Abstract: A method of detecting increased levels of DNA single strand breaks in a eukaryotic cell sample, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a eukaryotic cell sample to a water-soluble tetrazolium salt under conditions in which said tetrazolium salt is converted to a formazan dye in said cell sample in the presence of NADH or NADPH; and then (b) detecting the presence of the formazan dye in said cell sample, with decreased levels of the formazan dye indicating increased levels of DNA single strand breaks in the eukaryotic cell sample.

Abstract: The spray comprises a spray nozzle for spraying the liquid in the form of a mist, a bottle filled with the liquid, and a conduit through which the liquid flows from the bottle to the spray nozzle. Tourmaline ore particles having particle sizes from 0.1 mm to 5 mm are provided at least at a part of the conduit so that ambient atmosphere is ionized negatively as the liquid passed through the Tourmaline ore is sprayed from the spray nozzle.

Abstract: L-arginine or L-lysine is produced by culturing a coryneform bacterium having an L-arginine- or L-lysine-producing ability and modified so that glutamine synthetase activity is enhanced, e.g., a coryneform bacterium which is modified so that adenylylation of glutamine synthetase is eliminated. L-arginine or L-lysine are produced by culturing the bacterium in a medium and allowing L-arginine or L-lysine to accumulate in the medium, and collecting the L-arginine or L-lysine from the medium.

Abstract: A stencil is made by thermally forming perforations arranged in both a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction in a thermoplastic resin film of heat-sensitive stencil material by the use of a heat source which is heated through supply of energy. Supply of energy to the heat source is cut so that the quotient obtained by dividing a maximum diameter of a perforation at the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is cut by the energizing time is not smaller than 0.015 m/s and not larger than 0.23 m/s.

Abstract: L-glutamine is produced by culturing a coryneform bacterium having L-glutamine-producing ability and modified so that intracellular glutaminase activity is reduced, and preferably also modified so that intracellular glutamine synthetase activity is enhanced. The method of production includes culturing the bacterium in a medium, followed by accumulation of L-glutamine in the medium and collecting the L-glutamine from the medium.

Abstract: A method of detecting increased levels of DNA single strand breaks in a eukaryotic cell sample, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a eukaryotic cell sample to a water-soluble tetrazolium salt under conditions in which said tetrazolium salt is converted to a formazan dye in said cell sample in the presence of NADH or NADPH; and then (b) detecting the presence of the formazan dye in said cell sample, with decreased levels of the formazan dye indicating increased levels of DNA single strand breaks in the eukaryotic cell sample.

Abstract: A stencil is made by thermally forming perforations arranged in both a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction in a thermoplastic resin film of heat-sensitive stencil material by the use of a heat source which is heated through supply of energy. Supply of energy to the heat source is cut when a time interval not shorter than 50% and not longer than 100% of an estimated perforating time lapses from the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is started. The estimated perforating time is a time interval expected to be necessary for a perforation to be produced by the heat of the heat source and to be enlarged to a desired size as a final size as measured from the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is started.

Abstract: A stencil is made by thermally forming perforations arranged in both a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction in a thermoplastic resin film of heat-sensitive stencil material by the use of a heat source which is heated through supply of energy. Supply of energy to the heat source is cut when a time interval not shorter than 50% and not longer than 100% of an estimated perforating time lapses from the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is started. The estimated perforating time is a time interval expected to be necessary for a perforation to be produced by the heat of the heat source and to be enlarged to a desired size as a final size as measured from the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is started.

Abstract: When thermally perforating a thermoplastic resin film of heat-sensitive stencil material by the use of a thermal head, supply of energy to the thermal head is cut at a time the diameter of the perforations becomes not smaller than 65% and not larger than 95% of a target diameter of the perforations.

Abstract: When thermally perforating a thermoplastic resin film of heat-sensitive stencil material by the use of a thermal head, supply of energy to the thermal head is cut at a time the diameter of the perforations becomes not smaller than 65% and not larger than 95% of a target diameter of the perforations.

Abstract: A stencil is made by thermally forming perforations arranged in both a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction in a thermoplastic resin film of heat-sensitive stencil material by the use of a heat source which is heated through supply of energy. Supply of energy to the heat source is cut so that the quotient obtained by dividing a maximum diameter of a perforation at the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is cut by the energizing time is not smaller than 0.015 m/s and not larger than 0.23 m/s.

