Abstract: A method for producing an aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) composition suitable to form a PSA sheet which exhibits high level of adhesive strength, cohesive strength under high temperature conditions and edge peeling resistance in a well-balanced manner is provided. The method comprises subjecting a monomer material to emulsion polymerization to obtain an aqueous emulsion of an acrylic polymer; and adding a crosslinking agent to the emulsion to obtain an aqueous PSA composition. The emulsion polymerization is carried out so as to obtain an acrylic polymer having a mass ratio of the ethyl acetate-insoluble matter of 3% or greater, but 15% or less and a weight average molecular weight of the THF-soluble matter of 70×104 or greater, but 100×104 or less. The crosslinking agent is added such that the mass ratio of the ethyl acetate-insoluble matter with respect to a post-crosslinking PSA 40% or greater, but 70% or less.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet, which includes: a base material including a foamed substance; and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer disposed on at least one surface of the base material, in which the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed by a water-dispersible acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive composition containing a water-dispersible acrylic copolymer (a) having a weight-average molecular weight of from 400,000 to 900,000, said copolymer containing a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester having 2 to 14 carbon atoms in the alkyl group thereof as a principal monomer component and a functional group-containing monomer as a monomer component; and a water-dispersible acrylic low-molecular weight component (b) having a weight-average molecular weight of from 5,000 to 250,000.

Abstract: Fish and shellfish meat whose color tone is well preserved, particularly no Listeria contamination and in which discoloration is effectively prevented, and smoked products prepared from such fish and shellfish meat are provided. Fish meat which is no Listeria contamination and in which discoloration is prevented can be obtained by treating the meat with a cultivation medium used for cultivating lactic acid bacteria. Specifically, the meat is immersed preferably in a sterilized or disinfected cultivation medium used for cultivating a lactic acid bacterium having antibacterial and anti-oxidative effects, or two lactic acid bacteria in combination, one having antibacterial effect and the other anti-oxidative effect. Combinational use of Lactobacillus sake D-1001 (FERM P-11708 or IPOD FERM BP-08544) and Lactococcus lactis IFO 12007 is preferred. The fish meat is preferably derived from salmon, trout or cod, and the inventive method is particularly effective for fish meat containing astaxanthin.

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet contains at least a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive containing an acrylic polymer composition containing an acrylic polymer as a main component and a tackifier containing a tackifying resin as a main component, wherein reflection rate and attached amount in the fogging test in accordance with German Industrial Standard DIN 75201 are 70% or more and 2.0 mg or less, respectively. In the acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive which forms the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a ratio of components having a molecular weight of 300 or less is preferably 4.2% by weight or less based on the total amount of solid matter of the acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive. Furthermore, in the tackifying resin in the tackifier, a ratio of components having a molecular weight of 300 or less is suitably 4.2% by weight or less based on the total amount of solid matter of the tackifying resin.

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet has a high adhesiveness and an excellent terminal peeling resistance as well as exhibits extremely small diffusing amounts of formaldehyde and toluene. The pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet contains at least a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of a water-dispersion type acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive containing a water-dispersion type acrylic polymer and a tackifying resin-containing emulsion, wherein a diffusing amount of formaldehyde is less than 3 ?g/m3 and a diffusing amount of toluene is 10 ?g/g or less. As the tackifying resin-containing emulsion, a tackifying resin-containing emulsion prepared using substantially no organic solvents or a tackifying resin-containing emulsion prepared using a material other than aromatic hydrocarbon-based organic solvents can be suitably employed.

Abstract: A technique which can generate stable virtual page marks even in a non-OCR form to stably identify the form. Key segments which can be stably detected within a form are predefined for the detection of virtual page marks, and the virtual page marks (circumscribed rectangle) are generated on the basis of the key segments. Redundancy is bestowed on the detection of the key segments, and substitute segments are defined so as to generate the virtual page marks on the basis of them even in a case where the key segment has failed to be detected due to a stain, a partial lack or the like.

Abstract: Efficient operation of an intermediate enterprise is achieved by disclosing, at all times, jobs for which employees are requested and the application status of applicants for those jobs. A network-connected server provides information in response to accesses by member clients via the network. The server includes: a job offer information database for storing job offer information that is managed for each job; an application acceptance unit for accepting applications from client terminals for jobs included in the job offer information; and a job offer information/application status generating unit for presenting to a new applicant not only the job offer information but also information concerning previous applicants who applied for each job included in the job offer information.

Abstract: A cryogenic refrigerator includes a first refrigerant filled in a final refrigerating force storage chamber on a high temperature side thereof and consisting essentially of a composition expressed by (a) (Er.sub.(x) R.sub.(1-x)).sub.3 Ni.sub.(y) Co.sub.(1-y), or (b) Er.sub.(x) R.sub.(1-x) Ni.sub.(y) Cu.sub.(1-y) wherein 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1, 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.1, and R denotes a rare earth element selected from the group consisting of Y, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Tm, Yb and Sc, a second refrigerant filled in the final refrigerating force storage chamber on a low temperature side thereof and consisting essentially of a composition expressed by (f) Er.sub.(x) R.sub.(1-x) Ni.sub.(y) Co.sub.(1-y), or (g) (Er.sub.(x) R.sub.(1-x)).sub.3 AlC.sub.(y) wherein 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1, 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.

Abstract: Disclosed is a regenerator loaded with a relatively cheap heat regenerative material which exhibits excellent specific heat, heat transfer capability and recuperativeness under cryogenic temperatures lower than, for example, the liquid nitrogen temperature. The regenerator is filled with a heat regenerative material comprising at least one R-M system compound, where R is at least one rare earth element selected from the group consisting of Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, HO, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu, and M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, In and Tl.

Abstract: The present invention provides a regenerative material having a peak specific heat at a low temperature. The material is made of a solid solution of at least two different magnetic type metal compounds, for example, ferromagnetic Er.sub.3 Co and antiferromagnetic Er.sub.3 Ni. From these compounds, the regenerative material Er.sub.3 (Ni,Co) in solid-solution form is produced and the material has a lower magnetic phase transition point than each of the compounds. The regenerative material is utilized for a regenerator of a refrigerator.