Abstract: Provided are an oxygen reduction catalyst having a high electrode potential under a fuel cell operating environment, an electrode containing the oxygen reduction catalyst, a membrane electrode assembly in which a cathode is the electrode, and a fuel cell including the membrane electrode assembly. The oxygen reduction catalyst used here contains cobalt, sulfur, and oxygen as elements, has a CoS2 cubic structure in powder X-ray diffractometry, and having an S—Co/S—O peak area ratio of 6 to 15 in an S2p spectrum in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis.

Abstract: Provided are an oxygen reduction catalyst having a high electrode potential under a fuel cell operating environment, an electrode containing the oxygen reduction catalyst, a membrane electrode assembly in which a cathode is the electrode, and a fuel cell including the membrane electrode assembly. The oxygen reduction catalyst used here contains cobalt, sulfur, and oxygen as elements, has a CoS hexagonal structure in powder X-ray diffractometry, and having an S—Co/S—O peak area ratio of 2.1 to 8.9 in an S2p spectrum in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis.

Abstract: An oxygen reduction catalyst containing as constituent elements cobalt, sulfur, and a transition metal element M being at least one element selected from chromium and molybdenum, the oxygen reduction catalyst being ascertained to have a crystal structure of a cobalt disulfide cubic crystal in powder X-ray diffraction measurement, and having a molar ratio of the transition metal element M to cobalt (M/cobalt) of 5/95 to 15/85. Also disclosed is an electrode having a catalyst layer containing the oxygen reduction catalyst, a membrane electrode assembly including a polymer electrolyte membrane wherein the electrode serves as a cathode and/or an anode, and a fuel cell including the membrane electrode assembly.

Abstract: Provided are an oxygen reduction catalyst having a high electrode potential under a fuel cell operating environment, an electrode containing the oxygen reduction catalyst, a membrane electrode assembly in which a cathode is the electrode, and a fuel cell including the membrane electrode assembly. The oxygen reduction catalyst used here contains cobalt, sulfur, and oxygen as elements, has a CoS hexagonal structure in powder X-ray diffractometry, and having an S—Co/S—O peak area ratio of 2.1 to 8.9 in an S2p spectrum in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis.

Abstract: Provided are an oxygen reduction catalyst having a high electrode potential under a fuel cell operating environment, an electrode containing the oxygen reduction catalyst, a membrane electrode assembly in which a cathode is the electrode, and a fuel cell including the membrane electrode assembly. The oxygen reduction catalyst used here contains cobalt, sulfur, and oxygen as elements, has a CoS2 cubic structure in powder X-ray diffractometry, and having an S—Co/S—O peak area ratio of 6 to 15 in an S2p spectrum in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis.

Abstract: To easily change internal pressure of a container according to a change in external pressure. In a strain gauge device 100, a piston 54 attached to a tubular opening portion 53A provided at a housing part 53 slides in response to external pressure. Thereby varying the volumes of a regulator oil containing region 52 and a sensitive region 15 so as to achieve a balance with the external pressure, to change the internal pressure. Then, in the above-described strain gauge device, because the internal pressures of the regulator oil containing region 52 and the sensitive region 15 are changed according to a change in external pressure only by sliding of the piston 54, it is possible to easily perform regulation of the internal pressure. Further, because the above-described pressure balance mechanism 51 is achieved with a simple configuration, it is possible to easily perform regulation of the external pressure and the internal pressure even in a high-temperature/high-pressure environment.

Abstract: To easily change internal pressure of a container according to a change in external pressure. In a strain gauge device 100, a piston 54 attached to a tubular opening portion 53A provided at a housing part 53 slides in response to external pressure. Thereby varying the volumes of a regulator oil containing region 52 and a sensitive region 15 so as to achieve a balance with the external pressure, to change the internal pressure. Then, in the above-described strain gauge device, because the internal pressures of the regulator oil containing region 52 and the sensitive region 15 are changed according to a change in external pressure only by sliding of the piston 54, it is possible to easily perform regulation of the internal pressure. Further, because the above-described pressure balance mechanism 51 is achieved with a simple configuration, it is possible to easily perform regulation of the external pressure and the internal pressure even in a high-temperature/high-pressure environment.

Abstract: In the valve mechanism 60, when a valve sleeve 62 and a valve plunger 63 move in an inside of a valve holder 61 by driving of a power unit 65, to be at a predetermined position, a coupling port 63C provided in a flow path 63A of the valve plunger 63 and a slit 610 in the valve holder 61 are communicated with one another, thereby connecting a regulator oil containing region 52 and a sensitive region 15, and in the case where the internal pressures of the regulator oil containing region 52 and the sensitive region 15 are different from each other, the pressures fluctuate so as to equalize those. On the other hand, when those are at positions other than the predetermined position, the coupling port 63C and the slit 610 are not communicated with one another, thereby cutting off the connection between the regulator oil containing region and the sensitive region, and therefore, it is possible to easily perform a pressure regulation even in a high-temperature and high-pressure environment.

Abstract: An emulsion composition of the present invention includes (A) a salt of a higher fatty acid ester of ascorbic acid-2-phosphoric acid ester, (B) a polyglycerin fatty acid monoester including polyglycerin having a mean polymerization degree of 8 to 12 and an unsaturated fatty acid residual group of 14 to 22 carbon atoms, (C) a polyglycerin fatty acid monoester comprising polyglycerin having a mean polymerization degree of 2 to 6 and an unsaturated fatty acid residual group of 14 to 22 carbon atoms, and (D) a hydrocarbon oil, wherein the blending ratio by mass between the component (B) and the component (C) is in the range of 1:1 to 3:1, and the blending ratio by mass between the total of the components (B) and (C) and the component (D) is in the range of 10:1 to 1:4.

