Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a peptide having angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity also improved in the taste, and to provide a method of producing an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors comprising at least one of such enzymes. Another object of the present invention is to provide an antihypertensive comprising a peptide having angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity. Thus, the present invention is any of the five peptides represented by the following formula (1) to (5) and the salts thereof, soybean protein hydrolysates containing these peptides and the method of producing these peptides or the salts thereof comprising hydrolyzing soybean proteins with protease D3:(1)Tyr-Val-Val-Phe-Lys; (2)Pro-Asn-Asn-Lys-Pro-Phe-Gln; (3)Asn-Trp-Gly-Pro-Leu-Val; (4)Ile-Pro-Pro-Gly-Val-Pro-Tyr-Trp-Thr; (5)Thr-Pro-Arg-Val-Phe.

Abstract: Achirai pyrimidine derivatives and pyridine derivatives of the following formulae or analogs thereof have selective N-type calcium channel antagonistic activity and showed analgesic action when they were taken orally. They are useful as therapeutic agents for pains and various diseases associated with the N-type calcium channels.

Abstract: A method for preventing decrease of a breast milk amount in a mammal, which comprises administering glutamine to the mammal.

Abstract: The present invention provides pyrazole-O-glycoside derivatives represented by the following formulae, used as a diabetic medicine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing 5′-inosinic acid or 5′-guanylic acid for use in seasonings or the like from inosine or guanosine or a precursor thereof using an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-regenerating microorganism containing a DNA encoding a protein that has the activity of forming 5′-inosinic acid or 5′-guanylic acid from inosine or guanosine. Further, the present invention relates to a novel protein having the inosine-guanosine kinase activity, a gene encoding said protein, a recombinant DNA containing said gene, and a microorganism which is transformed with said recombinant DNA.

Abstract: There is provided a single preparation which directly decreases both of the post prandial blood glucose level and the fasting blood glucose level close to normal levels, by release-sustaining a drug capable of decreasing the post prandial blood glucose level of diabetic patients close to the normal level, or mixing a controlled release drug capable of decreasing the post prandial blood glucose level close to the normal level with an immediate release drug. It is particularly preferable that the drug capable of decreasing the post prandial blood glucose level close to the normal level is nateglinide, repaglinide, or mitiglinide (KAD-1229).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for designing and preparing mutant transglutaminases on the basis of the three-dimensional structure of MTG derived from Streptoverticillium mobaraense (MTG), and the mutant MTG thus prepared. The present invention provides a method for modifying MTG on the basis of the three-dimensional structure, and transglutaminase having reactivity on the substrate improved by the method. In the present invention, the binding site of MTG for the substrate is extrapolated based on the three-dimensional structure obtained by X-ray crystal structure analysis of MTG crystals, and the mutant transglutaminases are designed and produced by replacing, inserting or deleting amino acid residues positioned at the substrate-binding site of the transglutaminase.

Abstract: The present invention provides an NF-kappa B activation inhibitor, an inflammatory cytokine production inhibitor, a matrix metalloprotease production inhibitor, an inflammatory cell adhesion factor expression inhibitor, and an anti-inflammatory agent, an antirheumatic agent, an immuno-suppressive agent, an antiallergic agent, an antiviral agent, or a therapeutic agent for arteriosclerosis, which comprise, as the active ingredient, a cyclopropanecarboxylic acid amide compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof effective for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Abstract: In this application are disclosed a method for producing nutraceutical chips, comprising the steps of: preparing a viscous liquid by use of at least one selected from the group consisting of vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and seaweeds which may have been heat-treated in advance as desired or as required, and a calcium-coagulable edible polymer material, spreading the viscous liquid into thin layers, applying an aqueous calcium salt solution onto the thin layers, whereby the calcium-coagulable edible polymer material is caused to gel, and heat-drying or/and vacuum-drying the resulting thin-film gel products, and a method for producing nutraceutical chips, comprising the steps of: preparing a gel by use of at least one selected from the group consisting of vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and seaweeds which may have been heat-treated in advance as desired or as required, a calcium-coagulable edible polymer material, and a calcium salt, molding the gel into thin films, and heat-drying or/and vacuum-drying the re

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for industrially producing an optically active lysine derivative useful as a pharmaceutical intermediate. More particularly, the present invention provides a production method including protecting an amino group or an amino group and carboxyl group of optically active 2-amino-6-methyl-6-nitroheptanoic acid with a protecting group, reducing a nitro group to synthesize a 6,6-dimethyl lysine derivative and reacting the 6,6-dimethyl lysine derivative with an acetic acid derivative.

