Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide: a catecholamine production accelerator comprising a natural product as an active ingredient; a therapeutic agent and preventive agent for diseases caused by catecholamine deficiency; and food compositions for the treatment or prevention of diseases caused by catecholamine deficiency. Provided are: a catecholamine production accelerator comprising a dry powder, ground product and/or extract of an earthworm as an active ingredient; a therapeutic agent and preventive agent for a disease caused by catecholamine deficiency; and loud compositions for the treatment or prevention of a disease caused by catecholamine deficiency. It is preferred that the disease caused by catecholamine deficiency be selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly safe tyrosinase inhibitor having excellent tyrosinase-inhibiting action, and a method for producing the tyrosinase inhibitor. The method for producing a tyrosinase inhibitor comprises the steps of contacting a live earthworm with hydroxycarboxylic acid powder, diluting the resulting mixture with water to adjust the pH to 2 to 5, and then leaving the resulting dilution to stand for 3 to 180 minutes, or contacting a live earthworm with an aqueous solution of hydroxycarboxylic acid having a pH of 2 to 5 and then leaving the resulting mixture to stand for 3 to 180 minutes; followed by washing the live earthworm with water, grinding the washed earthworm, and then freeze-drying the obtained ground product.

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly safe tyrosinase inhibitor having excellent tyrosinase-inhibiting action, and a method for producing the tyrosinase inhibitor. The method for producing a tyrosinase inhibitor comprises the steps of contacting a live earthworm with hydroxycarboxylic acid powder, diluting the resulting mixture with water to adjust the pH to 2 to 5, and then leaving the resulting dilution to stand for 3 to 180 minutes, or contacting a live earthworm with an aqueous solution of hydroxycarboxylic acid having a pH of 2 to 5 and then leaving the resulting mixture to stand for 3 to 180 minutes; followed by washing the live earthworm with water, grinding the washed earthworm, and then freeze-drying the obtained ground product.

Abstract: Provided is a simple and easy method of producing an innoxious dry earthworm powder, while suppressing inactivation of the enzymes contained in earthworms. In the method, a homogenate obtained by grinding living earthworms is freeze-dried and the dried product is heat-treated at a temperature of 110° C. or higher but lower than 130° C. Preferably, the method according to the present invention comprises further a process for preparation of the living earthworms, which precedes the grinding step, comprising the steps of: standing the living earthworms under light for 10 to 50 hours; removing the dirt formed on the skin thereof, bringing the earthworms into contact with an organic acid for 30 seconds or less; diluting the acid with addition of water to adjust the pH of the aqueous acidic solution to a pH in the range of 2 to 5; standing the earthworm mixture under the pH condition for 3 to 180 minutes; and then washing the earthworms with water.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a dry earthworm powder without deterioration in useful pharmacological action, by removing dirt on the skin of earthworms while allowing the earthworms to excrete the digest remaining in the digestive tracts efficiently without weakening the earthworms, which comprises the steps of: standing living earthworms under light for 10 to 50 hours, removing the dirt formed on the skin thereof, adding an organic acid to the living earthworms, diluting the acid rapidly with addition of water, adjusting the pH of the aqueous acidic solution to 2 to 5, standing the earthworm mixture for 3 to 180 minutes under the pH condition, washing the earthworms with water, grinding the earthworms into a homogenate, freezing the homogenate at ?18° C. to ?35° C., keeping the frozen homogenate for 20 to 240 hours, and freeze-drying and degassing the frozen homogenate under vacuum simultaneously.

Abstract: Provided is a simple and easy method of producing an innoxious dry earthworm powder, while suppressing inactivation of the enzymes contained in earthworms. In the method, a homogenate obtained by grinding living earthworms is freeze-dried and the dried product is heat-treated at a temperature of 110° C. or higher but lower than 130° C. Preferably, the method according to the present invention comprises further a process for preparation of the living earthworms, which precedes the grinding step, comprising the steps of: standing the living earthworms under light for 10 to 50 hours; removing the dirt formed on the skin thereof, bringing the earthworms into contact with an organic acid for 30 seconds or less; diluting the acid with addition of water to adjust the pH of the aqueous acidic solution to a pH in the range of 2 to 5; standing the earthworm mixture under the pH condition for 3 to 180 minutes; and then washing the earthworms with water.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a dry earthworm powder without deterioration in useful pharmacological action, by removing dirt on the skin of earthworms while allowing the earthworms to excrete the digest remaining in the digestive tracts efficiently without weakening the earthworms, which comprises the steps of: standing living earthworms under light for 10 to 50 hours, removing the dirt formed on the skin thereof, adding an organic acid to the living earthworms, diluting the acid rapidly with addition of water, adjusting the pH of the aqueous acidic solution to 2 to 5, standing the earthworm mixture for 3 to 180 minutes under the pH condition, washing the earthworms with water, grinding the earthworms into a homogenate, freezing the homogenate at ?18° C to ?35°0 C, keeping the frozen homogenate for 20 to 240 hours, and freeze-drying and degassing the frozen homogenate under vacuum simultaneously.

