Abstract: The present invention has objects to provide a glucan useful as water-soluble dietary fiber, its preparation and uses. The present invention solves the above objects by providing a branched ?-glucan, which is constructed by glucose molecules and characterized by methylation analysis as follows: (1) Ratio of 2,3,6-trimethyl-1,4,5-triacetyl-glucitol to 2,3,4-trimethyl-1,5,6-triacetyl-glucitol is in the range of 1:0.6 to 1:4; (2) Total content of 2,3,6-trimethyl-1,4,5-triacetyl-glucitol and 2,3,4-trimethyl-1,5,6-triacetyl-glucitolis 60% or higher in the partially methylated glucitol acetates; (3) Content of 2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3,5-triacetyl-glucitol is 0.5% or higher but less than 10% in the partially methylated glucitol acetates; and (4) Content of 2,4-dimethyl-1,3,5,6-tetraacetyl-glucitol is 0.5% or higher in the partially methylated glucitol acetates; a novel ?-glucosyltransferase which forms the branched ?-glucan, processes for producing them, and their uses.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a fluid for peritoneal dialysis with satisfactory body fluid removability, high biocompatibility, and improved storage stability, and the object is attained by a fluid for peritoneal dialysis containing one or more saccharides selected from cyclonigerosylnigerose, cyclomaltosylmaltose, and L-ascorbic acid 2-glucoside.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a lipid-regulating agent or a composition for regulating the amount of lipids comprising the agent. The present invention solves the above object by providing a lipid-regulating agent comprising a cyclic tetrasaccharide and/or its saccharide-derivative(s) and a composition for regulating the amount of lipids comprising the lipid-regulating agent.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for enabling the production of a particulate composition containing anhydrous crystalline ascorbic acid 2-glucoside that does not significantly cake even when the production yield of ascorbic acid 2-glucoside does not reach 35% by weight.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide an effective and safe therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases such as sepsis, hepatitis, and inflammatory bowel disease, and solves the above object by providing a therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases containing adenosine N1-oxide or a derivative thereof as an effective ingredient.

Abstract: The present invention has objects to provide an agent for enhancing the effect of skin-whitening ingredients which enhances the skin-whitening action of skin-whitening ingredients and has an improved safeness, and to provide a skin-whitening agent, which contains the above agent and a skin-whitening ingredient(s) and has an improved and enhanced skin-whitening action. The present invention solves the above objects by providing an agent for enhancing the effect of skin-whitening ingredients, which contains one or more members selected from the group consisting of guanine and derivatives thereof as an effective ingredient(s); and a skin-whitening agent which contains the above agent along with a skin-whitening ingredient(s), particularly, one or more members selected from the group consisting of adenine including derivatives thereof and/or equol including derivatives thereof.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a particulate composition containing anhydrous crystalline 2-O-?-D-glucosyl-L-ascorbic acid having a significantly, hardly solidifiable property compared to conventional ones in a grade for use in quasi-drugs; a process for producing the same; and uses thereof. The present invention solves the above object by providing a particulate composition containing anhydrous crystalline 2-O-?-D-glucosyl-L-ascorbic in an amount of over 98.0% by weight but less than 99.9% by weight, on a dry solid basis; or a degree of crystallinity of 90% or higher for anhydrous crystalline 2-O-?-D-glucosyl-L-ascorbic acid; and by providing a process for producing the same and uses thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for enabling the production of a particulate composition containing anhydrous crystalline ascorbic acid 2-glucoside that does not significantly cake even when the production yield of ascorbic acid 2-glucoside does not reach 35% by weight.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a process for producing 2-O-?-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid where 5-O-?-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid and 6-O-?-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid are not formed or formed in such a small amount that the formation of these can nor be detected. The present invention solves the above object by providing a process for producing 2-O-?-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid comprising the steps of allowing ?-isomaltosyl glucosaccharide-forming enzyme together with or without cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase (EC 2.4.1.19) to act on a solution comprising L-ascorbic acid and, an ?-glucosyl saccharide to form 2-O-?-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid and collecting the formed 2-O-?-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a fluid for peritoneal dialysis with satisfactory body fluid removability, high biocompatibility, and improved storage stability, and the object is attained by a fluid for peritoneal dialysis containing one or more saccharides selected from cyclonigerosylnigerose, cyclomaltosylmaltose, and L-ascorbic acid 2-glucoside.

