An office furnishing is provided that may include one or more surfaces coated with an antimicrobial treatment, which may include a silane quaternary ammonium salt and isopropyl alcohol. The silane quaternary ammonium salt may include an unreacted organofunctional silane to promote bonding to the surfaces of the office furnishing, such as 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride. The office furnishing article may include one of: a desk; a chair; a table; a bookcase; a hutch; shelves; an office divider panel; a file cabinet; a fax machine; a telephone; a computer; a keyboard; a monitor; a computer mouse; a book; a lamp; a binder; a stapler; an office stamp; and a desk pad. A method is also provided for coating these office furnishing articles with the antimicrobial treatment.

Provided is a plant disease control composition having a broad spectrum against various plant pathogens, and shows excellent controlling effects (synergistic controlling effects) which cannot be expected from a single component alone. The plant disease control composition comprises (Group a) at least one quinoline compound represented by the formula: ##STR00001##
(wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2: an alkyl which may be substituted, an aryl which may be substituted, etc.; R.sup.3, R.sup.4: H, an alkyl which may be substituted, etc.; X: halogen, an alkyl which may be substituted, etc.; Y: halogen, alkyl, etc.; n: 0 to 4; m: 0 to 6) or a salt thereof, and at least one of fungicidal compounds selected from the group consisting of a Strobilurin series compound, a triazole series compound, etc., as effective ingredients.

The present invention relates to a method for finishing fibers and/or fabrics, the intention being to reduce the adhesion of microorganisms, especially of bacteria and/or yeasts, to the fibers and/or fabrics. The method involves applying a composition ZS comprising selected hydrophilic silane derivatives to the fibers and/or fabrics. The invention further relates to a method for the quantitative determination of the adhesion of microorganisms to fibers and/or fabrics.

Disclosed is an antibacterial agent composition which is highly safe and has excellent antibacterial abilities, by using a silicon-containing compound that is obtained by a specific manufacturing method. The antibacterial agent composition has a more stable antibacterial component, and is capable of imparting antibacterial abilities to teeth, while being also capable of cleaning an article or the mouth. Also disclosed are: an antiviral agent composition which is highly safe and has excellent virus deactivation abilities; an antibacterializing method, a cleaning/mouth rinsing method, each using the antibacterial agent composition or the antiviral agent composition; and a method for fixing an antibacterial agent or an antiviral agent. The antibacterial agent composition may contain a silicon-containing compound which is represented by general formula (1) and obtained by reacting a specific triethoxysilyl compound in an ethanol solvent. ##STR00001##

An optically clear biofouling resistant coating compositions specially formulated for very high light transmission and more particularly coating compositions which can be applied to marine instruments and sensors. The compositions provide a biofouling resistant coating on the surface of the marine instruments and sensors which prevents underwater organisms from adhering and growing on the surfaces of the structures over a long period of time.