Abstract: Provided is method of maintaining or improving a skin barrier function in a subject comprising orally administering to the subject a composition comprising an oil-soluble extract from red paprika, wherein the oil-soluble extract contains a hexane-soluble component.

Abstract: A guide position adjustment device includes upstream side guide members and downstream side guide members arranged in order starting from the upstream side in the sheet traveling direction. Each of the upstream side guide members and each of the downstream side guide members are mounted in pairs on the right and left sides of a folder gluer. The guide position adjustment device includes an outlet side guide moving mechanism, which is mounted on a folding guide device provided with a frame moving mechanism for translating, by a first actuator, a supporting frame that supports the upstream side guide members and the downstream side guide members, in the device width direction perpendicular to the sheet traveling direction. The outlet side guide moving mechanism moves, by a second actuator, an outlet side tip end regulation part of the upstream side guide members relative to the supporting frame in the device width direction.

Abstract: Provided is method of maintaining or improving a skin barrier function in a subject comprising orally administering to the subject a composition comprising an oil-soluble extract from red paprika, wherein the oil-soluble extract contains a hexane-soluble component.

Abstract: Provided is a novel agent containing a plant-derived component, which has an effect against the dullness of the skin and an effect against the deterioration of a skin barrier function. A skin dullness suppressing agent or a skin barrier function maintaining or improving agent, which contains an oil-soluble extract derived from red paprika. It is preferred that the skin dullness suppressing agent or the skin barrier function maintaining or improving agent has a dosage form of an oral preparation, and it is also preferred that the oil-soluble extract contains a hexane-soluble component.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an anti-skin aging agent that can prevent skin aging such as spots, dullness, wrinkles, sags, and skin roughness. It has been found that resveratrol 3-O-?-glucoside has remarkable anti-skin aging effects such as melanogenesis suppression, hyaluronidase inhibition, anti-oxidization, cell activation, sirtuin gene activation, matrix metalloproteinase suppression, and anti-inflammation, and thus, can be used as an anti-skin aging agent.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an anti-skin aging agent that can prevent skin aging such as spots, dullness, wrinkles, sags, and skin roughness. It has been found that resveratrol 3-O-?-glucoside has remarkable anti-skin aging effects such as melanogenesis suppression, hyaluronidase inhibition, anti-oxidization, cell activation, sirtuin gene activation, matrix metalloproteinase suppression, and anti-inflammation, and thus, can be used as an anti-skin aging agent.

Abstract: Provision of a stable ?-lipoic acid. A method for producing ?-lipoic acid nanoparticles, the method comprising the steps of: preparing an aqueous dispersion liquid containing ?-lipoic acid and a nonionic surfactant; adding a divalent metal salt into the aqueous dispersion liquid, wherein the divalent metal salt is a divalent metal halide, a divalent metal acetate or a divalent metal gluconate; and adding an alkali metal carbonate or an alkali metal phosphate into the aqueous dispersion liquid which has been added with the divalent metal salt, thereby forming ?-lipoic acid nanoparticles.

Abstract: Provided is an external preparation for skin, comprising a phosphorylated saccharide. The phosphorylated saccharide may be an inorganic salt of a phosphorylated saccharide. The phosphorylated saccharide may be a calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron or sodium salt. Also provided is an external preparation for skin, comprising a phosphorylated saccharide and a second component, wherein the second component is selected from the group consisting of moisturizing agents, whitening components, ultraviolet absorbents, anti-inflammatory agents, cell-activating agents and antioxidants. The moisturizing agent may be ascorbic acid or an ascorbic acid derivative.

Abstract: Provision of a stable ?-lipoic acid. A method for producing ?-lipoic acid nanoparticles, the method comprising the steps of: preparing an aqueous dispersion liquid containing ?-lipoic acid and a nonionic surfactant; adding a divalent metal salt into the aqueous dispersion liquid, wherein the divalent metal salt is a divalent metal halide, a divalent metal acetate or a divalent metal gluconate; and adding an alkali metal carbonate or an alkali metal phosphate into the aqueous dispersion liquid which has been added with the divalent metal salt, thereby forming ?-lipoic acid nanoparticles.

Abstract: Provided is an external preparation for skin, comprising a phosphorylated saccharide. The phosphorylated saccharide may be an inorganic salt of a phosphorylated saccharide. The phosphorylated saccharide may be a calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron or sodium salt. Also provided is an external preparation for skin, comprising a phosphorylated saccharide and a second component, wherein the second component is selected from the group consisting of moisturizing agents, whitening components, ultraviolet absorbents, anti-inflammatory agents, cell-activating agents and antioxidants. The moisturizing agent may be ascorbic acid or an ascorbic acid derivative.

Abstract: A method for extracting a hydrophobic group-containing water-soluble organic compound, comprising the step of bringing an aqueous solution containing the hydrophobic group-containing water-soluble organic compound and a saccharide into contact with a polar organic solvent to obtain an aqueous phase and an organic phase, whereby the hydrophobic group-containing water-soluble organic compound is transferred to the organic phase. The saccharide concentration of the aqueous solution may be at least 12 g per 100 ml of the aqueous solution. The aqueous solution may further contain a phase separation assisting agent. The phase separation assisting agent may be selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, sodium citrate, magnesium sulfate, and ammonium sulfate.

Abstract: A method for extracting a hydrophobic group-containing water-soluble organic compound, comprising the step of bringing an aqueous solution containing the hydrophobic group-containing water-soluble organic compound and a saccharide into contact with a polar organic solvent to obtain an aqueous phase and an organic phase, whereby the hydrophobic group-containing water-soluble organic compound is transferred to the organic phase. The saccharide concentration of the aqueous solution may be at least 12 g per 100 ml of the aqueous solution. The aqueous solution may further contain a phase separation assisting agent. The phase separation assisting agent may be selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, sodium citrate, magnesium sulfate, and ammonium sulfate.