Abstract: The present invention has objects to provide a glucan useful as water-soluble dietary fiber, its preparation and uses. The present invention solves the above objects by providing a branched ?-glucan, which is constructed by glucose molecules and characterized by methylation analysis as follows: (1) Ratio of 2,3,6-trimethyl-1,4,5-triacetyl-glucitol to 2,3,4-trimethyl-1,5,6-triacetyl-glucitol is in the range of 1:0.6 to 1:4; (2) Total content of 2,3,6-trimethyl-1,4,5-triacetyl-glucitol and 2,3,4-trimethyl-1,5,6-triacetyl-glucitolis 60% or higher in the partially methylated glucitol acetates; (3) Content of 2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3,5-triacetyl-glucitol is 0.5% or higher but less than 10% in the partially methylated glucitol acetates; and (4) Content of 2,4-dimethyl-1,3,5,6-tetraacetyl-glucitol is 0.5% or higher in the partially methylated glucitol acetates; a novel ?-glucosyltransferase which forms the branched ?-glucan, processes for producing them, and their uses.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a novel agent for anti-neurodegenerative diseases and solves the object by providing an agent for anti-neurodegenerative diseases containing, as an effective ingredient, the compound(s) represented by the following General formula 1: wherein in General formula 1, R1 through R3 independently represent a hydrogen atom or an appropriate substituent; Z1 represents a heterocyclic ring and Z2 represents the same or different heterocyclic or aromatic ring as in Z1, wherein the heterocyclic and aromatic rings optionally have a substituent; o represents an integer of 0, 1 or 2; p represents an integer of 0 or 1, with the proviso that p is 1 when o is 0 or 2, and p is 0 when o is 1; R1 and R2 do not exist when o is 0, while, when p is 0, R3 does not exist and the binding between the carbon atom to which R2 binds and Z2 is a single bond; X1? represents an appropriate counter anion and q represents an integer of 1 or 2.

Abstract: The present invention has objects to provide a glucan useful as water-soluble dietary fiber, its preparation and uses. The present invention solves the above objects by providing a branched ?-glucan, which is constructed by glucose molecules and characterized by methylation analysis as follows: (1) Ratio of 2,3,6-trimethyl-1,4,5-triacetyl-glucitol to 2,3,4-trimethyl-1,5,6-triacetyl-glucitol is in the range of 1:0.6 to 1:4; (2) Total content of 2,3,6-trimethyl-1,4,5-triacetyl-glucitol and 2,3,4-trimethyl-1,5,6-triacetyl-glucitol is 60% or higher in the partially methylated glucitol acetates; (3) Content of 2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3,5-triacetyl-glucitol is 0.5% or higher but less than 10% in the partially methylated glucitol acetates; and (4) Content of 2,4-dimethyl-1,3,5,6-tetraacetyl-glucitol is 0.5% or higher in the partially methylated glucitol acetates; a novel ?-glucosyltransferase which forms the branched ?-glucan, processes for producing them, and their uses.

Abstract: The present invention has objects to provide a method for inhibiting the formation of volatile aldehydes and/or the decomposition of fatty acids and use thereof. These objects are attained by establishing a method which comprises incorporating an ?-oligoglucosyl ?,?-trehalose(s) to a target product to inhibit the formation of volatile aldehydes per se and/or the decomposition of fatty acids per se in fatty acid-containing products; an inhibitory agent for inhibiting the formation of volatile aldehydes and/or the decomposition of fatty acids, which contains an ?-oligoglucosyl ?,?-trehalose(s) as an effective ingredient; and use thereof to thereby obtain various compositions such as food products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and their materials and intermediates each having a high quality and stability.

Abstract: A non-reducing saccharide by providing a novel non-reducing saccharide composed of glucose as constituents, a novel enzyme forming the non-reducing saccharide, a method and process for producing the same, a DNA encoding the enzyme, a recombinant DNA and transformant comprising the DNA, a composition comprising the non-reducing saccharide, and uses thereof are provided by use of an isocyclomaltooligosaccharide(s) having a structure represented by Formula 1, Cyclo{?6)-[?-D-Glcp-(1?4)]n-?-D-Glcp-(1?}, wherein “n” is 4 or 5.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide an external dermal agent with a sustainable anti-wrinkle action, which has both the action of enhancing the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes in the skin and the action of enhancing the collagen production in the skin, and which assists the maintenance and the improvement of tissue structures and physiological functions of the epidermis and the dermis, whereby providing a remarkable skin improvement effect. The present invention solves the above abject by providing an external dermal agent containing ?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?3?)-adenosine and/or ?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?5?)-adenosine as an effective ingredient(s).

Abstract: The invention provides a process for enabling the production of a particulate composition containing anhydrous crystalline ascorbic acid 2-glucoside that does not significantly cake even when the production yield of ascorbic acid 2-glucoside does not reach 35% by weight.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel starchy substance having a retrogradation-resistance, a process for producing the starchy substance efficiently from a material starch by enzymatic reaction, and uses thereof. The present invention attains the above object by providing branched starch having 6-?-maltosyl- and/or 6-?-maltotetraosyl-structure(s) with a marked retrogradation-resistance, a process for producing the branched starch without lowering the molecular weight of material starch, and uses thereof.

Abstract: The present invention has objects to provide a novel crystalline 2-O-?-glucosyl-L-ascorbic acid and its production process and uses, and solves the above objects by providing hydrous crystalline 2-O-?-glucosyl-L-ascorbic acid, a particulate composition containing hydrous crystalline 2-O-?-glucosyl-L-ascorbic acid, and their production processes and uses.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide an effective and safe therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases such as sepsis, hepatitis, and inflammatory bowel disease, and solves the above object by providing a therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases containing adenosine N1-oxide or a derivative thereof as an effective ingredient.