Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a gelatin formed body having a minimized content of a component harmful to a living body and high biocompatibility with high shaping accuracy, and a gelatin formed body produced by the method. According to the present invention, provided is a method for producing a gelatin formed body, the method including: a step a of forming, on a substrate, a layer containing a powder which is obtained by air-drying an aqueous gelatin solution and has an average particle diameter of 25 to 200 ?m; and a step b of jetting liquid droplets of an aqueous solution containing alcohols having a boiling point of 120° C. or lower toward the layer formed in the step a from a nozzle and flying the jetted liquid droplets so that the liquid droplets are landed on the layer formed in the step a, thereby forming a gelatin formed body.

Abstract: There is provided a method for stably dispersing a naturally occurring free ceramide (in particular, a naturally occurring human-type free ceramide) containing a long-chain fatty acid in the ceramide skeleton in an aqueous phase. More specifically, provided is a ceramide dispersion composition comprising a naturally occurring free ceramide, a nonionic surfactant, a phospholipid, and a C2-6 diol, the mass ratio of the naturally occurring free ceramide to the diol being 1:3 to 25, the naturally occurring free ceramide comprising a free ceramide that contains a fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms in the ceramide skeleton thereof.

Abstract: A water-based cosmetic that includes: (A) ceramidic compound-containing particles that include a ceramidic compound and that are dispersed as an oil phase in an aqueous phase; (B) a fatty acid component composed of at least one selected from the group consisting of fatty acids and fatty acid salts; and (C) a polyhydric alcohol component that includes a first polyhydric alcohol having an IOB of 2.2 or more and a total content in the composition of from 3% by mass to 20% by mass, and a second polyhydric alcohol having an IOB of 2.0 or less and a total content in the composition of 0% by mass or not more than 3% by mass, wherein a total content of surfactant in the composition is 0% by mass or not more than 1% by mass, and a total mass of ceramidic compound in the composition is at least 3.0 times a total mass of the fatty acid component in the composition.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a gelatin formed body having a minimized content of a component harmful to a living body and high biocompatibility with high shaping accuracy, and a gelatin formed body produced by the method. According to the present invention, provided is a method for producing a gelatin formed body, the method including: a step a of forming, on a substrate, a layer containing a powder which is obtained by air-drying an aqueous gelatin solution and has an average particle diameter of 25 to 200 ?m; and a step b of jetting liquid droplets of an aqueous solution containing alcohols having a boiling point of 120° C. or lower toward the layer formed in the step a from a nozzle and flying the jetted liquid droplets so that the liquid droplets are landed on the layer formed in the step a, thereby forming a gelatin formed body.

Abstract: A water-based cosmetic that includes: (A) ceramidic compound-containing particles that include a ceramidic compound and that are dispersed as an oil phase in an aqueous phase; (B) a fatty acid component composed of at least one selected from the group consisting of fatty acids and fatty acid salts; and (C) a polyhydric alcohol component that includes a first polyhydric alcohol having an IOB of 2.2 or more and a total content in the composition of from 3% by mass to 20% by mass, and a second polyhydric alcohol having an IOB of 2.0 or less and a total content in the composition of 0% by mass or not more than 3% by mass, wherein a total content of surfactant in the composition is 0% by mass or not more than 1% by mass, and a total mass of ceramidic compound in the composition is at least 3.0 times a total mass of the fatty acid component in the composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ceramide dispersion which includes (1) ceramide-containing particles which contains a ceramide, which are dispersed in an aqueous phase as an oil-phase component, and which have a volume average particle diameter from 1 nm to 100 nm; and (2) a fatty acid component which is at least one of a fatty acid having a melting temperature not higher than 30° C. or a fatty acid salt; the amount of nonionic surfactant being 0 or not more than 0.1 times the total mass of the ceramide; the amount of an ionic surfactant other than the fatty acid component being 0 or less than 0.05 times the total mass of the ceramide; and the pH being from 6 to 8.

Abstract: A water-based cosmetic that includes: (A) ceramidic compound-containing particles that include a ceramidic compound and that are dispersed as an oil phase in an aqueous phase; (B) a fatty acid component composed of at least one selected from the group consisting of fatty acids and fatty acid salts; and (C) a polyhydric alcohol component that includes a first polyhydric alcohol having an IOB of 2.2 or more and a total content in the composition of from 3% by mass to 20% by mass, and a second polyhydric alcohol having an IOB of 2.0 or less and a total content in the composition of 0% by mass or not more than 3% by mass, wherein a total content of surfactant in the composition is 0% by mass or not more than 1% by mass, and a total mass of ceramidic compound in the composition is at least 3.0 times a total mass of the fatty acid component in the composition.

