Abstract: A fuel assembly for a pressurized water reactor having control rod guide thimbles (5) each having a dashpot (12) for protecting against flexural deformation which may impair insertability of a control rod The fuel assembly includes, a plurality of control rod guide thimbles (5) having bottom and top end portions fixedly secured to a lower nozzle (2) and an upper nozzle (4), respectively, disposed in opposition to each other. The dashpot (12) of each control rod guide thimble (5) includes a small diameter section (13b) having an outer diameter smaller than that of the control rod guide thimble (5) formed at an upper portion of the dashpot (12), and a large diameter section (13a) having an outer diameter substantially equal to that of the control rod guide thimble (5) formed at a lower portion of the dashpot (12). With the length of the control rod guide thimble (5) represented by L, the effective length (S) of the small diameter section (13b) is selected to lie within a range of from 0.03 L to 0.1 L.

Abstract: A method for producing nucleoside-5′-phosphate esters inexpensively and in high yields by phosphorylating a nucleoside with a phospahte group donor using an acid phosphatase having an increased affinity for the nucleoside and/or an increased temperature stability at a pH of pH 3.0 to 5.5, to produce a nucleoside-5′-phosphate ester. Mutant acid phosphatases having increased affinity for nucleosides and/or an enhanced temperature stability are also provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing indan derivatives and comprises a process for preparing cis-1-amino-2-indanol by treating (.+-.)indan-1,2-diol and/or its 2-formate derivative with specific microbes to give optically active 2-hydroxy-1-indanone, converting the optically active 2-hydroxy-1-indanone to its oxime, and treating the oxime with hydrogen or a hydrogen donor in the presence of a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst, a process for preparing optically active 2-hydroxy-1-indanone and/or optically active indan-1,2-diol by treating (.+-.)indan-1,2-diol and/or its 2-formate derivative with specific microbes, and a process for preparing cis-1-amino-2-indanol by treating the oxime of 2-hydroxy-1-indanone with hydrogen or a hydrogen donor in the presence of a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst.

Abstract: A method for producing nucleoside-5'-phosphate esters inexpensively and in high yields by phosphorylating a nucleoside with a phospahte group donor using an acid phosphatase having an increased affinity for the nucleoside and/or an increased temperature stability at a pH of pH 3.0 to 5.5, to produce a nucleoside-5'-phosphate ester. Mutant acid phosphatases having increased affinity for nucleosides and/or an enhanced temperature stability are also provided.

Abstract: Nucleoside-5'-phosphate ester is produced inexpensively and efficiently by allowing an acid phosphatase, especially an acid phosphatase having a lowered phosphomonoesterase activity to act under a condition of pH 3.0 to 5.5 on a nucleoside and a phosphate group donor selected from the group consisting of polyphosphoric acid or a salt thereof, phenylphosphoric acid or a salt thereof, and carbamyl phosphate or a salt thereof to produce nucleoside-5'-phosphate ester, and collecting it.

Abstract: An isolated gene coding for phenylalanine dehydrogenase of a microorganism belonging to a genus selected from the group consisting of the genera Bacillus and Sporosarcina origin; plasmids containing the gene; microorganism transformed with the plasmid, a process for the production of phenylalanine dehydrogenase using the microorganism; and a process for the production of L-phenylalanine using the enzyme.

Abstract: An isolated gene coding for phenylalanine dehydrogenase of a microorganism belonging to a genus selected from the group consisting of the genera Bacillus and Sporosarcina origin; plasmids containing the gene; microorganism transformed with the plasmid, a process for the production of phenylalanine dehydrogenase using the microogranism; and a process for the production of L-phenylalanine using the enzyme.

Abstract: New L-phenylalanine dehydrogenases produced by a microorganism belonging to the genus Sporosarcina or Bacillus, new microorganisms capable of l-phenylalanine dehydrogenase and belonging to the genus Sporosarcina or Bacillus, a process for production of L-phenylalanine dehydrogenase using the microorganisms, and processes for production of L-amino acids using the enzymes or the microorganisms.

Abstract: A herbicidal composition comprising a herbicidally effective amount of N-halogenoacylanilino-fatty acid or the ester derivative thereof represented by the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represents C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 allyl, R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom, alkyl having up to 10 carbon atoms, C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 alkenyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 alkynyl or cyclohexyl, R.sub.4 represents lower alkyl substituted by 1-4 halogen atoms and Y represents C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkylene, as an effective ingredient, and a herbicidally effective inert carrier.