Abstract: It is intended to, in a horizontal dry mill, prevent blow-up and adhesion of a raw material, etc., to a raw material input section. In a horizontal dry mill (10) of the present invention, a diameter of a raw material supply section (13) provided in a grinding tank (14) is set to be less than a diameter of a grinding chamber (12). Further, a diameter of a mechanical thrust generating device of the raw material supply section (13) is set to a small value according to the diameter of the raw material supply section. Furthermore, a gap (e1) between an outside dimension of a screw (26) as the mechanical thrust generating device and an inner diameter of the grinding tank (14) in the raw material supply section (13) is set between 0.5 mm and ? of a diameter of each grinding medium M.

Abstract: A method includes discharging an assembled battery (10) formed of a plurality of batteries until a state of charge (SOC) of the assembled battery becomes smaller or equal to a lower limit of a predetermined normal use range used in charge and discharge control of the assembled battery, measuring the discharge capacity of each of a plurality of battery blocks in the discharge of the assembled battery, the plurality of batteries being divided into the plurality of battery blocks, calculating the capacity difference in the discharge capacity among the plurality of battery blocks, and determining the remaining life of the battery block or the assembled battery based on the calculated capacity difference.

Abstract: Provided is a test method that allows mutagenicity on a mammal including a human to be confirmed accurately and simply in a short time. Specifically, provided is a mutagenicity test method, including the steps of: (1) culturing a transformant of a mammalian cell harboring a recombinant vector including a p53 binding sequence, a minimal promoter that can function in the mammalian cell, and a reporter gene linked so that the gene can be expressed by the minimal promoter, in the presence of a test substance for a predetermined time; and (2) assessing whether or not the test substance affects an expression amount of the reporter gene in the transformant by comparing an expression amount of the reporter gene in the transformant cultured in the step (1) to an expression amount of the reporter gene in the transformant free of contact with the test substance.

Abstract: The present invention provides 27 marker genes comprising Orm1, Scarb1, Stmn1, Rad21, Nup54, Jun, Dmp1, Abi1, 6530403A03Rik, Slc2a1, Plf (Plf2, Mrpplf3), Fosl1, Chek1, Pik3r5, JunB, Vegfa, Rif1 (LOC671598), Il1rl1, Phex, Tfrc, Zfhx1b, Rad51ap1, Hells, Mcm3, Orm2, Car13 and Ccnb1, which enables the detection of a tumor promoter in a simple manner and within a short period of time in a test for predicting carcinogenicity as a tumor promoter using a cultured cell. The present invention further provide a tumor promoter detection method using at least one of the marker genes.

Abstract: Provided is a method whereby walnut can be simply, rapidly and accurately separated and distinguished from pecan nut. The method involves a PCR method for specifically detecting nuts of the family Juglandaceae and identifying the matK sequence of pecan nut to thereby discriminate walnut and pecan nut from each other optionally using restriction enzymes.

Abstract: The present invention provides 27 marker genes comprising Orm1, Scarb1, Stmn1, Rad21, Nup54, Jun, Dmp1, Abi1, 6530403A03Rik, Slc2a1, Plf (Plf2, Mrpplf3), Fosl1, Chek1, Pik3r5, JunB, Vegfa, Rif1 (LOC671598), Il1rl1, Phex, Tfrc, Zfhx1b, Rad51ap1, Hells, Mcm3, Orm2, Car13 and Ccnb1, which enables the detection of a tumor promoter in a simple manner and within a short period of time in a test for predicting carcinogenicity as a tumor promoter using a cultured cell. The present invention further provide a tumor promoter detection method using at least one of the marker genes.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for detecting irradiation treatment of foods. The present invention provides a method for detecting irradiation treatment of foods comprising the steps of (A) obtaining a fraction containing one or more irradiation-generated fragments of natural high-molecular weight compound(s) from a food sample, and (B) reacting the fraction with one or more antibodies capable of recognizing the one or more fragments, thereby detecting the one or more fragments. The invention also provides a kit for detecting irradiation treatment of foods.

Abstract: [Object] To newly develop a method whereby walnut can be simply, rapidly and accurately separated and distinguished from pecan nut. [Means for Resolution] Due to the increase in the number of patients with the walnut allergen and the increase of import of pecan nut which is an edible nut belonging to the family Juglandaceae, recently in Japan, the development of a method for detecting walnut and the nut in a discriminative manner is urgently needed. With attention focused on the chloroplast matK gene with the apparent gene sequence, we developed a PCR method for specifically detecting nuts of the family Juglandaceae and identified the matK sequence of pecan nut to establish a method for discriminating walnut and pecan nut from each other using restriction enzymes, for discriminating walnut and pecan nut from each other.

Abstract: Novel cobalt oxyhydroxide is provided with which a positive electrode of an alkaline storage battery having conductivity higher than that of the conventional positive electrodes can be produced, and a method for producing the same is provided. Furthermore, an alkaline storage battery having a high capacity and that can be manufactured easily is provided. The cobalt oxyhydroxide is used for a positive electrode of an alkaline storage battery, in which a first peak corresponding to a crystal plane (003) of the cobalt oxyhydroxide and a second peak corresponding to a crystal plane (012) of the cobalt oxyhydroxide are present on a diffraction line obtained by X-ray diffraction measurement when employing copper K? radiation as a radiation source, a half-power band width of the first peak is 0.6° or less, and a value obtained by dividing a strength of the first peak by a strength of the second peak is 10 or less.

