Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material that is useful for foods, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetic products, etc. The equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material of the invention is obtained by fermenting soybean hypocotyls using at least one microorganism having an equol-producing ability by utilizing at least one daidzein compound selected from the group consisting of diadzein glycosides, daidzein, and dihydrodaidzein.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material that is useful for foods, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetic products, etc. The equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material of the invention is obtained by fermenting soybean hypocotyls using at least one microorganism having an equol-producing ability by utilizing at least one daidzein compound selected from the group consisting of diadzein glycosides, daidzein, and dihydrodaidzein.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material that is useful for foods, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetic products, etc. The equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material of the invention is obtained by fermenting soybean hypocotyls using at least one microorganism having an equol-producing ability by utilizing at least one daidzein compound selected from the group consisting of diadzein glycosides, daidzein, and dihydrodaidzein.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material that is useful for foods, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetic products, etc. The equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material of the invention is obtained by fermenting soybean hypocotyls using at least one microorganism having an equol-producing ability by utilizing at least one daidzein compound selected from the group consisting of diadzein glycosides, daidzein, and dihydrodaidzein.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material that is useful for foods, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetic products, etc. The equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material of the invention is obtained by fermenting soybean hypocotyls using at least one microorganism having an equol-producing ability by utilizing at least one daidzein compound selected from the group consisting of diadzein glycosides, daidzein, and dihydrodaidzein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a container for sheet products that makes it easy to take out each individual piece of the sheet products stacked in the container. The container having a tray-like container body (2), an opening/closing lid (3) that is slidably mounted on the container body (2), a pressing member (5) elastically pressing the sheet products (4) stored in the container (1) toward the inner surface of the opening/closing lid (3), a friction drag member (7) that is installed on the inner surface of the opening/closing lid (3) to feed out the sheet products (4) according to the closing operation of the opening/closing lid (3), and a stopper (6) formed in the container body (2) to stop the backward movement of the sheet products (4) by the friction drag member (7) when the opening/closing lid (3) is opened.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material that is useful for foods, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetic products, etc. The equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material of the invention is obtained by fermenting soybean hypocotyls using at least one microorganism having an equol-producing ability by utilizing at least one daidzein compound selected from the group consisting of diadzein glycosides, daidzein, and dihydrodaidzein.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a multifocal optical system having at least two different focal lengths; an image pickup device for converting an optical image formed by the multifocal optical system into an image signal; a first image processor for forming an original image defined by an object image at each focal length of the multifocal optical system with the image signal received from the image pickup device; and a second image processor for trimming the original image formed by the first image processor. An object image of an angle-of-view corresponding to an intermediate focal length between the two focal lengths of the multifocal optical system is complemented by a trimmed image formed by the second image processor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a container for sheet products that makes it easy to take out each individual piece of the sheet products stacked in the container. The container having a tray-like container body (2), an opening/closing lid (3) that is slidably mounted on the container body (2), a pressing member (5) elastically pressing the sheet products (4) stored in the container (1) toward the inner surface of the opening/closing lid (3), a friction drag member (7) that is installed on the inner surface of the opening/closing lid (3) to feed out the sheet products (4) according to the closing operation of the opening/closing lid (3), and a stopper (6) formed in the container body (2) to stop the backward movement of the sheet products (4) by the friction drag member (7) when the opening/closing lid (3) is opened.

Abstract: An endoscope comprises an electric scope and a processor. The electric scope has a CMOS sensor and a video-signal emitting unit that outputs an image signal that is imaged by the CMOS sensor and that is converted to a light signal. The processor has a video-signal photo sensor unit that receives light regarding the image signal that is output from the video-signal emitting unit, and performs an image processing operation based on the light regarding the image signal.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a multifocal optical system having at least two different focal lengths; an image pickup device for converting an optical image formed by the multifocal optical system into an image signal; a first image processor for forming an original image defined by an object image at each focal length of the multifocal optical system with the image signal received from the image pickup device; and a second image processor for trimming the original image formed by the first image processor. An object image of an angle-of-view corresponding to an intermediate focal length between the two focal lengths of the multifocal optical system is complemented by a trimmed image formed by the second image processor.

