Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to stably culture gas-utilizing microorganisms regardless of fluctuations in a supply flow rate of a substrate gas. The gas-utilizing microorganisms b are cultured in a liquid culture medium 9 that occupies a fermentative environment region 19 in a reaction tank 10. The gas-utilizing microorganisms b can be fermented in the fermentative environment region 19. A substrate gas is supplied to the fermentative environment region 19 from a gas supply member 22. A volume of the fermentative environment region 19 is controlled by a volume changing mechanism 30 according to the supply flow rate of the substrate gas.

Abstract: Gas-utilizing microorganisms are stably cultured regardless of variations in a supply flow rate of a substrate gas. Gas-utilizing microorganisms 9 are cultured in a culture solution 2 in a culture tank 10. A substrate gas containing CO and H2 or the like is supplied to the culture tank 10 and is dissolved in the culture solution 2. When a supply flow rate of the substrate gas or predetermined constituents of the substrate gas to the culture tank 10 becomes a predetermined value or lower, a culture solution 2a is rapidly discharged from the culture tank 10.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method which can be used for producing an organic substance effectively from a synthesis gas obtained from a waste incinerator. The apparatus 1 for producing an organic substance from waste, comprises a synthesis gas generation furnace 11, a fermenter 13, and a nutrient feeder. The synthesis gas generation furnace 11 generates a synthesis gas by partial oxidation of waste. The fermenter 13 contains a microorganism which produces an organic substance from the synthesis gas. The nutrient feeder 12 feeds a solid or liquid nutrient to the fermenter 13 when an amount of the synthesis gas supplied to the fermenter 13 is insufficient.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method which are suitable for producing an organic substance using a synthesis gas from a waste gasification furnace. The apparatus 1 for producing an organic substance from waste comprises a synthesis gas generation furnace 11 for generating a synthesis gas by partial oxidation of the waste; and an organic substance production unit 12 for producing an organic substance from the synthesis gas. The organic substance production unit 12 further comprises: a synthesis unit 13 for synthesizing an organic substance by subjecting the synthesis gas to catalytic reaction in the presence of a metal catalyst, and a fermenter 14 for producing an organic substance by subjecting the synthesis gas to microbial fermentation.

Abstract: Provided is a novel apparatus capable of suitably manufacturing an organic substance from a syngas. An apparatus 1 for manufacturing an organic substance includes a syngas producing furnace (11), an organic substance synthesis unit (16), a moisture content raising unit (12), and a moisture content lowering unit (13). The syngas producing furnace (11) is configured to produce a syngas containing carbon monoxide by partly oxidizing a carbon source. The organic substance synthesis unit (16) is configured to produce an organic substance from the syngas. The moisture content raising unit (12) is disposed between the syngas producing furnace (11) and the organic substance synthesis unit (16). The moisture content raising unit (12) is configured to raise a moisture content of the syngas. The moisture content lowering unit (13) is disposed between the moisture content raising unit (12) and the organic substance synthesis unit (16).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an N-(1-hydroxyethyl)carboxamide compound represented by formula (1) (in the formula, RA and RB represent independently from each other a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms except for a case where RA and RB represent a hydrogen atom at the same time) and a method for producing the same; a method for producing an N-(1-alkoxyethyl)carboxamide compound; a method for producing an N-vinyl carboxylic acid amide compound; and a method for producing an N-vinyl carboxylic acid amide (co)polymer. An N-(1-alkoxyethyl)carboxamide compound can be obtained by reacting N-(1-hydroxyethyl)carboxamide compound with alcohol in the presence of an acid catalyst, and an N-vinyl carboxylic acid amide compound, which is a monomer of the N-vinyl carboxylic acid amide (co)polymer, can be obtained by thermally decomposing or catalytically decomposing the N-(1-alkoxyethyl)carboxamide compound.

Abstract: A hydrous gel substantially comprising at least two polymers selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, sodium polyacrylate and partially neutralized polyacrylate, and water, the polymers being crosslinked by containing an aluminum compound, wherein the pH when the hydrous gel is 100-fold diluted with purified water is from 6.5 to 8.5. A hydrous gel which can stably hold an ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, has high gel strength, exhibits good adhesion to an adherend and causes no liquid syneresis can be provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide, which comprises a step for controlling the N-1,3-butadienyl-N-methylacetamide content in N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide to 0.01-150 ppm. This method enables production of N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide having a stable quality, which can be controlled in stability and polymerizability as a monomer. N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide produced by the method enables production of an N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide polymer having stable physical properties such as a molecular weight.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an N-(1-hydroxyethyl)carboxamide compound represented by formula (1) (in the formula, RA and RB represent independently from each other a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms except for a case where RA and RB represent a hydrogen atom at the same time) and a method for producing the same; a method for producing an N-(1-alkoxyethyl)carboxamide compound; a method for producing an N-vinyl carboxylic acid amide compound; and a method for producing an N-vinyl carboxylic acid amide (co)polymer. An N-(1-alkoxyethyl)carboxamide compound can be obtained by reacting N-(1-hydroxyethyl)carboxamide compound with alcohol in the presence of an acid catalyst, and an N-vinyl carboxylic acid amide compound, which is a monomer of the N-vinyl carboxylic acid amide (co)polymer, can be obtained by thermally decomposing or catalytically decomposing the N-(1-alkoxyethyl)carboxamide compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide, which comprises a step for controlling the N-1,3-butadienyl-N-methylacetamide content in N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide to 0.01-150 ppm. This method enables production of N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide having a stable quality, which can be controlled in stability and polymerizability as a monomer. N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide produced by the method enables production of an N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide polymer having stable physical properties such as a molecular weight.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte battery comprising: a battery case containing aluminum; a positive electrode terminal attached to the battery case; and a negative electrode terminal attached to the battery case and insulated from the battery case, wherein the positive electrode terminal and the battery case are connected through a resistor having resistance of 1? to 1 M?. Otherwise, A non-aqueous electrolyte battery comprising: a battery case containing iron; a negative electrode terminal attached to the battery case; and a positive electrode terminal attached to the battery case and insulated from the battery case, wherein the negative electrode terminal and the battery case are connected through a resistor having resistance of 1? to 1 M?.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical probe which uses optical fibers arranged in parallel which can be easily bent by application of a heat source to improve the performance of the optical probe. The bend may be created by application of heat by a heat source and then forcing a change in the shape of the optical probe. Alternatively, an optical probe may be bent in room temperature and then by applying heat from a heat source, a bend can be created in the optical probe.

