Abstract: Since conventional high pullulan content shaped products have a low stability to the change of humidity, the object of the present invention is to provide a high pullulan content shaped product having a satisfactory stability to the change of humidity, a process for producing the same, and uses. The present invention solves the above object by establishing high pullulan content shaped product with an improved stability to the change of humidity by incorporating a prescribed amount of ?,?-trehalose into pullulan in preparing the high pullulan content shaped product, and a process for producing the same, and by providing uses of the high pullulan content shaped product obtainable by the process.

Abstract: An ophthalmic pharmaceutical composition comprising trehalose as an effective ingredient and a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier. The pharmaceutical composition is a safe, long-term continuously-administrable, therapeutic and/or prophylactic agent for the ophthalmologic clinical symptoms and signs in Sjögren syndrome.

Abstract: The present invention have objects 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 objects by providing an isocyclomaltooligosaccharide(s) having a structure represented by General Formula 1, a novel isocyclomaltooligosaccharide-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 isocyclomaltooligosaccharide(s) or a saccharide composition comprising the same, and uses thereof. Cyclo{?6)-[?-D-Glcp-(1?4)]n-?-D-Glcp-(1?}??General Formula 1 (In General Formula 1, “n” means a number of 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: An isoflavone composition which contains an ?-glucosyl isoflavone and isoflavone and optionally an isoflavone aglycone, wherein the ratio of the amount of aglycone in the isoflavone and the isoflavone aglycone in total to the amount of aglycone in the ?-glucosyl isoflavone [(the amount of aglycone in ?-glucosyl isoflavone)/(the amount of aglycone in isoflavone plus the amount of isoflavone aglycone)] is at least 2.5/1; a water-soluble isoflavone composition which contains an ?-glucosyl isoflavone, isoflavone and isoflavone aglycone, wherein the ratio of the amount of isoflavone aglycone in the composition is 0.01 to 20% to the total amount of aglycone in the composition; and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, or feeds, which contain any one of the above compositions.

Abstract: A novel process for producing isomaltose and uses thereof and comprising the steps of contacting saccharides, which have a glucose polymerization degree of at least two and ?-1,4 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end, with an ?-isomaltosylglucosaccharide-forming enzyme, in the presence or the absence of ?-isomaltosyl-transferring enzyme to form a-isomaltosylglucosaccharides, which have a glucose polymerization degree of at least three, ?-1,6 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end, and ?-1,4 glucosidic linkage as a linkage other than the non-reducing end, and/or to form cyclo{?6)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?3)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?6)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?3)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?}; contacting the saccharides so formed with isomaltose-releasing enzyme to release isomaltose; and collecting the released isomaltose; and uses thereof.

Abstract: Providing 1- or 6-deoxy products corresponding to all of aldohexoses, ketohexoses and sugar alcohols, as based on Deoxy-Izumoring, as well as a method for systematically producing those products. A method for producing deoxyketohexose and a derivative thereof using a deoxyketohexose isomerase derived from Pseudomonas cichorii ST-24 (FERM BP-2736), comprising epimerizing 1-deoxy D-ketohexose or 6-deoxy D-ketohexose or 1-deoxy L-ketohexose or 6-deoxy L-ketohexose at position 3 to produce the individually corresponding 1-deoxy D-ketohexose or 6-deoxy D-ketohexose or 1-deoxy L-ketohexose or 6-deoxy L-ketohexose as an intended product.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a peptide vaccine for preventing and/or treating diseases caused by amyloid ?-peptide, such as Alzheimer's disease. The present invention solves the above object by providing a peptide vaccine constructed by inserting a peptide having an amino acid sequence of a cell attachment motif of a cell adhesive molecule to a peptide which consists of a peptide having an amino acid sequence of multiagretope type T-cell epitope, which has been generated immunological memory, or a peptide including the same; an linker peptide; and a peptide having an amino acid sequence of a B cell epitope which is a specific region of amyloid ?-peptide or a peptide including the same.

Abstract: The present invention has objects to provide a mutant interferon-? protein having a higher anti-viral and anti-tumor activity and to provide an agent for susceptive diseases, which contains the mutant interferon-? protein as an effective ingredient; and solves the above objects by providing a mutant protein which has an amino acid sequence of human interferon-? subtype ?8 represented by any one of SEQ ID NOs:1 to 3, where the arginine residue at the 145th has been replaced with leucine, isoleucine, or valine residue; the alanine residue at the 146th has been replaced with asparagine or serine residue; and the methionine residue at the 149th has been replaced with tyrosine residue; and an agent for susceptive diseases, containing the mutant protein.

