Abstract: There is provided a drive device for a vehicle. A forward clutch that is engaged during forward driving is provided in a power transmission path between an engine and a drive wheel. A spring is incorporated in an engagement oil chamber of the forward clutch, thereby causing the forward clutch to be held in a slipping state or an engaged state through the spring force even during an idling stop that suffers from reduced control oil pressure. This arrangement can prevent the forward clutch from producing an engagement shock during an engine restart. In addition, an input clutch driven by an electric actuator is provided in the power transmission path. With this arrangement, neutral control can be performed by disengaging the input clutch even if the forward clutch which is to be held in a slipping state or an engaged state is provided.

Abstract: The invention aims to provide a novel alkaline protease having peculiar properties such as high alkali activity, resistance to surfactants and calcium-dependent thermostability and exhibiting excellent performance in highly alkaline detergents, and a gene coding for the amino acid sequence thereof. There is provided an alkaline protease with such properties that an active pH range is from 5 to 13, an optimum pH is approximately 12.6, an optimum temperature is 70° C., no activity drop by heating is observed up to 65° C. at pH 10 and the optimum temperature and the thermostability are not affected by Ca2+ ions. Specifically, there is provided, for example, an alkaline protease having an amino acid sequence constituting a mature enzyme as represented by SEQ ID NO: 3 or an amino acid sequence resulting from deletion, substitution, situs inversus arrangement, addition or insertion of a part of amino acids thereof, or derived from Alkaliphillus transvaalensis.

Abstract: The invention aims to provide a novel alkaline protease having peculiar properties such as high alkali activity, resistance to surfactants and calcium-dependent thermostability and exhibiting excellent performance in highly alkaline detergents, and a gene coding for the amino acid sequence thereof. There is provided an alkaline protease with such properties that an active pH range is from 5 to 13, an optimum pH is approximately 12.6, an optimum temperature is 70° C., no activity drop by heating is observed up to 65° C. at pH 10 and the optimum temperature and the thermostability are not affected by Ca2+ ions. Specifically, there is provided, for example, an alkaline protease having an amino acid sequence constituting a mature enzyme as represented by SEQ ID NO: 3 or an amino acid sequence resulting from deletion, substitution, situs inversus arrangement, addition or insertion of a part of amino acids thereof, or derived from Alkaliphillus transvaalensis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid medium containing as a medium-solidifying component a cellulose gel, in particular a cellulose gel which is a porous cellulose gel structure containing cellulose as the skeletal part and having a cellulose concentration of 0.01% or higher and a porosity of 50% or higher, as well as a process for producing the same. The solid medium of the invention can be obtained by dispersing cellulose in a solvent, especially an aqueous thiocyanate salt solution, stirring and/or heating the dispersion to dissolve the cellulose, subsequently cooling the solution and/or removing the solvent to cause the solution to gel, and permeating nutrients into the resultant cellulose gel. The solid medium usable under a wide range of culture conditions where conventional solid media such as agar medium cannot be used, as well as a method for producing the same is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a DNA fragment encoding alkaline liquefying ?-amylase, recombinant DNA containing the DNA fragment, a transformed microorganism harboring the recombinant DNA, as well as a method for producing alkaline liquefying ?-amylase using the transformant. The method of the present invention enables mass production of alkaline liquefying ?-amylase useful as a detergent component. The present invention is directed to a liquefying alkaline alph?-amylase, and a DNA encoding for the same and functional fragments thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid medium containing as a medium-solidifying component a cellulose gel, in particular a cellulose gel which is a porous cellulose gel structure containing cellulose as the skeletal part and having a cellulose concentration of 0.01% or higher and a porosity of 50% or higher, as well as a process for producing the same. The solid medium of the invention can be obtained by dispersing cellulose in a solvent, especially an aqueous thiocyanate salt solution, stirring and/or heating the dispersion to dissolve the cellulose, subsequently cooling the solution and/or removing the solvent to cause the solution to gel, and permeating nutrients into the resultant cellulose gel. The solid medium usable under a wide range of culture conditions where conventional solid media such as agar medium cannot be used, as well as a method for producing the same is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a liquefying alkaline alpha-amylase, and a DNA encoding for the same and functional fragments thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a nucleotide sequence encoding alkaline pullulanase and exhibiting both alkaline &agr;-amylase and alkaline pullulanase activity; a nucleotide sequence encoding alkaline &agr;-amylase possessing an amino acid sequence described in SEQ ID NO:3; a nucleotide sequence encoding alkaline pullulanase possessing an amino acid sequence described in SEQ ID NO:4; recombinant DNAs containing these nucleotide sequences, and transformed microorganisms harboring the recombinant DNAs. The technique of the present invention enables mass production of alkaline pullulanase exhibiting both alkaline &agr;-amylase and alkaline pullulanase activity.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a liquefying alkaline alpha-amylase, and a DNA encoding for the same and functional fragments thereof.

Abstract: A ball spline nut is provided in each of tie bar penetrating holes formed in a moving platen constituting a mold clamping mechanism of an injection molding machine. On the other hand, a portion of a tie bar one end of which is fixed to a stationary platen, engaging with the tie bar penetrating hole in the moving platen, is made a ball spline shaft. Since there is no clearance between the ball spline shaft and the ball spline nut engaging therewith, in mold clamping and mold releasing processes, the posture of a movable mold attached to the moving platen with respect to a stationary mold attached to the stationary platen is always kept constant.