Abstract: Dihydroisoxazole derivatives are conveniently converted to &ggr;-hydroxyamino acid derivatives which are important as various synthetic intermediates by a catalytic hydrogenation reaction. High-purity monatins which may be used as sweeteners or ingredients thereof can be obtained by subjecting a 5-indolylmethyl-4,5-dihydroisoxazole-3,5-dicarboxylic acid to catalytic hydrogenation.

Abstract: A method for producing B-type crystals of nateglinide substantially free of H-type crystals is provided, which comprises drying solvated wet crystals of nateglinide at a low temperature until no solvent remains and making a crystal conversion thereof. According to this method, B-type crystals of nateglinide can be produced at an industrial scale without allowing other forms of the crystalline polymorphism to coexist.

Abstract: There is disclosed a woody thermoplastic resin composition which prevents the occurrence of rust on the metal surface in a molding machine and suppresses the generation of a volatile substance as encountered when a woody thermoplastic resin composed of a thermoplastic resin and wood flour was subjected to heat molding and processing. According to the present invention, a specific amount of dolomite is added to a woody thermoplastic resin composed of a thermoplastic resin and wood flour thereby there may be obtained a woody thermoplastic resin composition which has an effect to prevent the occurrence of rust on the metal surface in a molding machine during the molding and processing and to suppress the generation of a volatile substance.

Abstract: A detergent composition comprising (A) 5 to 30% by weight of at least one kind of surfactant selected from the group consisting of an anionic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, and a nonionic surfactant based on the total weight of the composition; (B) 0.1 to 5% by weight of a substance selected from the group consisting of an N-long-chain acyl acidic amino acid and a salt thereof based on the total weight of the composition; and (C) less than 0.2% by weight of a cationic polymer compound based on the total weight of the composition. The detergent composition provided has good foaming property and causes no friction during rinsing, as well as has excellent feeling of use by imparting moistness without tackiness to skin and providing good hair control without stiffness.

Abstract: In a method for producing an L-amino acid by culturing a microorganism having an ability to produce an L-amino acid in a medium to produce and accumulate the L-amino acid in the medium and collecting the L-amino acid from the medium, a Gram-negative bacterium having the Entner-Doudoroff pathway and modified so that 6-phosphogluconate dehydratase activity or 2-keto-3 -deoxy-6-phosphogluconate aldolase activity, or activities of the both are enhanced is used as the microorganism.

Abstract: Specific phenylalanine derivatives or pharmaceutically acceptable. salts thereof have an antagonistic effect on the &agr;4 integrins and, therefore, are usable as therapeutic agents or preventive agents for diseases in which &agr;4 integrin-depending adhesion process participates in the pathology, such as inflammatory diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, Sjögren's syndrome, asthma, psoriasis, allergy, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arterial sclerosis, restenosis, tumor proliferation, tumor metastasis and transplantation rejection.

Abstract: Specified phenylalanine derivatives and analogues thereof have an antagonistic activity to &agr;4 integrin. They are used as therapeutic agents for various diseases concerning &agr;4 integrin.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for deriving an E. coli strain which produces L-theronine from E.coli strain VNIIgenetika 472T23 by transducing with bacteriophage P1 which bears a transposon.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions containing one or more aspartyl dipeptide derivatives represented by formulas (1) and/or (2) mixed with another high intensity sweetner, such Aspartame, sugar, sugar alcohol, and oligosaccharide; food, beverages, and/or medicinal products containing these compositions, methods of using the compositions to impart sweetness in food, beverages, and/or medicinal products to impart sweetness or suppress a bitter taste; and methods of making the compositions and products.

Abstract: A method for producing L-glutamic acid by fermentation, which comprises culturing a microorganism having L-glutamic acid-producing ability in a medium having pH of 5.0 or less, wherein a total content of an organic acid that inhibits growth of the microorganism at the pH is one at which the growth of the microorganism is not inhibited; and a method for producing L-glutamic acid by fermentation, which comprises culturing a microorganism having L-glutamic acid-producing ability at a first pH at which growth of the microorganism is not inhibited by an organic acid in a medium, and then culturing the microorganism at a second pH that is suitable for L-glutamic acid production by the microorganism and is lower than the first pH.