Abstract: A thread has a thread body formed of a continuous and monolithic synthetic resin material. The thread body defines chambers serially disposed along a length of the thread body and separated from one another by partitions. A gas, which may be lighter than air, fills the chambers. An embodiment has the chambers as radially adjacent chambers dispose along two to four radially adjacent longitudinal sectors of the thread body. The partitions of the two to four sectors are disposed either at common longitudinal locations or offset locations. The thread may be used as a fishing line that floats or in survival equipment wherein buoyancy is enhance. Still further, the thread provides for enhanced thermal insulation when used to weave a cloth.

Abstract: A method for achieving, and a structure containing, a thin film refractory metal with a generally symmetric microstructual morphology. Incorporation of between 1 and 5% by atomic fraction nitrogen into the refractory metal selected from the group of Ti, V, Cr, Nb, Mo, Ta, W and alloys thereof results in the desired structural morphology and electrical resistance. Multi-layer structures can be built up of alternate layers of refractory metal with and without nitrogen to achieve a desired product. Alternate layers can vary in thickness and nitrogen content.

Abstract: A multilayered wiring layer having high thermal stability, high stress migration resistance and low electrical resistance. The wiring layer includes at least two layers formed on a substrate wherein each layer has substantially the same component and wherein the relationship between grain size and thickness of each of the at least two layers is 0.5<d/h<2, wherein d is the grain size of each layer and h is the thickness of each layer.

Abstract: An input pen for a touch panel excellent in a using feeling without causing any flaw in a display, and an input pen. A touch ball made of, for example, an acetal resin is provided at a pen tip of an input pen. The touch ball is held via a first spring and a second spring. Furthermore, respective spring constants of the first spring and the second spring are set in such a manner as to establish the relationship of (a displacement of the first spring)>(a displacement of the second spring)>(a deformation of the touch ball) when pressing force for pressing the touch ball toward a main body shaft acts. Thus, it is possible to suppress any deformation of the soft touch ball even if the input pen is strongly pressed against a screen of a touch panel or the like.

Abstract: A gene encoding DNA which is selected from a) or b): a) DNA having a nucleotide sequence from the 90th position to the 728th position of a nucleotide sequence represented in SEQ ID NO: 1 of Sequence Listing; or b) DNA which hybridizes to DNA of a) under stringent conditions, and encodes a transcription factor capable of altering characters of a plant.

Abstract: By heating a film comprising an indium-zinc oxide (IZO) as its main component under an ambient atmosphere of low-concentration oxygen, a transparent conductive film showing a high transmittance of about 80% or more in a wavelength region of 450 to 3200 nm can be obtained. The electrical resistivity of the transparent conductive film is about 3.0×10−3 &OHgr;-cm or less. A film with IZO as its main component is substantially in amorphous form or microcrystalline form, and such a film may be fabricated by sputtering.

Abstract: A gene encoding DNA which is selected from a) or b): a) DNA having a nucleotide sequence from the 190th position to the 807th position of a nucleotide sequence represented in SEQ ID NO: 1 of the Sequence Listing; or b) DNA which hybridizes to DNA of a) under stringent conditions, and encodes a transcription factor capable of altering characters of a plant.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a wiring layer which has high thermal stability and a better stress migration resistance characteristic as an electrode wiring material that is used in a liquid crystal display and where there is no defect such as a hillock and the like and the electric resistance is considerably low. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a wiring layer which comprises at least two layers formed on a substrate. The two layers include: a first layer which has substantially aluminum for its main component and a second layer formed on the first layer which has substantially the same component as the first layer. Also, the second layer is higher in electric resistance than the first layer and has an amorphous phase for its main phase. The second layer may also include microcrystals which have a crystal particle diameter D.sub.2 smaller than a crystal particle diameter D.sub.1 of the first layer.