Abstract: A lighting system includes a plurality of lighting devices and a control device. The plurality of lighting devices are installed in a facility. The control device controls the plurality of lighting devices. The control device controls lighting light projected by at least one lighting device, belonging to the plurality of lighting devices, into colored lighting light, of which a color is different from a color white, to give, upon acquiring information about an event in question, a sign depending on the event in question.

Abstract: A material for improving the sound pressure level at the bass reproduction limit of the present invention is composed of an activated carbon having a cumulative pore volume of 0.4 ml/g or more for the pores each having a radius of 50 angstroms or less. Preferably, this activated carbon has a cumulative pore volume of 0.1 ml/g or less for the pores each having a radius of 7 angstroms or less. In particular, when a sound pressure level improving material in which the activated carbon has a cumulative pore volume of 0.5 ml/g or more for the pores each having a radius of 18 angstroms or less is installed in a cabinet of a loudspeaker device, the material alleviates pressure fluctuations of a gas within the cabinet caused by vibration of a loudspeaker, and thus a very good bass reproduction effect is attained. Moreover, in the case where a sound pressure level improving material in which the activated carbon has a cumulative pore volume of 0.

Abstract: The present invention provides an evaporated fuel gas adsorbent, an evaporated fuel gas trapping apparatus that uses the adsorbent, an activated carbon, and a process for producing the activated carbon. The evaporated fuel gas adsorbent is capable of improving adsorptivity and desorptivity by reliably preventing a temperature rise and a temperature fall caused by heat generated in response to the adsorption and desorption of evaporated fuel gas, is capable of achieving a size reduction of the device, and is capable of being easily produced. The activated carbon has high mechanical strength and high abrasive resistance, has many pores suitable to adsorb an organic solvent, especially, evaporated fuel gas, and has a high packing density. The activated-carbon producing process is industrially advantageous.

Abstract: Activated carbon useful as polarizable electrode material for an electric double-layer capacitor can be obtained by mixing a carbonaceous material and an alkali metal hydroxide while maintaining a solid state, granulating the obtained mixture while maintaining its solid state, dehydrating the obtained granulated substance while maintaining its solid state, and subjecting the granulated dehydration product obtained in the dehydration step to an activation treatment. The preferred pressure of the granulation treatment in the granulation step is 0.01 to 300 Torr, and the preferred temperature of the granulation treatment is 90 to 140° C. The preferred pressure of the dehydration treatment in the dehydration step is 0.01 to 10 Torr, and the preferred temperature of the dehydration treatment is 200 to 400° C.

Abstract: A material for improving the sound pressure level at the bass reproduction limit of the present invention is composed of an activated carbon having a cumulative pore volume of 0.4 ml/g or more for the pores each having a radius of 50 angstroms or less. Preferably, this activated carbon has a cumulative pore volume of 0.1 ml/g or less for the pores each having a radius of 7 angstroms or less. In particular, when a sound pressure level improving material in which the activated carbon has a cumulative pore volume of 0.5 ml/g or more for the pores each having a radius of 18 angstroms or less is installed in a cabinet of a loudspeaker device, the material alleviates pressure fluctuations of a gas within the cabinet caused by vibration of a loudspeaker, and thus a very good bass reproduction effect is attained. Moreover, in the case where a sound pressure level improving material in which the activated carbon has a cumulative pore volume of 0.

Abstract: The present invention provides an evaporated fuel gas adsorbent, an evaporated fuel gas trapping apparatus that uses the adsorbent, an activated carbon, and a process for producing the activated carbon. The evaporated fuel gas adsorbent is capable of improving adsorptivity and desorptivity by reliably preventing a temperature rise and a temperature fall caused by heat generated in response to the adsorption and desorption of evaporated fuel gas, is capable of achieving a size reduction of the device, and is capable of being easily produced. The activated carbon has high mechanical strength and high abrasive resistance, has many pores suitable to adsorb an organic solvent, especially, evaporated fuel gas, and has a high packing density. The activated-carbon producing process is industrially advantageous.

Abstract: Activated carbon useful as polarizable electrode material for an electric double-layer capacitor can be obtained by mixing a carbonaceous material and an alkali metal hydroxide while maintaining a solid state, granulating the obtained mixture while maintaining its solid state, dehydrating the obtained granulated substance while maintaining its solid state, and subjecting the granulated dehydration product obtained in the dehydration step to an activation treatment. The preferred pressure of the granulation treatment in the granulation step is 0.01 to 300 Torr, and the preferred temperature of the granulation treatment is 90 to 140° C. The preferred pressure of the dehydration treatment in the dehydration step is 0.01 to 10 Torr, and the preferred temperature of the dehydration treatment is 200 to 400° C.

Abstract: A waste water treatment apparatus which is compact, and excellent in durability, has a high treatment performance and can stably operate for a long time is provided. In a waste water treatment apparatus at least comprising a waste water treatment tank in which a carrier particle immobilizing a microbe is charged and decomposing and eliminating an organic matter and/or an inorganic matter contained in a waste water, and a membrane module for filtrating a water to be treated which flows out from said treatment tank, a non-permeating water not passing thorough the membrane module is returned and circulated to said treatment tank. In a waste water treatment apparatus at least comprising a waste water treatment tank in which a carrier particle immobilizing a microbe is charged and decomposing and eliminating an organic matter and/or an inorganic matter contained in a waste water, a carrier immobilizing a microbe is an acetalized polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polyvinyl alcohol powder which comprises a pore having an average diameter of 0.1 to 10 .mu.m in the range of 0.05 to 0.4 cc/g.Since the PVA powder of the present invention has an excellent solubility in water, an aqueous solution thereof can easily be prepared industrially.Since the PVA powder of the present invention has a low content of an organic volatile component and a low content of a nonvolatile component such as a carboxylic acid salt or the like which is derived from a basic catalyst, it has an excellent industrial handleability.

