Abstract: An exemplary hydrogen production apparatus 100 according to the present invention includes a grinding unit 10 configured to grind a silicon chip or a silicon grinding scrap 1 to form silicon fine particles 2, and a hydrogen generator 70 configured to generate hydrogen by causing the silicon fine particles 2 to contact with as well as disperse in, or to contact with or dispersed in water or an aqueous solution. The hydrogen production apparatus 100 can achieve reliable production of a practically adequate amount of hydrogen from a start material of silicon chips or silicon grinding scraps that are ordinarily regarded as waste. The hydrogen production apparatus thus effectively utilizes the silicon chips or the silicon grinding scraps so as to contribute to environmental protection as well as to significant reduction in cost for production of hydrogen that is utilized as an energy source in the next generation.

Abstract: The present invention addresses a problem of providing a high quality seamless capsule, with excellent uniformity of shell thickness and virtually no eyes in the shell. The problem can be solved by manufacturing a seamless capsule using a shell composition comprising at least one polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of agar, carrageenan and gellan gum, and a PVA copolymer comprising the following structural units: (i) polyvinyl alcohol, (ii) at least one unsaturated carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, fumaric acid and maleic acid, and (iii) at least one unsaturated carboxylic acid ester selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by formula [I]: H2C?C(R1)—COOR2??[I] (wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms).

Abstract: One solid preparation of the present invention mainly includes silicon fine particles, and has a capability of generating hydrogen. In addition, one specific example of the solid preparation mainly includes silicon fine particles having a crystallite diameter principally of 1 nm or more and 100 nm or less, and exhibits a capability of generating hydrogen in an amount of 3 ml/g or more when brought into contact with a water-containing liquid having a pH value of 7 or more. In this solid preparation, hydrogen is generated when the silicon fine particles are brought into contact with a water-containing liquid having a pH value of 7 or more. Therefore, taking advantage of the characteristics of the solid preparation, generation of hydrogen is promoted in, for example, a gastrointestinal tract where the pH value is 7 or more due to secretion of pancreatic fluid after passage through the stomach after oral ingestion.

Abstract: A layered solid formulation (100a) as one hydrogen supply material (200) according to the present invention includes silicon fine particles having a capability of generating hydrogen and aggregates of the silicon fine particles, and a physiologically acceptable medium (90b) that gets contact with the silicon fine particles or the aggregates thereof. The hydrogen supply material (200) is a hydrogen supply material for bringing the hydrogen into contact with the skin and/or the mucous membrane through the medium (90b).

Abstract: One compound (100) according to the present invention contains silicon fine particles having a capability of generating hydrogen or aggregates of the silicon fine particles. The compound that contains the silicon fine particles or the aggregates having a capability of generating hydrogen is capable of generating hydrogen in the body of, for example, an animal that has ingested the compound. For a plant, the compound can be disposed or charged into, for example, moisture (water-containing liquid) or fertilizer to be provided to the plant, to supply the plant with hydrogen generated from the compound.

Abstract: One solid preparation of the present invention mainly includes silicon fine particles, and has a capability of generating hydrogen. In addition, one specific example of the solid preparation mainly includes silicon fine particles having a crystallite diameter principally of 1 nm or more and 100 nm or less, and exhibits a capability of generating hydrogen in an amount of 3 ml/g or more when brought into contact with a water-containing liquid having a pH value of 7 or more. In this solid preparation, hydrogen is generated when the silicon fine particles are brought into contact with a water-containing liquid having a pH value of 7 or more. Therefore, taking advantage of the characteristics of the solid preparation, generation of hydrogen is promoted in, for example, a gastrointestinal tract where the pH value is 7 or more due to secretion of pancreatic fluid after passage through the stomach after oral ingestion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel base material for a dry solid dispersion, a solid dispersion containing the base material, and a composition containing the dispersion; the solid dispersion of the present invention, which contains a poorly soluble component with improved dissolvability, can be obtained by mixing a polyvinyl alcohol-based copolymer, as a base material for the dry solid dispersion, with a poorly soluble component, and then heating it.

