Abstract: An aquatic organism growth promotor, containing, as an effective ingredient, a low molecular weight lignin having a molecular weight peak in a molecular weight range of 4,000 to 9,500 and/or a high molecular weight lignin having a molecular weight peak in a molecular weight range of 10,000 to 40,000, wherein the molecular weight peak is measured at a wavelength of 254 nm by GPC molecular weight analysis using an UV detector.

Abstract: A filtration device includes a continuous first unit including a first membrane that separates a liquid into first permeated and non-permeated liquids, a first adjuster that adjusts a flow rate of the first permeated liquid to be substantially constant, and a first liquid scale that detects a liquid amount, a second unit including a second membrane that separates another liquid into second permeated and non-permeated liquids, a second adjuster that adjusts a flow rate of the second permeated liquid to be substantially constant, and a second liquid scale that detects another liquid amount, a first controller that controls the liquid amount in the first storage tank based on measurement values from continuous two first units or from the continuous first and second units, and a second controller that controls the another liquid amount based on a measurement value from the second unit.

Abstract: A method produces xylo-oligosaccharides from a biomass containing xylan and cellulose, which method is convenient and has a high yield of xylo-oligosaccharides because of inhibition of degradation of xylo-oligosaccharides into xylose. In the method of producing xylo-oligosaccharides, a biomass containing xylan and cellulose is hydrolyzed with a cellulase composition having at least activities of xylanase, cellobiohydrolase and ?-glucosidase and substantially free of ?-xylosidase activity during hydrolysis.

Abstract: A method of producing cellulase includes steps (1) to (3): (1) subjecting an aqueous solution of cellulase derived from filamentous fungi to filtration through an ultrafiltration membrane with a molecular weight cut off of 100,000 to 200,000 to obtain a filtrate and concurrently obtain a concentrated enzyme liquid as a retentate; (2) further subjecting the filtrate obtained in step (1) to filtration through a second ultrafiltration membrane with a molecular weight cut off of 5,000 to 50,000 to obtain a second concentrated enzyme liquid as a retentate; and (3) mixing the concentrated enzyme liquid obtained in steps (1) and (2) to obtain cellulase derived from filamentous fungi.

Abstract: A via wiring formation substrate for mounting at least one semiconductor chip, the substrate including a support substrate, a releasable adhesive layer provided on the support substrate, a first insulating layer provided on the releasable adhesive layer, and a second insulating layer laminated on the first insulating layer, wherein the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer are provided with a via wiring formation via, the via wiring formation via enabling formation of via wirings which respectively correspond to a plurality of connection terminals of the semiconductor chip and which respectively connect the plurality of connection terminals, such that the via wiring formation via penetrates only through the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer without misalignment.

Abstract: A method of producing a sugar liquid from cellulose-containing biomass includes step (1) of hydrolyzing cellulose-containing biomass by a filamentous fungus-derived cellulase; and step (2) of filtering a hydrolysate obtained in step (1) through an ultrafiltration membrane to recover the filamentous fungus-derived cellulase as a non-permeate and to obtain a sugar liquid as a permeate, wherein the cellulose-containing biomass is treated with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of pectinase, glucoamylase, and lipase at a stage previous to step (1) or in step (1).

Abstract: A food discoloration inhibitor contains, as an effective ingredient, a low molecular weight lignin having a molecular weight peak in a molecular weight range of 4,000 to 9,500 and/or a high molecular weight lignin having a molecular weight peak in a molecular weight range of 10,000 to 40,000, wherein the molecular weight peak is measured at a wavelength of 254 nm by GPC molecular weight analysis using an UV detector.

Abstract: An anti-caking agent for soil includes, as effective ingredients: a lignin having a molecular weight peak, as measured by GPC molecular weight analysis using a UV detector at a wavelength of 254 nm, within the molecular weight range of 10,000 to 40,000; and a diatomaceous earth. A method of improving the growth of a plant uses the above described anti-caking agent for soil. The anti-caking agent for soil has the effect of reducing the caking of soil and improving the poor growth of a plant.

Abstract: A glucose composition contains, as equivalents in an aqueous solution of the composition having a glucose concentration of 100 g/L, 0-25 g/L of xylose, 0.1-10 g/L of acetic acid, 0.15-2.0 g/L of coumaric acid, and 0.007-0.28 g/L of ferulic acid. By using this glucose composition as a raw material in a method for producing a chemical product by microbial fermentation, the yield of the chemical product can be raised.

Abstract: A filtration device includes a continuous first unit including a first membrane that separates a liquid into first permeated and non-permeated liquids, a first adjuster that adjusts a flow rate of the first permeated liquid to be substantially constant, and a first liquid scale that detects a liquid amount, a second unit including a second membrane that separates another liquid into second permeated and non-permeated liquids, a second adjuster that adjusts a flow rate of the second permeated liquid to be substantially constant, and a second liquid scale that detects another liquid amount, a first controller that controls the liquid amount in the first storage tank based on measurement values from continuous two first units or from the continuous first and second units, and a second controller that controls the another liquid amount based on a measurement value from the second unit.

