Abstract: A process of producing a substituted polyacetylene electrolyte membrane which is a solid electrolyte membrane having a sulfonic group uniformly introduced thereinto, with its electrode assembly being useful as an electrochemical device or a fuel cell and an electrolyte membrane using the same are provided. A process of producing a sulfonic group-containing substituted polyacetylene membrane, which includes molding a substituted polyacetylene containing a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1) into a membrane state and bringing the molding into contact with a sulfonating agent to achieve sulfonation and a substituted polyacetylene membrane which is produced by the subject production process and in which the sulfonic group is uniformly distributed in a membrane thickness direction.

Abstract: A method for producing hydrogen wherein use is made of a high temperature steam electrolysis apparatus having an electrolysis vessel being partitioned into the anode side and the cathode side by the use of a solid oxide electrolyte film as a diaphragm, steam is fed to the above cathode side and a reducing gas is fed to the anode side, and steam electrolysis is carried out at a high temperature, characterized in that the reducing gas and the steam fed to the electrolysis vessel has a temperature of 200 to 500° C.

Abstract: A gene encoding a novel protein that works as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for a Rho family protein being one group of small GTP-binding proteins, namely, a polynucleotide shown by the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, or SEQ ID NO: 5, or the complementary strand, the equivalents of the polynucleotide, a protein encoded by the polynucleotide, a vector containing the polynucleotide, a transformant containing the vector, an antibody against the protein encoded by the polynucleotide, a method of identifying a compound that inhibits the function of the protein encoded by the polynucleotide and/or the expression of the polynucleotide, a method of determining a disease, a pharmaceutical composition, and a reagent kit are provided.

Abstract: An electrolyzer structure is provided that is suitable for use in a method that produces hydrogen by steam electrolysis by feeding reducing gas to an anode side and feeding steam to a cathode side of an electrolyzer that is partitioned into the anode side and the cathode side by a diaphragm of solid oxide electrolyte, and feeding power to the anode and cathode of the electrolyzer. One embodiment of the present invention relates to an apparatus that produces hydrogen by high temperature steam electrolysis and that comprises an electrolyzer partitioned into an anode side and a cathode side by a solid oxide electrolyte diaphragm, a conduit that feeds reducing gas to the anode side of the electrolyzer, and a conduit that feeds steam to the cathode of the electrolyzer, in which a metal cermet stable in a reducing atmosphere is used as the material of the anode and the cathode.

Abstract: Problems of the invention are to provide an organic-silica complex-type electrolyte membrane which is expected to show electrolyte properties such as sufficient ion conductivity to be used in an electrochemical device, to have sufficient thermal resistance and mechanical strength in accordance with applications, to contain no halogen element which exerts a large environmental load, to be capable of being produced at low cost and, further, in view of being used in the electrochemical device, to suppress swelling even when impregnated with water, alcohol, a non-protonic polar solvent, an auxiliary electrolyte solution or the like, and, accordingly, to be excellent in a joining property and adhesiveness against an electrode, a method for producing the electrolyte membrane and the electrochemical device using the electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: It was found that a DNA consisting of a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 having one sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2) unit, has a function of an initiator or a promoter. Therefore, it is provided a DNA consisting of a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; a DNA in which a 5?-end of a DNA consisting of a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 is added to a 3?-end of a DNA having one or more of the sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2) units; the above DNA further containing a structural gene; a vector having the above DNA inserted therein; a transformant having the vector transfected therein; a method of regulating gene expression or a method of producing a protein using one member selected from the above DNAs, vector and transformant; and a reagent kit containing one member selected from the above DNAs, vector and transformant.

Abstract: An exhaust aftertreatment system comprises an injector for injecting urea water into an exhaust duct, and a denitration catalyst disposed downstream of the injector with respect to a flow of exhaust gas. The exhaust aftertreatment system reduces nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas by the denitration catalyst while using ammonia produced from the urea water injected from the injector. The urea water is injected along a direction of the flow of the exhaust gas within the exhaust duct, and a porous plate is disposed in multiple stages in a space of the exhaust duct such that droplets of the injected urea water impinge against the porous plate before reaching a wall surface of the exhaust duct. A surface of the porous plate subjected to the impingement of the droplets is arranged to face downstream with respect to the flow of the exhaust gas.

Abstract: A protein A that binds to the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and a protein B that interacts with protein A are provided. Furthermore, based on the marked promotion of the NMDA receptor mediated signal transduction by these proteins, providing a controlling agent (an inhibiting agent or a promoting agent) and a controlling method for the expression and/or the function of these proteins makes possible the elucidation of diseases caused by an anomaly in the NMDA receptor mediated signal transduction or in memory recall, including such neurodegenerative diseases as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and polyglutamine disease, and allows for the prevention, improvement or treatment thereof.

Abstract: A cylinder-shaped flow passage in which a first fluid flows includes an internal cylinder which is smaller in diameter than the flow passage. A swirl-generating stator having four vanes is radially fixed in the internal cylinder. A header space for supplying a second fluid is provided to the outer circumference of a wall surface of the internal cylinder in contact with flow separation areas which are formed along downstream surfaces of the swirl-generating stator as the first fluid runs into the swirl-generating stator. The wall surface of the internal cylinder is formed with openings through which the flow separation areas communicate with the header space. The second fluid supplied into the header space flows through the openings into the flow separation areas, and is diffused along the vanes of the swirl-generating stator to be swirled and mixed into the first fluid applied with swirling force by the swirl-generating stator.