Abstract: This invention provides a hard capsule that has excellent stability even when filled with a solvent for dissolving poorly soluble drugs, and that also achieves reduction in disintegration time, thereby ensuring excellent solubility. Specifically, the hard capsule of the present invention has a film comprising: (A) a polymer or copolymer obtained by polymerizing or copolymerizing, in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol and/or a derivative thereof, at least one polymerizable vinyl monomer represented by Formula (1): H2C?C(R1)—COOR2??(1) wherein R1 represents hydrogen or methyl, and R2 represents hydrogen or alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and (B) native gellan gum.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel resin composition useful as a coating agent or a binder for medicines, drugs for animals, agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, foods or the like, which contains a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer as a main component. More particularly, the present invention relates to a resin composition, characterized in that the composition is obtained by copolymerizing a polyvinyl alcohol having an average polymerization degree of 1300 or less, and at least one polymerizable vinyl monomer in a weight ratio of 6:4 to 9:1.

Abstract: This invention provides a hard capsule that has excellent stability even when filled with a solvent for dissolving poorly soluble drugs, and that also achieves reduction in disintegration time, thereby ensuring excellent solubility. Specifically, the hard capsule of the present invention has a film comprising: (A) a polymer or copolymer obtained by polymerizing or copolymerizing, in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol and/or a derivative thereof, at least one polymerizable vinyl monomer represented by Formula (1): H2C?C(R1)—COOR2 ??(1) wherein R1 represents hydrogen or methyl, and R2 represents hydrogen or alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and (B) native gellan gum.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel resin composition useful as a coating agent or a binder for medicines, drugs for animals, agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, foods or the like, which contains a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer as a main component. More particularly, the present invention relates to a resin composition, characterized in that the composition is obtained by copolymerizing a polyvinyl alcohol having an average polymerization degree of 1300 or less, and at least one polymerizable vinyl monomer in a weight ratio of 6:4 to 9:1.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hard capsule that exhibits excellent stability even when filled with a solvent for dissolving a poorly soluble drug, and that achieves improved moldability and drying rate. As such a hard capsule, the present invention provides a hard capsule having a film containing (A) a polymer or copolymer obtained by polymerizing or copolymerizing at least one polymerizable vinyl monomer represented by Formula (1): H2C?C(R1)—COOR2??(1) wherein R1 represents hydrogen or methyl, and R2 represents hydrogen or alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol and/or a derivative thereof, and (B) at least one water-soluble polymer selected from the group consisting of cellulose polymers, dextrin, and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a hard capsule that is excellent in stability even when filled with a solvent for dissolving a poorly soluble pharmaceutical active ingredient, and that has excellent mechanical strength in a low-humidity environment. The invention provides a hard capsule having a film containing (A) a polymer or copolymer obtained by polymerizing or copolymerizing at least one polymerizable vinyl monomer represented by Formula (1): H2C?C(R1)—COOR2 (1), wherein R1 represents hydrogen or methyl, and R2 represents hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl, in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol and/or a derivative thereof; and (B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of (B-1) polyhydric alcohols, (B-2) esters of polyhydric alcohols and C1--C5 carboxylic acids, and (B-3) esters of polyvalent carboxylic acids and C1-C5 alcohols.

Abstract: An appearance inspection apparatus is disclosed. A flat tablet (t) is placed in an uprightly erected posture on and between two adjacent ones of rollers (12) which form a roller belt (1), and is transported by the roller belt (1). During the transportation, a front surface image and a reverse surface image of the flat tablet (t) are fetched. Further, the two rollers (12) on which the flat tablet (t) is held are rotated by a rotatable roller (4) disposed on the lower side of the roller belt (1) to rotate the flat tablet (t). An image of the flat tablet (t) transported while being rotated in the uprightly erected posture is picked up from above to fetch an image of the overall circumference of the side face of the flat tablet (t).

Abstract: A foreign substance inspection apparatus 1 which obtains images of a powder material with a two-dimensional camera 17 and subjects the image data outputted from the camera 17 to image processing, whereby foreign substances mixed into the powder material are detected. The foreign substance inspection apparatus 1 comprises a rotatably supported container 5 with an opening surface in a substantially horizontal state; a liftably supported lift member 7 inside the container; a drive control device for controlling rotation of the container 5 and rise and fall of the lift member 7; and a scraping plate 25 disposed on the opening surface 3 of the container 5. The two-dimensional camera 17 is located so as to obtain images of the surface of the powder material that is exposed on the opening surface 3.