Abstract: A grafting technique effective for crops such as soybean and plants of the Poaceae family including rice, wheat, corn, etc. and a method of grafting crops of the present invention comprising the steps of replacing a radicle of a dry dormant seed with a radicle of another dormant seed capable of achieving grafting, and thereafter, germinating the seed.

Abstract: Provided is a glucose derivative, which is taken into cells via a membrane sugar transport system and is represented by formula (1). Also provided are an imaging agent and an imaging method for a cell or intracellular molecule using said glucose derivative. Further provided are a method for detecting cancer cells with good accuracy using said glucose derivative and an imaging agent to be used in said method. More specifically provided are D-glucose derivatives and L-glucose derivatives in which glucose is bound to the 7-position of a fluorescent molecular group with a coumarin backbone or a quinolone backbone. Also provided are a cell imaging agent and imaging method using the derivative. A cancer cell imaging agent and imaging method using the L-glucose derivative is also provided. G is a group selected from formulas (G1)-(G4) below.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide a phospholipid ?-linolenic acid composition of consistent quality and having a stable supply of source material, with focus on Torula yeast, which is edible and recognized as safe, in order to resolve issues with omega 3 sources. [Means for Solving the Problem] As a result of intensive study to resolve the above-noted issues, the inventors of the present invention have discovered that a phospholipid ?-linolenic acid composition can be obtained using residue of yeast extract extracted from Torula yeast (Candida utilis), for example, which is currently produced in large quantities for application in foods, and so arrived at the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention was made in view of an object to produce a novel proteoglycan-containing material, and find a novel use and/or a superior effect of the proteoglycan-containing material. The present invention provides a proteoglycan-containing material obtained from fish cartilage, wherein the proteoglycan-containing material comprises an acidic saccharide component having a molecular weight of not less than 2000 kDa. The proteoglycan-containing material provides advantageous effects for skin-moisturizing and skin anti-aging, including a superior skin fibroblast proliferation effect, an effect of enhancing and improving the skin barrier function, an effect of enhancing and improving the skin's capability to produce collagen, a dermis-thickening inhibition effect, and the like.

Abstract: Fluorine-containing titanium oxide—nano-silica composite particles comprising a condensate of a fluorine-containing alcohol and an alkoxysilane, and titanium oxide and nano-silica particles, wherein the fluorine-containing alcohol is represented by the general formula: RF—A—OH??[I] (wherein RF is a perfluoroalkyl group having 6 or less carbon atoms, or a polyfluoroalkyl group, in which some of the fluorine atom or atoms of the perfluoroalkyl group are replaced by a hydrogen atom or atoms, and which contains a terminal perfluoroalkyl group having 6 or less carbon atoms and a perfluoroalkylene group having 6 or less carbon atoms; and A is an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms).

Abstract: A method for producing a magnetostrictive material and a method for increasing the value of magnetostriction can increase the value of magnetostriction of magnetostrictive materials used, for example, in vibration power generation and force sensors utilizing inverse magnetostriction phenomenon. A magnetostrictive material having a value of magnetostriction of 100 ppm or more is produced by melting and casting an alloy material in the composition of range of 67-87 wt % Co with the balance consisting of Fe and unavoidable impurities and then performing hot forging. Furthermore, a magnetostrictive material having a value of magnetostriction of 130 ppm or more can be produced by performing cold rolling after the hot forging. Heat treatment at 400-1000° C. may also be performed after hot working or cold working.

Abstract: The present invention has an object of providing a sugar derivative emitting blue fluorescence color which can be used for imaging of cells or intracellular molecules and a method for imaging cells using the derivative. Further, the present invention has an object of providing a method for detecting cancer cells at high accuracy by imaging, and an imaging agent used for this method. The present invention provides a fluorescently labeled sugar derivative having 3-carboxy-6,8-difluoro-7-hydroxycoumarin or 3-carboxymethyl-6,8-difluoro-7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin as a fluorescent molecular group in its molecule, and a cell imaging agent and an imaging method using the derivative. Further, the present invention provides an imaging agent and an imaging method for cancer cells using an L-glucose derivative having the above-described fluorescent molecular group in its molecule.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for distinguishing between prostate carcinoma and benign prostatic hyperplasia with high sensitivity and good reproducibility using a small amount of an analyte sample.

Abstract: There is provided a highly branched hydrocarbon based surfactant for stabilizing a water/supercritical carbon dioxide microemulsion. A surfactant comprising: a sulfate compound of Formula (1): R1—OSO3M??(1) (where R1 is a C6-30 hydrocarbon group having a branched chain; and M is a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, ammonium, a basic amino acid residue, an alkanolamine residue having a C2-3 hydroxyalkyl group, or an aliphatic alkanolammonium) for stabilizing a water/supercritical carbon dioxide microemulsion.

