Abstract: Provided are a method for promoting insulin secretion, a method for suppressing the elevation of a blood glucose level, a method for ameliorating diabetes mellitus, a method for promoting growth of an animal, and a method for increasing an insulin level in breast milk. These methods comprising administering at least one member selected from the group consisting of a di- or a higher saccharide containing galactose, a derivative thereof, a saccharide containing N-acetylneuraminic acid, and a derivative thereof, to a patient in need thereof or an animal.

Abstract: A characteristic change of a humidity sensor 19 is detected based on the transitional characteristics of output data of the humidity sensor 19 with respect to integrated moisture quantity data representative of an integrated amount of moisture that is supplied to an HG adsorbent 7 by an exhaust gas after an engine 1 has started to operate. A parameter for grasping a state of the HC adsorbent 7 is corrected. The state, such as a deteriorated state or the like, of a hydrocarbon adsorbent (HC adsorbent) is properly monitored while compensating for the effect of the characteristic change of the humidity sensor and the effect of variations of the characteristics of individual units of the humidity sensor.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon adsorbent state determining apparatus is provided for compensating the ability of a hydrocarbon adsorbent to adsorb moisture for fluctuations due to a change in the flow velocity of exhaust gases to accurately determine the state of the hydrocarbon adsorbent, including a deterioration thereof, irrespective of the change in the flow rate of exhaust gases. The hydrocarbon adsorbent state determining apparatus determines the state of a hydrocarbon adsorbent disposed in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine for adsorbing hydrocarbons and moisture within exhaust gases.

Abstract: The present invention can provide a process for producing a protein having ?2,3/?2,8-sialyltransferase activity using a transformant comprising a DNA encoding a protein having ?2,3/?2,8-sialyltransferase activity derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Pasteurella and a process for producing a sialic acid-containing complex carbohydrate using a transformant capable of producing a protein having ?2,3/?2,8-sialyltransferase activity derived from a microorganism.

Abstract: Processes for producing GDP-fucose, comprising allowing GKDM and a culture broth of a microorganism capable of converting GKDM into GDP-fucose to be present in an aqueous medium, forming and accumulating GDP-fucose therein, and recovering the GDP-fucose therefrom; or comprising allowing a GTP precursor, a saccharide, a culture broth of a microorganism capable of forming GTP from a GTP precursor, and a culture broth of a microorganism capable of forming GKDM from a saccharide and GTP to be present in an aqueous medium, forming and accumulating GKDM therein, converting the accumulated GKDM into GDP-fucose using as a culture broth of a microorganism capable of converting GKDM into GDP-fucose to form and accumulate GDP-fucose therein, and recovering the GDP-fucose therefrom; and a process for producing GKDM, comprising allowing a GTP precursor, a saccharide, a culture broth of a microorganism capable of forming GTP from a GTP precursor, and a culture broth of a microorganism capable forming GKDM from a saccharide

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing a sugar nucleotide, in which a) a culture broth of a microorganism capable of producing NTP from a nucleotide precursor, or a treated product of the culture broth, and b) a culture broth of a microorganism capable of producing a sugar nucleotide from a sugar and NTP, or a treated product of the culture broth, are used as enzyme sources; a process for producing a complex carbohydrate, in which the above-described a) and b) and c) a culture broth of a microorganism, an animal cell or an insect cell capable of producing a complex carbohydrate from a sugar nucleotide and a complex carbohydrate precursor, or a treated product of the culture broth, are used as enzyme sources; a process for producing a complex carbohydrate, in which a culture broth of a microorganism, an animal cell or an insect cell capable of producing a complex carbohydrate from a sugar nucleotide and a complex carbohydrate precursor, or a treated product of the culture broth, is as an enzyme sour

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for economically producing N-acetylneuraminic acid without using expensive materials such as pyruvic acid and phosphoenolpyruvic acid. The process comprises: allowing (i) a culture of a microorganism having N-acetylneuraminic acid aldolase activity or N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase activity, or a treated matter of the culture, (ii) a culture of a microorganism capable of producing pyruvic acid or a treated matter of the culture, or a culture of a microorganism capable of producing phosphoenolpyruvic acid or a treated matter of the culture, (iii) N-acetylmannosamine, and (iv) an energy source which is necessary for the formation of pyruvic acid or phosphoenolpyruvic acid to be present in an aqueous medium to form and accumulate N-acetylneuraminic acid in the aqueous medium; and recovering N-acetylneuraminic acid from the aqueous medium.

