Abstract: In order to provide a method of molding plant-based material to mold three-dimensional shape of cross section for relatively long plant-based material while maintaining the continuity of original cell/tissue of the plant-based material by means of simple equipment and process, we obtained a long plant-based material of high density and high strength by continuously giving compressing/drawing deformation to the component tissue of the plant-based material toward the center direction while extruding the plant-based material via the extruding die having a prescribed extrusion ratio and die angle for a relatively long plant-based material long in the fiber direction.

Abstract: A woody material, where a ratio (HB/HA) between a height (HA) of an absorption peak derived by C?H stretching vibration detected at a wavenumber from 2850 cm-1 to 2950 cm-1 and a height (HB) of an absorption peak derived by skeletal vibration of an aromatic ring detected at a wavenumber from 1480 cm-1 to 1540 cm-1 is 1.10 or less in an ATR spectrum of an inside or a surface of the woody material by an infrared spectroscopic analysis method.

Abstract: In order to provide a method of molding plant-based material to mold three-dimensional shape of cross section for relatively long plant-based material while maintaining the continuity of original cell/tissue of the plant-based material by means of simple equipment and process, we obtained a long plant-based material of high density and high strength by continuously giving compressing/drawing deformation to the component tissue of the plant-based material toward the center direction while extruding the plant-based material via the extruding die having a prescribed extrusion ratio and die angle for a relatively long plant-based material long in the fiber direction.

Abstract: A method for producing a flame-retardance-imparting material comprises: a shredding step of shredding plant material containing stems and/or leaves of tomato plants and/or eggplant plants in a aqueous solvent; and an aqueous solvent removal step or removing the aqueous solvent from the plant material after shredding.

Abstract: A formed ligneous body having a highly original and excellent design and exhibiting a novel handsome appearance is provided, and a method of making the formed ligneous body. The formed ligneous body includes a translucent base portion, and decorative spot portions whose degree of translucency is different from that of the base portion and which are integrated with the base portion. The base portion and the decorative spot portion are formed of respective resin-impregnated ligneous materials having respective different color tones. The base portion is formed with a predetermined thickness, while the decorative spot portions are integrally embedded within and/or exposed on at least one of front and back surfaces of the base portion in a predetermined pattern of local arrangement.

Abstract: A ligneous decorative design part having a high degree of originality and excellent design, and exhibiting a novel handsome appearance, due to properties of a ligneous material which has translucency when impregnated with a resin material. The ligneous decorative design part has a surface layer portion including a ligneous sliced veneer which is impregnated with a resin material and disposed on a side of a front surface of the surface layer portion, and which defines a decorative design surface, and a base layer portion superposed on a back surface of the surface layer portion, and formed integrally with the surface layer portion. The surface layer portion has translucency, and the ligneous decorative design part further includes another material interposed between the surface layer portion and the base layer portion and which is visible on a side of the front surface of the surface layer portion.

Abstract: Provided are a flame-retardance-imparting material and a flame-retardant resin formed article that utilize plant waste. Resolution means: The present invention is a flame-retardance-imparting material obtained by contacting a plant material selected from plants and plant-derived materials with an aqueous solvent and then removing the aqueous solvent; and a flame-retardant resin formed article including a resin composition containing a flame-retardance-imparting material obtained by contacting a plant material selected from plants and plant-derived materials with an aqueous solvent and then removing the aqueous solvent, and a resin.

Abstract: A formed ligneous body having a clear layer integrally formed on the side of its front surface, with a predetermined thickness and a high degree of adhesiveness, and a decorative design surface presenting a deep and excellent appearance, and a method of advantageously producing a formed ligneous body presenting an excellent decorative design. The formed ligneous body has a ligneous substrate whose front surface serves as the decorative design surface and the translucent clear layer integrally formed on the decorative design surface, wherein the ligneous substrate is formed by subjecting a ligneous material impregnated with a thermosetting resin material to a flow molding process, and the clear layer is formed by heating and pressing at least one fibrous sheet constituted by plant fibers and impregnated with a thermosetting resin material, together with the ligneous material during the flow molding process, so that each of the fibrous sheet is made transparent.

Abstract: A formed ligneous body which has highly original and excellent design and exhibiting a novel handsome appearance, owing to properties of ligneous materials which can be given desired degrees of translucency by impregnation with resin materials and which are subjected to a flow molding process. Also disclosed is a method of producing the formed ligneous body. The formed ligneous body includes a translucent base portion, and decorative spot portions whose degree of translucency is different from that of the base portion and which are integrated with the base portion, the base portion and the decorative spot portion being formed of respective resin-impregnated ligneous materials having respective different color tones, the base portion being formed with a predetermined thickness, while the decorative spot portions being integrally embedded within and/or exposed on at least one of front and back surfaces of the base portion in a predetermined pattern of local arrangement.

Abstract: A ligneous decorative design part having high degrees of originality and excellence in design and exhibiting a novel handsome appearance, owing to properties of a ligneous material which has translucency when impregnated with a resin material. The ligneous decorative design part has: a surface layer portion including a ligneous sliced veneer which is impregnated with a resin material and disposed on the side of a front surface of the surface layer portion, and which gives a decorative design surface; and a base layer portion which is superposed on a back surface of the surface layer portion, and formed integrally with the surface layer portion, wherein the surface layer portion has translucency, and the ligneous decorative design part further including another material which is interposed between the surface layer portion and the base layer portion and which is visible on the side of the front surface of the surface layer portion.

Abstract: It has been disclosed that Galectin 9, which is a physiologically active substance acting as a lectin, is expressed in various cells and a correlationship is observed between the expression level of galectin 9 and the metastatic ability of tumors. Therefore, it is presumed that galectin 9 would relate to various physiological phenomena. Thus, a substance allowing the control of galectin 9 production and release is expected as exerting an activity of inducing antitumor and/or anti-inflammatory actions, etc. Therefore, it is required to reveal the same. It has been found that a factor inducing the production and release of galectin 9, “galectin 9-inducing factor”, is contained in a certain solubilized tumor cell membrane fraction. This factor can be obtained as a concanavalin A-adsorbed fraction and as a concentrated active fraction by fractionation with an ion exchange column packed with Resource Q®, a hydroxyapatite column, etc. Assay reagents, drugs, assays, etc.

Abstract: Galectin 9 exerts various functions depending on its localizations. On the other hand, galectin 9 is expected as participating in various biological functions. Thus, it has been required to clarify the detailed biological activities of galectin 9 and develop galectin 9-related techniques including development of drugs. Human galectin 9 shows a cytotoxic activity and an apoptosis-inducing activity on tumor cells but shows neither cytotoxic activity nor apoptosis-inducing activity on normal cells. Therefore, it is possible to employ galectin 9 proteins, galectin 9 agonists, galectin 9 antagonists, anti-galectin 9 binding protein antibodies, anti-galectin 9 binding sugar chain antibodies, galectin 9-producing, releasing or inducing substances, etc. as antitumor, antiallergic, immunosuppressive agents, drugs for autoimmune diseases, anti-inflammatory agents and active ingredients for adrenocortical steroid hormone alternatives.