Abstract: The invention relates to a zoom lens system which is compatible with a TTL optical finder having a diagonal field angle of at least 70° at the wide-angle end and about 7 to 10 magnifications and is fast as represented by an F-number of about 2.8 at the wide-angle end. The zoom lens system comprises a first lens group G1 which is movable along its optical axis during zooming and has positive refracting power, a second lens group G2 which moves toward the image side along the optical axis during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end and has negative refracting power and rear lens groups G3 to G6 having at least two spacings variable during zooming. In particular, the focal length f1 of the first lens group G1 should meet 6<f1/L<20 where L is the diagonal length of an effective image pickup surface I located in the vicinity of an image-formation plane.

Abstract: There is provided a high quality liquid crystal panel having a thickness with high accuracy, which is designed, without using a particulate spacer, within a free range in accordance with characteristics of a used liquid crystal and a driving method, and is also provided a method of fabricating the same. The shape of a spacer for keeping a substrate interval constant is made such that it is a columnar shape, a radius R of curvature is 2 &mgr;m or less, a height H is 0.5 &mgr;m to 10 &mgr;m, a diameter is 20 &mgr;m or less, and an angle &agr; is 65° to 115°. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the lowering of an opening rate and the lowering of light leakage due to orientation disturbance.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical agents for inhibiting the production of 20-HETE which participates in constriction or dilation of microvessels in major organs such as the kidneys and the cerebral blood vessels, or participates in causing cell proliferation are provided.

Abstract: Various human monoclonal antibodies that bind to human LOX-1 and inhibit the binding of in-vivo LOX-1 ligands to LOX-1, and the LOX-1-mediated incorporation of the ligands into cells, were obtained by immunizing human antibody-producing transgenic mice (created by genetic engineering) with soluble human oxidized LDL receptor (LOX-1). Furthermore, the human monoclonal antibodies were found to be effective in preventing and treating a variety of diseases.

Abstract: The invention relates to a zoom lens system which is compatible with a TTL optical finder having a diagonal field angle of at least 70° at the wide-angle end and about 7 to 10 magnifications and is fast as represented by an F-number of about 2.8 at the wide-angle end. The zoom lens system comprises a first lens group G1 which is movable along its optical axis during zooming and has positive refracting power, a second lens group G2 which moves toward the image side along the optical axis during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end and has negative refracting power and rear lens groups G3 to G6 having at least two spacings variable during zooming. In particular, the focal length f1 of the first lens group G1 should meet 6<f1/L<20 where L is the diagonal length of an effective image pickup surface I located in the vicinity of an image-formation plane.

Abstract: A photometric apparatus which satisfies the demands for reductions in the size, thickness and cost and which is highly optioned despite a simple arrangement. A photometric optical system provided separately from a photographic optical system (1) has at least one diffractive optical element (10). The diffraction surface of the diffractive optical element (10) is provided on a convex lens surface to have a converging action. Alternatively, the diffraction surface of the diffractive optical element (10) is provided on a concave lens surface to have a diverging action.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel gene encoding a protein having an excellent catalyst ability for producing (S)-N-substituted cyclic imino acid represented by formula (2): and provides a novel method for producing (S)-N-substituted cyclic imino acid represented by formula (2) by an asymmetric hydrolization of the N-substituted cyclic imino acid ester represented by formula (1): in a manner of gene engineering technology utilizing the novel gene provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel gene encoding a protein having an excellent catalyst ability for producing (S)-N-substituted cyclic imino acid represented by the general formula (2) (=the (S)-cyclic imino acid (2)): 1

Abstract: A method for producing from one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I) of an amino acid represented by Formula (1):R—CH(NH2)—COOH (1), wherein R is defined in the specification, the other of the optical isomers (optical isomer II), said method comprising reacting a biological material which has an ability of converting said one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I) to said the other of the optical isomers (optical isomer II), the isomerism being on the basis of an assymetric carbon atom to which both of an amino group and a carboxyl group are bound and said ability being not inhibited seriously by an amino acid transferase inhibitor &bgr;-chloro-D-alanine, &bgr;-chloro-L-alanine or gabaculine, with said one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I).

