Abstract: A wide-angle imaging lens comprises, in order from an object: a first lens having a negative refractive power; a second lens having a positive refractive power with a convex face directed to the object; an aperture diaphragm; a third lens having a positive refractive power with a convex face directed to an image; and a fourth lens having a positive refractive power with a convex face directed to the object, wherein the following conditional expressions are satisfied. N2?1.7 ??(1) N3?1.7 ??(2) N4?1.7 ??(3) when N2: a refractive index of the second lens at the d-line N3: a refractive index of the third lens at the d-line N4: a refractive index of the fourth lens at the d-line.

Abstract: An image scanning lens includes, arranged in order from the object side, a first lens element having negative refractive power and a meniscus shape with its convex surface on the object side, a biconvex second lens element and a biconcave third lens element that are cemented together, a stop, a biconcave fourth lens element and a biconvex fifth lens element that are cemented together, and a sixth lens element having negative refractive power and a meniscus shape with its convex surface on the image side. The image scanning lens may include only these six lens elements. The image scanning lens satisfies certain conditions related to the focal lengths of the first lens element, the second and third lens elements together, the entire image scanning lens, radii of curvature of various surfaces, and anomalous dispersion of various lens elements. An image reader with an image pickup device, such as a CCD, uses the image scanning lens.

Abstract: A coupling optical system for coupling light into an optical fiber of an optical communications system includes a liquid that includes a dispersion of microscopic particles and two transparent media that hold the liquid between them along an optical axis. The refractive power of the liquid is variable according to the electromagnetic field applied to the liquid to vary the migration of the microscopic particles of the dispersion within the liquid. The position of a light collecting point of the coupling optical system is adjustable based on the variation in the refractive power of the liquid so that light can be efficiently coupled into optical fibers at different distances along the optical axis from the coupling optical system. At the light collecting point, the end surface of an optical fiber collects light from a light source or another optical fiber. One or more collimator lenses may help converge the light.

Abstract: An image reading lens is provided and includes: in order from an object side of the image reading lens, a first negative lens having a meniscus shape; a second lens having a double-convex shape; an aperture stop; a third positive lens having a meniscus shape with a convex surface on an image side of the image reading lens; and a fourth negative lens having a meniscus shape with a concave surface on the object side.

Abstract: A portal site providing machine 20 obtains web pages provided by websites A–E at regular time intervals, and compares the latest web pages with the old web pages obtained last time. Then, the item-by-item comparison is made between the latest and old web pages to determine the degree of updating of the contents. The portal site providing machine 20 provides a portal page which contains images representing respective sites A–E with corresponding size and arrangement according to the degrees of updating.

Abstract: A coupling optical system for coupling light into an optical fiber of an optical communications system includes a liquid that includes a dispersion of microscopic particles and two transparent media that hold the liquid between them along an optical axis. The refractive power of the liquid is variable according to the electromagnetic field applied to the liquid to vary the migration of the microscopic particles of the dispersion within the liquid. The position of a light collecting point of the coupling optical system is adjustable based on the variation in the refractive power of the liquid so that light can be efficiently coupled into optical fibers at different distances along the optical axis from the coupling optical system. At the light collecting point, the end surface of an optical fiber collects light from a light source or another optical fiber. One or more collimator lenses may help converge the light.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a novel protein that is an Al-activated malate transporter of a plant, and to provide a gene encoding the protein. To deal with this object, present invention provides ALMT1-1 gene, a novel gene derived from wheat, and ALMT1-1 protein encoded by the gene. The ALMT1-1 protein is a protein functioning as aluminum-activated malate transporter. As malate forms complex with Al to inactivate the Al ion, the ALMT1-1 protein is involved in Al tolerance of a plant. Therefore, Al tolerance can be rendered to a plant using the ALMT1-1 gene that encodes the ALMT1-1 protein.

Abstract: A lens is equipped with a reference mounting surface that is abutted to a surface of a lens support member at the time of mounting the lens, wherein the reference mounting surface is arranged between a plane which is normal to the optical axis of the lens and includes a principal point on the incident light side of the lens and a plane which is normal to the optical axis of the lens and includes a principal point on the outgoing light side of the lens.

Abstract: An image scanning lens includes, arranged in order from the object side, a first lens element having negative refractive power and a meniscus shape with its convex surface on the object side, a biconvex second lens element and a biconcave third lens element that are cemented together, a stop, a biconcave fourth lens element and a biconvex fifth lens element that are cemented together, and a sixth lens element having negative refractive power and a meniscus shape with its convex surface on the image side. The image scanning lens may include only these six lens elements. The image scanning lens satisfies certain conditions related to the focal lengths of the first lens element, the second and third lens elements together, the entire image scanning lens, radii of curvature of various surfaces, and anomalous dispersion of various lens elements. An image reader with an image pickup device, such as a CCD, uses the image scanning lens.

Abstract: An image scanning lens includes four lens components that may include five lens elements as follows: a first lens element having negative refractive power and a meniscus shape with its convex surface on the object side, a second lens element having positive refractive power and a meniscus shape with its convex surface on the object side, a stop, a third biconcave lens element cemented to a fourth biconvex lens element, and a fifth lens element having negative refractive power and a meniscus shape with its concave surface on the object side. The image scanning lens satisfies certain conditions related to the focal lengths of the first, second, and third lens components of the image scanning lens and to the anomalous dispersion of the second lens element. An image scanning device, such as an image scanner, with an image pickup device, such as a CCD, uses the image scanning lens.