Abstract: A process for producing L-phenylalanine at high rates of formation and in good yields is provided which comprises allowing a microorganism which belongs to the genus Nocardia and is capable of producing L-phenyl-alanine from phenylpyruvic acid or a salt thereof and an amino group donor to act upon an aqueous solution containing phenylpyruvic acid or a salt thereof and an amino group donor selected from the group consisting of ammonium salts and ammonia in a hydrogen gas atmosphere.

Abstract: Process for producing ethylene-vinyl ester copolymers using a polymerization solvent of a dialkyl sulfoxide (process X); process for producing ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer by liquid phase saponification using a solvent of a dialkyl sulfoxide (process Y); and process for producing shaped articles which comprises contacting the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer obtained by the process Y, or that obtained by saponifying the ethylene-vinyl ester copolymer obtained by process X, to a non-solvent for ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer.Ethylene-vinyl ester copolymers having a wide range of ethylene content and higher degree of polymerization than that with solution polymerization using methanol.The rate of saponification is higher than that with single solvent system of lower alcohol.Production cost is low, because production process of polymer is directly connected to that of shaped articles utilizing the polymer.

Abstract: Process for producing ethylene-vinyl ester copolymers using a polymerization solvent of a dialkyl sulfoxide (process X); process for producing ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer by liquid phase saponification using a solvent of a dialkyl sulfoxide (process Y); and process for producing shaped articles which comprises contacting the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer obtained by the process Y, or that obtained by saponifying the ethylene-vinyl ester copolymer obtained by process X, to a non-solvent for ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer.Ethylene-vinyl ester copolymers having a wide range of ethylene content and higher degree of polymerization than that with solution polymerization using methanol.The rate of saponification is higher than that with single solvent system of lower alcohol.Production cost is low, because production process of polymer is directly connected to that of shaped articles utilizing the polymer.

Abstract: The polyvinyl alcohol of the present invention is a partially saponified polyvinyl alcohol having a saponification degree of 70 to 98 mol % and containing a larger amount of methanol-soluble substances than that contained in polyvinyl alcohols having the same saponification degree obtained by known processes, and is novel.And, the process for producing polyvinyl alcohol of the present invention comprises saponifying polyvinyl esters in a solvent of a polyoxyalkylene ether having in the molecule thereof a structural unit represented by the general formula [I]:--O).sub.l (R.sup.1 --O).sub.m (R.sup.2 --O).sub.n [I]wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represents an alkylene group having 2 to 5 carbon atoms in the main chain thereof, which may be substituted with a lower alkyl group or lower alkoxy group; l is an integer of 0 or 1; m and n each represents 0 or an integer of 1 to 10; and l+m+n.gtoreq.2; with the catalyst of an aliphatic or aromatic sulfonic acid at an elevated temperature in the presence of water.

Abstract: There is provided a method of producing L-phenylalanine in high optical purity which comprises treating an N-acylphenylalanine alkyl ester in L form, in the presence of water, with an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing the N-acylphenylalanine alkyl ester in L form to give L-phenylalanine.

Abstract: There is provided a process for producing propylene glycol monoacetate which comprises the steps of(I) hydroformylating vinyl acetate with a gaseous mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in an organic solvent in the presence of a substantially water-insoluble rhodium complex and a tri-substituted phosphine to form .alpha.-acetoxypropionaldehyde,(II) subjecting at least part of the reaction mixture obtained in step (I) to extraction with an aqueous medium to obtain an aqueous layer containing .alpha.-acetoxypropionaldehyde and an extraction residue containing the catalyst components, and recycling the extraction residue to the hydroformylation step (I),(III) contacting the aqueous layer containing .alpha.-acetoxypropionaldehyde obtained in step (II) with a carboxylic acid ester of general formula (A)C.sub.l H.sub.2l+1 COOC.sub.m H.sub.2m+1 (A)wherein l is an integer of 0 to 4; m is an integer of 1 to 5; and the sum of l and m is 3 to 5, or a dicarboxylic acid ester of general formula (B)ROOC(CH.sub.2).sub.

Abstract: A process for producing methyl lactate by (I) hydroformylating vinyl acetate or vinyl propionate with a gaseous mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in an organic solvent in the presence of a substantially water-insoluble rhodium complex and a tri-substituted phosphine to form .alpha.-acetoxy- or propionyloxy-propionaldehyde, (II) subjecting at least part of the reaction mixture obtained in step (I) to extraction with an aqueous medium to obtain an aqueous layer containing .alpha.-acetoxy- or propionyloxy-propionaldehyde and an extraction residue containing the catalyst components, and recycling the extraction residue to the hydroformylation step (I), (III) separating .alpha.-acetoxy- or propionyloxy-propionaldehyde from the aqueous layer containing the same as obtained in step (II), (IV) oxidizing .alpha.-acetoxy- or propionyloxy-propionaldehyde obtained in step (III) in the liquid phase with oxygen gas or an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an oxidation catalyst to form .alpha.

Abstract: A method of producing liquid hydrocarbons useful e.g. as lubricants or base oils for cosmetics is disclosed. The method comprises copolymerizing in the presence of an aluminum halide catalyst (i) at least one alpha-olefin having a terminal vinyl group and containing 6 to 14 carbon atoms, (ii) isobutylene and/or diisobutylene, and optionally (iii) 1-butene, coexisting in a specified ratio, and optionally hydrogenating the resulting polymer.