Abstract: A marker can determine whether or not a patient has a therapeutic response to an anti-cancer agent. A novel cancer therapy employs the marker. The marker can be N-acetylglucosamine, an amino-acid-metabolism-related substance, a nucleic-acid-metabolism-related substance, a substance in the pentose phosphate pathway, a substance in the glycolytic pathway, a substance in the TCA cycle, a polyamine-metabolism-related substance, lauric acid, 6-phosphogluconic acid, butyric acid, 4-methylpyrazole, isobutylamine, glycolic acid, NADH, NAD+, or a substance involved in the metabolism of any of these substances.

Abstract: To provide an anti-cancer agent sensitivity determination marker, which marker can determine whether or not the patient has a therapeutic response to the anti-cancer agent, and novel cancer therapeutic means employing the marker. The anti-cancer agent sensitivity determination marker, the anti-cancer agent including oxaliplatin or a salt thereof and fluorouracil or a salt thereof, contains one or more substances selected from among an amino-acid-metabolism-related substance, a nucleic-acid-metabolism-related substance, a substance in the pentose phosphate pathway, a substance in the glycolytic pathway, a substance in the TCA cycle, a polyamine-metabolism-related substance, 7,8-dihydrobiopterin, 6-phosphogluconic acid, butyric acid, triethanolamine, 1-methylnicotinamide, NADH, NAD+, and a substance involved in the metabolism of any of these substances.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel lactic acid bacterium belonging to Lactobacillus plantarum, which has an excellent fermentative ability affording high achievable cell counts even if various vegetable or fruit juices are used as fermentative substrates. The lactic acid bacterium belonging to Lactobacillus plantarum is characterized by the achievable viable cell counts being 108 CFU/ml or more in both cases when 100% juice of grape or of orange is used as fermentative substrate.

Abstract: A butyrate-producing bacterium belonging to Anaerostipes hadrus is provided. The amount of butyrate produced is at least 1.5 times that of Anaerostipes hadrus YIT 10092T (DSM 3319T) and is measured by thawing a frozen stock solution of the bacterial strain (a 10% (w/v) skim milk-2% sodium glutamate solution with suspended bacterial cells) (cell count: 2.0 to 5.5×1010 cells/mL), inoculating the solution at 1% to 4 mL of a PY liquid medium supplemented with 33 mM sodium acetate and 0.5 (w/v) % glucose (PYGA medium), followed by anaerobic culture at 37° C. for 24 hours, then inoculating the culture solution at 1% to a PYGA medium, followed by anaerobic culture at 37° C. for 24 hours, then inoculating the culture solution at 1% to a PY medium containing 33 mM sodium acetate and 0.5 (w/v) % L-sorbose, followed by anaerobic culture at 37° C. for 24 hours, and then measuring the butyrate concentration.

Abstract: A novel marker for determining sensitivity to an anti-cancer agent is provided. Disclosed is a marker for determining sensitivity to an anti-cancer agent including one or more molecules selected from the group consisting of PHB, ANXA5, ANXA1, TALDO, C1QBP, IPYR, CRBP1 and COX5A.

Abstract: To provide an anti-cancer agent sensitivity determination marker, which marker can determine whether or not the patient has a therapeutic response to the anti-cancer agent, and novel cancer therapeutic means employing the marker. The anti-cancer agent sensitivity determination marker, the anti-cancer agent including oxaliplatin or a salt thereof and fluorouracil or a salt thereof, contains one or more substances selected from among an amino-acid-metabolism-related substance, a nucleic-acid-metabolism-related substance, a substance in the pentose phosphate pathway, a substance in the glycolytic pathway, a substance in the TCA cycle, a polyamine-metabolism-related substance, 7,8-dihydrobiopterin, 6-phosphogluconic acid, butyric acid, triethanolamine, 1-methylnicotinamide, NADH, NAD+, and a substance involved in the metabolism of any of these substances.

Abstract: Provided is a novel lactic acid bacterium strain which is capable of suppressing production of volatile sulfur compounds by oral bacteria, has no cariogenicity and no causative role in infective endocarditis, and is safe in an oral cavity, and provided is an agent for preventing, improving and/or treating oral diseases and discomforts by use of the bacterial strain.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a lactic acid bacteria fermentation product, which has been obtained by culturing lactic acid bacteria on a medium containing an extract of at least one food material selected from the group consisting of rice bran, persimmon leaves, perilla, Houttuynia cordata Thunb, Eucommia ulmoides Oliv., turmeric, clove, cinnamon and Rubus suavissimus S. Lee (Rosaceae). By adding and mixing the extract used for the preparation of the fermentation product to a medium, it is possible to increase simply the viable cell count of lactic acid bacteria, without affecting the flavor of the product. It is possible, by using the extract, to obtain a lactic acid bacteria fermentation product which contains many viable lactic acid bacteria with their activities highly maintained, and further to provide beverages or foods using the product.