Abstract: An image scanning lens includes four lens components that may include five lens elements as follows: a first lens element having negative refractive power and a meniscus shape with its convex surface on the object side, a second lens element having positive refractive power and a meniscus shape with its convex surface on the object side, a stop, a third biconcave lens element cemented to a fourth biconvex lens element, and a fifth lens element having negative refractive power and a meniscus shape with its concave surface on the object side. The image scanning lens satisfies certain conditions related to the focal lengths of the first, second, and third lens components of the image scanning lens and to the anomalous dispersion of the second lens element. An image scanning device, such as an image scanner, with an image pickup device, such as a CCD, uses the image scanning lens.

Abstract: A target substance is produced by culturing a bacterium which has the ability to produce the target substance in a medium to cause accumulation of said target substance in the medium and collecting the target substance from the medium, wherein the bacterium is modified so that a system for uptake of a byproduct of the target substance or a substrate for a biosynthesis system of the target substance into the bacterial cell.

Abstract: An image scanning lens includes four lens components, each of which may be a lens element. From the object side of the image scanning lens, the first lens component has positive refractive power and a meniscus shape with the convex surface on the object side, the second lens component has a biconcave shape, the third lens component has a biconvex shape, and the fourth lens component has negative refractive power and a concave surface on the object side and may be a meniscus lens or a biconcave lens component. The image scanning lens satisfies certain conditions related to the focal lengths of the first, second, and fourth lens components of the image scanning lens and to the relative partial dispersions of the lens elements. An image scanning device, such as an image scanner, with an image pickup device, such as a CCD, uses the image scanning lens.

Abstract: In a data transfer apparatus, an operation cycle number required to transfer data is reduced. Since data transfer control means 110 is provided which controls access timing with respect to a transfer source and a transfer destination based upon transfer latency information 591 and 592, data outputted from a transfer source device 121 is directly acquired to a transfer destination device 122. As a result, data transfer time can be omitted which is required to temporarily store data into a data buffer, and since the data buffer is omitted, a circuit scale can be reduced and also data transfer time can be shortened.

Abstract: An image scanning lens includes four lens components, each of which may be a lens element. From the object side of the image scanning lens, the first lens component has positive refractive power and a meniscus shape with the convex surface on the object side, the second lens component has a biconcave shape, the third lens component has a biconvex shape, and the fourth lens component has negative refractive power and a concave surface on the object side and may be a meniscus lens or a biconcave lens component. The image scanning lens satisfies certain conditions related to the focal lengths of the first, second, and fourth lens components of the image scanning lens and to the relative partial dispersions of the lens elements. An image scanning device, such as an image scanner, with an image pickup device, such as a CCD, uses the image scanning lens.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a novel protein that is an Al-activated malate transporter of a plant, and to provide a gene encoding the protein. To deal with this object, present invention provides ALMT1-1 gene, a novel gene derived from wheat, and ALMT1-1 protein encoded by the gene. The ALMT1-1 protein is a protein functioning as aluminum-activated malate transporter. As malate forms complex with Al to inactivate the Al ion, the ALMT1-1 protein is involved in Al tolerance of a plant. Therefore, Al tolerance can be rendered to a plant using the ALMT1-1 gene that encodes the ALMT1-1 protein.

Abstract: A portal site providing machine 20 obtains web pages provided by websites A-E at regular time intervals, and compares the latest web pages with the old web pages obtained last time. Then, the item-by-item comparison is made between the latest and old web pages to determine the degree of updating of the contents. The portal site providing machine 20 provides a portal page which contains images representing respective sites A-E with corresponding size and arrangement according to the degrees of updating.

Abstract: Fine metallic particles-containing fibers with various fine metallic particles therein, which have fiber properties to such degree that they can be processed and worked, and which can exhibit various functions of the fine metallic particles, such as antibacterial deodorizing and electroconductive properties are provided, as well as a method for producing the same.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fiber capable of basic gas absorption and easy regeneration. Disclosed also herein is a process for producing said fiber. The basic gas absorptive fiber is an acrylic fiber characterized by a specific amount of nitrogen which is increased by crosslinking with hydrazine, a specific amount of carboxyl groups and amido groups resulting from modification of nitrile groups, and a specific value of tensile strength. It is prepared from acrylic fiber by crosslinking with hydrazine and subsequent hydrolysis and conversion of hydroxyl groups into carboxylic acid. It has good processability and can be used repeatedly.

Abstract: Fine particles (having a particle diameter smaller than 10 .mu.m) of crosslinked acrylonitrile polymer capable of absorbing and releasing a large amount of moisture, in which the acrylonitrile polymer is crosslinked with hydrazine such that the nitrogen content increases by 1.0-15.0 wt % and there being introduced salt type carboxyl groups in an amount of 1.0 mmol/g or more into a part of the remaining nitrile groups. Said fine particles are prepared by treating an emulsion of acrylonitrile polymer with hydrazine so that crosslinks are formed in the acrylonitrile polymer and the nitrogen content increases by 1.0-15.0 wt % and then hydrolyzing the crosslinked acrylonitrile polymer so as to introduce more than 1.0 mmol/g of carboxyl groups in salt form into nitrile groups remaining uncrosslinked and to introduce amide groups to the rest of nitrile groups.