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel gene encoding a protein having an excellent catalyst ability for producing (S)-N-substituted cyclic imino acid represented by the general formula (2) (=the (S)-cyclic imino acid (2)): 1

Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic image pickup system that enables a wide image-pickup, and ensures that even when an image is printed, sufficient image quality and clearness are obtained from the center to as far as the margin of the image and the image of a subject is depicted with a sense of extension. The electronic image pickup system comprises an image-formation optical system 10 for forming an image of a subject and an electronic image pickup device 20 located on an image side of the image-formation optical system for obtaining image information on the image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a zoom lens system which is compatible with a TTL optical finder having a diagonal field angle of at least 70° at the wide-angle end and about 7 to 10 magnifications and is fast as represented by an F-number of about 2.8 at the wide-angle end. The zoom lens system comprises a first lens group G1 which is movable along its optical axis during zooming and has positive refracting power, a second lens group G2 which moves toward the image side along the optical axis during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end and has negative refracting power and rear lens groups G3 to G6 having at least two spacings variable during zooming. In particular, the focal length f1 of the first lens group G1 should meet 6<f1/L<20 where L is the diagonal length of an effective image pickup surface I located in the vicinity of an image-formation plane.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a carboxylic acid isomer B represented by the general formula (2): (wherein, L is a C6 to C14 aryl group which may optionally been substituted, C4 to C12 heteroaryl group which may optionally been substituted, C6 to C14 aryloxy group which may optionally been substituted or C4 to C12 heteroaryloxy group which may optionally been substituted, and M is an C1 to C3 alkyl group.), which comprises: allowing a carboxylic acid isomer A represented by the general formula (1):  (wherein, L and M have meanings as defined above.) to contact with a microbiological material having an ability to convert the carboxylic acid isomer A(1) into the carboxylic acid isomer B(2), and the like. According to the present invention, the carboxylic acid isomer B(2) useful as an intermediate of medicines, agricultural chemicals and like can be produced efficiently.

Abstract: A photographic optical system comprising a front lens unit which comprises at least a negative lens element and has negative refractive power as a whole, a rear lens unit which comprises at least two positive lens elements and at least a negative lens element and has positive refractive power as a whole as well as a reflecting member to fold an optical path and an aperture stop which are disposed between the front lens unit and the rear lens unit, and has an adequately defined focal length of the front lens nit and an adequately defined distance along an optical axis between the front lens unit to the aperture stop. This photographic optical system is composed of a small number of lens elements, has a large field angle and exhibits favorable optical performance.

Abstract: A photometric apparatus which satisfies the demands for reductions in the size, thickness and cost and which is highly optioned despite a simple arrangement. A photometric optical system provided separately from a photographic optical system (1) has at least one diffractive optical element (10). The diffraction surface of the diffractive optical element (10) is provided on a convex lens surface to have a converging action. Alternatively, the diffraction surface of the diffractive optical element (10) is provided on a concave lens surface to have a diverging action.

Abstract: There is provided a method for improving optical purity of an amine compound of the formula I: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 indicates a phenyl group which may be substituted or an aralkyl group having 7 to 10 carbon atoms which may be substituted, and R.sup.2 indicates an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which is characterized by contacting a cutlture of a microorganism belonging to Arthrobacter having an ability to preferentially metabolize one optical isomer based on an asymmetric carbon atom to which an amino group bonds in the amine compound of the formula I or a treated product thereof with the amine compound of the formula I.

Abstract: A photographic lens system for compact cameras comprising in order from the object side: a first positive meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side; a second biconcave lens element; a third biconvex lens element; and a stop, wherein at least two lens element including the first lens element have refractive indices not exceeding 1.6. This photographic lens system is configured so as to be manufactured at a low cost and exhibit high optical performance by selecting an adequate focal length for the third lens element.

Abstract: A zoom lens system comprising a plural number of lens units, so adapted as to perform variation of focal length by varying airspace reserved between each pair of the lens units and comprising, in a negative lens unit arranged in a vari-focal lens group, at least one radial GRIN lens component having a concave shape and refractive index lowered as the lens portions are farther from the optical axis toward the outer circumference in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis.

Abstract: A rear converter lens system comprising, in the order from the object side, a first lens component having positive refractive power and a second lens component having negative refractive power, and having aberrations, especially Petzval's sum and chromatic aberration, corrected favorably by using at least one GRIN lens element in the lens system.

Abstract: A zoom lens system comprising a very small number of lens components, having favorably corrected aberrations, comprising two lens groups having positive refractive power and negative refractive power respectively, and so adapted as to perform variation of focal length by varying the airspace reserved between the two lens groups, said lens group having positive refractive power comprising at least one graded refractive index lens component having the shape of a negative meniscus lens and a refractive power distribution wherein refractive indices are lowered as the lens portions are farther from the optical axis in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis.