Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for preparing ambrein, which can easily and efficiently obtain the ambrein. The object can be solved by a mutated tetraprenyl-?-curcumene cyclase wherein (1) a 4th amino acid residue of a DXDD motif, aspartic acid, is substituted with an amino acid other than aspartic acid, and (2) an amino acid adjacent to the N-terminus of a (A/S/G)RX(H/N)XXP motif is substituted with an amino acid other than tyrosine, or a 4th amino acid of the GXGX(G/A/P) motif is substituted with an amino acid other than leucine.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for preparing ambrein, which can easily obtain the ambrein. The object can be solved by a mutated tetraprenyl-?-curcumene cyclase wherein a fourth amino acid residue of a DXDD motif, aspartic acid, is substituted with an amino acid other than aspartic acid, (a) having a QXXXGX(W/F) motif, and a QXXXX(G/A)X(F/W/Y) motif on the N-terminal side, and a QXXXGX(F/W/Y) motif, and a QXXXGXW motif and a QXXXGX(F/W) motif on the C-terminal side, and not having a QXXXGXW motif at a position separated by 170 amino acid residues or more on the C-terminal side, with respect to the DXDD motif, (b) having 40% or more identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 13, (c) exhibiting ambrein production activity using squalene as a substrate.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for preparing ambrein, which can easily and efficiently obtain the ambrein. The object can be solved by a mutated tetraprenyl-?-curcumene cyclase wherein (1) a 4th amino acid residue of a DXDD motif, aspartic acid, is substituted with an amino acid other than aspartic acid, and (2) an amino acid adjacent to the N-terminus of a (A/S/G)RX(H/N)XXP motif is substituted with an amino acid other than tyrosine, or a 4th amino acid of the GXGX(G/A/P) motif is substituted with an amino acid other than leucine.

Abstract: To achieve an opto-reflector in which a distance to a detection target is shortened to be able to detect the position of the closer detection target, and thereby contributing to the reduction of the arrangement space. The opto-reflector (10) includes a plate-shaped substrate (11); a light emitting element (13) and a light receiving element (14) mounted on the substrate (11); light transmitting resin layer (12) which seals the light emitting element (13) and the light receiving element (14); and a light shielding portion (21) provided between the light emitting element (13) and the light receiving element (14). The light shielding portion (21) is formed at a height such that a part of light beam can be directly transferred between the light emitting element (13) and the light receiving element (14) via the light transmitting resin layer (12).

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to efficiently produce useful terpenoid compounds, and specifically, to provide a method for preparing squalene, which is an important intermediate of terpenoid. The object can be solved by a hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGR) comprising: (a) an amino acid other than alanine (A) at the 10th position in an S?2 amino acid sequence of HMGR, (b) an amino acid other than proline (P) at the 1st position from the carboxyl terminal in the DKK region of the HMG-CoA binding site of HMGR, (c) an amino acid other than alanine (A) at the 1st position in an L?2 amino acid sequence of HMGR, and (d) an amino acid other than glutamic acid (E) at the 6th position in an L?2 amino acid sequence of HMGR of the present invention.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for preparing ambrein, which can easily obtain the ambrein. The object can be solved by a mutated tetraprenyl-?-curcumene cyclase wherein a fourth amino acid residue of a DXDD motif, aspartic acid, is substituted with an amino acid other than aspartic acid, (a) having a QXXXGX(W/F) motif, and a QXXXX(G/A)X(F/W/Y) motif on the N-terminal side, and a QXXXGX(F/W/Y) motif, and a QXXXGXW motif and a QXXXGX(F/W) motif on the C-terminal side, and not having a QXXXGXW motif at a position separated by 170 amino acid residues or more on the C-terminal side, with respect to the DXDD motif, (b) having 40% or more identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 13, (c) exhibiting ambrein production activity using squalene as a substrate.

Abstract: To achieve an opto-reflector in which a distance to a detection target is shortened to be able to detect the position of the closer detection target, and thereby contributing to the reduction of the arrangement space. The opto-reflector (10) includes a plate-shaped substrate (11); a light emitting element (13) and a light receiving element (14) mounted on the substrate (11); light transmitting resin layer (12) which seals the light emitting element (13) and the light receiving element (14); and a light shielding portion (21) provided between the light emitting element (13) and the light receiving element (14). The light shielding portion (21) is formed at a height such that a part of light beam can be directly transferred between the light emitting element (13) and the light receiving element (14) via the light transmitting resin layer (12).

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to efficiently produce useful terpenoid compounds, and specifically, to provide a method for preparing squalene, which is an important intermediate of terpenoid. The object can be solved by a hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGR) comprising:(a) an amino acid other than alanine (A) at the 10th position in an S?2 amino acid sequence of HMGR, (b) an amino acid other than proline (P) at the 1st position from the carboxyl terminal in the DKK region of the HMG-CoA binding site of HMGR, (c) an amino acid other than alanine (A) at the 1st position in an L?2 amino acid sequence of HMGR, and (d) an amino acid other than glutamic acid (E) at the 6th position in an L?2 amino acid sequence of HMGR of the present invention.