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: Object: To provide a thermostable L-ribose isomerase. Means for Resolution: The thermostable L-ribose isomerase with MW. 32,000 (by SDS-PAGE), optimal temperature of 45° C., optimal pH of pH 9.0 (glycine-NaOH buffer), and stable physicochemical properties such as temperature stability up to 45° C. during thermal treatment at pH 9.0 for 10 minutes, and with an action to isomerize L-ribose to generate L-ribulose or of inversely to isomerize L-ribulose to generate L-ribose.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel optionally acylated cyclic tetrasaccharide-containing polyurethane derivative and a process for producing the same, and a novel cyclic tetrasaccharide modified polyurethane foam and a simple process for producing the same. Specifically, the present invention provides a polyurethane derivative containing an optionally acylated cyclic tetrasaccharide: cyclo{?6)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?3)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?-6)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?3)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?}, a process for producing polyurethane, comprising reacting an acylated cyclic tetrasaccharide and a diol compound with a diisocyanete compound, a process for producing a cyclic tetrasaccharide-containing polyurethane, comprising hydrolyzing the polyurethane, a process for producing a polyurethane foam, comprising reacting polyol with polyisocyanete in the presence of the cyclic tetrasaccharide and foaming the reaction product, and a cyclic tetrasaccharide modified polyurethane foam produced by the production process.

Abstract: An objective of this invention is to extend the range of choosing organic dye compounds as light-absorbing agent in a variety of fields of, for example, information storage, information display, solar energy generation, electric machinery apparatus, electric communicating apparatus, optical apparatus, cloth, building/bedding/decorating product, sanitary and health goods, and agricultural material by providing an organic dye compound which is superior in light-absorbing property, light resistance, and solubility in the near-infrared region: The objective is attainable by providing a cyanine dye that bears within the same molecule a plurality of cyanine dye skeletons bound to a divalent group(s) and an organometallic complex as counter ion, as well as substantially absorbing a light with a wavelength longer than 700 nm.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide an agent for suppressing melanin production and/or inhibiting elastase activity containing a plant extract as an effective substance with high safety and acceptable levels of stability and odor or sediment formation and an agent for external application to the skin comprising the above agent which has excellent effects in skin-whitening and skin-beautifying. The object is attained by providing an agent for external application to the skin containing indigo-plant extract.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a novel process for producing isomaltose and isomaltitol, and uses thereof, and it solves the object by establishing a process for producing isomaltose comprising a step of contacting a saccharide, having the ?-1,4 glucosidic linkage as the linkage of non-reducing end and a glucose polymerization degree of at least two, with an ?-isomaltosyl-transferring enzyme and an ?-isomaltosylglucosaccharide-forming enzyme derived from a specific microorganism; a process for producing isomaltitol using the isomaltose produced by the above process; saccharide compositions comprising the isomaltose and/or the isomaltitol produced by the above processes; and uses thereof.

Abstract: A non-reducing saccharide-forming enzyme and a trehalose-releasing enzyme, which have an optimum temperature in a medium temperature range, i.e., a temperature of over 40 or 45° C. but below 60° C.; and an optimum pH in an acid pH range, i.e., a pH of less than 7. The two-types of enzymes can be obtained in a desired amount, for example, by culturing in a nutrient culture medium microorganisms capable of producing the enzymes or by recombinant DNA technology.

Abstract: A non-reducing saccharide-forming enzyme and a trehalose-releasing enzyme, which have an optimum temperature in a medium temperature range, i.e., a temperature of over 40 or 45° C. but below 60° C.; and an optimum pH in an acid pH range, i.e., a pH of less than 7. The two-types of enzymes can be obtained in a desired amount, for example, by culturing in a nutrient culture medium microorganisms capable of producing the enzymes or by recombinant DNA technology.

Abstract: Provided are an organic electroluminescent device having better performances in luminous efficiency, device life and driving voltage, a display unit equipped with the same and a lighting instrument equipped with the same. The organic electroluminescent device comprises an electron transport layer containing a specific arylamine-substituted coumarin compound.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a means to effectively enhance the production of cytokines and/or chemokines in mammals. The object is solved by providing an agent for enhancing the production of cytokines and/or chemokines, which comprises, as an effective ingredient, a polypeptide having any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOs:1 to 3; a polypeptide having any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOs:1 to 3, where one or more amino acids thereof are deleted or replaced with other amino acid(s) and/or one or more amino acids are added thereunto, without substantially losing the biological activity of the polypeptide.

Abstract: A process for producing rice flour, which comprises the steps of soaking material rice grains in water, crushing the resulting rice grains, penetrating ?,?-trehalose or maltitol into the rice grains, partially drying the resulting rice grains, and milling the partially dried rice grains; rice flours obtainable by the process; and uses thereof for producing bakery products and noodles.