Abstract: The external skin care composition of the present invention comprises N-acetylglucosamine and at least one member selected from the group consisting of retinoid and pro-vitamin A. The external skin care composition of the present invention has an effect of promoting the production of epidermal hyaluronic acid and can retain firmness and moisture of the skin.

Abstract: A storage controller of the present invention partitions and allocates a virtual memory area to each of a plurality of functions operating simultaneously. Microprocessors inside a higher-level communications controller can respectively execute a plurality of program products. A virtual memory created using a local memory is partitioned into a plurality of areas. The partitioned areas are allocated to the respective program products via queues.

Abstract: This storage apparatus for providing a dynamically expandable virtual volume to a host system to access the virtual volume comprises an allocation unit for configuring a group with a plurality of disks for providing a storage area to be allocated to the virtual volume, and allocating the storage area respectively from a plurality of the groups to the virtual volume; and a storage area arrangement unit for rearranging the storage area in each of the groups being used by the virtual volume to become optimal among each of the groups based on external operation.

Abstract: A storage system and data management method is provided that improves the reliability and fault tolerance of the hard disks saving data utilizing an AOU function. A storage system comprises a first correlating section for correlating a plurality of RAID groups composed of a plurality of physical disks, and the pool region, a second correlating section for correlating the pool region and the storage regions of the virtual volumes, a first allocation section for allocating first data from the host apparatus to the first storage region of the first RAID group based on write requests from the host apparatus, and a second allocation section for distributing second data from the host apparatus at and allocating the second data to any storage regions of the RAID group, with the exception of the first storage region of the first RAID group allocated by the first allocation section, based on write requests.

Abstract: The present invention relates to An N-acetylglucosamine derivative represented by the following formula (1), and a hyaluronic acid production promoting agent containing the same and a skin external preparation containing the same: wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms; R2, R3, and R4 are hydrogen atoms or acyl groups having 2 to 18 carbon atoms and may be all the same or different from others; the steric structure at position 1 may be ? or ?; provided that R1, R2, R3, and R4 must not be all hydrogen atoms. It is intended to provide an easily available hyaluronic acid production promoting agent and a skin external preparation whereby the production of hyaluronic acid can be promoted in the skin and thus the skin can be maintained in a vital and moist state so that it is expected that the human skin can be prevented from age.

Abstract: A virtualization system, upon judging that a write operation from a higher-level device is an operation to write in the format of the virtual volume, even when the write position of the write operation is in a virtual area different from a virtual area to which an allocated actual area has been allocated, if there is an unused area in the allocated actual area, writes management information to the unused area according to the write operation, and if there is no unused area in the allocated actual area, newly allocates an unallocated actual area, and writes management information to the newly allocated actual area according to the write operation.

Abstract: Galactosylceramide analogues represented by the following formula (1) or (2). (wherein X and Y each represent S or O, R1 and R2 each represent an alkyl group or an alkenyl group each having 9 to 35 carbon atoms. R3 represents an alkyl group or an alkenyl group each having 2 to 30 carbon atoms.) It is provided a ?-glucocerebrosidase activator which is easily available, and external skin preparations and a method of activating ?-glucocerebrosidase, in which improvement in formation of horny layer transmission barrier is expected by activating ?-glucocerebrosidase so that an improved effect in rough skin is also expected.

Abstract: Galactosylceramide analogues represented by the following formula (1) or (2). (wherein X and Y each represent S or O, R1 and R2 each represent an alkyl group or an alkenyl group each having 9 to 35 carbon atoms. R3 represents an alkyl group or an alkenyl group each having 2 to 30 carbon atoms.) It is provided a ?-glucocerebrosidase activator which is easily available, and external skin preparations and a method of activating ?-glucocerebrosidase, in which improvement in formation of horny layer transmission barrier is expected by activating ?-glucocerebrosidase so that an improved effect in rough skin is also expected.

Abstract: A skin cosmetic composition comprising the compound represented by the following formula (1): wherein R1 is hydrogen and R2 is hydrogen or glucose residue.