Abstract: A multiple-focal-length imaging device includes at least one image sensor positioned in one plane; and a plurality of image-forming optical systems through which a plurality of images at different magnifications are formed on a plurality of different image-forming areas on the image sensor.

Abstract: An optical low-pass filter used in association with an imaging element which has a plurality of pixels arranged in vertical and horizontal direction with regularity, is provided with first through third birefringent plates arranged in the order from a light incident side. The low-pass filter separates an incident ray into four rays, a separation width of the rays in the vertical direction being &dgr;v, and a separation width of the rays in the horizontal direction being &dgr;h. A separation angles of the first through third birefringent plates are &thgr;, (&thgr;−90°) and 0°, respectively, and separation widths of the first through third birefringent plates are (&dgr;v×sin &thgr;), (&dgr;v×cos &thgr;) and &dgr;h, respectively.

Abstract: A beam splitter for a digital camera splits light passed through a photographing lens into beams directed to a CCD and a finder optical system. The beam splitter includes at least one optical element provided with a beam splitting surface that is inclined with respect to an optical axis of the photographing lens, and a multi-layer film including a plurality of layers of dielectric materials is formed on the beam splitting surface. The multi-layer film is configured such that the beam splitting surface exhibits a substantially constant reflectivity at least for visible light that is incident on the beam splitting surface at any incident angle within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A beam splitter for a digital camera splits light passed through a photographing lens into beams directed to a CCD and a finder optical system. The beam splitter includes at least one optical element provided with a beam splitting surface that is inclined with respect to an optical axis of the photographing lens, and a multi-layer film including a plurality of layers of dielectric materials is formed on the beam splitting surface. The multi-layer film is configured such that the beam splitting surface exhibits a substantially constant reflectivity at least for visible light that is incident on the beam splitting surface at any incident angle within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An optical low-pass filter used in association with an imaging element which has a plurality of pixels arranged in vertical and horizontal direction with regularity, is provided with first through third birefringent plates arranged in the order from a light incident side. The low-pass filter separates an incident ray into four rays, a separation width of the rays in the vertical direction being &dgr;v, and a separation width of the rays in the horizontal direction being &dgr;h. A separation angles of the first through third birefringent plates are &thgr;, (&thgr;−90°) and 0°, respectively, and separation widths of the first through third birefringent plates are (&dgr;v×sin &thgr;), (&dgr;v×cos &thgr;) and &dgr;h, respectively.

Abstract: A lens position adjusting method for a zoom lens includes at least two movable lens groups, one lens group being primarily utilized for focusing and the other lens group being primarily utilized for magnification, wherein an object at a predetermined distance is in-focus when each movable lens group is positioned at each of respective initialized positions thereof with the zoom lens being set at a first focal length, and wherein each movable lens group is moved to vary magnification in accordance with a moving amount from the initialized positions of the movable lens groups.

Abstract: A scanning optical device includes a light source that emits a light beam; a deflector for deflecting and scanning the light beam from the light source; a scanning lens for converging the deflected light beam onto an image surface; and a mechanism for adjusting the relative position of at least one lens element of the scanning lens with respect to other lens elements of the scanning lens in an auxiliary scanning direction. Preferably, the adjustable lens element of the scanning lens be provided with an anamorphic surface having relatively larger power in the auxiliary scanning direction than in the main scanning direction. Alternatively, the above-mentioned at least one lens element may have the largest absolute value of refractive power of the lenses in the scanning lens. Further alternatively, the above-mentioned at least one lens element may be provided with a surface having the smallest absolute value of radius of curvature of all surfaces in the scanning lens.

Abstract: An auto-focusing device of a camera includes a photographic lens having a focusing lens group guided along an optical axis, a stepping motor for moving the focusing lens group along the optical axis to bring an object into focus; and a controller for controlling the stepping motor to rotate stepwise when the depth of focus is smaller than a predetermined value and for controlling the stepping motor to rotate the rotor by even-numbered steps when the depth of focus of the photographic lens is greater than the predetermined value.

Abstract: A stepping motor driving apparatus for a camera includes 1-2 phase excitation type stepping motors and a drive controller for driving and stopping the stepping motors so that the driven stepping motors are stopped always at a detent position.