Abstract: A container inspection device includes an inlet conveyor, an outlet conveyor, a mounting table having a mounting surface a chamber portion having an opening in a section of the chamber portion, in which a receiving space is formed when the mounting surface contacts the chamber portion to close the opening, and a transfer. The transfer is movable in the certain direction at a speed greater than the conveying speed of the cartons by the inlet conveyor. The transfer holds multiple ones of the cartons that have been conveyed by the inlet conveyor collectively and conveys the cartons to the mounting surface of the mounting table, and holds the multiple ones of the cartons mounted on the mounting surface collectively and conveys the cartons to the outlet conveyor.

Abstract: An agent for the prevention and treatment of chlamydia infection containing Lactobacillus casei as an active ingredient which is an agent for the prevention and treatment of chlamydia infection that is highly safe and that can be administered over an extended period of time.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a heat-shrinking apparatus for shrink labels which is capable of uniformly heat shrinking a shrink label covering a portion or the entirety of an article, and which is capable of completing heat shrinking in a state in which water drops are not deposited on the article and the surface of the shrink label.

Abstract: Provided is a fermented food containing an extract of at least one plant material selected from the group consisting of turmeric, Houttuynia cordata Thunb., Eucommia ulmoides Oliv., rice bran, persimmon leaves, perilla, clove, cinnamon and Rubus suavissimus S. Lee (Rosaceae) and bacteria of the genus Bifidobacterium. The fermented food contains an excellent and novel material with which the viability of the bacteria of the genus Bifidobacterium can be improved in storage of the product, and even when used in products such as beverages or foods, does not deteriorate the flavor of the product, thereby the bacteria of the genus Bifidobacterium can be contained at high concentration which provides various physiological effects.

Abstract: Provided is a novel agent for improving sleep quality. An agent for improving sleep quality containing, as an active ingredient, bacterial cells of Lactobacillus casei and/or a treated product thereof.

Abstract: A composition which has high 4?-GL purity and can be used as a reference standard for various analyses can be obtained by a more convenient method than one conventionally used. A method for preparing a high-purity 4?-GL composition includes the steps of: (A) subjecting a 4?-GL-containing galacto-oligosaccharide to activated carbon column chromatography, and performing stepwise elution with plural organic solvent aqueous solutions, wherein the organic solvent aqueous solutions are used such that the concentration of the organic solvent in the organic solvent aqueous solution is higher than the concentration of the organic solvent in the immediately preceding organic solvent aqueous solution with respect to a series of elutions; and (B) adding an organic solvent to the final fraction eluted in step (A), and crystallizing the 4?-GL.

Abstract: Provided are a method for regulating acid resistance of a microorganism by suppressing the expression of the fadD gene therein and a screening method for a microorganism having acid resistance by using the expression level of the fadD gene as an index. A method for regulating acid resistance of a microorganism, including suppressing the expression of fadD gene present in the microorganism.

Abstract: A method for detecting and quantifying galacto-oligosaccharide in a sample containing galacto-oligosaccharide and dextrin is characterized in that the sample is caused to react with a derivatizing reagent to derivatize the dextrin and galacto-oligosaccharide in the sample, after which the galacto-oligosaccharide component in the sample is separated by high-performance liquid chromatography using a C30 reverse-phase chromatography column, thereby accurately detecting and quantifying galacto-oligosaccharide with ease and at low cost.

Abstract: To provide a marker for determining sensitivity of a patient to an anti-cancer agent, and novel cancer therapeutic means employing the marker. The marker for determining sensitivity to an anti-cancer agent is formed of a protein selected from the group consisting of a protein or a fragment thereof which is detected as a peak at m/z of 16,450 to 16,620, a protein or a fragment thereof which is detected as a peak at m/z of 22,080 to 22,310, and a protein or a fragment thereof which is detected as a peak at m/z of 17,100 to 17,270, the peaks being determined by means of a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a skin property-improving agent which exerts excellent effects by oral administration. The skin property-improving agent for oral administration contains, as an active ingredient, a bacterium belonging to the genus Streptococcus and a bacterium belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium, or fermented milk containing the two bacteria.

Abstract: Provided are an oligonucleotide which realizes specific and highly sensitive detection of toxigenic C. difficile, and a method for detecting toxigenic C. difficile, the method employing the oligonucleotide. 1) A primer pair containing an oligonucleotide having a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and an oligonucleotide having a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2; or a primer pair having complementary sequences to the nucleotide sequences. 2) A primer pair containing an oligonucleotide having a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 4, and an oligonucleotide having a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 5; or a primer pair having complementary sequences to the nucleotide sequences.

Abstract: A pentosidine production inhibitor including a lactic acid bacterium fermentation product as an active ingredient, which has a stronger action and a high safety as a component having an action of inhibiting production of pentosidine.