Abstract: A vehicle fuel cap of the present invention comprises a casing body for opening/closing a filler opening of a filler neck communicating with a fuel tank; and a lid that is equipped at an upper portion of the casing body and is formed of a conductive material, and the vehicle fuel cap forms a discharge portion in the lid for discharging static charged in the lid to the filler neck, wherein the discharge portion comprises a projection form provided on an inner peripheral face of the lid opposite to an outer peripheral edge of the filler opening, and on the inner peripheral face a longitudinal groove is formed at both sides of the discharge portion and along an axial direction of the casing body.

Abstract: A first method for producing glucan comprises the step of allowing a reaction solution containing sucrose, a primer, inorganic phosphate or glucose-1-phosphate, sucrose phosphorylase, and glucan phosphorylase to react to produce glucans. The maximum value of the sucrose-phosphate ratio of the reaction solution from the start of the reaction to the end of the reaction is no more than about 17. A second method for producing glucan comprises the step of allowing a reaction solution containing sucrose, a primer, inorganic phosphate or glucose-1-phosphate, sucrose phosphorylase, and glucan phosphorylase to react to produce glucans. The reaction is conducted at a temperature of about 40 C to about 70 C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a biodegradable article formed from enzyme-synthesized amylose using phosphorylase, wherein the enzyme-synthesized amylose is composed of glucose monomers exclusively bonded by &agr;-1,4-glucosidic likage and has a weight average molecular weight of not less than 100 kDa, preferable not less than 600 kDa. The enzyme-synthesized amylose employed in the present invention has a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of not more than 1.25 and can be chemically modified if desired.

Abstract: A method for activating a denatured protein, includes the steps of: adding a detergent to the denatured protein to allow a protein-detergent complex to be formed; and adding high-molecular weight amylose to the protein-detergent complex so that the high-molecular weight amylose removes the detergent.

Abstract: A method for activating a denatured protein, includes the steps of: adding a detergent to the denatured protein to allow a protein-detergent complex to be formed; and adding high-molecular weight amylose to the protein-detergent complex so that the high-molecular weight amylose removes the detergent.

Abstract: A method for activating a denatured protein, includes the steps of: adding a detergent to the denatured protein to allow a protein-detergent complex to be formed: and adding high-molecular weight amylose to the protein-detergent complex so that the high-molecular weight amylose removes the detergent.

Abstract: Glucan with a degree of polymerization of 50 or more includes an inner branched cyclic structure portion and an outer branched structure portion, and methods for producing the same.

Abstract: A fuel tank system includes a fuel tank, a fuel filler pipe connected to the fuel tank, a shutter assembly disposed in the fuel filler pipe, the shutter assembly being openable by a refueling nozzle to be inserted into the fuel filler pipe, a guide disposed in the fuel filler pipe for guiding the inserted refueling nozzle toward the shutter assembly, an engagement member disposed in the fuel filler pipe and angularly movable through a constant angle by being engaged by the refueling nozzle inserted in the fuel filler pipe and guided to the shutter assembly, and a fuel vapor venting mechanism including an on-off valve responsive to the angular movement of the engagement member for providing fluid communication between the fuel tank and an associated mechanism such as a canister. The engagement member is positioned between the guide and the shutter assembly.