Abstract: The present invention can provide a process for producing a protein having ?1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase activity using a transformant comprising a DNA encoding a protein having ?1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase activity derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Pasteurella and a process for producing an N-acetylglucosamine-containing complex carbohydrate using a transformant capable of producing a protein having ?1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase activity derived from a microorganism.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive head, a magnetic tape and a magnetic tape recording/reproducing system, which are capable of suppressing the formation of protrusions around a magneto-resistive element, thereby preventing the occurrence of such problems as spacing loss and tape damage, are provided. A thermally conductive member that is connected to the magneto-resistive element is formed of a material having a thermal conductivity greater than 20 W/m·K so as to efficiently release the heat generated when the magneto-resistive element is in use and suppress the rise in temperature around the magneto-resistive element. In addition, by selecting, for a lubricant layer formed on the surface of the magnetic tape, a material whose melting point is lower than the operating temperature of the magneto-resistive element, the lubricant layer is prevented from melting even when the magneto-resistive element is in use and when the temperature of the magnetic head thus rises.

Abstract: The present invention can provide a process for producing a protein having &agr;1.4-galactosyltransferase activity using a transformant comprising a DNA encoding a protein having &agr;1.4-galactosyltransferase activity derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Pasteurella and a process for producing a galactose-containing complex carbohydrate using a transformant capable of producing a protein having &agr;1,4-galactosyltransferase activity derived from a microorganism.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protein having &bgr;1,4-galactosyltransferase activity, DNA encoding the protein, a recombinant DNA comprising the DNA, a transformant carrying the recombinant DNA, a process for producing &bgr;1,4-galactosyltransferase by using the transformant, and a process for producing a galactose-containing carbohydrate by using the transformant.

Abstract: A characteristic change of a humidity sensor 19 is detected based on the transitional characteristics of output data of the humidity sensor 19 with respect to integrated moisture quantity data representative of an integrated amount of moisture that is supplied to an HC adsorbent 7 by an exhaust gas after an engine 1 has started to operate. Data of characteristics of an individual unit of the humidity sensor 19 is held by the resistance of a resistive element 21 connected to a connector or the like of the humidity sensor 19. A parameter for grasping a state of the HC adsorbent 7 is corrected depending on the detected characteristic change of the humidity sensor 19 and the characteristics of the individual unit of the humidity sensor 19, and the state of the HC adsorbent 7 is grasped based on the corrected parameter.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing a sugar nucleotide, in which a) a culture broth of a microorganism capable of producing NTP from a nucleotide precursor, or a treated product of the culture broth, and b) a culture broth of a microorganism capable of producing a sugar nucleotide from a sugar and NTP, or a treated product of the culture broth, are used as enzyme sources; a process for producing a complex carbohydrate, in which the above-described a) and b) and c) a culture broth of a microorganism, an animal cell or an insect cell capable of producing a complex carbohydrate from a sugar nucleotide and a complex carbohydrate precursor, or a treated product of the culture broth, are used as enzyme sources; a process for producing a complex carbohydrate, in which a culture broth of a microorganism, an animal cell or an insect cell capable of producing a complex carbohydrate from a sugar nucleotide and a complex carbohydrate precursor, or a treated product of the culture broth, is as an enzyme sour

Abstract: A temperature sensor is disposed near an HC adsorbent in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine. After the internal combustion engine is shut off, a deteriorated state of the HC adsorbent is evaluated based on a value of the humidity detected by a humidity sensor. The deteriorated state of the HC adsorbent is evaluated by comparing the detected value of the humidity with a threshold established depending on the temperature state near the HC adsorbent. In evaluating deteriorated state of the HC adsorbent, a change in the output characteristics of the humidity sensor depending on its temperature state is compensated for.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protein having &bgr;1,3-galactosyltransferase activity, a DNA encoding the protein, a transformant comprising the DNA, a process for producing the protein using the transformant, and a process for producing a galactose-containing complex carbohydrate using the transformant.

