Abstract: The present application provides a microsphere comprising a lactic acid-glycolic acid copolymer (PLGA) or polylactide (PLA) as a main component, in which a biologically active substance is uniformly dispersed, wherein an average volume-based particle diameter of the microsphere is 1 ?m or more and 150 ?m or less, and a variation coefficient of area ratios in six regions is 0.35 or less, wherein the area ratios in six regions are calculated by (s/A)×100 (%) wherein the six regions are prepared by preparing a cross section observation sample obtained by cutting the microsphere; observing the cross section observation sample with an electron microscope at a magnification capable of confirming the biologically active substance in the microsphere or a higher magnification; and dividing the electron microscope observation image into six regions; and A is an area of a respective divided region, and s is a sum of cross section areas of the biologically active substance included in the respective divided region.

Abstract: The present application provides a microsphere comprising a lactic acid-glycolic acid copolymer (PLGA) as a main component, in which a biologically active substance is uniformly dispersed, wherein an average volume-based particle diameter of the microsphere is 1 ?m or more and 150 ?m or less, and a mass of the biologically active substance or an empty hole of 1.5 ?m or more is not present in the microsphere. The microsphere of the present invention can appropriately control the initial release amount of the biologically active substance and its release rate during a subsequent release period, and can continuously release the biologically active substance in vivo for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: The purpose of this invention is to provide a filtration membrane module with which is possible to improve the centrifugal separation effect of the primary-side flowpath during filtration, and the centrifugal separation effect of the area following the outer peripheral surface of the flowpath membrane element of the outer ring-shaped flowpath during backwash, and improve filtration efficiency and cleaning efficiency while curbing the accumulation of deposits on the membrane surface during filtration and during backwash. This filtration membrane module comprises: a membrane element equipped with a primary-side flowpath on the outside of a hollow cylindrical filtration surface; and a cylindrical housing positioned on the outside thereof. A flow adjuster is positioned inside the primary-side flowpath. A flow adjuster for backwash is positioned inside the secondary-side flowpath, which is an outer ring-shaped flowpath between the membrane element and the housing.

Abstract: A stirrer is provided that can more efficiently achieve shearing applied, by an action of an intermittent jet flow, to a fluid to be processed.

Abstract: A method for modifying a fine particle dispersion liquid with which dispersibility and dispersion stability can be improved includes performing filtration to remove impurities in a dispersion liquid using a dispersion liquid modifying device provided with a removal unit that uses a filtration membrane. The quantity of impurities is reduced from a first region until said quantity reaches a second pH-dependent region. In the second pH-dependent region, the dispersibility of the fine particles in the dispersion liquid is in a range in which the dispersibility depends more on a change in dispersion liquid pH than on a change in the quantity of impurities in the dispersion liquid. With the quantity of impurities reduced to the second pH-dependent region, the dispersibility of the fine particles is controlled by adjusting the pH of the fine particle dispersion liquid.

Abstract: A stirrer is provided such that a fluid being processed can be more efficiently shown by way of the action of an intermittent jet flow and processing capacity can be improved. The stirrer concentrically includes a rotor that includes a plurality of flat vanes and that rotates, and a screen that is place around the rotor. The screen includes a plurality of slits in the circumferential direction thereof, and screen members that are positioned between adjacent slits. The fluid being processed is discharged by rotation of the rotor from the inside of the screen to the outside as an intermittent jet flow through the slits. The width of the distal working face on the distal end of the vane in the rotational direction is smaller than the width of the basal end of the vane in the rotational direction.

Abstract: A method for producing oxide particles with controlled color characteristics and to provide oxide particles with controlled color characteristics includes controlling color characteristics of the oxide particles by controlling the ratio of M-OH bonds, the binding of one or more different elements (M) other than oxygen or hydrogen with hydroxyl group (OH), in oxide particles selected from metal oxide particles and metalloid oxide particles. Oxide particles having controlled color characteristics of any one of reflectance, transmittance, molar absorption coefficient, hue, or color saturation can be provided by controlling the percentage of the M-OH bonds contained in metal oxide particles or metalloid oxide particles.

