Abstract: Provided is a thermal expansion inhibitor which has a much broader application range and which can be used with ease. Used is a thermal expansion inhibitor comprising a manganese nitride crystal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a high-pressure generation apparatus, which comprises a pair of columnar-shaped anvils disposed in opposed relation to one another to define a pressure-generating space therebetween. The anvils are adapted to be applied with a load therebetween to generate a high pressure in the pressure-generating space. Each of the anvils has a top portion formed in an approximately circular truncated cone shape, and the top portion has a central region formed with a depression having a side surface which extends obliquely outward. The high-pressure generation apparatus also includes a cylindrical capsule disposed in a central area of the pressure-generating space, and a laminated member formed by alternately laminating a doughnut-shaped metallic thin plate and a doughnut-shaped insulating member along the outer periphery of the capsule. The improved shape of the depression makes it possible to significantly reduce damages of the components.

Abstract: Provided is a thermal expansion inhibitor which has a much broader application range and which can be used with ease. Used is a thermal expansion inhibitor comprising a manganese nitride crystal.

Abstract: A memory is provided that is improved in cost, life, energy consumption and recording density over existing optical disks and hard disks and operates under novel principles, as well as its manufacturing method. A nonvolatile phase change magnetic memory comprises a substrate and a film loaded on the substrate, which film is of a crystalline transition metal chalcogenide compound that in composition is deficient in transition metal from its stoichiometric ratio composition and expressed by formula: AyX where A is a transition metal, X is a chalcogen element and 0<y<1, and in which film a minute portion subjected to a temperature history is made to form a ferromagnetic phase (1) or an antiferromagnetic phase (7) in which holes (4) for transition metal (2) are orderly or disorderly arranged and is stored with information as a magnetization based on the ferromagnetic phase (1) or antiferromagnetic phase (7).

Abstract: A thermistor device having a high-speed response to temperature and a large ON/OFF ratio at the operating temperature. The thermistor device comprises a first layer of a first material having a positive temperature coefficient of resistance and a second layer of a second material having a semiconductivity and formed directly on the first layer. As the first material changes from conductive to a semiconductive or an insulative at or near the transition temperature TM-I, the interface between the first and second layer changes to a pn junction.

Abstract: To provide a transgenic rice plant that can produce rice which can be used as an “edible vaccine”, i.e., rice capable of inducing a desired immune response when mucosally administered such as an oral administration. There is provided a transgenic rice plant including a genomic DNA, wherein a DNA construct is incorporated into the genomic DNA so that the DNA construct is capable of being expressed, wherein the DNA construct includes a DNA encoding an antigenic protein, and a rice endosperm specific promoter linked upstream thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for accumulating a human T-cell epitope in rice albumen, particularly a method of directly accumulating a T-cell epitope-linked peptide, such as 7 Crp, in rice seeds and a method of inserting 7 Crp into a variable region of glutelin, the major storage protein of rice, to express and accumulate 7 Crp as a part of the glutelin storage protein. Rice producing the T-cell epitope-linked peptide developed in accordance with the present invention is expected to function as an edible vaccine against Japanese cedar pollinosis.

Abstract: Disclosed is a high-pressure generation apparatus, which comprises a pair of columnar-shaped anvils disposed in opposed relation to one another to define a pressure-generating space therebetween. The anvils are adapted to be applied with a load therebetween to generate a high pressure in the pressure-generating space. Each of the anvils has a top portion formed in an approximately circular truncated cone shape, and the top portion has a central region formed with a depression having a side surface which extends obliquely outward. The high-pressure generation apparatus also includes a cylindrical capsule disposed in a central area of the pressure-generating space, and a laminated member formed by alternately laminating a doughnut-shaped metallic thin plate and a doughnut-shaped insulating member along the outer periphery of the capsule. The improved shape of the depression makes it possible to significantly reduce damages of the components.

Abstract: A magnetic switching device of the present invention includes: at least one transition member; at least one electrode; and at least one free magnetic member. The transition member contains a perovskite compound that contains at least a rare earth element and an alkaline-earth metal, the electrode and the free magnetic member are arranged in parallel and in a noncontact manner on the transition member, at least one of the free magnetic members is coupled magnetically with the transition member, and the transition member undergoes at least ferromagnetism-antiferromagnetism transition by injecting or inducing electrons or holes, whereby a magnetization direction of at least one of the free magnetic members changes. This configuration is applicable to a magnetic memory that records/reads out magnetization information of the free magnetic layer and various magnetic devices that utilize a resistance change of the magnetoresistive effect portion.

Abstract: The disclosed superconducting oxide material has a crystal structure of either Nd.sub.2 CuO.sub.4 type or oxygen-deficient perovskite type and mainly consists of a composition having a general chemical formula of (R.sub.1-x A.sub.x).sub.m+1 Cu.sub.m O.sub.3m+1-y, R being at least one rare earth element selected from the group consisting of Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Tb, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu, A being Ce or Th, m being an integer of 1, 2, 3, . . . .infin. (m=.infin. standing for (R.sub.1-x A.sub.x)CuO.sub.3-y), 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1, 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.m, Cu in the material having an average valence of not larger than +2 for all R, A, m, x, and y.The disclosed superconducting oxide material may have a general chemical formula of Nd.sub.2-x-z Ce.sub.x Sr.sub.z CuO.sub.4-y, 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1, 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.1, and 0.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.1.The above superconducting oxide material can be made by mixing powdery starting materials for the composition, sintering the mixture at 1,000.degree. to 1,100.degree. C.

Abstract: The disclosed superconducting oxide material has a crystal structure of either Nd.sub.2 CuO.sub.4 type or oxygen-deficient perovskite type and mainly consists of a composition having a general chemical formula of (R.sub.1-x A.sub.x).sub.m+1 Cu.sub.m O.sub.3m+1-y, R being at least one rare earth element selected from the group consisting of Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Tb, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu, A being Ce or Th, m being an integer of 1, 2, 3, . . . .infin. (m=.infin. standing for (R.sub.1-x A.sub.x)CuO.sub.3-y), 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1, 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.m, Cu in the material having an average valence of not larger than +2 for all R, A, m, x, and y.The disclosed superconducting oxide material may have a general chemical formula of Nd.sub.2-x-z Ce.sub.x Sr.sub.z CuO.sub.4-y, 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1, 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.1, and 0.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.1.The above superconducting oxide material can be made by mixing powdery starting materials for the composition, sintering the mixture at 1,000.degree. to 1,100.degree. C.