Abstract: An efficient therapeutic medicament in a powdery form for thrombosis and related diseases is prepared by the steps of: removing dirty matters on the body surface and fecal mud in the digestive tracts from live earthworms by keeping them in a slightly acidified water bath at a specified temperature; mashing the cleaned earthworms into a mushy paste; and vacuum-drying the mushy paste of the earthworms by the stepwise temperature elevation up to 70.degree. to 80.degree. C. The results of the clinical tests of the medicament are presented.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the production of dried earthworm powder which comprises the steps of leaving a species of living earthworms in fresh water or a slightly acidic aqueous solution until the alimentary canal thereof is freed of soil, wet-grinding the living earthworms, and freeze-drying and then vacuum-drying the resulting suspension under a vacuum of 10 mmHg or below for 10 to 100 hours while raising the temperature stepwise from -60.degree. C. to 80.degree. C. This dried earthworm powder may be combined with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers to form pharmaceutical compositions which are useful for the treatment or prevention of hyperlipemia, diabetes, hypertension and hypotension in human beings.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the production of dried earthworm powder which comprises the steps of leaving a species of living earthworms in fresh water or a slightly acidic aqueous solution until the alimentary canal thereof is freed of soil, wet-grinding the living earthworms, and freeze-drying and then vacuum-drying the resulting suspension under a vacuum of 10 mmHg or below for 10 to 100 hours while raising the temperature stepwise from -60.degree. C. to 80.degree. C. This dried earthworm powder may be combined with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers to form pharmaceutical compositions which are useful for the treatment or prevention of hyperlipemia, diabetes, hypertension and hypotension in human beings.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a first body and a second body which are openable or separable from each other. The apparatus contains a plurality of developing devices, each of which is movable between its developing position for developing a latent image on an image bearing member of the image forming apparatus and a retracted position where the developing device is retracted from the developing position. At least the developing device that is located at its developing position when the apparatus is closed, is moved away from the image bearing member in response to an operation for opening the second body relative to the first body.

Abstract: A process for producing a composite oxide catalyst comprising at least Sb, Mo, V and/or Nb by the steps of combining and heating the sources of required respective elements, characterized in that a composite oxide represented by the following formula, which has been heated previously at a temperature of 600.degree. to 900.degree. C., is used as at least a part of a source of Sb supply:Sb.sub.p -X.sub.q -Y.sub.r,wherein x represents at least one selected from the group consisting of Ni, Fe, Co and Bi; Y represents at least one selected from the group consisting of Al and Si; p is a numeral of 1-40, q is a numeral of 1-20 and r is a numeral of 0-10, provided that when r is 0, Ni of X is at least partly supplied by nickel carbonate.A catalyst having a large mean pore size is obtained. When the catalyst is used in an oxidation reaction such as air oxidation of acrolein, acrylic acid as the object product can be obtained in high selectivity.

Abstract: A process for regenerating a Mo.Bi-based multi-oxide catalyst the catalytic performance of which has deteriorated as a result of its use in vapor-phase catalytic oxidation of propylene or isobutene to prepare acrolein or methacrolein, respectively, which process comprises: heating the deteriorated Mo.Bi-based multi-oxide catalyst in an atmosphere consisting essentially of air at a temperature of 380.degree. C. to 540.degree. C., so as to attain at least partial restoration of the catalytic performance thereof.

Abstract: A pushbutton tuner wherein a plurality of tilting actuating links are provided for a slide member for causing cores to move in-and-out of coils and the actuating links are adapted to engage setting pins of frequency regulating members respectively, which are provided on button slides actuatable by push buttons, respectively to effect a selection operation, which tuner is characterized in that a pivotal pin fitted in a hole formed in each of the frequency regulating members has a tapering portion and each of the setting pins also has a tapering portion at a portion where the setting pin engages the actuating link associated therewith.

Abstract: A process of producing an electrostatic photographic image by means of X-rays, comprising applying a voltage across two electrodes disposed in opposed parallel relationship, one of the electrodes having a layer of an insulating material on the side thereof facing the other electrode, the space between the insulating layer and the other electrode being filled with an electron or ion emitting liquid. The electrons or ions are generated in the liquid by subjecting the latter to imagewise exposure with X-rays and the electrons or ions are absorbed on the surface of the insulating layer to form an electrostatic latent image. The latent image is then developed with ionized toner to render the same visible.