Abstract: A nozzle touch mechanism for an injection molding machine capable of preventing inclination of a mold and a platen caused by a nozzle touch force, and carrying out maintenance and inspection of the injection mechanism with ease. A connection member is fixed to the stationary platen at opposite positions with respect to a nozzle touch position. One end of a ball-screw shaft of a ball screw mechanism is attached to the connection member rotatably. An injection mechanism is moved with an extruder bed by the ball-screw mechanism driven by a motor through a spring towards the stationary mold attached to the stationary platen, so that a nozzle of the injection mechanism touches a spool of the stationary mold. A nozzle touch force exerted on the stationary mold is transmitted to the connection member and balanced with a pulling force of the connection member transmitted from the ball-screw shaft. A moment is produced on the connection member but no moment is produced on the stationary platen.

Abstract: The present invention provides a display device displaying power consumption of a machine, which can display power consumption of each power consuming element of the machine and power consumption per cycle of manufacture of products. The display device displays average power consumption of each of power consuming elements M1, M3, M4, M2, M6 and M5 and the total sum of the average power consumption graphically in the manner of displaying the average power consumption of the power consuming elements M1, M3, M4, M2, M6 and M5 in piles every predetermined time period. The power consumption display device also displays power consumption Whc per cycle of manufacture of products or the like through repetitive operation.

Abstract: A DNA fragment coding for alkaline pullulanase, which contains about 6.3 Kb base pairs and has a restriction map shown in FIG. 2, a recombinant vector containing the DNA fragment, and a microorganism carrying the vector. Also disclosed is a method of preparing alkaline pullulanase which comprises culturing a transformant microorganism which has been transformed with a recombinant vector containing a DNA fragment coding for alkaline pullulanase, having a restriction enzyme map shown in FIG. 2 and having about 6.3 Kb base pairs. According to the method of the invention, alkaline pullulanase which is useful as a component of detergents can be mass-produced in a low cost.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a nucleotide sequence encoding alkaline pullulanase and exhibiting both alkaline &agr;-amylase and alkaline pullulanase activity; a nucleotide sequence encoding alkaline &agr;-amylase possessing an amino acid sequence described in SEQ ID NO:3; a nucleotide sequence encoding alkaline pullulanase possessing an amino acid sequence described in SEQ ID NO:4; recombinant DNAs containing these nucleotide sequences, and transformed microorganisms harboring the recombinant DNAs. The technique of the present invention enables mass production of alkaline pullulanase exhibiting both alkaline &agr;-amylase and alkaline pullulanase activity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mutant &agr;-amylase having an amino acid sequence obtained by making deletion or replacement by another arbitrary amino acid residue of at least a methionine residue at the 202-position or a position homologous thereto among amino acid residues set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, which constitute a liquefying alkaline &agr;-amylase, a gene thereof, and a detergent composition comprising the mutant &agr;-amylase. The mutant &agr;-amylase has the optimum pH in an alkaline range, an excellent &agr;-amylase activity, and high and lasting resistance to oxidizing agents, and is hence particularly useful as a component of detergent compositions containing a bleaching agent and an oxidizing agent.

Abstract: The position of a feed shaft is monitored, the mean moving speed and moving frequency of the feed shaft are measured with every unit time for position correction, and a correction amount &dgr;n is determined from the speed and frequency according to an approximation formula and updated (c7 and c8). A position correction amount for a commanded position is determined from this correction amount, and the commanded position is corrected by the position correction amount (c1 to c6). The position correction amount for the commanded position is determined from this correction amount, and the commanded position is corrected by this position correction amount. Since the correction amount is determined according to the approximation formula, thermal displacement correction can be effected at all times without requiring any sensor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a liquefying alkaline alpha-amylase, and a DNA encoding for the same and functional fragments thereof.

Abstract: Compounds represented by the following formula (I),: wherein R represents a lower alkyl group which may be substituted; n represents an integer of from 1 to 10; and X represents an anion species. The compounds are useful as active ingredients of fluorescent labeling agents or medicaments for diagnosis.

Abstract: A composition for immunohistochemical staining which contains a diagnostic marker comprising an antibody bound with a fluorescent functional group, together with a substance selected from the group consisting of a glycerophospholipid, a fatty acid, and a surfactant consisting of a saccharide derivative. The composition has excellent fluorescence intensity and does not cause problems of damaging living tissues and DNAs due to irradiation by ultraviolet light, and hence is useful for in vivo immunohistochemical staining. For example, it enables efficient and safe quasi-internal early diagnosis of malignant neoplasia of epithelial tissues such as esophagus cancer, stomach cancer, and large bowel cancer by using infrared ray endoscope and other, or identification and diagnosis of lesions during surgical operation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a DNA fragment encoding alkaline pullulanase exhibiting alkaline &agr;-amylase activity, alkaline &agr;-amylase possessing both an amino acid sequence described in SEQ ID NO:3 and a DNA fragment encoding the amylase, alkaline pullulanase possessing both an amino acid sequence described in SEQ ID NO:4 and a DNA fragment encoding the pullulanase, recombinant DNAs containing these DNA fragments, and transformed microorganisms harboring the recombinant DNAs. The technique of the present invention enables mass production of alkaline pullulanase exhibiting alkaline &agr;-amylase activity.