Abstract: An emulsified skin external preparation containing a tocopherol glycinate derivative has excellent storage stability without viscosity reduction during storage. The emulsified skin external preparation includes 0.03 to 25% by mass of a tocopherol glycinate derivative, and 0.05 to 25% by mass of at least one fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of glycerin mono fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester and dextrin fatty acid ester, the tocopherol glycinate derivative being represented by Formula (1): . . . (1) wherein R1 and R2 are each a lower alkyl group or a hydrogen atom and cannot be hydrogen atoms at the same time, and R3, R4 and R5 are each a hydrogen atom or a methyl group.

Abstract: An emulsified skin external preparation containing a salt of a higher fatty acid ester of ascorbic acid-2-phosphate is provided, and the decomposition and consequent decrease of the salt are prevented and thereby the stability of the preparation is enhanced. A method for stabilizing the skin external preparation containing a salt of a higher fatty acid ester of ascorbic acid-2-phosphate is provided. The emulsified skin external preparation includes 0.03 to 25% by mass of a salt of a higher fatty acid ester of ascorbic acid-2-phosphate (A), and 0.05 to 25% by mass of a glycerin mono fatty acid ester (B), the higher fatty acid ester of ascorbic acid-2-phosphate being represented by Formula (1): . . . (1) wherein R is a higher fatty acid residue.

Abstract: An emulsion composition of the present invention includes (A) a salt of a higher fatty acid ester of ascorbic acid-2-phosphoric acid ester, (B) a polyglycerin fatty acid monoester including polyglycerin having a mean polymerization degree of 8 to 12 and an unsaturated fatty acid residual group of 14 to 22 carbon atoms, (C) a polyglycerin fatty acid monoester comprising polyglycerin having a mean polymerization degree of 2 to 6 and an unsaturated fatty acid residual group of 14 to 22 carbon atoms, and (D) a hydrocarbon oil, wherein the blending ratio by mass between the component (B) and the component (C) is in the range of 1:1 to 3:1, and the blending ratio by mass between the total of the components (B) and (C) and the component (D) is in the range of 10:1 to 1:4.

Abstract: An oil-in-water emulsified composition suitable for external preparation for skin and cosmetic product, which comprised 0.1 to 5% by mass of (A) lipopeptide compound derived from a microorganism such as surfactin and its analogous compound, 0.05 to 1.5% by mass of (B) xanthan gum, 25 to 70% by mass of (C) oil component and (D) water, free from non-ionic surfactants and acrylic water-soluble polymers, and is excellent in feeling upon use, moisture retention, emollient property and stability as well as environmental suitability and safety for living organisms, and external preparation for skin and cosmetic product using the composition.

Abstract: An elastic knitted fabric having a multilayer structure, made by binding separate front and back two-layer ground knitted fabrics together, wherein the above described two-layer ground knitted fabrics are bound together with only a bare string(s) of polyurethane based elastic fibers of 17 to 3000 decitexes.

Abstract: A process for producing Surfactin, comprising culturing a microorganism of the genus Bacillus in a liquid culture medium containing flour of beans such as soybean or an extract thereof as a nitrogen source and accumulating Surfactin in the culture broth, and a microorganism of the genus Bacillus which have an activity to produce a crude Surfactin in a concentration of from 8 to 50 g/L on culturing for 20 to 90 hours.

Abstract: (1) A method for producing iturin A and its homologues by cultivating a Bacillus microbe that produces iturin A and its homologue in a medium containing 2 mass % or more of soybean pulverisate or its extract as a nitrogen source to allow the microbe to accumulate iturin A and its homologue in the medium at a concentration of 1.5 g/L or more, (2) a culture containing iturin A and its homologue accumulated by the method, (3) a solid obtained from the culture and (4) a method of using the culture or the solid, are provided.

Abstract: A circularly knitted fabric for fashioning clothes prior to heat treatment, formed out of a polyurethane elastic fiber and a non-elastic fiber, the polyurethane elastic fiber satisfying the condition, 1?R/S?12, wherein R/S (%)=(R3/S1)×100, S1 is the forward stress when the fiber is expanded by 200% at the first expansion in a 300% expansion-recovery repetition test, and R3 is the reverse stress when the fiber is recovered at the third 200% recovery in the 300% expansion-recovery repetition test.

Abstract: A circularly knitted fabric for fashioning clothes prior to heat treatment, formed out of a polyurethane elastic fiber and a non-elastic fiber, the polyurethane elastic fiber satisfying the condition, 1?R/S?12, wherein R/S (%)=(R3/S1)×100, S1 is the forward stress when the fiber is expanded by 200% at the first expansion in a 300% expansion-recovery repetition test, and R3 is the reverse stress when the fiber is recovered at the third 200% recovery in the 300% expansion-recovery repetition test.

Abstract: An elastic knitted fabric having a multilayer structure, made by binding separate front and back two-layer ground knitted fabrics together, wherein the above described two-layer ground knitted fabrics are bound together with only a bare string(s) of polyurethane based elastic fibers of 17 to 3000 decitexes.

Abstract: An oily thickened gel-like which contains an anionic surfactant, water and/or a polyhydric alcohol and oily ingredient; an emulsified composition obtained by adding water to the oily thickened gel-like composition; a cosmetic composition containing the oily thickened gel-like composition or the emulsified composition. The anionic surfactant preferably has a lipopeptide structure. The oily thickened gel-like composition of the present invention is capable of containing an oily ingredient in a large amount and suitable for using as a cleansing cosmetic composition, a moisture retaining cosmetic composition and the like, extremely mild to cause little skin irritation.