Abstract: A purified enzyme-I is obtained that participates in C-terminal amidation by acting on a peptide C-terminal glycine adduct to form a peptide C-terminal .alpha.-hydroxyglycine adduct. The enzyme has an optimum pH of about 5 to 7, an optimum temperature of 25 to 40.degree. C. and a molecular weight of about 25 kDa or about 36 kDa, and metal ions and ascorbic acid act as a cofactor. A purified enzyme-II is obtained that participates in C-terminal amidation by acting on the peptide C-terminal .alpha.-hydroxyglycine adduct to produce a C-terminal amidated compound. The enzyme has an optimum pH of about 5 to 6, an optimum temperature of 15 to 35.degree. C. and a molecular weight of about 40 kDa or about 43 kDa. Enzyme-I does not act on the peptide C-terminal .alpha.-hydroxyglycine adduct and enzyme-II does not act on the peptide C-terminal glycine adduct. The enzymes may be purified from a biological material such as horse serum by affinity chromatography using a peptide C-terminal glycine adduct as a ligand.

Abstract: A purified enzyme-I is obtained that participates in C-terminal amidation by acting on a peptide C-terminal glycine adduct to form a peptide C-terminal .alpha.-hydroxyglycine adduct. The enzyme has an optimum pH of about 5 to 7, an optimum temperature of 25.degree. to 40.degree. C. and a molecular weight of about 25 kDa or about 36 kDa, and metal ions and ascorbic acid act as a cofactor. A purified enzyme-II is obtained that participates in C-terminal amidation by acting on a peptide C-terminal .alpha.-hydroxyglycine adduct to produce a C-terminal amidated compound. The enzyme has an optimum pH of about 5 to 6, an optimum temperature of 15.degree. to 35.degree. C. and a molecular weight of about 40 kDa or about 43 kDa. Enzyme-I does not act on the peptide C-terminal .alpha.-hydroxyglycine adduct and enzyme-II does not act on the peptide C-terminal glycine adduct.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus, which is easy to design and has functions of high speed processing, learning, and so on, includes a plurality of memories for storing sets of previously known input data (called response pattern data) and correct output data corresponding thereto; a comparator for providing input data supplied in actual operations to the plurality of sets and comparing the input data with the response pattern data in each set; an evaluation unit for evaluating the distance (degree of similarity) between the input data and the response pattern data; and a generator for generating final outputs by composing the evaluation result for each set and the output data in that set, for example, using a method which calculates weighted average values based on the evaluated distances.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is capable of achieving high-level functions such as high-speed processing and learning without requiring a complex algorithm based on, for example, knowledge processing. A plurality of sets of known input data and correct output data corresponding thereto are beforehand stored. The stored input data is called response pattern data. Data actually inputted in the system operation is supplied to the plural sets of data. For each set of data, the input data is compared with the response pattern data to evaluate a distance (degree of similarity) therebetween. Results of evaluations for the respective sets of data are combined with the associated output data, for example, according to weighted average values on the basis of the evaluated distance, thereby generating final outputs.

Abstract: A C-terminal amidating enzyme composition is disclosed having the ability to amidate the C-terminus of peptides with a C-terminal glycine. The C-terminal amidating enzyme is characterized by having a stable pH range of 5 to 9, metal ions and L-ascorbic acid as cofactors, two active fractions at molecular weights of about 50,000 and about 100,000 as determined from gel filtration, isoelectric points of about 4.5 pH for the active fraction having a molecular weight of about 50,000 and about 6.7 pH for the active fraction having a molecular weight of about 100,000 according to isoelectric point chromatography, and is activated by addition of catalase.

Abstract: An improved process for the organ cultivation of a Mishima-saiko root is provided. In the cultivation of a Mishima-saiko root, by carrying out the cultivation while regulating the saccharide concentration to be less than 2%, until the adventitious roots have spread out, and optionally adding an additional saccharide, the productivity of saiko-saponin can be enhanced.

Abstract: A hair treatment composition comprising 0.1% by weight or more of 3,4,4'-trichlorocarbanilide and 0.03% by weight or more of vitamine E acetate in an aqueous medium.This hair treatment composition can effectively prevent dandruff in the hair without causing adverse side effects to the skin or scalp.

Abstract: In an insulated type semiconductor device, a metal member is disposed between an insulating member and a circuit element which includes a semiconductor substrate. The metal member is a composite metal member having at least two different kinds of metal layers bonded to each other. In a preferred embodiment, in order to reduce undesirable effects caused by differences in the thermal coefficients .alpha..sub.I and .alpha..sub.S of the insulating member and the semiconductor substrate, respectively, the thermal expansion coefficient of said composite metal member as a whole .alpha..sub.M is adjusted in a range between .alpha..sub.I and .alpha..sub.S.

Abstract: A multi-emitter type semiconductor device, namely, a semiconductor device having an arrangement in which a majority of emitter regions are divided by a gate region and surrounded thereby. In the semiconductor device, a member adapted to apply an external control signal to a gate electrode takes the form of a closed-loop shape and the majority of emitter regions are arranged on both sides of the loop. This arrangement ensures that the individual emitter regions, even when the number of the emitter regions is increased to a great extent, can be applied with a uniform control signal, thereby preventing degradation of the turn-off characteristics.

Abstract: A cosmetic composition comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of saturated triesters and tetraesters having a side chain at the 2-position and having the general formulaR(OCOR').sub.nwherein R is an alkyl group of trimethylolethane, trimethylolpropane or pentaerythritol, R' is an alkyl group of 2-ethylhexanoic acid, 2-hexyl-decanoic acid or 2-hepty-undecanoic acid, and n is an integer of 3 and 4.