Abstract: A secret information setting device includes a generation instruction receiving unit receiving a secret information generation instruction from a user; a secret information generation unit generating the secret information in response to the secret information generation instruction received with the generation instruction receiving unit; a secret information storage unit storing the secret information generated by the secret information generation unit; a secret information transfer unit transferring the secret information stored in the secret information storage unit to the plurality of appliances; and a secret information deleting unit deleting the secret information stored in the secret information storage unit when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: The present invention, the objects of which are to find out a gene encoding a protein having functions equivalent to those of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and the protein, and to provide a method for identifying a compound that regulates functions and/or expression of the protein, and to provide a useful mean for preventing and/or treating diseases related to the gene and the protein, provides a DNA comprising base sequence described in SEQ ID NO: 1 or complementary strand thereof, complementary strand of the DNA, a protein encoded by the DNA, a vector containing the DNA, a transformant containing the vector, an antibody against the protein, a method for identifying a compound that regulates functions and/or expression of the protein using aforementioned members, an agent for improving and a method for improving depression state, a pharmaceutical composition, and a reagent kit.

Abstract: A neurolysin-like substance having an activity of degrading a synthetic substrate Mcc-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro-D-Lys(DNP)—OH, diagnostic means and pharmaceutical compositions employing it.

Abstract: An electrode having both of electronic conductivity and ionic conductivity is provided. An electrode provided with a mixed conductive carbon having electronic conductivity and ionic conductivity, the carbon containing an ion-dissociative group on the surface thereof. The use of a platelet-type or herringbone-type carbon fiber as the carbon material enables the introduction of ion-dissociative groups at a high density with continuity, whereby ion paths are effectively formed and an excellent ionic conductivity can be imparted, in addition to the electron conductivity inherent in the carbon fiber.

Abstract: A content server transmits content data designated by a content reservation request from a DTE onto a first or a second communications circuit for storage into a DCE connected to the DTE. The content reservation request indicates a time limit in which the designated content data is to be ready in the DCE. The content server manages the designated time limit, and performs scheduling processing. During the processing, based on both the managed time limit and predetermined communications information, a transmission timing is determined which ensures that the content data is completely transmitted by the time limit, and which communications circuit is optimal. The content server transmits the content data onto the determined optimal communications circuit within the determined transmission timing. Accordingly, the data transmission system can achieve an efficient use of a communications circuit in terms of transmission bandwidth, and download data from a server at a lesser expense.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas-liquid separator with enhanced performance and easy operation, enabling to perform gas-liquid separation such as advanced defoaming or degassing, and facilitating easy cleaning with CIP (Cleaning In Place) and COP (Cleaning Out Place) ability that meets sanitary specifications. This gas-liquid separator for gas-liquid separation performed by centrifugal force of an impeller mounted on a shaft which rotates in a casing comprises: a discharge impeller part providing discharge force to the passing fluid formed on an axial end of the impeller; a discharge outlet of the casing disposed in a position opposite the discharge impeller part; the other axial end of the impeller being formed to slide on the inner wall of the casing; an exhaust outlet of the casing disposed in a position opposite the sliding impeller part; vacuum means connected to the exhaust outlet; and a suction inlet of the casing disposed in a position between the discharge outlet and the exhaust outlet.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a lead-free bump with suppressed formation of voids, obtained by reflowing a plated film of Sn—Ag solder alloy having an adjusted Ag content, and a method of forming the lead-free bump. The lead-free bump of the present invention is obtained by forming an Sn—Ag alloy film having a lower Ag content than that of an Sn—Ag eutectic composition by plating and reflowing the plated alloy film.

Abstract: A reception apparatus records a content distributed from a content distribution apparatus on a hard disk. Following an instruction from a viewer, the reception apparatus reproduces the content. The reception apparatus transmits management information including identification information about the content recorded on the hard disk to a management apparatus. The management apparatus stores the information in a management information storage. When the hard disk of the reception apparatus fails, a replacement hard disk is attached to the management apparatus. The management apparatus retrieves, based on the stored management information, the same content as the content recorded on the hard disk of the reception apparatus from a content distribution apparatus, etc., and records the retrieved content on the replacement hard disk. The hard disk of the reception apparatus is then replaced with the replacement hard disk with the content recorded thereon.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a lead-free bump with suppressed formation of voids, obtained by reflowing a plated film of Sn—Ag solder alloy having an adjusted Ag content, and a method of forming the lead-free bump. The lead-free bump of the present invention is obtained by forming an Sn—Ag alloy film having a lower Ag content than that of an Sn—Ag eutectic composition by plating and reflowing the plated alloy film.

Abstract: There is provided a polypeptide that binds to syntaxin-1a and comprises the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 in the Sequence Listing, or a polypeptide having a homology of at least approximately 90% to the amino acid sequence that binds to syntaxin-1a, a partial peptide thereof, and a polynucleotide encoding any of these polypeptides or the complementary strand thereof, as well as an inhibitor, an antagonist, and an activator of physiological activity of any of the polypeptides. Further, a pharmaceutical composition that utilizes these is provided. There is also provided a method for producing the polypeptides or the peptide by genetic engineering techniques, a method for identifying the inhibitor, antagonist, or activator, and a method and a kit for diagnosing a disease with which the polypeptides are associated.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic record system which dispenses with complicated operations using a menu and a button and handwriting input operation like paper writing can be achieved. A system is established and is provided with: an input/output unit device capable of inputting/outputting data by the direct writing on a display screen with a pen; and a control/arithmetic device connected to the input/output unit device and reflecting the data inputted on the display screen to the screen. In this system, an electronic record in the form of strip-shaped sheet with an infinite length extending in the longitudinal direction is displayed, data is directly inputted from the display screen as a stroke data, the inputted characters are converted into the character data by the use of a character recognition engine and the converted data is used as data format available in a secondary use such as a data search, and various functions are driven by a predetermined pen operation.