Abstract: A lactic acid component (e.g., lactic acid or oligo (lactic acid)) can be obtained by extraction from a lactic acid fermentation liquor with a pH of 4.8 or less, using at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of toluene, xylene, mesitylene, ethylbenzene, methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, and mineral spirit. Furthermore, oligo (lactic acid) can be obtained, by heating a lactic acid fermentation liquor with a pH of 4.8 or less under reduced pressure, and washing, with water, the fermentation liquor containing a produced oligo (lactic acid). Hence, a method is provided for separating a lactic acid component from a lactic acid fermentation liquor, which is free from incorporation of impurities and which includes simple steps.

Abstract: The present invention provides a medical adhesive composition containing poly-gamma-glutamic acid or its salt; and sugar or sugar alcohol, which is edible, water-soluble, anionic and biodegradable. The invention also provides a thickener composition containing poly-gamma-glutamic acid, which can be used as a moisture-absorbing agent, a moisturizing agent and a raw material for cosmetic products.

Abstract: An amidoxime-modified PAN porous body obtained by reacting with hydroxylamine a polyacrylonitrile porous body that is monolithic, has a thickness of 1 mm or more and contains polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as the main component to convert a nitrile group of the polyacrylonitrile porous body into an amidoxime group. This porous body is a porous body for adsorbing a metal ion, for example, an ion of metal such as copper, iron, nickel, vanadium, indium, gallium, silver, mercury, lead, uranium, plutonium, cesium, barium, lanthanum, thallium and strontium.

Abstract: A method for producing a porous body containing polyacrylonitrile as a main component, and the method includes the steps of obtaining a polyacrylonitrile solution by heating and dissolving the polyacrylonitrile in a solvent, obtaining a product precipitated by cooling the polyacrylonitrile solution, and obtaining the porous body containing the polyacrylonitrile as a main component by separating and drying the product. The solvent contains a poor solvent for the polyacrylonitrile and a good solvent for the polyacrylonitrile.

Abstract: When a map acquisition judgment means judges that the acquisition of map information is required, a terminal device transmits spot position information calculated by a spot information calculation means to a server which mediates providing of the map information, via a first map information providing server where the terminal device is positioned. The server causes an area judgment means to judge according to the spot information an area of providing map information including the spot, identifies a map information providing system on the basis of the judgment, and requests providing of the map information including the spot to a second map information providing server in the area according to the spot position information. The terminal device synthesizes map information held by the terminal and map information provided by the second map information providing server by a map synthesis means and displays the synthesized map information on a display means.

Abstract: First and second route guidance systems provided with country or region-specific map data or route search network data are linked. If the departure place and the destination are in different areas, a first route guidance system (A) extracts a candidate connection which is the border between the different areas to transmit it to a second route guidance system (B). The first and second route guidance systems search the optimum route from the departure place to the candidate connection and the optimum candidate route from the candidate connection to the destination, respectively and provide the required time and link data to their respective route guidance systems. The first or second route guidance system determines a recommended route with the smallest total of the required time out of candidate routes connected at the candidate connection and provides the recommended route data including the link data from the first route guidance system (A) to a terminal (20).

Abstract: When there exists a plurality of route guiding servers designating a predetermined area as a service provision area, a terminal device (20) is capable of selecting a route guiding server suitable for processing to request. A route guiding server (30A) having received a process request from the terminal device (20) judges the area subjected to the process request and route searching servers (30B1 etc.) designating the area as a service provision area. When there exists a plurality of route guiding servers in an identical area, the route guiding server (30A) acquires detailed information relating to server-held data held by each route searching server (30B1 etc.), sets numerical values expressing ranking according to the degree of fullness, the quantity of information, and the date of the latest update of the server-held data as evaluation values, calculates the evaluation value of each route searching server (30B1 etc.

Abstract: To provide a process whereby an ultrafine fiber of a fluorinated ion exchange resin can be produced easily at low cost, and a method whereby a catalyst layer having a high gas diffusion property can be produced easily at low cost.

Abstract: A routing guide mediation system is equipped with a routing guide mediation server, establishing cooperation between a plurality of routing guide systems having map data by country and region and network data for route search. When a departure point and a destination are points in different areas, a first route search server extracts a candidate contact point which will be the boundary between the different areas, and transmits it to a second route search server via the routing guide mediation server. Then, the first and second route search servers search for an optical route from the departure point to the candidate contact point and an optimal candidate route from the candidate contact point to the destination, individually, and the first route search server acquires the amounts of time required for these routes and link data via the routing guide mediation server.

Abstract: An area which may be en-route from a departure place to a destination is specified, and when a route which passes through the specified en-route area is an optimal route, a guidance for the optimal route is given. Route search servers (30A, etc.) each of which includes a plurality of service providing areas and has a predetermined area as a service providing area cooperate with one another to search for an optimal route from the departure place to the destination, both set by a terminal device (20), and give a guidance for the optimal route. Each route search server (30A, etc.) includes information on candidate nodes between a local area and each of the other areas, network data and map data within the local area, and route search means (307A). The route search server (30A, etc.) which has received a route search request with the departure place and destination set therein from the terminal device (20) causes a route search server (30B, etc.

