Abstract: An electrolytic cell capable of simply electrolyzing carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and oxygen with low activation energy, and an electrolytic device. The carbon dioxide electrolytic cell includes a cathode, an anode, and a solid electrolyte having oxide ion conductivity. The cathode is the following (A) or (B); (A) a metal and a first mayenite-type compound are included therein or (B) a metal and a second mayenite-type compound are included therein, said second mayenite type compound including a mayenite type compound having electron conductivity.

Abstract: Provided is a method of recovering gaseous hydrocarbons and/or liquid hydrocarbons from underground, characterized by using a polylactic acid) resin comprising an a poly-L-lactic acid component and a poly-D-lactic acid component and having a heat of fusion at 190° C. or higher, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry, of 20 J/g or more, wherein the underground is at a depth of 3,000 m or deeper. According to the recovery method of the present invention, shale gas, shale oil, and the like can be recovered efficiently.

Abstract: A polylactic acid resin composition includes: 0.005 parts by weight to 1.2 parts by weight of a metal phosphate represented by Formula (1): MxHyPOz??(1) (in Formula (1), M is an alkali metal atom or an alkaline earth metal atom, and x, y, and z are integers satisfying 1?x?2, 1?y?4, and 2?z?8, respectively) with respect to 100 parts by weight of a polylactic acid resin including a poly-L-lactic acid component and a poly-D-lactic acid component, wherein a crystallization enthalpy of crystals in the polylactic acid resin is not less than 5 J/g when a temperature of the polylactic acid resin composition is increased to 250° C., and the temperature is kept constant for 3 minutes, followed by decreasing the temperature at a cooling rate of 20° C./min in differential scanning calorimetry.

Abstract: Provided is a method of recovering gaseous hydrocarbons and/or liquid hydrocarbons from underground, characterized by using a polylactic acid) resin comprising an a poly-L-lactic acid component and a poly-D-lactic acid component and having a heat of fusion at 190° C. or higher, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry, of 20 J/g or more, wherein the underground is at a depth of 3,000 m or deeper. According to the recovery method of the present invention, shale gas, shale oil, and the like can be recovered efficiently.

Abstract: A polylactic acid resin composition includes 100 parts by weight of a polylactic acid block copolymer constituted of a poly-L-lactic acid segment(s) containing as a major component L-lactic acid and a poly-D-lactic acid segment(s) containing as a major component D-lactic acid; and 0.05 to 2 parts by weight of a cyclic compound containing a glycidyl group or acid anhydride. The polylactic acid resin composition has better mechanical properties, durability, and heat resistance, as well as excellent wet heat properties and dry heat properties, which are given by the end-capping effect of a cyclic compound containing a glycidyl group or acid anhydride exerted on the polylactic acid resin composition.

Abstract: A method of producing a polylactic acid block copolymer constituted of a segment(s) composed of L-lactic acid units and a segment(s) composed of D-lactic acid units, includes obtaining a mixture by mixing poly-L-lactic acid and poly-D-lactic acid one of which has a weight average molecular weight of 60,000 to 300,000 and the other of which has a weight average molecular weight of 10,000 to 50,000, the mixture having a weight average molecular weight of not less than 90,000 and a degree of stereocomplexation (Sc) satisfying: Sc=?Hh/(?Hl+?Hh)×100>60 (wherein ?Hh represents the heat of fusion of stereocomplex crystals (J/g), and ?Hl represents the heat of fusion of crystals of poly-L-lactic acid alone and crystals of poly-D-lactic acid alone (J/g)); and subsequently subjecting the mixture to solid-phase polymerization at a temperature lower than the melting point of the mixture.

Abstract: A polylactic acid resin composition includes: 0.005 parts by weight to 1.2 parts by weight of a metal phosphate represented by Formula (1): MxHyPOz??(1) (in Formula (1), M is an alkali metal atom or an alkaline earth metal atom, and x, y, and z are integers satisfying 1?x?2, 1?y?4, and 2?z?8, respectively) with respect to 100 parts by weight of a polylactic acid resin including a poly-L-lactic acid component and a poly-D-lactic acid component, wherein a crystallization enthalpy of crystals in the polylactic acid resin is not less than 5 J/g when a temperature of the polylactic acid resin composition is increased to 250° C., and the temperature is kept constant for 3 minutes, followed by decreasing the temperature at a cooling rate of 20° C./min in differential scanning calorimetry.

