Abstract: In a method for measuring a scattering medium, pulse light with a predetermined wavelength is made incident on a scattering medium which is a measurement object and a scattering medium for reference, the pulse light transmitted inside the scattering media is detected to acquire a light detection signal, the measurement waveform is acquired on the basis of the detected light detection signal, a parameter of a function showing the theoretical waveform of the measurement object is specified in such a manner that the result of convolution operation on the theoretical waveform of the measurement object and the measurement waveform of the reference is made equal to the result of convolution operation on the theoretical waveform of the reference and the measurement waveform of the measurement object, and calculation is made for the internal information of the scattering medium on the basis of the theoretical waveform shown by the function.

Abstract: Acquired is the internal information of a scattering medium more accurately and easily, with the influence of an instrumental function taken into account, even where noise is contained in a measurement waveform.

Abstract: Recombinant host cells are obtained that comprise (A) a heterologous, polypeptide-encoding polynucleotide segment, stably integrated into a chromosome, which is under transcriptional control of an endogenous promoter and (B) a mutation that effects increased expression of the heterologous segment, resulting in enhanced production by the host cells of each polypeptide encoded by that segment, relative to production of each polypeptide by the host cells in the absence of the mutation. The increased expression thus achieved is retained in the absence of conditions that select for cells displaying such increased expression. When the integrated segment comprises, for example, ethanol-production genes from an efficient ethanol producer like Zymomonas mobilis, recombinant Escherichia coli and other enteric bacterial cells within the present invention are capable of converting a wide range of biomass-derived sugars efficiently to ethanol.

Abstract: An optical fiber with a lens, obtained by fusion-coupling a multi-mode optical fiber to a tip of a single-mode optical fiber or polarization maintaining optical fiber, and working the tip of the multi-mode optical fiber, to form a spherical portion at the tip. In this case, the radius of curvature of the spherical portion is set to be larger than the maximum value of the expanded spot size. Furthermore, the length of the multi-mode optical fiber is set based on the correlation depending on said length and said radius of curvature for obtaining the minimum spot size at the focal position.

Abstract: Recombinant host cells are obtained that comprise (A) a heterologous, polypeptide-encoding polynucleotide segment, stably integrated into a chromosome, which is under transcriptional control of an endogenous promoter and (B) a mutation that effects increased expression of the heterologous segment, resulting in enhanced production by the host cells of each polypeptide encoded by that segment, relative to production of each polypeptide by the host cells in the absence of the mutation. The increased expression thus achieved is retained in the absence of conditions that select for cells displaying such increased expression. When the integrated segment comprises, for example, ethanol-production genes from an efficient ethanol producer like Zymomonas mobilis, recombinant Escherichia coli and other enteric bacterial cells within the present invention are capable of converting a wide range of biomass-derived sugars efficiently to ethanol.

Abstract: An optical fiber with a lens, obtained by fusion-coupling a multi-mode optical fiber to a tip of a single-mode optical fiber or polarization maintaining optical fiber, and working the tip of the multi-mode optical fiber, to form a spherical portion at the tip. In this case, the radius of curvature of the spherical portion is set to be larger than the maximum value of the expanded spot size. Furthermore, the length of the multi-mode optical fiber is set based on the correlation depending on said length and said radius of curvature for obtaining the minimum spot size at the focal position.

Abstract: Disclosed is a laser beam machining method and apparatus for irradiating a work with a laser beam, to melt-evaporate the irradiated region of the work at the irradiation spot. According to the invention, a work such as an optical fiber can be machined into a complicated form within a short period of time without accurately controlling the laser beam irradiation position while inhibiting the decline of machining accuracy due to thermal effect, by using a mask having a light-transmitting section that is predetermined times as large as the laser beam machining spot corresponding to the form of the portion undergoing melt-evaporation of the work.

Abstract: A method of severing an optical fiber using a laser beam, in which a laser beam emitted from a laser beam source is applied through a square light transmitting section and a lens to an optical fiber, to form a square light spot on the irradiated portion, for melting, evaporating and severing the optical fiber at said irradiated portion, comprising the step of fixing the portion to be severed at, of the optical fiber, in a cylindrical capillary formed to be flat on the side to be irradiated with the laser beam.

Abstract: A method of severing an optical fiber using a laser beam, in which a laser beam emitted from a laser beam source is applied through a square light transmitting section and a lens to an optical fiber, to form a square light spot on the irradiated portion, for melting, evaporating and severing the optical fiber at said irradiated portion, comprising the step of fixing the portion to be severed at, of the optical fiber, in a cylindrical capillary formed to be flat on the side to be irradiated with the laser beam.

Abstract: Disclosed is a laser beam machining method and apparatus for irradiating a work with a laser beam, to melt-evaporate the irradiated region of the work at the irradiation spot. According to the invention, a work such as an optical fiber can be machined into a complicated form within a short period of time without accurately controlling the laser beam irradiation position while inhibiting the decline of machining accuracy due to thermal effect, by using a mask having a light-transmitting section that is predetermined times as large as the laser beam machining spot corresponding to the form of the portion undergoing melt-evaporation of the work.