Abstract: A powder composition of a functional oil material is obtained by drying an emulsion composition comprising at least one functional oil component and (i) at least one water-soluble encapsulating agent selected from saccharide containing at least two sugar units including a fructose unit or (ii) at least one water-soluble encapsulating agent selected from saccharides containing at least one galactose unit and one fructose unit. Food compositions, cosmetic compositions and pharmaceutical compositions are provided which contain the powder composition described above.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a dry analytical element for measurement of pancreatic lipase contained in a body fluid which contains triglyceride of long chain alkyl fatty acid having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, monoglyceride lipase, and a glycerine measurement reagent, and comprises a water-impermeable support and at least one spreading or reagent layer, said method comprising the step of coating an emulsion/dispersion solution of triglyceride with an average particle size of 1 ?m or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ceramide dispersion which includes (1) ceramide-containing particles which contain a ceramide, which are dispersed in an aqueous phase as an oil-phase component and which have a volume average particle diameter from 1 nm to 100 nm, (2) a fatty acid component which is at least one of a fatty acid and a fatty acid salt, (3) a polyhydric alcohol in an amount from 5 to 20 times larger than an amount of the ceramide and (4) a polysaccharide fatty acid ester; and in which the pH is from 6 to 8.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ceramide dispersion which includes (1) ceramide-containing particles which contains a ceramide, which are dispersed in an aqueous phase as an oil-phase component, and which have a volume average particle diameter from 1 nm to 100 nm; and (2) a fatty acid component which is at least one of a fatty acid having a melting temperature not higher than 30° C. or a fatty acid salt; the amount of nonionic surfactant being 0 or not more than 0.1 times the total mass of the ceramide; the amount of an ionic surfactant other than the fatty acid component being 0 or less than 0.05 times the total mass of the ceramide; and the pH being from 6 to 8.

Abstract: To provide an powdered composition containing an oil-soluble component useful for functional foods, suppressing stickiness on the surface of powders, reducing powder-aggregation and being produced in high yield and upon dispersion in an aqueous medium, stably forming finely emulsified particles of 150 nm or less, as well as a packaged powdered composition storable for a long period without aggregating the powder or denaturing the component; A powdered composition obtained by drying an emulsion composition containing an oil-soluble component and an emulsifier, wherein the melting point of the emulsifier is 45° C. or more, and the ratio of the emulsifier to the oil-soluble component is 0.5 to 1.5, as well as a packaged powdered composition comprising the same sealed in a packaging material having an oxygen transmission rate of 50 mL/m2/atm/day or less and a moisture transmission degree of 40 g/m2/day or less in the presence of a deoxidant and a desiccant.

Abstract: A ceramide dispersion, which includes at least: natural-ceramide-containing particles that are dispersed in an aqueous phase as an oil-phase component; and at least one surfactant, wherein the natural-ceramide-containing particles contain one or more natural ceramides in an amount of 50% by mass or higher with respect to the total mass of the oil components contained in an oil phase, and have a volume average particle diameter of from 0.5 nm to 100 nm; and the ceramide dispersion contains, in the at least one surfactant, at least one polyglycerin fatty acid ester having an HLB of from 10 to 16.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire is described having a designated rotational direction, wherein drainage grooves in a tread portion are positioned on each side of a tire equatorial line extending at an angle in a direction opposite the rotational direction while curving towards an outside in the tire width direction. An inclination angle ?1 to the tire circumferential direction at the terminal center position of the leading side of the drainage grooves is from 0° to 45°, while an inclination angle ?4 to the tire circumferential direction at the terminal center position of the trailing side of the drainage grooves is from 65° to 90°. Land portions defined by a rib section continuously extend along the tire equatorial line and are further defined by a plurality of branched sections continuously extending and branched from the rib section towards the outside in the tire width direction.

Abstract: A topical composition for external use comprising: a ceramide analogue-containing particle having a particle diameter of 0.001 ?m to 0.2 ?m; and a water-soluble polymer. It is preferable that, further, an oil component different from the ceramide analogue is contained in an amount of 20 parts by mass or less relative to 1 part by mass of the ceramide analogue-containing particle, and the ceramide analogue-containing particle is present in the oil component.

Abstract: A water-soluble organic solvent solution containing a natural ingredient that has been extracted from a natural animal or plant using a water-soluble organic solvent and an aqueous solution are passed through respective microflow channels each of which has a cross-sectional area at a narrowest portion of from 1 ?m2 to 1 mm2; and thereafter mixed by a counter collision. Preferably, the water-soluble organic solvent is removed after the mixing. Also provided are a food, a skin external preparation, and a drug, each of which contains an emulsion or dispersion obtained thereby.

Abstract: A powder composition of a functional oil material is obtained by drying an emulsion composition comprising at least one functional oil component and (i) at least one water-soluble encapsulating agent selected from saccharide containing at least two sugar units including a fructose unit or (ii) at least one water-soluble encapsulating agent selected from saccharides containing at least one galactose unit and one fructose unit. Food compositions, cosmetic compositions and pharmaceutical compositions are provided which contain the powder composition described above.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a dry analytical element for measurement of pancreatic lipase contained in a body fluid which contains triglyceride of long chain alkyl fatty acid having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, monoglyceride lipase, and a glycerine measurement reagent, and comprises a water-impermeable support and at least one spreading or reagent layer, said method comprising the step of coating an emulsion/dispersion solution of triglyceride with an average particle size of 1 ?m or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides that a method for preparing an emulsion or a dispersion composed of an oily phase and an aqueous phase by contacting the oily phase with the aqueous phase, the method comprising: injecting the oily phase, which contains a water-soluble organic solvent and at least one hydrophobic functional ingredient and in which the content of a surfactant is approximately 0.1% by mass or less based on the total mass of the oily phase, into the aqueous phase such that the Reynolds number of the oily phase immediately before contact with the aqueous phase is approximately 1,000 or more, and that foodstuffs, a skin external and a medicament which contain an emulsion or a dispersion prepared by the method described above.