Abstract: A cooking device for performing cooking using a microwave and steam, in which a door of a heating chamber includes, as constituting components, an inner frame, a choke cover, and a gasket. The inner frame is made of metal and has at its periphery a choke structure constructed from a large number of comb teeth. The gasket is installed in the door with a base section of the gasket held between the inner frame and the choke cover. A lip section of the gasket has a bag-like cross-section whose side that faces the inside of the heating chamber is an entrance. The forward end of the lip section is bent to the door side. The comb teeth, except those positioned at the corners of the door, are bent at a larger angle than in a case in which the gasket is not installed.

Abstract: A heating cooker includes a steam generator for generating steam for heating cooking, a removable water tank for storing water to be supplied to the steam generator, a pump 35 for supplying water from the water tank to the steam generator, a drain valve 70 for draining water within the steam generator into the water tank, a first timer TM1 which starts counting when water is supplied to the steam generator by the pump 35, and an operation panel 11 including a notification section for notifying of draining the water within the water tank. When the first timer TM1 has counted over a first specified time, the control unit 80 makes the operation panel 11 notify of draining the water within the water tank.

Abstract: A drug for promoting ceramide transport contains a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 as an effective component; the base sequence of SEQ ID NO:3; a method of measuring an activity for promoting ceramide release comprises mixing a lipid membrane containing ceramide with a drug promoting ceramide release, centrifuging the thus obtained mixture to give a supernatant and measuring the ceramide content in the supernatant; and a method of measuring an activity for promoting intermembrane ceramide transfer comprises mixing a receiving membrane, a drug for promoting ceramide transport and a donating membrane containing ceramide, adding a selective membrane aggregating agent thereto, then separating the receiving membrane from the donating membrane and measuring ceramide contents in the receiving membrane and in the donating membrane.

Abstract: A cooker has an external circulation path outside a heating chamber in which foods are to be placed. A blower sucks in gas inside the heating chamber, and forms, in the external circulation path, a gas flow that makes the sucked gas return to the heating chamber. Downstream of the blower, the external circulation path is provided with an exhaust port, in which a damper is provided. The damper closes the exhaust port during cooking, and opens the exhaust port when a door of the heating chamber is opened. After the damper is changed to a position of opening the exhaust port, the blower continues to operate until a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: Compounds of formula (I): ##STR1## in which: R.sup.1 is hydroxy, protected hydroxy, fluorine, or --OP(O)(OH).sub.2 ; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are independently optionally substituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.20 aliphatic acyl; R.sup.4 is hydroxy, protected hydroxy, or --OP(O)(OH).sub.2, where at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.4 is --OP(O)(OH).sub.2 ; and R.sup.5 is hydroxy, protected hydroxy, or fluorine; provided that, except where at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.5 is fluorine, then at least one of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is a substituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.20 aliphatic acyl having (i) at least one halogen substituent and (ii) at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxy and C.sub.6 -C.sub.20 aliphatic acyloxy or at least one of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is a substituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.20 aliphatic acyl which is substituted by at least one halogen-substituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.