Abstract: A humidity sensor 4 is disposed downstream of an exhaust gas purifier comprising a hydrocarbon adsorbing catalyst 2, and an air-fuel ratio sensor 5 is disposed at least downstream of the exhaust gas purifier. The hydrocarbon adsorbing ability of a hydrocarbon adsorbent of a hydrocarbon adsorbing catalyst 2 (the exhaust gas purifier) is evaluated using output data of the humidity sensor 4. The unburned gas purifying ability based on a catalytic action of the hydrocarbon adsorbing catalyst 2 is evaluated using output data of the air-fuel ratio sensor 5. Based on the evaluated results, the overall deteriorated state of the exhaust gas purifier is evaluated. The overall deteriorated state of the exhaust gas purifier which has the hydrocarbon adsorbing catalyst 2 can thus adequately be evaluated.

Abstract: After an internal combustion engine 1 has started to operate, a changing timing is detected at which a humidity represented by the output signal of a humidity sensor 23 disposed downstream of a hydrocarbon adsorbent 12 changes to a tendency to monotonously increase from a low humidity to a high humidity. Data representing a total amount of moisture carried by an exhaust gas emitted by the internal combustion engine 1 to the hydrocarbon adsorbent 12 up to the changing timing is acquired as a deterioration evaluating parameter. The deteriorated state of the hydrocarbon adsorbent is evaluated based on the deterioration evaluating parameter. The changing timing is detected as a timing at which the relative humidity represented by the output signal of the humidity sensor 23 has changed from a low humidity to a high humidity by a preset value. The preset value is variably set in order to compensate for characteristic changes of the humidity sensor 23 and variations of individual humidity sensors.

Abstract: An exhaust gas valve device in an internal combustion engine, including a first bearing member mounted between a valve shaft and a valve body with one end of the valve shaft turnably fitted into the first bearing member, a second bearing member mounted between the valve shaft and the valve body with the other end of the valve shaft turnably passed through the second bearing member, and an actuator connected to the other end of the valve shaft protruding from the second bearing member. The valve body, the valve shaft and the first and second bearing members are formed of metal materials having equivalent thermal expansion coefficients; the first and second bearing members are press-fitted into said valve body; and a skin of a graphite-based solid lubricant is formed on a surface of the valve shaft in regions corresponding to the first and second bearing members.

Abstract: After an internal combustion engine 1 has started to operate, a changing timing is detected at which a humidity represented by the output signal of a humidity sensor 23 disposed downstream of a hydrocarbon adsorbent 12 changes to a tendency to monotonously increase from a low humidity to a high humidity. Data representing a total amount of moisture carried by an exhaust gas emitted by the internal combustion engine 1 to the hydrocarbon adsorbent 12 up to the changing timing is acquired as a deterioration evaluating parameter. The deteriorated state of the hydrocarbon adsorbent is evaluated based on the deterioration evaluating parameter. The changing timing is detected as a timing at which the relative humidity represented by the output signal of the humidity sensor 23 has changed from a low humidity to a high humidity by a preset value. The preset value is variably set in order to compensate for characteristic changes of the humidity sensor 23 and variations of individual humidity sensors.

Abstract: A catalyst state detector for detecting a state of an exhaust gas purifying catalyst which is capable of accurately detecting the state, including deterioration, of an HC adsorbent contained in the exhaust gas purifying catalyst for adsorbing hydrocarbons in exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, and can be manufactured at a low cost. The exhaust gas purifying catalyst is arranged at an intermediate portion of an exhaust pipe, and the HC adsorbent is capable of adsorbing hydrocarbons and moisture in exhaust gases. The catalyst state detector comprises a downstream humidity sensor arranged at a location downstream of the HC adsorbent in the exhaust pipe for detecting a humidity of the exhaust gases, and an adsorbent state detecting unit (ECU) for detecting the state of the HC adsorbent in accordance with the result of detection made by the downstream humidity sensor.