Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device, a common electrode is formed on an organic passivation film, an interlayer insulating film is formed on the common electrode, a pixel electrode with a slit is formed on the interlayer insulating film, and a through hole is formed in the organic passivation film and the interlayer insulating film, so that the pixel electrode is connected to a source electrode of a TFT through the through hole. Further, the taper angle around the upper base of the through hole is smaller than the taper angle around the lower base. Thus, the alignment film material can easily flow into the through hole when the diameter of the through hole is reduced to connect the pixel and source electrodes, preventing display defects such as uneven brightness due to the absence of the alignment film or due to the alignment film irregularity around the through hole.

Abstract: A fatigue life estimating method for a spot welded structure is provided comprising the steps of providing a shell model of a spot welded structure for a finite element method analyzing process, calculating the nominal structural stress on a nugget as the center of the spot welded structure using a disk bending theory and a two-dimensional elastic theory of the elastodynamics with the partial loads exerted on the nugget and the deflection on the circumference of a circle, D in diameter, in which the nugget is located, which have been calculated by the finite element method analyzing process of the shell model, and estimating the fatigue life of the spot welded structure from the nominal structure stress. According to the method, the fatigue life of the spot welded structure can be estimated easily, readily, and accurately.

Abstract: A fatigue life estimating method for a spot welded structure is provided comprising the steps of providing a shell model of a spot welded structure for a finite element method analyzing process, calculating the nominal structural stress on a nugget as the center of the spot welded structure using a disk bending theory and a two-dimensional elastic theory of the elastodynamics with the partial loads exerted on the nugget and the deflection on the circumference of a circle, D in diameter, in which the nugget is located, which have been calculated by the finite element method analyzing process of the shell model, and estimating the fatigue life of the spot welded structure from the nominal structure stress. According to the method, the fatigue life of the spot welded structure can be estimated easily, readily, and accurately.

Abstract: A neutral protease gene of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens is cloned, which gene comprises the promoter region, the ribosome binding region, the region involved in the secretion of the neutral protease, the region consisting of the structural gene for the neutral protease, and the terminator region. Each of the regions is useful as a material for construction of a recombinant DNA used for the production of proteins by culturing a host bacterium transformed with the recombinant DNA. For example, the extracellular production of neutral protease in a large amount can be accomplished by culturing B. subtilis transformed with a recombinant DNA comprising pUB110 and the neutral protease gene.

Abstract: By screening an animal cell transformant, which has been obtained by introducing into wild-type animal cells a wild-type DHFR gene and a structural gene which codes a desired useful substance, with a medium containing methotrexate (MTX) at a concentration of 50 .mu.M or lower, both genes can be amplified effectively within an MTX resistant strain and a stable amplified transformant can also be obtained. The screening may be repeated using an increasing concentration of MTX. It is also possible to obtain stably the desired foreign gene product in a high yield by using the thus-obtained amplified transformant.

Abstract: This invention relates to a DNA base sequence, capable of increasing the amount of protein secreted by microorganisms, and its derivative sequences; a recombinant plasmid including the whole or a part of said DNA base sequence; a method for preparing the recombinant plasmid in which, when microorganisms having introduced thereinto a recombinant DNA including the desired DNA base sequence are to be separated in the process of cloning, suitable transformants can be efficiently selected by taking the amount of protein secreted out of the cells and particularly the activity of an enzyme protein as an index; and a method of microbial breeding which comprises introducing the recombinant plasmid into a microorganism to increase the amount of protein secreted by the microorganism.

Abstract: A recombinant DNA molecule, a portion of which includes a vector whose replication is initiated independently of the temperature-sensitive mutant gene of a temperature-sensitive mutant strain of the genus Bacillus as host is introduced into the host. The host is then cultured at a temperature which does not completely inhibit chromosomal DNA replication. By this process, the recombinant DNA molecule can be stabilized in the host and its expression can be enhanced.