Abstract: To provide a novel oxyiminoalkanoic acid derivative which has excellent hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic actions and which is used for the prevention or treatment of diabetes mellitus, hyperlipemia, insulin insensitivity, insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance.

Abstract: A compound represented by the formula: wherein R1 is an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group or an optionally substituted heterocyclic group; X is a bond, —CO—, —CH(OH)— or a group represented by —NR6— wherein R6 is a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl group; n is an integer of 1 to 3; Y is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, —SO—, —SO2— or a group represented by —NR7— wherein R7 is a hydrogen atom or an optionally alkyl group; ring A is a benzene ring optionally having additional one to three substituents; p is an integer of 1 to 8; R2 is a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group or an optionally substituted heterocyclic group; q is an integer of 0 to 6; m is 0 or 1; R3 is a hydroxy group, OR8 (R8 is an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery incorporating a positive electrode containing a positive-electrode active material and a negative electrode containing a negative-electrode active material which are laminated through a separator and containing nonaqueous electrolytic solution enclosed therein, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a spinel manganese composite metal oxide serving as the positive-electrode active material, wherein the separator is constituted by paper having a thickness of 15 &mgr;m to 60 &mgr;m and permeability of 1 second/100 cc to 10 seconds/100 cc.

Abstract: A carbonaceous electrode having improved capacities for doping and dedoping of a cell active substance, such as lithium, and suitable for a non-aqueous solvent secondary battery, is constituted by a carbonaceous material having a true density as measured by a butanol substitution method of at most 1.46 g/cm3, a true density as measured by a helium substitution method of at least 1.7 g/cm3, a hydrogen-to-carbon atomic ratio H/C of at most 0.15 as measured according to elementary analysis, a BET specific surface area of at most 50 m2/g as measured by nitrogen adsorption BET method, and a carbon dioxide adsorption capacity of at least 10 ml/g. The carbonaceous material is advantageously produced by carbonizing an organic material originated from bamboo genera of family Gramineae, particularly genus Pleioblastus or Bambusa, at 1000-1400° C. under a reduced pressure or under a flowing inert gas stream to provide an appropriate porous structure.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte cell equipped with an anode made of a carbonaceous material capable of intercalating and deintercalating light metal ions and imparted with high capacity characteristics and favorable cyclic properties, wherein the carbonaceous material is obtained by irradiating the carbonaceous material, in a gaseous atmosphere, with an electron beam, accelerated in high vacuum.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of safely producing a high quality negative electrode material composed of a mixture of a non-carbon material and a carbon material, a negative electrode using the negative electrode material, and a non-aqueous electrolyte battery using the negative electrode. The high quality negative electrode is produced by pulverizing and classifying each of the non-carbon material and the carbon material in an inert gas atmosphere, and further mixing them to each other in an inert gas atmosphere.

Abstract: A material for a negative electrode capable of preventing change in the volume of an active material occurring when lithium is doped/dedoped to improve resistance against cycle operations. A material for a negative electrode contains a mixture of a non-carbon material and a carbon material, wherein when an assumption is made that the average particle size of the non-carbon material is RM and the average particle size of the carbon material is RC, the ratio RM/RC is not higher than one, and when an assumption is made that the weight of the non-carbon material is WM and the weight of the carbon is WC, the ratio WM/WC is not higher than one or a mixture of a silicon compound and a carbon material, wherein when an assumption is made that the average particle size of the silicon compound is RSi and the average particle size of the carbon material is RC, the ratio RSi/RC is not higher than one.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel oxyiminoalkanoic acid derivative which has excellent hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic actions and which is used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, hyperlipemia, insulin insensitivity, insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance.

Abstract: An optical apparatus having counter electrodes of ITO and working electrodes formed from a conductive paste prepared by dispersing silver or carbon conductive particles in a binder or a sintered material obtained by sintering silver or carbon conductive particles. The counter electrodes can be formed into a structure free of sharp edges which can cause a concentration of electric fields.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte cell equipped with an anode made of a carbonaceous material capable of intercalating and deintercalating light metal ions and imparted with high capacity characteristics and favorable cyclic properties, wherein the carbonaceous material is obtained by irradiating, in a gaseous atmosphere, an electron beam accelerated in high vacuum. The anode made of a carbonaceous material is subjected to electron beam irradiation at a dose ranging from 300 kGy to 1000 kGy.