Abstract: A memory repair analysis apparatus that performs a repair analysis on a memory under test, comprising a row-oriented fail number storage section that stores the number of fail cells in each row; a column-oriented fail number storage section that stores the number of fail cells in each column; a row-weighting storage section that, for each row, stores the total number of fail cells in each column containing a fail cell included in the row; a column-weighting storage section that, for each column, stores the total number of fail cells in each row containing a fail cell included in the column; and a determining section that determines which of spare row regions and spare column regions are to replace the fail cells.

Abstract: A semiconductor photodetector which can achieve spectral sensitivity characteristics close to relative luminous characteristics at low cost while using a light receiving element of a semiconductor made from such as silicon, has a semiconductor light receiving element having high spectral sensitivity in a wavelength range between approximately 400 nm to 1100 nm and an optical transmitting resin for sealing at least a light receiving surface of the semiconductor light receiving element. The optical transmitting resin is formed by dispersing metal boride micro particles whose particle diameter is not more than approximately 100 nm in a transparent resin and blocks light in wavelengths approximately 700 nm or above.

Abstract: A semiconductor photodetector which can achieve spectral sensitivity characteristics close to relative luminous characteristics at low cost while using a light receiving element of a semiconductor made from such as silicon, has a semiconductor light receiving element having high spectral sensitivity in a wavelength range between approximately 400 nm to 1100 nm and an optical transmitting resin for sealing at least a light receiving surface of the semiconductor light receiving element. The optical transmitting resin is formed by dispersing metal boride micro particles whose particle diameter is not more than approximately 100 nm in a transparent resin and blocks light in wavelengths approximately 700 nm or above.

Abstract: A label separator apparatus has a label separating member for separating labels one by one from a long and narrow label carrying paper, on which the labels are adhered, by acutely turning the carrying paper toward a no-label-adhered side thereof while the carrying paper is moved in its longitudinal direction. The label separator apparatus further has a label-rising restrictor located above the label being separated form the paper which contacts a rear end portion of the label which is being separated while the label rises together with the paper from the separating member, so that the label is prevented from being completely separated from the paper.

Abstract: According to the present invention, mevalonic acid can be produced in such a high yield as to be available on an industrial scale by culturing specified microorganism(s) such as Saccharomycopsis fibuligera IFO 0107 and then collecting mevalonic acid from the culture medium.

Abstract: A printing head supporting device including a supporting mechanism for supporting a printing head so that the printing head can be brought into contact with and separation from a platen, and a pressure plate detachably mounted to a printer body. When the pressure plate is mounted to the printer body, the printing head is maintained in contact with the platen to obtain a printable condition. In contrast, when the pressure plate is detached from the printer body, the printing head is maintained in separation from the platen, so that an operator can easily carry out a maintenance work such as cleaning of the printing head or removing of a recording paper caught between the printing head and the platen. Thus, the maintenance work can be easily carried out by a simple operation such that the pressure plate is simply detached from the printer body.

Abstract: An information output projection of a handy terminal is adapted to engage an information input hole of a data processing device. A light shutting out member is provided between an opening of the information input hole and an information receiving element in the data processing device. The light shutting out member is adapted to be opened by a depression force of the information output projection when the information output projection is inserted from the opening of the information input hole thereinto. Accordingly, malfunction of the device due to entry of optical noise from the opening of the information input hole is prevented.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises a printer body having an opening on the top side thereof, and a platen for feeding a paper sheet supported by a paper holder disposed in the printer body. The platen is provided in the body to face the opening. A head unit includes a housing having an opening on the bottom side thereof and a print head disposed in the housing to face the opening thereof. The head unit is moveable between an operative position, in which the head unit is located on the printer body so that the opening of the housing and the print head face the opening of the printer body and the platen, respectively, whereby the paper sheet between the platen and the print head is allowed to be ready for printing, and an open position in which the head unit is off the printer body so that the whole opening of the printer body is exposed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a paper holding device for a printer which includes a supply arm mounted for pivotal motion on a housing on which a printing station is held. The supply arm holds a supply shaft thereon such that at least the supply shaft may be positioned outwardly of the housing so that paper in the form of a roll having such a large diameter that it cannot otherwise be accommodated in the housing can be used on the printer.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a thermal head with a raised portion formed on a printing surface portion corresponding to a heat generating element. The method comprises passing a nonwoven sheet, havng an alcohol-impregnated forward portion and a dried rear portion, between a printing surface of the thermal head and a platen, upon the rotation of the platen, in a fashion compressed therebetween to allow the printing surface to be cleaned with the alcohol impregnated in the forward portion of the nonwoven sheet and the alcohol to be sucked in the dried rear portion of the nonwoven sheet.

Abstract: A color ink ribbon comprising a ribbon body on which a plurality of colors are sequentially aligned in a ribbon feeding direction, color recognition marks which sequentially represent next colors on the ribbon body by bar code information, and ribbon speed detection marks formed on the ribbon body at equal intervals in the ribbon feeding direction. The bar code marks and the speed detections marks are used together with a compensation coefficient to determine the identity of the subsequent color portion on the ink ribbon body.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a shaft cover is attached to the front end portion of a ribbon guide shaft projecting in a cantilevered state from a side face of a printer body; cores of an ink ribbon are fitted respectively on a ribbon feed shaft and a ribbon take-up shaft both projecting in a cantilevered state from the said side face of the printer body; the ink ribbon is passed round the outer periphery of the shaft cover; then the cores and the shaft cover are pushed in simultaneously to set the ink ribbon in a predetermined certain position.