Abstract: A method for producing a crystallized polyester comprises the crystallization step of applying a shear and/or a pressure to a polyester selected from an aliphatic polyester and a polyalkylene terephthalate at a temperature of (Tm?70° C.) to (Tm+20° C.), where Tm is a melting point of the polyester, thereby converting the polyester into a state having a crystallinity of 10% or more and fluidity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tissue regeneration substrate that has the ability to release a basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and like cell growth factors in a sustained manner, into which cells can easily enter, and that is suitably used for regeneration of tissues. Specifically, the present invention provides a tissue regeneration substrate that comprises a cell growth factor adsorbed in a bioabsorbable porous substrate that contains collagen and gelatin, and a method for producing the same.

Abstract: A biodegradable particle including a block copolymer produced by copolymerization of a biodegradable copolymer having a structure composed of hydroxycarboxylic acid a1, whose homopolymer produced by homopolymerization has a glass transition point of not less than 40° C., and hydroxycarboxylic acid a2, whose homopolymer produced by homopolymerization has a glass transition point of not more than ?40° C.; a water-soluble polymer comprising a functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, amino group and carboxylic acid group at each of both ends; and a polyvalent compound comprising 2 or more functional groups each selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, amino group and carboxylic acid group; wherein a ratio of mass of said structure composed of hydroxycarboxylic acid a2 to mass of said biodegradable copolymer is 30 to 90% by mass.

Abstract: A polylactic acid resin composition includes 0.15 to 0.90 parts by weight of an organic nucleating agent (B) in addition to 100 parts by weight of a polylactic acid resin (A) comprised of a poly-L-lactic acid component and a poly-D-lactic acid component. The polylactic acid resin composition satisfies (i) to (v): (i) amount of a linear oligomer of L-lactic acid and/or D-lactic acid is equal to or less than 0.3 parts by weight; (ii) rate of weight-average molecular weight retention is equal to or greater than 70% after the polylactic acid resin composition is retained in a closed state at 220° C. for 30 minutes; (iii) degree of stereocomplexation (Sc) exceeds 80%; (iv) stereocomplex crystal melting heat quantity ?Hmsc is equal to or greater than 30 J/g; and (v) cooling crystallization heat quantity (?Hc) is equal to or greater than 20 J/g.

Abstract: A biodegradable particle including a block copolymer produced by copolymerization of a biodegradable copolymer having a structure composed of hydroxycarboxylic acid a1, whose homopolymer produced by homopolymerization has a glass transition point of not less than 40° C. and hydroxycarboxylic acid a2, whose homopolymer produced by homopolymerization has a glass transition point of not more than ?40° C.; a water-soluble polymer comprising a functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, amino group and carboxylic acid group at each of both ends; and a polyvalent compound comprising 2 or more functional groups each selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, amino group and carboxylic acid group; wherein a ratio of mass of said structure composed of hydroxycarboxylic acid a2 to mass of said biodegradable copolymer is 30 to 90% by mass.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for reducing the content of a metal catalyst in a biodegradable and absorbable polymer that can be applied on an industrial scale and a method for producing a biodegradable and bioabsorbable polymer having a metal catalyst content of less than 1 ppm in terms of a metal. The method includes the steps of (1) copolymerizing lactide and ?-caprolactone at a molar ratio ranging from 40/60 to 60/40 or 65/35 to 85/15 in the presence of the metal catalyst to produce a copolymer; and (2) washing the copolymer with a mixed solvent comprising acetic acid and isopropanol at a volume ratio ranging from 25/75 to 45/55 or 45/55 to 55/45 at less than 40° C., and drying the copolymer.

