Abstract: A packet transfer apparatus connected to an internal subnetwork formed by a set of broadcast segments each accommodating terminals and for transferring, when a MAC frame including a IP address which designates a destination terminal connected to one of the segments is received from a terminal connected to another segment in the internal subnetwork, an IP packet in the MAC frame to the segment connected to the destination terminal in accordance with a terminal management table which indicates a relation of address information of each of the terminals belonging to the internal subnetwork and the segment to which the terminal is connected.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a novel protein and a novel gene which are related to bone metabolism, in particular, differentiation (maturation) of osteoblast or morphological change (retraction), and to disclose a polypeptide which comprises a polypeptide selected from the following (A), (B) and (C), and has a function or an activity selected from the following (i), (ii) and (iii):

Abstract: An isolated gene encoding a polypeptide which is required for secretion of esterase originated from a microorganism of the genus Serratia, a recombinant plasmid comprising a plasmid prepared by inserting the isolated gene into a vector plasmid, a microorganism transformed with the recombinant plasmid, and a method for the production of an esterase which comprises cultivating the transformant microorganism as set forth above in a medium and collecting the produced esterase outside and inside the cells. The transformed microorganism have remarkably excellent capability of extracellular secretion of esterase.

Abstract: A gene encoding a polypeptide which participates in the mechanism of secretion of esterase originated from a microorganism of the genus Serratia, a recombinant plasmid comprising a plasmid prepared by inserting said gene into a vector plasmid, a microorganism transformed with said recombinant plasmid, and a method for the production of an esterase which comprises cultivating the transformant microorganism as set forth above in a medium and collecting the produced esterase outside and inside the cells. Said transformed microorganism have remarkably excellent capability of extracellular secretion of esterase.

Abstract: A process for preparing optically active 3-phenylglycidic acid esters comprising reacting a racemic trans-3-phenylglycidic acid with an alkanol in the presence of a hydrolase to esterify preferentially either (2S, 3R) isomer or (2R, 3S) isomer of said racemic compound and isolating and collecting the resulting optically active 3-phenylglycidic acid ester from the reaction mixture, whereby the optically active ester can be produced in a single step and in a highly pure form. The optically active 3-phenylglycidic acid esters are useful for the preparation of 1,5-benzothiazepine derivatives having pharmacological activities such as platelet aggregation inhibitory activity.