Abstract: The present invention relates to a 5-substituted hydantoin racemase, which efficiently catalyzes racemization reactions at a high optimum temperature for racemization reactions, DNA coding for the racemase, and processes for producing optically active amino acids.

Abstract: A method of epitaxially growing a SiC film on a Si substrate, including:

Abstract: In a method of reducing corrosion of a metal material, a substance such as semiconductor for generating an electric current by thermal excitation is coated or adhered on a metal material surface, to be exposed to a water having a high temperature of 150° C. or more, of a boiler and ducts or pipes, to which hot water heated by the boiler contacts, of a thermal electric power plant or a nuclear reactor structural material or ducts or pipes surrounding the reactor in a nuclear power plant.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing optically active amino acids from 5-substituted hydantoin by isolating a hydantoinase gene and an N-carbamyl-L-amino acid hydrolase gene involved in an ability to convert 5-substituted hydantoin or N-carbamylamino acid into optically active amino acids from a microorganism of the genus Microbacterium having the above ability and by improving gene amplification and transcriptional and translational activities thereby preparing a recombinant wherein the amount of the desired enzymes produced is increased. The hydantoinase gene is, for example, a DNA encoding for a protein having a hydantoinase activity, which has the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 in the Sequence. The N-carbamyl-L-amino acid hydrolase gene is, for example, a DNA encoding for a protein having an N-carbamyl-L-amino acid hydrolase activity, which has the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3 in the Sequence.

Abstract: Xylitol is produced by allowing xylitol dehydrogenase or cells instoduced with a DNA coding for xylitol dehydrogenase, which is a protein of the following (A) or (B) to act on D-xylulose, and collecting produced xylitol:

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a transglutaminase, which comprises culturing microorganisms of any of the genus Micrococcus, Clostridium, Torulopsis, Rhizopus and Monascus in a medium to produce the intended transglutaminase in the medium or in the cells of the microorganisms and then isolating the transglutaminase, and a process for producing a gelled proten with the thus-obtained transglutaminase. According to the process of the present invention, transglutaminase can be rapidly produced at a low cost.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a 5-substituted hydantoin racemase, which efficiently catalyzes racemization reactions at a high optimum temperature for racemization reactions, DNA coding for the racemase, and processes for producing optically active amino acids.

Abstract: The invention is to offer such a carbon electrode of less consumption and a long useful life and a method of fabricating the same which prevents particles from falling from carbon electrodes into a melting quartz glass, checks occurrence of bubbles in the quartz glass, and avoids lowering of single crystallizing yield by bubbles existing in a transparent layer formed in the vicinity of an inside surface of a quartz glass crucible when lifting silicon single crystal by using the quartz glass crucible made by using the carbon electrodes. The carbon electrode to be used for melting quartz glass by an arc discharge, is characterized in that an electrode material is composed of carbon of bulk density being 1.80 g/cm3 or higher and a three-point bending strength being 35 MPa or higher.

Abstract: A method for producing xylitol by allowing a microorganism belonging to the Gluconobacter oxydans or Acetobacter xylinum and having a D-arabitol dehydrogenase activity and a D-xylulose reductase (xylitol dehydrogenase) activity and an ability to convert D-arabitol to xylitol is acted on D-arabitol in a reaction mixture containing a carbon source to produce xylitol.

Abstract: To provide a floppy disk drive unit in which a magnetic head is prevented from being broken. This floppy disk drive unit 1 includes an upper magnetic head 10a and a lower magnetic head 10b which have the respective sliding faces opposite to each other, a cassette support 4 for supporting a floppy disk 3 opposite to the magnetic heads 10a, 10b, and a contact preventing element 19 for preventing breakage of the magnetic head 10b. The contact preventing element 19 has a first stopper part 19b for inhibiting the downward movement of the cassette support 4 to prevent its contact with the magnetic head. By this arrangement, even if impact is applied from the outside to the floppy disk drive unit so that the cassette support 4 is bent and descended, the cassette support 4 is supported from below by the first stopper part 19b so as to prevent the magnetic head 10b from being damaged.

Abstract: Xylitol is produced by allowing xylitol dehydrogenase or cells instoduced with a DNA coding for xylitol dehydrogenase, which is a protein of the following (A) or (B) to act on D-xylulose, and collecting produced xylitol:

Abstract: Xylitol is produced by contacting D-arabitol with a microorganism that belongs to the genus Gluconobacter, Acetobacter, Achromobacter, Agrobacterium, Arthrobacter, Azotobacter, Brevibacterium, Corynebacterium, Erwinia, Flavobacterium, Micrococcus, Nocardia, Planococcus, Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, Morganella, Actinomadura, Actinomyces, or Streptomyces and is capable of converting D-arabitol to xylitol, and recovering xylitol thus produced.