Abstract: A stencil is made by thermally forming perforations arranged in both a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction in a thermoplastic resin film of heat-sensitive stencil material by the use of a heat source which is heated through supply of energy. Supply of energy to the heat source is cut when a time interval not shorter than 50% and not longer than 100% of an estimated perforating time lapses from the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is started. The estimated perforating time is a time interval expected to be necessary for a perforation to be produced by the heat of the heat source and to be enlarged to a desired size as a final size as measured from the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is started.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for perforating a heat sensitive stencil sheet having a heat shrinkable film, the film is selectively heated with a heating device to form independent dot perforations corresponding to an image, and the heating device is controlled to ensure that the perforations satisfy the following formula (1): p≧d+({square root over ( )}2)f  (1) where p denotes a scanning pitch in a main scanning direction or a sub scanning direction; d denotes an inner diameter of a perforation in the same direction as p; and f denotes a width of a rim of said perforation at a portion that is not merged with any rims of its adjacent perforations. Irregularity of perforation configuration is decreased, size of perforations is kept adequate, and the heating device does not have to be heated to a high temperature.

Abstract: A method of producing coryneform bacteria having an improved amino acid- or nucleic acid-productivity comprises the steps of introducing a mutation in a promoter sequence of amino acid- or nucleic acid-biosynthesizing genes on a chromosome of a coryneform bacterium to make it close to a consensus sequence or introducing a change in a promoter sequence of amino acid- or nucleic acid-biosynthesizing genes on a chromosome of a coryneform bacterium by gene recombination to make it close to a consensus sequence, to obtain mutants of the coryneform amino acid- or nucleic acid-producing microorganism, culturing the mutants and select a mutant capable of producing the intended amino acid or nucleic acid in a large amount. This method can construct a mutant capable of suitably enriching or controling the expression of an intended gene without using a plasmid and also capable of producing amino acids in a high yield, by the recombination or mutation.

Abstract: A perforation pattern is provided with a stencil plate, which is decreased in perforation configuration irregularity and has an adequate size of perforations. The stencil plate is produced from a heat sensitive stencil sheet having a heat shrinkable film by selectively heating the film with a heating device to form independent dot perforations corresponding to an image in the film, and each of the perforations has a through hole and a rim surrounding the through hole and bulging on a heated side of the film, and the rim has a height that satisfies the following formulae (1) and (2): h≦4 (&mgr;m)  (1) h≦0.05{square root over ( )}(pxpy)(&mgr;m)  (2) where h denotes the height (&mgr;m) in reference to the surface of the film before heated, px and py respectively denote pitches (&mgr;m) in main and sub scanning directions of the heating device.

Abstract: A stencil is made by thermally forming perforations arranged in both a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction in a thermoplastic resin film of heat-sensitive stencil material by the use of a heat source which is heated through supply of energy. Supply of energy to the heat source is cut when a time interval not shorter than 50% and not longer than 100% of an estimated perforating time lapses from the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is started. The estimated perforating time is a time interval expected to be necessary for a perforation to be produced by the heat of the heat source and to be enlarged to a desired size as a final size as measured from the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is started.

Abstract: When thermally perforating a thermoplastic resin film of heat-sensitive stencil material by the use of a thermal head, supply of energy to the thermal head is cut at a time the diameter of the perforations becomes not smaller than 65% and not larger than 95% of a target diameter of the perforations.

Abstract: A stencil is made by thermally forming perforations arranged in both a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction in a thermoplastic resin film of heat-sensitive stencil material by the use of a heat source which is heated through supply of energy. Supply of energy to the heat source is cut so that the quotient obtained by dividing a maximum diameter of a perforation at the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is cut by the energizing time is not smaller than 0.015 m/s and not larger than 0.23 m/s.

Abstract: A stencil is made by thermally forming perforations arranged in both a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction in a thermoplastic resin film of heat-sensitive stencil material by the use of a heat source which is heated through supply of energy. Supply of energy to the heat source is cut when a time interval not shorter than 50% and not longer than 100% of an estimated perforating time lapses from the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is started. The estimated perforating time is a time interval expected to be necessary for a perforation to be produced by the heat of the heat source and to be enlarged to a desired size as a final size as measured from the time at which supply of energy to the heat source is started.

Abstract: A printing system configured by connecting, over a network, a printing request instruction terminal for making a printing request including reference information that indicates a storage location of the paper original data, a server which accepts the printing request from the printing request instruction terminal, designates a printer as a printing destination according to the printing request and makes a printing instruction to that printer, and multiple printers which execute printing according to the printing instruction from the server, wherein the server comprises: an examination unit which, when receives the printing request from the printing request instruction terminal, examines whether or not the printer designated as the printing destination has a pull-printing function to execute printing by obtaining the paper original data according to the reference information; and a print control unit which obtains the paper original data according to the reference information when it is found as a result of th