Abstract: A metal gasket including a thin metal plate (1) provided with beads (3) and step members (4) each of which includes a coating layer having a property of high load resistance. The step member (4) is attached to the bead along a convex ridge of the bead (3), thereby increasing a quantity of compression of the bead (3), to cause a great surface pressure and decreasing an amplitude of stress in the bead (3) to improve a property of fatigue resistance of the bead (3). Also, the step member (4) is attached to the bead within a concave surface of the bead, thereby restraining the quantity of compression of the bead (3) to improve the property of fatigue resistance of the bead (3) and assuring the surface pressure on the concave surface of the bead by the step member (4).

Abstract: The present invention provides a fastening method for fastening a first member to a second member by a bolt, comprising the steps of: inserting the bolt through a hole in the first member into a hole in the second member to start threadably engaging the bolt in a threaded hole provided in the second member; then, in a subsequent threadably engaging process, shaping, for example by plastically deforming or cutting, the holes of both the first and second members by a large-diameter portion provided around a bolt shank and having a diameter larger than that of the holes. The invention also provides a fastening system and a bolt used for the above-described method. With this method, it is possible to accurately connect the first and second members by the bolt, and to miniaturize the parts without increasing costs or lowering productivity.

Abstract: Apolypeptide of N-acetylglucosamine-6-O-sulfotransferase and a DNA encoding the peptide are provided. The polypeptide is (a) or (b) below:(a) a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2; or(b) a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence including substitution, deletion, insertion or transposition of one or few amino acids in the amino acid sequence of (a) and which has an enzymatic activity to transfer a sulfate group from a sulfate group donor to a hydroxyl group at 6 position of an N-acetylglucosamine residue located at a non-reducing end of an oligosaccharide represented by the formula I:GlcNAc.beta.1-3Gal.beta.1-4GlcNAc (I)wherein GlcNAc represents an N-acetylglucosamine residue, Gal represents a galactose residue, .beta.1-3 represents a .beta.1-3 glycosidic linkage, and .beta.1-4 represents a .beta.1-4 glycosidic linkage.