Abstract: The present invention is a compound represented by the following formula (1) or (2): where one of R1 and R2 is hydrogen and the other one is hydrogen or glucose residue. The compound is effective for reforming obese constitution, suppressing or preventing obesity. It is also effective for skin whitening.

Abstract: The present invention relates to An N-acetylglucosamine derivative represented by the following formula (1), and a hyaluronic acid production promoting agent containing the same and a skin external preparation containing the same: wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms; R2, R3, and R4 are hydrogen atoms or acyl groups having 2 to 18 carbon atoms and may be all the same or different from others; the steric structure at position 1 may be ? or ?; provided that R1, R2, R3, and R4 must not be all hydrogen atoms. It is intended to provide an easily available hyaluronic acid production promoting agent and a skin external preparation whereby the production of hyaluronic acid can be promoted in the skin and thus the skin can be maintained in a vital and moist state so that it is expected that the human skin can be prevented from age.

Abstract: The external skin care composition of the present invention comprises N-acetylglucosamine and at least one member selected from the group consisting of retinoid and pro-vitamin A. The external skin care composition of the present invention has an effect of promoting the production of epidermal hyaluronic acid and can retain firmness and moisture of the skin.

Abstract: Galactosylceramide analogues represented by the following formula (1) or (2).

Abstract: The present invention is a compound represented by the following formula (1) or (2): 1

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a melanogenesis inhibitor and a skin cosmetic composition, which are superior in the effect of preventing pigmentation due to inflammation by selectively inhibiting stimulation of histamine to melanocytes. The object is accomplished by containing a histamine H2 receptor antagonist itself, cable of selectively blocking histamine H2 receptors, or simultaneously containing the histamine H2 receptor antagonist and at least one of histamine release inhibitors and histamine H3 receptor agonists.

Abstract: A cytokine activity enhancer comprising an ethanolamine derivative of the following general formula (I) or a salt thereof, or comprising it along with cytokine or a cytokine production promoter; and also a medicine for diseases with lowered cytokine activity, comprising, as the active ingredient, the cytokine activity enhancer: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is H, --CH.sub.3, --CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)OH or --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OH; R.sub.2 is H, --CH.sub.3, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 or --COOH; and R.sub.3 is H, --CH.sub.3, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 or --CH.sub.2 NH.sub.2.

Abstract: This invention relates to a collagen metabolism ameliorant containing N-methyl-L-serine as an active ingredient, more particularly, a collagen metabolism ameliorant efficacious against collagen hypometabolism caused by aging or diseases accompanied with an abnormal cumulation of collagen, such as hepatic and pulmonary fibroses, keloid, hypertrophic scar, scleroderma, fibrosis in the scalp, or the like. Furthermore, the invention includes a hair growth stimulant containing this collagen metabolism ameliorant.

Abstract: This invention relates to a collagen metabolism ameliorant containing N-methyl-L-serine as an active ingredient, more particularly, a collagen metabolism ameliorant efficacious against collagen hypometabolism caused by aging or diseases accompanied with an abnormal cumulation of collagen, such as hepatic and pulmonary fibroses, keloid, hypertrophic scar, scleroderma, fibrosis in the scalp, or the like.

Abstract: A monoclonal antibody against a procollagenase with a molecular weight of 52000 whose corresponding collagenase cleaves Type I, Type II and Type III collagens, the monoclonal antibody being characterized in, (a) that it belongs to the immunoglobulin class and subclass of G.sub.1 and its L-chain isotype is kappa, and, (b) that it has an inhibitory activity on the collagenase that cleaves Type I, Type II and Type III collagens, and a method for the assay of procollagenase by enzymeimmunoassay utilizing thereof.

Abstract: A process for production of an anti-tumor agent which comprises subjecting the culture cells of the strains belonging to Streptococcus pyogenes in sequence to pasteurization treatment (the first step) and penicillin treatment (the second step), followed by a primary lyophilization (the third step) to obtain an intermediary preparation, and then subjecting the intermediary preparation to penicillin removal treatment (the fourth step), followed by a secondary lyophilization (the fifth step).