Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a production method that enables PHA (e.g. PHA powder) to be produced with high productivity. The above is achieved by providing: a method for producing a polyhydroxyalkanoate, including the steps of (a) preparing an aqueous suspension that contains a polyhydroxyalkanoate and an alkylene oxide-based dispersing agent and has a pH of not more than 7 and (b) spray-drying the aqueous suspension prepared in the step (a); and the like.

Abstract: A small diameter sheath heater with improved reliability is provided. The sheath heater according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a metal sheath, a heating wire having a band shape, the heating wire arranged with a gap within the metal sheath so as to rotate with respect to an axis direction of the metal sheath, an insulating material arranged in the gap, and connection terminals arranged at one end of the metal sheath, the connection terminals electrically connected with both ends of the heating wire respectively.

Abstract: A method for producing lipid particles, including: injecting molten lipids directly into a liquid at a temperature lower than a melting point of the lipids through a liquid supply port of a two-fluid nozzle while injecting a gas directly into the liquid through a gas supply port of the two-fluid nozzle, so that the molten lipids are dispersed and atomized into particles in the liquid due to the gas and the particles are solidified to form lipid particles. The lipids have a water solubility of 10 g/L or less at 25° C. and are solid at 25° C. The two-fluid nozzle is heated to a temperature at least 10° C. higher than the melting point of the lipids. A ratio D50/Nd of a volume median diameter D50 of the lipid particles to an orifice diameter Nd of the liquid supply port of the two-fluid nozzle is 0.0017 or more and 0.17 or less.

Abstract: A reinforcing fiber mat includes reinforcing fiber bundles having an average fiber length of 5 mm to 100 mm, wherein reinforcing fiber bundles consisting of 86 or more fibers per bundle are contained at a weight content of more than 99 wt % to 100 wt % and the reinforcing fiber bundles contain single yarns by 500 fibers/mm-width or more and 1,600 fibers/mm-width or less and have a drape level of 120 mm or more and 240 mm or less.

Abstract: In an upper cell unit (2146) and a lower cell unit (2147) comprising five battery cells, positive electrode terminals (2162, 2172) are set apart and aligned vertically, and negative electrode terminals (2167, 2177) are set apart and aligned vertically. When an electrical device body is rated at 36V, device-side terminals are in contact only at the upper terminals (2162, 2167), and short circuiting of the lower terminals (2172, 2177) is effected using a short bar 2059. When the electrical device body is rated at 18V, the upper and lower terminals (2162 and 2172, 2167 and 2177) are simultaneously made to contact the device-side terminals, and the upper cell unit (2146) and the lower cell unit (2147) assume a parallel connected state. Thus, it is possible to automatically switch the output voltage when a battery pack is mounted according to the difference in terminal shape on the electrical device body side.

Abstract: Provided is an electric device capable of suppressing vibration of a battery pack. Included are: a first housing 21 accommodating a load portion that consumes electric power; a second housing 22 having one end portion connected to the first housing 21 and another end portion to which a battery pack 9 is connectable; and an elastic member 40 interposed between the first housing and the second housing. The first housing includes a first restricting portion 42 positioned away from the elastic member, and the second housing includes a second restricting portion 44 positioned away from the elastic member and engageable with the first restricting portion. In a case where the second housing is urged to be separated from the first housing, the elastic member is deformed and the first restricting portion and the second restricting portion are engaged with each other to prevent separation.

Abstract: A carrier for ligand immobilization obtained by shrinking polysaccharide porous beads not less than 10% by a shrinkage rate defined by the following formula, and crosslinking the polysaccharide porous beads: Shrinkage rate (%)=(1?V2/V1)×100 (wherein, V1 indicates the gel volume of polysaccharide porous beads before shrinkage, and V2 indicates the gel volume of polysaccharide porous beads after shrinkage).

Abstract: A battery pack houses first and second cell units that are composed of a plurality of cells, and has a positive electrode power source terminal and a negative electrode power source terminal. This battery pack is provided with a series connector capable of connecting, in series, the first and second cell units and a parallel connector capable of connecting, in parallel, the first and second cell units, and is capable of switching between a parallel connection voltage and a series connection voltage. In the case of attachment to the high voltage electrical device body, the series connector becomes conductive and the parallel connector pair is cut off by the action of the series/parallel switching terminal. In the case of attachment to a low voltage electrical device body, the state is returned to an initial state, the series connector is cut off, and the parallel connector pair becomes conductive.

Abstract: In order that the output voltage of a battery pack can be switched and the battery pack can be shared among different voltage electric appliances, this battery pack has a switching mechanism that switches outputting a low voltage by parallel connection of two cell units or outputting a high voltage by series connection of the two cell units, said two cell units each being composed of a plurality of cells connected in series, wherein the switching mechanism is configured from a change-over switch having an operation lever (452). The change-over switch is embedded in a battery pack (400), and an operator is able to manually switch outputting 18 V by setting the operation lever (452) at a first position or outputting 36 V by setting the operation lever (452) at a second position.

Abstract: In an upper cell unit (2146) and a lower cell unit (2147) comprising five battery cells, positive electrode terminals (2162, 2172) are set apart and aligned vertically, and negative electrode terminals (2167, 2177) are set apart and aligned vertically. When an electrical device body is rated at 36V, device-side terminals are in contact only at the upper terminals (2162, 2167), and short circuiting of the lower terminals (2172, 2177) is effected using a short bar 2059. When the electrical device body is rated at 18V, the upper and lower terminals (2162 and 2172, 2167 and 2177) are simultaneously made to contact the device-side terminals, and the upper cell unit (2146) and the lower cell unit (2147) assume a parallel connected state. Thus, it is possible to automatically switch the output voltage when a battery pack is mounted according to the difference in terminal shape on the electrical device body side.