Abstract: A fluid processing method with which processing properties of fluids to be processed can be effectively controlled. Processing surfaces which are capable of being brought closer to each other and being separated from each other, and which rotate relatively are provided. A fluid to be processed is made to pass from inside to outside in a processing area between the processing surfaces to obtain a fluid thin film, and the resultant fluid thin film of the fluid to be processed is subjected to processing. Processing properties are controlled by changing the ratio of the distance to an outer peripheral end from a centre of rotation.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of producing silicon compound coated oxide particles in which at least a part of a surface of a metal oxide particle is coated with a silicon compound, wherein wettability and color characteristics are controlled by controlling a ratio of Si—OH bonds contained in the silicon compound coated oxide particles. By the present invention, silicon compound coated oxide particles having controlled wettability such as hydrophilicity, water repellency or oil repellency, and controlled color characteristics of either reflectivity, molar absorption coefficient or transmittance can be provided.

Abstract: With an aim to provide an oxide particle with controlled color characteristics, the present invention provides a method for producing an oxide particle, wherein the color characteristics of the oxide particle are controlled by controlling a M-OH bond/M-O bond ratio, which is a ratio of a M-OH bond between an element (M) and a hydroxide group (OH) to a ratio of an M-O bond between the element (M) and oxygen (O), where the element (M) is one or plural different elements other than oxygen or hydrogen included in the oxide particle selected from metal oxide particles and semi-metal oxide particles. According to the present invention, by controlling the M-OH bond/M-O bond ratio of the metal oxide particle or the semi-metal oxide particle, the oxide particle with controlled color characteristics of any of reflectance, transmittance, molar absorption coefficient, hue, and saturation can be provided.

Abstract: A forced thin film-type flow reactor that, in addition to a pressure balancing mechanism with which it is possible to set and adjust the clearance between processing surfaces using pressure balancing, is provided with a clearance adjustment mechanism that allows the clearance to be set and adjusted by an alternative means. The flow reactor processes a fluid to be processed by passing the fluid to be processed between a first processing surface and a second processing surface disposed so as to be capable of moving towards and away from each other, and the flow reactor comprises a pressure balancing mechanism and a mechanical clearance mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention relates to silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles, with which surfaces of fine metal particles, composed of at least one type of metal element or metalloid element, are at least partially coated with a silicon compound and a ratio of Si—OH bonds contained in the silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles is controlled to be 0.1% or more and 70% or less. By the present invention, silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles that are controlled in dispersibility and other properties can be provided by controlling the ratio of Si—OH bonds or the ratio of Si—OH bonds/Si—O bonds contained in the silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles. By controlling the ratio of Si—OH bonds or the ratio of Si—OH bonds/Si—O bonds, a composition that is more appropriate for diversifying applications and targeted properties of silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles than was conventionally possible can be designed easily.

Abstract: A method for modifying a fine particle dispersion liquid has excellent dispersibility and dispersion stability. In this method for modifying a fine particle dispersion liquid having improved fine particle dispersibility, impurities included in an agglomeration of fine particles contained in the fine particle dispersion liquid are released into the dispersion liquid by applying physical energy to the agglomeration and performing dispersion processing for dispersion into particles that are smaller than the agglomeration of fine particles. The impurities are removed from the dispersion liquid by means of a removal unit provided with a filtration membrane before reagglomeration is caused by the impurities.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent composition for transparent material using silicon compound-coated silicon-doped zinc oxide particles that are controlled in properties in an ultraviolet region and/or a near-infrared region. The present invention provides an ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent composition for transparent material used for a purpose of shielding ultraviolet rays and/or near-infrared rays, the ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent composition for transparent material featuring that the ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent contains silicon compound-coated silicon-doped zinc oxide particles, with which surfaces of silicon-doped zinc oxide particles that are zinc oxide particles doped with at least silicon are at least partially coated with a silicon compound.