Abstract: A hydrous gel substantially comprising at least two polymers selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, sodium polyacrylate and partially neutralized polyacrylate, and water, the polymers being crosslinked by containing an aluminum compound, wherein the pH when the hydrous gel is 100-fold diluted with purified water is from 6.5 to 8.5. A hydrous gel which can stably hold an ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, has high gel strength, exhibits good adhesion to an adherend and causes no liquid syneresis can be provided.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory recovers variation in the threshold of a memory cell due to disturbance related to a word line. The nonvolatile memory continuously performs many writing operations without carrying out single-sector erasing after each writing operation, performing the additional writing operations quicker than the usual writing operation, and lightening the burden imposed on software for use in additional writing. The data stored in a designated sector is read out before being saved in a register, and the selected sector is subjected to single-sector erasing when a predetermined command is given. Then write expected value data is formed from the saved data and data to be additionally written, completing the writing operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing high-purity N-vinylcarboxamides comprising: (A) a step of dissolving a crude N-vinylcarboxamide in an alcohol having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, the crude N-vinylcarboxamide containing 50 to 97% by mass of an N-vinylcarboxamide; (B) a step of adding an aliphatic hydrocarbon having 5 to 10 carbon atoms to the composition obtained in the step (A) to precipitate a crystal of the N-vinylcarboxamide; and (C) a step of separating the crystal of the N-vinylcarboxamide precipitated in the step (B).

Abstract: An image pickup optical system includes, in order from the object side, a front unit having at least one reflecting surface with power that is rotationally asymmetrical, an aperture stop, and a rear unit having at least one reflecting surface with power that is rotationally asymmetrical. In this case, F-numbers in two directions perpendicular to each other on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis are different. Decentration takes place in one of the two directions and the F-number in a direction perpendicular to a decentering direction is smaller than that in the decentering direction. When the F-number in the decentering direction is represented by FNY and the F-number in the direction perpendicular to the decentering direction is represented by FNX, the optical system satisfies the following condition: 1.1<FNY/FNX<2.0.

Abstract: The present invention provides an adhesive for a dermal patch comprising an acrylate-base polymer in which the repetitive unit is represented by the formulae (1), (2) and (3): wherein M represents NH4+ or an alkali metal, and X represents an unsaturated monomer unit other than the formulae (1) and (2), containing 5 mol % or more of acrylic acid (salt) represented by the formula (1) as a monomer unit, in which the content of ?-hydroxypropionic acid (salt) is 5,000 ppm or less per solid content of the polymer and having a stable shape retainability, adhesion and percutaneous absorptivity of medicines; an production process thereof; and an adhesive composition for a dermal patch containing the adhesive for a dermal patch, an aluminum compound and water.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element including a stack of first, second and third optical regions or a stack of first, second, third and fourth optical regions, a first relief pattern formed between the first and second optical regions, and a second relief patterns formed between the second and third or between the third and fourth optical regions. The first and second relief patterns have substantially identical pitch distributions and are substantially aligned in a direction of an optical axis. Depths of the first and second relief patterns are set such that a wavelength dependency of diffraction efficiency can be decreased over a wavelength range to be used. It is possible to manufacture in a simple manner at a low cost a diffractive optical element in which undesired flare and ghost are suppressed.

Abstract: The decentering optical system comprises a decentering prism and a holding component. The decentering prism has two or more positioning portions at positions which sandwich an effective diameter of an optically functional surface held by the holding component. The holding component has a holding portion of positioning portions corresponding to the positioning portions of the decentering prism. Furthermore, on the optically functional surface of the decentering prism, two and more projected portions are arranged at a position which sandwich the effective diameter of the optically functional surface and is located at the outside of the positioning portion, and a projected portion is located inside of the positioning portion. The decentering prism is fixed for positioning at the holding component through the positioning portion, the holding portion of the positioning portion and the projected portions.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus comprises one holding component which holds two or more prisms and an image pickup element. As for the holding component, a prism holding portion and an image pickup element holding portion are formed in one component. At the prism holding portion, an opening is formed. At the image pickup element, the image pickup element holding portion is fixed. Each prism is fixed to the holding component from the both sides of the holding component by fitting a projected portion into a penetration hole, respectively.