Abstract: Xylitol is produced by allowing xylitol dehydrogenase or cells instoduced with a DNA coding for xylitol dehydrogenase, which is a protein of the following (A) or (B) to act on D-xylulose, and collecting produced xylitol: (A) a protein which has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; (B) a protein which has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 including substitution, deletion, insertion, addition, or inversion of one or several amino acids, and has xylitol dehydrogenase activity.

Abstract: A pair of centering spindles are disposed away from cutting spindles and movably in the direction of Z or parallel with the axial center line of cutting spindles. A plurality of log center detecting means are disposed along the Z direction in relative to a log chucked by the centering spindles. A pair of holding members are mounted movably in the directions of X, Z, and Y including components orthogonally intersecting the X and Z. By way of controlling means, the centering spindle holding a log is caused to rotate at least one revolution thereby enabling the log center detecting means to determine each position of axial center which is assumed to constitute the axial centers at both end faces of the log, the virtual line passing through every positions of axial centers in Z direction is aligned with the Y, and the holding members are moved in the Z direction to hold the log, after which the chucking of log by the centering spindles are released.

Abstract: A method for processing a protein, a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, or a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, or a peptide or derivatives thereof having a crosslinked structure, which entails contacting glutamine and lysine residues in a protein, a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, a peptide or derivatives thereof with a transglutaminase obtained from Bacillus subtilus to form intermolecular or intramolecular, crosslinked .epsilon.(.delta.-Glu)-Lys bonds between or in the molecules of the protein, non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, peptide or derivatives thereof, wherein the transglutaminase has the physicochemical properties described herein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to (1) a transglutaminase (hereinafter referred to as TG) isolated from a Bacilli such as those of Bacillus subtilis, (2) a fraction having transglutaminase activity, and (3) a method for producing a protein, a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, a peptide or derivatives thereof having a crosslinked structure, by crosslinking the glutamine and lysine residues in the same with the TG or the fraction having TG activity to thereby form intermolecular or intramolecular, crosslinked .epsilon.-(.gamma.-Glu)-Lys bonds. The present invention also relates to (4) a DNA coding for a TG derived from a Bacilli such as Bacillus subtilis, (5) a vector comprising said DNA coding for the TG, (6) a cell transformed with the vector, and (7) a method for producing a Bacillus-derived transglutaminase by incubating the transformant.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device has a semiconductor substrate with a first semiconductor region of one conductivity type in the substrate. A second semiconductor region of the opposite conductivity type is formed in the first semiconductor region. A third semiconductor region of the opposite conductivity type is arranged to be in contact with the first semiconductor region. A fourth semiconductor region of the one conductivity type is formed in the third semiconductor region. A fifth semiconductor region of the one conductivity type, within the semiconductor substrate, has a concentration which is higher than the impurity concentration of the first semiconductor region and is provided under the third semiconductor region. A continuous gate electrode is provided via a gate insulating layer formed on the surface of the first semiconductor region and on the surface of the third semiconductor region.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory has at least a pair of bit lines, a plurality of word lines crossing the pair of bit lines, a pair of dummy word lines crossing the pair of bit lines, memory cells arranged at intersections between the bit lines and the word lines, dummy cells arranged at intersections between any the bit lines and the dummy word lines, a sense amplifier connected to the pair of bit lines, and a means for equalizing the potentials of the pair of bit lines. Each of the memory cell has a transistor and a capacitor. Each dummy cell has the same construction as each memory cell. The pair of bit lines and dummy cell capacitors are electrically connected at a predetermined timing and are set at a third voltage, the corresponding dummy cell is disconnected from one of the bit line pair, to which a selected memory cell capacitor is connected. Subsequently, a voltage difference between voltages on the bit lines is detected.

Abstract: A device for lighting a discharge lamp such as a xenon short-arc lamp is provided. The device includes a starter comprising a starter energizing capacitor connected to the boost voltage charging capacitor, a thyristor, a high voltage pulse transformer, a discharge gap, a starting capacitor, a diode and a Tesla coil. The starter is actuated with the energy charged in the boost voltage charging capacitor without any special power source therefor. The ignition voltage of the thyristor is higher than the output voltage of the power circuit of the ballast.

Abstract: A veneer sheet and an adhesive coated sheet are placed on a piling table. Two vertically arranged conveyors each independently conveys one veneer sheet and stops at predetermined position, pressing member presses two sheets simultaneously vertically downwards onto the piling table where the sheets are placed.