Abstract: Recombinant host cells are obtained that comprise (A) a heterologous, polypeptide-encoding polynucleotide segment, stably integrated into a chromosome, which is under transcriptional control of an endogenous promoter and (B) a mutation that effects increased expression of the heterologous segment, resulting in enhanced production by the host cells of each polypeptide encoded by that segment, relative to production of each polypeptide by the host cells in the absence of the mutation. The increased expression thus achieved is retained in the absence of conditions that select for cells displaying such increased expression. When the integrated segment comprises, for example, ethanol-production genes from an efficient ethanol producer like Zymomonas mobilis, recombinant Escherichia coli and other enteric bacterial cells within the present invention are capable of converting a wide range of biomass-derived sugars efficiently to ethanol.

Abstract: A method for measuring an internal property distribution which includes making measurement light incident from a plurality of light incidence positions on a surface of a measured object, detecting the measurement light that has passed through the object, successively or simultaneously, at at least one light detection position out of a plurality of light detection positions on the surface of the object. A plurality of measurement values obtained by a plurality of combinations of the light incidence position and said light detection position are extracted. A mean value of the measured values are calculated to obtain a reference value and a change amount of a predetermined internal property in each of the plurality of regions of the object are calculated using the plurality of measured values obtained. The reference value thereby establishing an internal property change amount distribution in the object.

Abstract: An apparatus including: a sprayer for inoculating a microbe on a first division divided from at least one sample of a plant to be examined; sample leaving device for leaving a second division divided from the sample not inoculated with the microbe and the first division inoculated with the microbe, for a predetermined period of time under a predetermined condition; first and second photodetector for respectively measuring the quantities of luminescence emitted from the first and second divisions which have been left standing by the sample leaving device; and a computer for comparing the quantities of the luminescence measured by the first and second photodetector, thereby to examine the resistance or susceptibility of the plant to the microbe.

Abstract: An arithmetic control mechanism of the present optical CT apparatus calculates first light densities in output portions of an object on the basis of a numerical analysis method, when it is assumed that the object is divided into fine segments and all segments have the same value as an absorption coefficient under predetermined conditions equivalent to an actual measurements; and calculates second light densities in the output portions on the basis of the method, when it is assumed that sequentially selected one of the segments has a specific value as an absorption coefficient under the predetermined conditions.

Abstract: Recombinant host cells are obtained that comprise (A) a heterologous, polypeptide-encoding polynucleotide segment, stably integrated into a chromosome, which is under transcriptional control of an endogenous promoter and (B) a mutation that effects increased expression of the heterologous segment, resulting in enhanced production by the host cells of each polypeptide encoded by that segment, relative to production of each polypeptide by the host cells in the absence of the mutation. The increased expression thus achieved is retained in the absence of conditions that select for cells displaying such increased expression. When the integrated segment comprises, for example, ethanol-production genes from an efficient ethanol producer like Zymomonas mobilis, recombinant Escherichia coli and other enteric bacterial cells within the present invention are capable of converting a wide range of biomass-derived sugars efficiently to ethanol.

Abstract: Light having a predetermined wavelength and various incident angle components to be incident on a surface of a scattering medium to generate an equivalent point light source or a group of equivalent point light sources near or on the surface of the scattering medium, and light diffused during propagation in the scattering medium is detected outside, and considering isotropic light from the equivalent light sources is immediately diffused, the optically detected signal is processed to detect a predetermined parameter which is primary information and this predetermined parameter is processed to measure internal information which is secondary information in the scattering medium with high accuracy.

Abstract: Optical pulses emitted from an optical pulse source is incident on a living tissue and is input to an optical sampling unit. An optical sampling unit detects intensities, f, of optical pulses detected at the respective timings of trigger signals input from a delay unit. A first accumulator calculates products, t.multidot.f, of the intensities f and the delay times t from the delay unit. A second accumulator accumulates the light intensities f. An average optical pathlength calculating unit calculates an average optical pathlength using the accumulation results as the products t.multidot.f and the intensities f. An SO.sub.2 value calculating unit calculates a ratio of V.sub.HbO2 to V.sub.Hb from the average optical pathlength to calculate an SO.sub.2 value.

Abstract: Novel plasmids comprising genes which code for the alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase are described. Also described are recombinant hosts which have been transformed with genes coding for alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate. By virtue of their transformation with these genes, the recombinant hosts are capable of producing significant amounts of ethanol as a fermentation product. Also disclosed are methods for increasing the growth of recombinant hosts and methods for reducing the accumulation of undesirable metabolic products in the growth medium of these hosts. Also disclosed are recombinant host capable of producing significant amounts of ethanol as a fermentation product of oligosaccharides and plasmids comprising genes encoding polysaccharases, in addition to the genes described above which code for the alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase. Further, methods are described for producing ethanol from oligomeric feedstock using the recombinant hosts described above.