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, members derivatives thereof and/or equol including derivatives thereof.

Abstract: The present invention has the first object to provide a monoclonal antibody specific to interferon ? subtype ?8 (IFN?8) and its mutant proteins, the second object to provide a hybridoma capable of producing the monoclonal antibody, the third object to provide a method for detecting the IFN?8 and its mutant proteins by the monoclonal antibody, the fourth object to provide a method for purifying the IFN?8 and its mutant proteins by the monoclonal antibody, and the fifth object to provide a therapeutic agent for treating diseases whose onsets or exacerbation are related with IFN?8.

Abstract: The present invention has objects to provide a thermostable cellobiose 2-epimerase, its preparation and uses. The present invention attains the above objects by providing a thermostable cellobiose 2-epimerase, a DNA encoding the enzyme, a recombinant DNA and transformant comprising the DNA, a process for producing the enzyme, and a process for producing isomerized saccharides using the enzyme.

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: 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: 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 thermostable cellobiose 2-epimerase, its preparation and uses. The present invention attains the above objects by providing a thermostable cellobiose 2-epimerase, a DNA encoding the enzyme, a recombinant DNA and transformant comprising the DNA, a process for producing the enzyme, and a process for producing isomerized saccharides using the enzyme.

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; 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 aims of the present invention are to provide a lighting device, which can be used as illumination for ordinary life space, and has the functions of activating human serotonin nervous system, substantially not raising noradrenaline level in blood, decreasing aggressiveness, and reducing the factors that induce so-called “kireru” state. The aims are attained by providing a lighting device which radiates light containing near ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength in the range of 320 nm to 380 nm along with visible light.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide an accelerator for mineral absorption and a composition containing the accelerator. The object is solved by providing an accelerator for mineral absorption comprising cyclic tetrasaccharide and/or saccharide derivatives thereof and a composition containing the accelerator.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an immunomodulating agent in gut that can be ingested continuously in daily diet without adverse side effect. The object is attained by providing an immunomodulating agent in gut comprising a cyclic tetrasaccharide as an effective ingredient.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an option of non-reducing saccharide by providing a novel non-reducing saccharide composed of glucose as constituents and to provide 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. The present invention solves the above object by providing a novel cyclic saccharide having a structure of cyclo{>6)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1>4)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1>6)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1>4)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1>}, cyclic maltosylmaltose, novel cyclic maltosylmaltose-forming enzyme, 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 cyclic maltosylmaltose or a saccharide composition comprising the same, and uses thereof.

Abstract: The present invention has the first object to provide a monoclonal antibody specific to interferon ? subtype ?8 (IFN?8) and its mutant proteins, the second object to provide a hybridoma capable of producing the monoclonal antibody, the third object to provide a method for detecting the IFN?8 and its mutant proteins by the monoclonal antibody, the fourth object to provide a method for purifying the IFN?8 and its mutant proteins by the monoclonal antibody, and the fifth object to provide a therapeutic agent for treating diseases whose onsets or exacerbation are related with IFN?8.

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, when calculated based on a profile of powder X-ray diffraction analysis of the particulate composition, and a dynamic vapor sorption level of 0.01% by weight or lower, when kept at 25° C.

Abstract: The objects of the present invention are to provide a method for inhibiting the coloration of a syrupy sweetener, comprising a reducing saccharide together with a non-reducing oligosaccharide having a ?-fructofuranosidic linkage, without deteriorating the taste inherent to the syrupy sweetener; and to provide a syrupy sweetener, comprising a reducing saccharide together with a non-reducing oligosaccharide having a ?-fructofuranosidic linkage, which is stabilized by the method. The present invention attains the above objects by providing a method for inhibiting the coloring of a syrupy sweetener, comprising a reducing saccharide together with a non-reducing oligosaccharide having a ?-fructofuranosidic linkage, which comprises a step of incorporating a lactate into the syrupy sweetener, and by providing a syrupy sweetener, comprising a reducing saccharide together with a non-reducing oligosaccharide having a ?-fructofuranosidic linkage, which is stabilized by the method.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide an external dermatological formulation having satisfactory blood flow-promoting effect, antiinflammatory effect, antibacterial effect, moisturizing effect, whitening effect, UV-absorbing effect, UV-scattering effect, antioxidant effect, hair growing effect, hair nourishing effect, emusifying effect, astringent effect, wrinkle-reducing effect, cell-activating effect and/or transdermal absorption-promoting effect with a satisfactory safety and skin feeling; The object is solved by providing an external dermatological formulation comprising a saccharide derivative of ?,?-trehalose and one or more members selected from substances having any one of blood flow-promoting effect, antiinflammatory effect, antibacterial effect, moisturizing effect, whitening effect, UV-absorbing effect, UV-scattering effect, antioxidant effect, hair growing efect, hair nourishing effect, emulsifying effect, astringent effect, wrinkle-reducing effect, cell-activating effect and transdermal

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 object of the present invention is to provide an ?-isomaltosylglucosaccharide-forming enzyme, process of the same, cyclotetrasaccharide, and saccharide composition comprising the saccharide which are obtainable by using the enzyme; and is solved by establishing an ?-isomaltosylglucosaccharide-forming enzyme which forms a saccharide, having a glucose polymerization degree of at least three and having both the ?-1,6 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end and the ?-1,4 glucosidic linkage other than the linkage at the non-reducing end, by catalyzing the ?-glucosyl-transfer from a saccharide having a glucose polymerization degree of at least two and having the ?-1,4 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end without substantially increasing the reducing power; ?-isomaltosyl-transferring method using the enzyme; method for forming ?-isomaltosylglucosaccharide; process for producing a cyclotetrasaccharide having the structure of cyclo{66)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(163)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a composition of metal ion compound whose inherent and unsatisfactory properties for its industrial application such as deliquescence, reducing power, oxidizing power, low solubility in water, etc., are improved; and their preparation and uses. The present invention solves the above object by providing an associate of trehalose or maltitol and a metal ion compound or bittern component, and their preparation and uses.

Abstract: The present invention has objects to provide a method of inhibiting the 2,3-butanedione formation in order to produce a satisfactorily flavorful processed cacao bean product and an agent for inhibiting the 2,3-butanedione formation which is used for the method, and solves the above objects by providing a method of inhibiting the 2,3-butanedione formation during the process and/or preservation, and an agent for inhibiting the 2,3-butanedione formation which comprises one or more members selected from the group consisting of maltitol, ?,?-trehalose and saccharide derivatives of ?,?-trehalose as effective ingredients.