a phosphorus compound is incorporated through copolymerization or blending in an amount of 100 to 10,000 ppm in terms of phosphorus element, characterized in that the contents of Zn element, Fe element, Ni element and Cr element are not greater than specified values.

Abstract: A light diffusion film which has excellent light transmittance and light diffusibility while maintaining excellent heat resistance, mechanical strength and thickness accuracy intrinsic to a biaxially stretched film, and is suppressed in generation of curling after heat treatment, is provided. A light diffusion film consisting of a biaxially stretched laminated film having a supporting layer consisting of a crystalline polyester, and a light diffusion layer laminated on at least one side of the supporting layer by a co-extrusion method, wherein the light diffusion layer comprises 60 to 98 parts by mass of the crystalline polyester and 2 to 40 parts by mass of a light diffusion additive incompatible with the polyester, and the light diffusion film has a planar orientation degree (?P) of 0.080 to 0.160, a total light transmittance of 85% or more, and a haze of 30% or more.

Abstract: The invention provides an indicator excellent in constitutional simplicity and capable of indicating both the temperature of an article to be indicated and elapsed time at that temperature, as well as an indicator of simple constitution capable of indicating the level of deformation of the article by external force. Disclosed is an external stimulus indicator including a polymer composition composed of a polymer and a dye, wherein the polymer composition has the dye fixed in a specific molecular dispersion state in the polymer, and when kept at a temperature not lower than a specific temperature for at least a predetermined time or deformed to at least a certain level by external force, changes its color to a hue different from the initial hue thereof.