Abstract: A polylactic acid block copolymer constituted by a poly-L-lactic acid segment(s) contains as a major component L-lactic acid and a poly-D-lactic acid segment(s) contains as a major component D-lactic acid, the polylactic acid block copolymer satisfying Inequalities (1) and (2): Sc=?Hh/(?Hl+?Hh)×100>80 (1); 1<(Tm?Tms)/(Tme?Tm)<1.8 (2). The polylactic acid block copolymer has excellent transparency, heat resistance and mechanical properties, which forms a polylactic acid stereocomplex.

Abstract: A method of producing a polylactic acid block copolymer constituted of a segment(s) composed of L-lactic acid units and a segment(s) composed of D-lactic acid units, includes obtaining a mixture by mixing poly-L-lactic acid and poly-D-lactic acid one of which has a weight average molecular weight of 60,000 to 300,000 and the other of which has a weight average molecular weight of 10,000 to 50,000, the mixture having a weight average molecular weight of not less than 90,000 and a degree of stereocomplexation (Sc) satisfying: Sc=?Hh/(?Hl+?Hh)×100>60 (wherein ?Hh represents the heat of fusion of stereocomplex crystals (J/g), and ?Hl represents the heat of fusion of crystals of poly-L-lactic acid alone and crystals of poly-D-lactic acid alone (J/g)); and subsequently subjecting the mixture to solid-phase polymerization at a temperature lower than the melting point of the mixture.

Abstract: A method for producing a crystallized polyester comprises the crystallization step of applying a shear and/or a pressure to a polyester selected from an aliphatic polyester and a polyalkylene terephthalate at a temperature of (Tm?70° C.) to (Tm+20° C.), where Tm is a melting point of the polyester, thereby converting the polyester into a state having a crystallinity of 10% or more and fluidity.

Abstract: A connector on an electronic device includes a pair of locking plates, a guide groove, and a space. Each locking plate has, on its edge, a first concave portion, a first convex portion, a second concave portion, and a second convex portion. An intermediate surface for determining a position of an accessory device below the guide groove is provided below the second concave portions and the second convex portions. A contact mounting surface provided with plural contacts is provided below the first convex portions. Guide surfaces for determining a position of the accessory device in the width direction of the guide groove are provided below the first concave portions and the first convex portions.

Abstract: To provide a brain-image diagnosis supporting method or the like. The method is a statistical evaluation method excluding the subjective judgment of an examiner, and enables image diagnosis. The method can present stable judgment criteria with respect to data on brain images imaged by a predetermined method in order to discriminate difficult diseases to diagnose. The method is also effective with respect to relationships which can not be always explained with a simple linear relationship, for example, the relationship between data on brain images imaged by a predetermined method and a disease which is a variable. By applying a predetermined nonlinear multivariate analysis method to data on brain images of a plurality of examinees imaged by a predetermined method and by classifying the data, image diagnosis support using a computer performed with respect to the data on brain images is performed. For example, SOM method is applied as a predetermined nonlinear multivariate analysis method.

Abstract: A connector on an electronic device includes a pair of locking plates, a guide groove, and a space. Each locking plate has, on its edge, a first concave portion, a first convex portion, a second concave portion, and a second convex portion. An intermediate surface for determining a position of an accessory device below the guide groove is provided below the second concave portion and the second convex portion. A contact mounting surface provided with plural contacts is provided below the first convex portion. Guide surfaces for determining a position of the accessory device in the width direction of the guide groove are provided below the first concave portion and the first convex portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a safe biodegradable and bioabsorbable polymer having an extremely low metal catalyst content, while retaining the properties desired for a medical implant or the like; and a process for producing the same. The present invention further provides a method for reducing the content of a metal catalyst in a biodegradable and absorbable polymer that can be applied on an industrial scale. A method for producing a biodegradable and bioabsorbable polymer having a metal catalyst content of less than 1 ppm in terms of a metal comprising the steps of (1) copolymerizing lactide and ?-caprolactone at a molar ratio ranging from 40/60 to 60/40 in the presence of the metal catalyst to produce a copolymer; and (2) washing the copolymer with a mixed solvent comprising acetic acid and isopropanol at a volume ratio ranging from 25/75 to 45/55 at less than 40° C., and drying the copolymer. 13.