Abstract: A material for a negative electrode having excellent performance for doping lithium and de-doping lithium and a nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery having a large capacity are provided. The nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery is disclosed which has a negative electrode mainly composed of a compound containing at least any one of silicon, germanium and tin, nitrogen and oxygen, a positive electrode made of composite metal oxide containing lithium or an interlayer compound containing lithium and nonaqueous electrolyte.

Abstract: A negative electrode material having high energy density per unit volume to realize high charging/discharging capacity, and a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte secondary cell employing the negative electrode material. The non-aqueous liquid electrolyte secondary cell includes a negative electrode mainly composed of silicon and capable of doping/undoping light metal ions, a positive electrode and a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte.

Abstract: A negative electrode material for a secondary cell for anon-aqueous liquid electrolyte for realizing a high charging/discharging capacity and a high discharging efficiency, a method for producing such material and a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte secondary cell employing such material. The negative electrode material contains at least one carbonaceous material selected from the group consisting of coffee beans, tea leaves, cane sugar, corns, fruits, straws of cereals and husks of cereals, a carbonaceous material derived from a plant-origin high molecular material containing a sum total of 0.2 to 20 wt % of metal elements, phosphorus and sulphur calculated as elements or a carbonaceous material having a diffraction peak between 30.degree. and 32.degree. of the 2.theta. diffraction angle in the X-ray (CuK.alpha.) powder diffraction pattern.

Abstract: A negative electrode material for a secondary cell for a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte for realizing a high charging/discharging capacity and a high discharging efficiency, a method for producing such material and a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte secondary cell employing such material. The negative electrode material contains at least one carbonaceous material selected from the group consisting of coffee beans, tea leaves, cane sugar, corns, fruits, straws of cereals and husks of cereals, a carbonaceous material derived from a plant-origin high molecular material containing a sum total of 0.2 to 20 wt % of metal elements, phosphorus and sulphur calculated as elements or a carbonaceous material having a diffraction peak between 30.degree. and 32.degree. of the 2.theta. diffraction angle in the X-ray (CuK.alpha.) powder diffraction pattern.

Abstract: An anode material consisting of non-graphitizable carbon material obtained by baking a carbon precursor is disclosed. In this non-graphitizable carbon material, a ratio by weight of carbon Ps in a stacking structure as determined from diffraction peak originating in a (002) crystal lattice plane and X-ray diffraction spectrum components on the lower angle side with respect to the diffraction peak originating in the (002) crystal lattice plane of X-ray diffraction spectrum is smaller than 0.59, or the stacking index SI thereof is smaller than 0.76. Moreover, an average number of carbon layers n.sub.ave in a stacking structure is smaller than 2.46. Alternatively, when the baking temperature is T.degree.C. and the half width at half maximum of the peak appearing in the vicinity of 1340 cm.sup.-1 in the Raman spectrum is HW, the condition expressed below is satisfied.HW>138-0.06.multidot.

Abstract: An anode material consisting of non-graphitizable carbon material obtained by baking carbon precursor is disclosed. In this non-graphitizable carbon material, ratio by weight of carbon Ps in stacking structure determined from diffraction peak originating in (002) crystal lattice plane and X-ray diffraction spectrum components on the lower angle side with respect to the diffraction peak originating in the (002) crystal lattice plane of X-ray diffraction spectrum is smaller than 0.59, or stacking index SI thereof is smaller than 0.76. Moreover, average number of carbon layers n.sub.ave in stacking structure is smaller than 2.46. Alternatively, when baking temperature is T.degree. C. and half width at half maximum of peak appearing in the vicinity of 1340 cm.sup.-1 in Raman spectrum is HW, the condition expressed below is satisfied.HW>138-0.06.multidot.