Abstract: In a navigation system, that finds routes and provides navigation extending across countries or regions, navigation is performed for cases in which languages differ in the countries or regions being navigated. The navigation system is equipped with first and second route search servers (30A, 30B), which use first and second areas as service areas, respectively, and a terminal device (20). When the terminal device (20) requests a route search, the system determines the second route search server (30B) with the first route search server (30A) to find and link the routes in the respective areas and to determine a recommended route. If the language used by the route search server is different from the language used by the terminal device (20), the route search server translates words other than key words, such as proper nouns, in the navigation information, which gives the recommended route, into the language used by the terminal device (20) and supplies the translation to the terminal device (20).

Abstract: A route guidance system comprises first and second route search severs, which are provided with first and second areas as service providing areas, and terminals. When the terminals request route search, the first route search server determines the second route search sever, determines whether or not the terminals can perform roaming in the second area, transmits to the second route search sever point information and information as to whether or not the roaming is possible, and requests the route search. The second route search server searches for an optimal route which satisfies a route search condition. If the roaming is determined to be impossible, the second route search server determines a data format in which data can be outputted, creates guidance route information by editing the information on optimal route into the data format, and transmits the guidance route information to the terminals (20) through the first route search server.

Abstract: When a map acquisition judgment means judges that the acquisition of map information is required, a terminal device transmits spot position information calculated by a spot information calculation means to a server which mediates providing of the map information, via a first map information providing server where the terminal device is positioned. The server causes an area judgment means to judge according to the spot information an area of providing map information including the spot, identifies a map information providing system on the basis of the judgment, and requests providing of the map information including the spot to a second map information providing server in the area according to the spot position information. The terminal device synthesizes map information held by the terminal and map information provided by the second map information providing server by a map synthesis means and displays the synthesized map information on a display means.

Abstract: A star-branched polyester polyol is obtained by polymerizing lactide or lactic acid, using, as an initiator, a fat and oil composed mainly of a triacylglycerol that has at least three hydroxyl groups or epoxy groups in its molecule. This polyester polyol has low crystallinity and a low melting point, and thus shows good working properties when used in various applications. Furthermore, this polyester polyol is derived from renewable resources, and, thus, it is highly desirable in view of its effectiveness in protecting the global environment and preventing fossil resources from being depleted.

Abstract: Provided is a polylactic acid resin composition which has excellent flexibility and heat resistance without decreasing a biomass degree. The polylactic acid resin composition includes a polylactic acid and a branched polylactic acid having at least three branched chains composed of a polylactic acid in the molecule can be obtained. This polylactic acid resin composition is very superior due to the following reasons: the resin composition has excellent flexibility because plasticization is accelerated; the resin composition has excellent heat resistance because crystallization is accelerated; and the resin composition is effective in protection of the global environment and measures against fossil resource depletion because the resin composition is derived from a recyclable resource.

Abstract: A routing guide mediation system is equipped with a routing guide mediation server, establishing cooperation between a plurality of routing guide systems having map data by country and region and network data for route search. When a departure point and a destination are points in different areas, a first route search server extracts a candidate contact point which will be the boundary between the different areas, and transmits it to a second route search server via the routing guide mediation server. Then, the first and second route search servers search for an optical route from the departure point to the candidate contact point and an optimal candidate route from the candidate contact point to the destination, individually, and the first route search server acquires the amounts of time required for these routes and link data via the routing guide mediation server.

Abstract: First and second route guidance systems provided with country or region-specific map data or route search network data are linked. If the departure place and the destination are in different areas, a first route guidance system (A) extracts a candidate connection which is the border between the different areas to transmit it to a second route guidance system (B). The first and second route guidance systems search the optimum route from the departure place to the candidate connection and the optimum candidate route from the candidate connection to the destination, respectively and provide the required time and link data to their respective route guidance systems. The first or second route guidance system determines a recommended route with the smallest total of the required time out of candidate routes connected at the candidate connection and provides the recommended route data including the link data from the first route guidance system (A) to a terminal (20).

Abstract: To provide a process whereby an ultrafine fiber of a fluorinated ion exchange resin can be produced easily at low cost, and a method whereby a catalyst layer having a high gas diffusion property can be produced easily at low cost.

Abstract: Provided is a poly-?-glutamic acid derivative having appropriately controlled hydrophilicity, which can be processed into a form of fine particles. Provided is a PGA derivative in a form of fine particles having a particle diameter of 50 to 1,000 nm, which is obtained by introducing cholesterol into poly-?-glutamic acid (PGA). Thus, the PGA particles can be mixed with various biological materials (e.g., medicament) so as to be used in various applications in the field of biotechnology. Specifically, it can be used as a carrier of a medicament, or the like. Further, it is also made possible to use PGA in various applications in the field of nanotechnology that is studied in recent years.

Abstract: A star-branched polyester polyol is obtained by polymerizing lactide or lactic acid, using, as an initiator, a fat and oil composed mainly of a triacylglycerol that has at least three hydroxyl groups or epoxy groups in its molecule. This polyester polyol has low crystallinity and a low melting point, and thus shows good working properties when used in various applications. Furthermore, this polyester polyol is derived from renewable resources, and, thus, it is highly desirable in view of its effectiveness in protecting the global environment and preventing fossil resources from being depleted.