Abstract: The polytrimethylene terephthalate hollow composite staple fibers exhibiting a latent crimping property and high bulkiness and elastic recovery and useful for nonwoven, woven and knitted fabrics and cushioning materials, have a hollow side-by-side or core-in-sheath type structure formed from two polytrimethylene terephthalate resin components one of which has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.50 to 1.40 dl/g and other one of which has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.40 to 1.30 dl/g and 0.1 to 0.5 dl/g below that of the former, and having a hollow part with a cross-sectional area of 2 to 15% of the total cross-sectional area, and exhibit, after the hollow composite staple fibers are formed into a web having a basis weight of 30 g/m2, and the web is heated at 120° C. for 10 minutes to cause the web to freely shrink, an area thermal shrinkage of 30 to 70% based on the original area of non-heated web.

Abstract: The first primer of the invention is a primer which, when used in PCR under appropriate conditions, serves to detectably amplify 16S rRNA-encoding DNAs of bacteria of the Escherichia, Salmonella and Vibrio genera, but when used in PCR under the same conditions, does not serve to detectably amplify either chloroplast 16S rRNA-encoding DNAs or mitochondrial 16S rRNA-encoding DNAs. The second primer of the invention is a primer which, when used in PCR under appropriate conditions, serves to detectably amplify 16S rRNA-encoding DNAs of Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, but when used in PCR under the same conditions, does not serve to detectably amplify either chloroplast 16S rRNA-encoding DNAs or mitochondrial 16S rRNA-encoding DNAs.

Abstract: To provide an alkaline storage battery, a cobalt compound obtained by mixing a cobalt hydroxide powder and a sodium hydroxide powder and applying a heat treatment to the same in an atmosphere containing oxygen, a cobalt compound obtained by adding a sodium hydroxide aqueous solution and an aqueous solution containing an oxidizing agent to a cobalt hydroxide powder, or a cobalt compound obtained by baking a cobalt hydroxide powder in an atmosphere containing oxygen is used. This provides cobalt compounds suitable for producing long-life and highly reliable alkaline storage batteries, methods for manufacturing the same, and positive electrode plates of alkaline storage batteries employing the same.

Abstract: An electric power plant general control system for controlling power generating units. A generating unit (GU2) can operate part of the auxiliaries based on an automation command outputted from a unit computer (UC2) having a sequence function portion. The generating unit operates the remaining part of the auxiliaries based on an operation command outputted from an operation board (OB2) without a sequence function portion, the operation board disposed separately from the unit computer. A general automation computer (GAC) is connected with an upper system of the unit computer, and an operator command is inputted from an interactive apparatus (I/F4). The general control system is provided with a mock-up portion (Moc) equivalent to the sequence function portion disposed on the side of the auxiliaries controlled by the automation command outputted from the unit computer. The operation signal from the general automation computer is outputted to the unit computer and the operation board.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a rubber sheet containing short fibers. The method includes the steps of: mixing short fibers in a flowable rubber matrix; forming the flowable rubber matrix with the fibers therein into a cylindrical shape with a circumferential extent; separating a portion of the circumferential extent from the cylindrical shape, and forming the cylindrical shape with the portion separated into a sheet form.

Abstract: The polytrimethylene terephthalate hollow composite staple fibers exhibiting a latent crimping property and high bulkiness and elastic recovery and useful for nonwoen, woven and knitted fabrics and cushioning materials, have a hollow side-by-side or core-in-sheath type structure formed from two polytrimethylene terephthalate resin components one of which has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.50 to 1.40 dl/g and other one of which has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.40 to 1.30 dl/g and 0.1 to 0.5 dl/g below that of the former, and having a hollow part with a cross-sectional area of 2 to 15% of the total cross-sectional area, and exhibit, after the hollow composite staple fibers are formed into a web having a basis weight of 30 g/m2, and the web is heated at 120° C. for 10 minutes to cause the web to freely shrink, an area thermal shrinkage of 30 to 70% based on the original area of non-heated web.

Abstract: A generation unit general monitor-control system for generally monitoring and controlling electric power generation units (A-3 etc.), the general monitor-control system allocating relations between the electric power generation units and interface devices (11) for monitoring and controlling the generation units.

Abstract: An operation support system for a power plant includes an input unit for inputting measured data of the power plant over a communication network, a data evaluating unit for quantitatively evaluating performance deterioration of the power plant and component equipment thereof and creating operation support data base on the input measured data, and an output unit for outputting the operation support data to a computer for confirming operation support data connected thereto over the communication network.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for detecting irradiation treatment of foods. The present invention provides a method for detecting irradiation treatment of foods comprising the steps of (A) obtaining a fraction containing one or more irradiation-generated fragments of natural high-molecular weight compound(s) from a food sample, and (B) reacting the fraction with one or more antibodies capable of recognizing the one or more fragments, thereby detecting the one or more fragments. The invention also provides a kit for detecting irradiation treatment of foods.

Abstract: A system for operating a plurality of power generation stations. The system comprises: a general control device for monitoring a plurality of power generation stations, each of the stations including at least one electric power generation unit; a plurality of unit control devices, each of which monitoring each of the generation units, the unit control devices producing alarm data; and communication means for exchanging data between the general control device and each of the unit control devices. Only part of the alarm data produced in the unit control devices are displayed at the general control device.

Abstract: An electric power plant general control system for controlling power generating units. A generating unit (GU2) can operate part of the auxiliaries based on an automation command outputted from a unit computer (UC2) having a sequence function portion. The generating unit operates the remaining part of the auxiliaries based on an operation command outputted from an operation board (OB2) without a sequence function portion, the operation board disposed separately from the unit computer. A general automation computer (GAC) is connected with an upper system of the unit computer, and an operator command is inputted from an interactive apparatus (I/F4). The general control system is provided with a mock-up portion (Moc) equivalent to the sequence function portion disposed on the side of the auxiliaries controlled by the automation command outputted from the unit computer. The operation signal from the general automation computer is outputted to the unit computer and the operation board.