Abstract: A method of producing a sugar liquid derived from a cellulose-containing biomass includes (a) saccharifying a pretreated product having alignin content of not more than 8.5% obtained by pretreatment of a cellulose-containing biomass, to obtain a saccharified liquid; (b) filtering the saccharified liquid obtained in Step (a) through a microfiltration membrane to allow formation of a cake on a membrane surface in a feed side while obtaining a sugar liquid from a permeate side; and (c) collecting the cake formed on the membrane surface in Step (b) by peeling from the membrane.

Abstract: A sugar liquid or solid sugar is derived from cellulose-containing biomass or blackstrap molasses, wherein content of one or more free amino acids selected from the group consisting of serine, threonine, asparagine, aspartic acid, glutamine, glutamic acid, proline, phenyl alanine, lysine, and histidine, which are impurities, is below the limit of detection.

Abstract: A method of producing a sugar liquid includes: (A) reacting mannanase with a liquid component obtained by hydrolysis treatment of woody biomass to obtain a saccharified liquid; and (B) filtering the saccharified liquid in Step (A) through a microfiltration membrane and/or ultrafiltration membrane to collect a sugar liquid from a permeate side.

Abstract: An anti-caking agent for soil includes, as effective ingredients: a lignin having a molecular weight peak, as measured by GPC molecular weight analysis using a UV detector at a wavelength of 254 nm, within the molecular weight range of 10,000 to 40,000; and a diatomaceous earth. A method of improving the growth of a plant uses the above described anti-caking agent for soil. The anti-caking agent for soil has the effect of reducing the caking of soil and improving the poor growth of a plant.

Abstract: A method of producing lignin includes obtaining an alkali-treated product by an alkali treatment in which a lignin-containing biomass is brought into contact with an alkaline aqueous solution; and keeping a temperature of the alkali-treated product at 35° C. or higher, and adjusting a pH of the alkali-treated product to pH 7 or lower to precipitate lignin, and recovering the lignin.

Abstract: A method produces xylo-oligosaccharides from a biomass containing xylan and cellulose, which method is convenient and has a high yield of xylo-oligosaccharides because of inhibition of degradation of xylo-oligosaccharides into xylose. In the method of producing xylo-oligosaccharides, a biomass containing xylan and cellulose is hydrolyzed with a cellulase composition having at least activities of xylanase, cellobiohydrolase and ?-glucosidase and substantially free of ?-xylosidase activity during hydrolysis.

Abstract: A method of producing a sugar liquid includes steps (1) providing a pretreatment product of a first cellulose-containing biomass; (2) adding a second cellulose-containing biomass or a pretreatment product thereof in an amount ranging from 1 to 50% based on the solid content weight of the first cellulose-containing biomass pretreatment product of step (1), and carrying out hydrolysis by a filamentous fungus-derived cellulase; and (3) subjecting a hydrolysate of step (2) to solid-liquid separation to obtain a solution component and a hydrolysis residue, and filtering the solution component through an ultrafiltration membrane to recover the filamentous fungus-derived cellulase as a retentate and recover a sugar liquid as a permeate.

Abstract: A xylanase variant includes an amino acid sequence derived from an amino acid sequence of a xylanase from a filamentous fungus wherein one or more amino acid residues at the positions selected from the positions corresponding to position 78, position 80, position 117, position 155, position 169, and position 203 in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 are substituted, the xylanase variant having a xylanase activity.

Abstract: A method of producing a sugar liquid from cellulose-containing biomass includes (1) to (3): (1): subjecting a cellulose-containing biomass to hydrothermal treatment and thereafter separating the treated cellulose-containing biomass into a hydrothermally-treated liquid and a cellulose-containing solid content; (2): adding a filamentous fungus-derived cellulase to the cellulose-containing solid content obtained in (1) to hydrolyze the cellulose and thereafter separating the hydrolysate into a saccharification residue and a sugar liquid; and (3): washing the saccharification residue obtained in (2) with the hydrothermally-treated liquid obtained in (1) to elute the filamentous fungus-derived cellulase adsorbed to the saccharification residue into the hydrothermally-treated liquid and thereafter obtaining a solution component comprising the filamentous fungus-derived cellulase by solid-liquid separation.

Abstract: A method efficiently produces hydroxycinnamic acids having a high quality, from a cellulose-containing biomass. More specifically, the method includes the steps of: obtaining an alkaline filtrate by allowing an alkaline aqueous medium to pass through a cellulose-containing biomass; obtaining a hydroxycinnamic acid extraction liquid by allowing the alkaline filtrate to repeatedly pass through the cellulose-containing biomass; and separating the hydroxycinnamic acid from the hydroxycinnamic acid extraction liquid.