Abstract: A carrier for ligand immobilization obtained by shrinking polysaccharide porous beads not less than 10% by a shrinkage rate defined by the following formula, and crosslinking the polysaccharide porous beads: Shrinkage rate (%)=(1?V2/V1)×100 (wherein, V1 indicates the gel volume of polysaccharide porous beads before shrinkage, and V2 indicates the gel volume of polysaccharide porous beads after shrinkage).

Abstract: A cutting tool capable of positioning a third pulley with high accuracy is provided. A miter saw includes a first pulley rotatable integrally with a motor shaft, a countershaft at which a second pulley and a third pulley are provided, a first belt looped under tension over the first pulley and the second pulley, an output shaft at which a fourth pulley is provided, a second belt looped under tension over the third pulley and the fourth pulley, a bearing which rotatably supports the countershaft and is positioned between the second pulley and the third pulley, a bearing which rotatably supports the countershaft and is positioned opposite to the second pulley relative to the third pulley, a gear case supporting the bearing, and a gear cover supporting the bearing. The gear case has a portion positioned between the second pulley and the third pulley.

Abstract: A process for producing porous cellulose beads of the present invention is characterized by comprising the steps of: a) mixing an alkali aqueous solution and cellulose to prepare cellulose micro dispersion at low temperature, b) adding water to the cellulose micro dispersion to prepare cellulose slurry, and d) bringing the cellulose slurry into contact with coagulation solvent. A carrier for ligand immobilization of the present invention is characterized by being by shrinking polysaccharide porous beads not less than 10% by a shrinkage rate defined by the following formula, and crosslinking the polysaccharide porous beads: Shrinkage rate (%)=(1?V2/V1)×100 (wherein, V1 indicates the gel volume of polysaccharide porous beads before shrinkage, and V2 indicates the gel volume of polysaccharide porous beads after shrinkage).

Abstract: A method for producing porous cellulose beads includes preparing a fine cellulose dispersion by mixing a low temperature alkaline aqueous solution and cellulose; preparing a mixed liquid by adding a crosslinking agent to the fine cellulose dispersion; preparing an emulsion by dispersing the mixed liquid in a dispersion medium; and contacting the emulsion with a coagulating solvent.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a convenient method for producing porous cellulose beads having high mechanical strength without using an auxiliary material which is highly toxic and corrosive and without a cumbersome and industrially adverse step. The method for producing porous cellulose beads according to the present invention is characterized in comprising the steps of mixing a cold alkaline aqueous solution and cellulose to prepare a cellulose dispersion and bringing the cellulose dispersion into contact with a coagulating solvent.

Abstract: A process for producing porous cellulose beads of the present invention is characterized by comprising the steps of a) mixing an alkali aqueous solution and cellulose to prepare cellulose micro dispersion at low temperature, b) adding water to the cellulose micro dispersion to prepare cellulose slurry, and d) bringing the cellulose slurry into contact with coagulation solvent. A carrier for ligand immobilization of the present invention is characterized by being by shrinking polysaccharide porous beads not less than 10% by a shrinkage rate defined by the following formula, and crosslinking the polysaccharide porous beads: Shrinkage rate (%)=(1?V2/V1)×100 (wherein, V1 indicates the gel volume of polysaccharide porous beads before shrinkage, and V2 indicates the gel volume of polysaccharide porous beads after shrinkage).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for easily and efficiently producing cellulose beads which has narrow pore size distribution and pore structure suitable for an adsorbent and of which adsorption performance is excellent without using highly toxic and highly corrosive auxiliary raw material and without industrially disadvantageous cumbersome step. The method for producing porous cellulose beads according to the present invention is characterized in comprising (a) the step of preparing a fine cellulose dispersion by mixing a low temperature alkaline aqueous solution and cellulose, (b) the step of preparing a mixed liquid by adding a water-soluble low molecular organic compound to the fine cellulose dispersion, (c) the step of preparing an emulsion by dispersing the mixed liquid in a dispersion medium, (d) the step of contacting the emulsion with a coagulating solvent.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to obtain an adsorbent having high adsorption capacity and high strength comprising porous cellulose beads obtained without using an auxiliary material which is highly toxic and corrosive and without a cumbersome and industrially adverse step. The present invention is characterized by immobilizing a ligand onto porous cellulose beads obtained by mixing a cold alkaline aqueous solution and cellulose powder as a raw material to prepare a cellulose dispersion and bringing the cellulose dispersion into contact with a coagulating solvent.

Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient method for industrially producing a naturally-derived carotenoid composition with a large amount of a carotenoid such as astaxanthin from a culture of a yeast of the genus Xanthophyllomyces without requiring any special extraction equipment and any complicated refinement process and without any need for organic solvents harmful to humans. Provided is a method for producing a carotenoid composition, including the steps of washing a carotenoid-containing yeast of the genus Xanthophyllomyces with an organic solvent (A) at 30° C. or lower, and extracting a carotenoid from the washed yeast with an organic solvent (B) at 10° C. to 70° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient method for industrially producing a naturally-derived carotenoid composition with a large amount of a carotenoid such as astaxanthin from a culture of a yeast of the genus Xanthophyllomyces without requiring any special extraction equipment and any complicated refinement process and without any need for organic solvents harmful to humans. Provided is a method for producing a carotenoid composition, including the steps of washing a carotenoid-containing yeast of the genus Xanthophyllomyces with an organic solvent (A) at 30° C. or lower, and extracting a carotenoid from the washed yeast with an organic solvent (B) at 10° C. to 70° C.