Abstract: The present invention provides an antiseptic composition for engineering wood production, which contains epoxyconazole and a thermosetting resin, and engineering wood which is obtained using the antiseptic composition. The antiseptic composition of the present invention enables efficient production of engineering wood such as plywood or laminated veneer lumber (LVL) that has a high antiseptic effect.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wood preservative containing as an active ingredient 3?-isopropyl-2-trifluoromethyl benzoic acid anilide represented by the formula below and a wood treatment method using the same. The present invention can provide a wood preservative having excellent preservation effect on various wood-destroying fungi with a very small chemical dosage and a wood treatment method, which are economical and have a small environmental load.

Abstract: A herbicide composition including an oily extract as an active ingredient, which oily extract is obtained by cooling a steam containing volatile substances in a drying step of a lumber of trees belonging to the order Pinales, or by subjecting wood chips, sawdust or wood powder to hot water extraction or steam distillation.

Abstract: The invention provides a simple method which enables precise diagnosis of wood decay at an early stage of decay and an agent used for the diagnosis method. The invention provides a method for diagnosing wood decay, wherein wood decay is judged by contacting extract of wood to be examined (test subject wood) with an antibody obtained by sensitizing an animal to an antigen which is a protein having a molecular weight of 1,000 to 100,000 obtained by culturing a naturally occurring wood-destroying fungus and an agent for the diagnosis method.

Abstract: A method for treating wood, characterized by impregnating wood with a metal-containing treating agent containing lignin and/or lignin derivatives and a metal, a metal compound, and/or a metal ion and oxidizing and/or macromolecularizing of the lignin and/or lignin derivatives in the wood to fix the metal component in the wood, and wood and woody materials obtained by the treating method. According to the method of the present invention, while effectively utilizing lignins, lignosulfonic acids, or lignosulfonic acid salts, leaching of the metal component can be suppressed to a low level to thereby retain the effects due to the incorporation of the metal components for a prolonged period.

Abstract: A thermostable lipase has been isolated from Pseudomonas solanacearum SD709 (FERM BP-5358) which has a mass of 32 kD by SDS-PAGE, enzymatic activity in a pH range of about 4-12, a pH optimum of 6.5-9.5 and a temperature optimum of 80.degree.-90.degree. C.

Abstract: A method for preparing dimethylolcarboxylic acid derivatives represented by general formula (1) ##STR1## (wherein R is a hydrogen atom, an amino group, an alkyl group, or an alkyl group having a hydroxyl group) to react with a culture broth, cells or a processed cell product of a microorganism belonging to the genus Rhodococcus or Agrobacterium having an ability to oxidize a methylol group of the tris(hydroxymethyl) derivative represented by general formula (2) ##STR2## wherein R has the same meaning as defined above. According to this invention, dimethylolcarboxylic acid derivatives can be produced efficiently under mild conditions by using microorganisms belonging to the genus Rhodococcus or Agrobacterium and having an ability to oxidize tris(hydroxy-methyl) derivatives to produce dimethylolcarboxylic acid derivatives.

Abstract: A microorganism belonging to the genus Pseudomonas; an alkaline lipase produced by the microorganism or its mutants; a method of producing the alkaline lipase; and detergents containing the alkaline lipase as an aid, the alkaline lipase having (1) an operative pH of from 4 to 11.5, and an optimum pH of from 7.0 to 9.5, as measured using triolein emulsion as a substrate; (2) an operative temperature of from 10.degree. to 80.degree. C., and an optimum temperature of from 55.degree. to 65.degree. C., as measured using triolein emulsion as a substrate; (3) a molecular weight of 28,000 .+-.2,000 as measured by electrophoresis using SDS polyacrylamide; (4) isoelectric point of 4.5 .+-.1.5 as measured by isoelectric focusing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; and (5) an inhibition of lipase activity by a detergent component of not higher than 50% as measured using sodium linear-alkylbenzenesulfonate as said detergent component.