Abstract: A silicon oxide-coated oxide composition for coating is disclosed in which color characteristics, particularly reflectivity are controlled, and a method of producing a composition for coating is disclosed which is used by blending the composition for coating to a paint constituting a coated body in which weather resistance is required. The silicon oxide-coated oxide composition for coating in which weather resistance is required includes silicon oxide-coated oxide particles wherein at least a part of the surface of the oxide particles is coated with silicon oxide, wherein the silicon oxide is amorphous for the purpose of controlling color characteristics of the silicon oxide-coated oxide composition for coating.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of providing a novel, sold metal alloy. Provided is a metal alloy containing two or more types of metal, wherein an equilibrium diagram of the metal alloy shows the two or more types of metal in a finely mixed state at the nanolevel in a specific region where the two types of metal are unevenly distributed. This metal alloy has a substitutional solid solution of the two or more types of metal as the principal constituent thereof. This metal alloy is preferably one obtained by precipitation after mixing ions of two or more types of metal and a reducing agent in a thin-film fluid formed between processing surfaces, at least one of which rotates relative to the other, which are arranged so as to face one another and are capable of approaching and separating from one another.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent composition for transparent material using silicon compound-coated silicon-doped zinc oxide particles that are controlled in properties in an ultraviolet region and/or a near-infrared region. The present invention provides an ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent composition for transparent material used for a purpose of shielding ultraviolet rays and/or near-infrared rays, the ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent composition for transparent material featuring that the ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent contains silicon compound-coated silicon-doped zinc oxide particles, with which surfaces of silicon-doped zinc oxide particles that are zinc oxide particles doped with at least silicon are at least partially coated with a silicon compound.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of providing a method for efficiently producing uniform microparticles of curcumin and/or ?-oryzanol at a higher yield. The target microparticles are produced by dissolving a starting material in a solvent to give a starting material solution and then subjecting the starting material solution to crystallization by a poor solvent method to thereby deposit the starting material. To prepare the starting material solution, curcumin and/or ?-oryzanol are used as the starting material(s) and ethanol is used as the solvent. The starting material(s) and the solvent are stirred in a pressurized state at a temperature of 78.3-130° C. inclusive to give the starting material solution. Then, the starting material solution thus obtained is subjected to crystallization by the poor solvent method and thus the target microparticles are produced.

Abstract: The purpose of this invention is to provide a filtration membrane module with which is possible to improve the centrifugal separation effect of the primary-side flowpath during filtration, and the centrifugal separation effect of the area following the outer peripheral surface of the flowpath membrane element of the outer ring-shaped flowpath during backwash, and improve filtration efficiency and cleaning efficiency while curbing the accumulation of deposits on the membrane surface during filtration and during backwash. This filtration membrane module comprises: a membrane element equipped with a primary-side flowpath on the outside of a hollow cylindrical filtration surface; and a cylindrical housing positioned on the outside thereof. A flow adjuster is positioned inside the primary-side flowpath. A flow adjuster for backwash is positioned inside the secondary-side flowpath, which is an outer ring-shaped flowpath between the membrane element and the housing.

Abstract: A method of producing organic pigment microparticles includes: Step 1 of precipitating organic pigment microparticles by mixing an organic pigment raw material liquid in which an organic pigment raw material is mixed with a solvent, and a precipitation solvent for precipitating the organic pigment microparticles from the organic pigment raw material liquid in a thin film fluid formed by introducing the organic pigment raw material liquid and the precipitation solvent in a space between at least two processing surfaces which are disposed so as to face each other, being capable of approaching to and separating from each other, at least one of which rotates relatively to the other; and Step 2 of coating at least a part of the organic pigment microparticles with an oxide coating; wherein the oxide coating is optically colorless and transparent, and Step 1 and Step 2 are performed out continuously in the thin film fluid.