Abstract: There is provided a highly branched hydrocarbon based surfactant for stabilizing a water/supercritical carbon dioxide microemulsion. A surfactant comprising: a sulfate compound of Formula (1): R1—OSO3M??(1) (where R1 is a C6-30 hydrocarbon group having a branched chain; and M is a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, ammonium, a basic amino acid residue, an alkanolamine residue having a C2-3 hydroxyalkyl group, or an aliphatic alkanolammonium) for stabilizing a water/supercritical carbon dioxide microemulsion.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for highly accurately detecting a cancer cell. The method of the present invention is characterized by comprising imaging with the use of a fluorescently labeled L-glucose derivative. By using the method and imaging agent according to the present invention, a high contrast between a cancer cell and a normal cell can be obtained compared with the case that imaging is conducted with the use of a fluorescently labeled D-glucose derivative. According to this method, moreover, no fasting is needed for the determination. Thus, the imaging can be quickly carried out without imposing a burden on a patient.

Abstract: The present invention was made in view of an object to produce a novel proteoglycan-containing material, and find a novel use and/or a superior effect of the proteoglycan-containing material. The present invention provides a proteoglycan-containing material obtained from fish cartilage, wherein the proteoglycan-containing material comprises an acidic saccharide component having a molecular weight of not less than 2000 kDa. The proteoglycan-containing material provides advantageous effects for skin-moisturizing and skin anti-aging, including a superior skin fibroblast proliferation effect, an effect of enhancing and improving the skin barrier function, an effect of enhancing and improving the skin's capability to produce collagen, a dermis-thickening inhibition effect, and the like.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to obtain a useful extract from aquatic animal tissues. The present invention provides a fish cartilage water extract containing a proteoglycan having a molecular weight of not less than 2,500,000 (250×104). The extract has a superior skin anti-aging effect (in particular, anti-inflammatory effect, skin barrier functionality improving effect, and skin water-retention ability improving effect). Moreover, the fish cartilage water extract of the present invention provides these effects not only through application to skin but also through oral administration.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to efficiently extract proteoglycan from aquatic animal tissues. The method of the present invention is a method for extracting proteoglycan from fish cartilage, comprising the step of (A) heating small pieces of frozen fish cartilage in water. This method of the present invention enables easy extraction of proteoglycan from fish cartilage with very high efficiency. In particular, the method of the present invention enables extraction of high-molecular-weight proteoglycan. Further, since in the method of the present invention, extraction is performed using only water, it ensures safety in the extraction and safety of the resulting proteoglycan product, compared with hitherto known extraction methods using organic solvents or acids/alkali. Furthermore, the cumbersome step of removing organic solvents is not necessary in the method of the present invention.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for transforming a plant by grafting of a rootstock and a scion, and using siRNA for initiating transcriptional gene silencing. The method for transforming a plant by grafting of a rootstock and a scion of the present invention as a means for resolution is characterized in that siRNA for initiating transcriptional gene silencing is produced in a scion, the siRNA produced in the scion is transported to a rootstock by grafting, and the rootstock is transformed by initiating transcriptional gene silencing therein.

Abstract: There is provided a highly branched hydrocarbon based surfactant for stabilizing a water/supercritical carbon dioxide microemulsion. A surfactant comprising: a sulfate compound of Formula (1): R1—OSO3M ??(1) (where R1 is a C6-30 hydrocarbon group having a branched chain; and M is a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, ammonium, a basic amino acid residue, an alkanolamine residue having a C2-3 hydroxyalkyl group, or an aliphatic alkanolammonium) for stabilizing a water/supercritical carbon dioxide microemulsion.

Abstract: A surfactant for water/supercritical carbon dioxide microemulsions that can achieve high water dispersion ability, water/supercritical carbon dioxide microemulsion forming ability under a moderate condition, and high water solubilization rate and that reduces burden on the environment and ecosystem. Provided are a surfactant for stabilizing a water/supercritical carbon dioxide microemulsion including a compound of Formula (1) and a water/supercritical carbon dioxide microemulsion including the surfactant.

Abstract: To provide a collagen/elastin crosslinked material capable of satisfactorily corresponding to various uses such as medical materials including an artificial dermis and scaffolding materials for cell culture. The collagen/elastin crosslinked material is obtained by crosslinking a fish-derived collagen and a fish-derived elastin, and is fully capable of corresponding to various uses such as medical materials including an artificial dermis and scaffold material for cell culture.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for accurately evaluating the specific incorporation of D-glucose into cells. The present invention as a means for achieving the object is characterized by comprising contacting a D-glucose derivative that has a fluorescent chromophore in the molecule and is specifically incorporated into cells and an L-glucose derivative that has a fluorescent chromophore in the molecule with different cells in the same cell strain to be evaluated, respectively, comparing the fluorescence emitted by the D-glucose derivative that has a fluorescent chromophore in the molecule and is specifically incorporated into cells with the fluorescence emitted by the L-glucose derivative that has a fluorescent chromophore in the molecule, and evaluating the specific incorporation of D-glucose into cells relative to L-glucose by taking the difference between the two kinds of fluorescence intensities.

Abstract: It is intended to provide highly dispersible, powdery silica composite particles comprising a phosphonium salt ionic liquid immobilized in the surface and comprising the ionic liquid at a high content. It is also intended to provide an industrially advantageous process for producing the powdery silica composite particles at high yields. The present invention provides powdery silica composite particles obtained by a surface treatment step of adding acid or alkali to a reactant solution comprising: core silica particles of 5 to 200 nm in average particle size; alkoxysilane; a phosphonium salt ionic liquid represented by the following general formula (1); and a reaction solvent such that the alkoxysilane is hydrolyzed, thereby surface-treating the core silica particles.