Abstract: The present invention relate to a highly efficient and novel method, using clean technologies, for obtaining a natural bioactive concentrate that is rich on polyphenols from olive mill water (OMW). The clean technologies integrate centrifugation, a drowning-out crystallization-based separation process, and vacuum evaporation. The method provides a highly-concentrated polyphenol isolate (up to 99% (mass fraction)) from other components presents in OMW, with up to half of the polyphenol content being hydroxytyrosol. The isolated polyphenols exhibit anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic activities; they can be prepared as solid particles, as an aqueous solution, in an emulsion, or as lipidic-based nanoparticles. The isolated polyphenols can be used in the food industry, cosmetic industry, or pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract: The present invention relate to a highly efficient and novel method, using clean technologies, for obtaining a natural bioactive concentrate that is rich on polyphenols from olive mill water (OMW). The clean technologies integrate centrifugation, a drowning-out crystallization-based separation process, and vacuum evaporation. The method provides a highly-concentrated polyphenol isolate (up to 99% (mass fraction)) from other components presents in OMW, with up to half of the polyphenol content being hydroxytyrosol. The isolated polyphenols exhibit anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic activities; they can be prepared as solid particles, as an aqueous solution, in an emulsion, or as lipidic-based nanoparticles. The isolated polyphenols can be used in the food industry, cosmetic industry, or pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing microspheres that are solid microparticles or liquid microparticles for use as an emulsion employed in the food industry, production of medicine and cosmetic etc. or an emulsion for DDS (drug delivery system). The object is attained by a process for producing a microsphere including: separating a disperse phase from a continuous phase by a substrate 1 having a through-hole 7; and extruding the disperse phase into the continuous phase through the through-hole 7, in which the substrate having the through-hole 7 with a width of 0.5 to 500 ?m, a depth of 10 ?m to 6000 ?m and a ratio of the width to the depth of the through-hole 7 of 1 to 1/30 is a metal substrate.

Abstract: A microchannel array according to the present invention includes a first substrate 1, and a second substrate 11 bonded to the first substrate 1. Two sets, that is, a set of a first through-hole 9, a first recess 7, and a first groove 8 and a set of a second through-hole 4, a second recess 2, and a second groove 3 are formed on the first substrate 1. The different sets are separated by a partition 5. A cell differentation/proliferation speed after micro-injection can be increased by using such microchannel array.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing microspheres that are solid microparticles or liquid microparticles for use as an emulsion employed in the food industry, production of medicine and cosmetic etc. or an emulsion for DDS (drug delivery system). The object is attained by a process for producing a microsphere including: separating a disperse phase from a continuous phase by a substrate 1 having a through-hole 7; and extruding the disperse phase into the continuous phase through the through-hole 7, in which the substrate having the through-hole 7 with a width of 0.5 to 500 ?m, a depth of 10 ?m to 6000 ?m and a ratio of the width to the depth of the through-hole 7 of 1 to 1/30 is a metal substrate.

Abstract: A microchannel array according to the present invention includes a first substrate 1, and a second substrate 11 bonded to the first substrate 1. Two sets, that is, a set of a first through-hole 9, a first recess 7, and a first groove 8 and a set of a second through-hole 4, a second recess 2, and a second groove 3 are formed on the first substrate 1. The different sets are separated by a partition 5. A cell differentation/proliferation speed after micro-injection can be increased by using such microchannel array.

Abstract: A polyelectrolyte solution as a disperse phase is fed into one of the chambers which are partitioned by a plate having a plurality of narrow holes (microchannels), a continuous phase is fed into the other chamber, and pressure is applied to the disperse phase forcing it through the holes into the continuous phase so as to prepare an emulsion. This emulsion is demulsified, and at the same time the disperse phase is brought into contact with a polyelectrolyte solution having a reverse electric charge to the disperse phase or a polyvalent ion solution, and a gel layer is formed around the spherical disperse phase by a polyelectrolyte reaction. Thereby, a double-structured capsule is obtained, in which the outside is insoluble gel and the inside is a polyelectrolyte solution to which a cell has been added.

Abstract: The resin microchannel substrate has a surface where a recess leading to a fluid supply port and a bank adjacent to the recess and having many micro grooves on a surface are formed. The grooves form microchannels connecting the inside of the recess and the outside of the recess when the surface of the substrate is firmly attached to a flat plate serving as a cover. The width and height of the microchannel are within a range of 1 to 300 ?m, and the width/height ratio of the channel is within a range of 1:20 to 20:1.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for efficiently manufacturing microspheres having a uniform particle diameter. The apparatus comprises: case 1 having a lower body 1a and an upper body 1b. A seal ring 3, a first plate 4 which is comprised of a transparent plate such as a glass plate or a plastic plate, an annular spacer 5, an intermediate plate 6 which is comprised of a silicon substrate or the like, an annular spacer 7, a second plate 8 and a seal ring 9 are inserted in this order into a concave portion 2 formed in the lower body 1a. The upper body 1b is superposed thereon. Further, the upper body 1b is attached to the lower body 1a with bolts or the like.

Abstract: According to the present invention, it is possible to produce emulsions containing a material that are insoluble or that have low solubility with respect to water and oil in a high concentration, so as to obtain emulsions which can be preserved for a long period of time. More specifically, ethanol, to which polyglycerol oleic acid ester (PG) is added, and vegetable oil, are stirred with a homogenizer or an emulsification method such as a membrane emulsification or a microchannel emulsification, thereby obtaining E/O type emulsions or E/O/W type emulsions wherein ethanol drops in which polyphenol is dissolved in a high concentration are dispersed into vegetable oil.

Abstract: A fat reforming method using an enzyme which has been activated by adding the enzyme to a system containing water and fat phases, activating the enzyme by a function of a boundary surface/layer between the water and fat phases, and removing the water and fat phases through freeze drying. Tetradecane may be used as the fat phase. Just after adding tetradecane into a water phase in which lipase is dissolved, though existing in water phase as shown in FIG. 4(a), the lipase moves towards the boundary surface since it has a tendency to gather around the boundary surface between the water and fat phases. The lipase moved to the boundary surface has hydrophobic portion at the side of the fat phase and a hydrophilic portion of the lipase at the side of the water phase, as shown in FIG. 4(b), and at the same time the lid covering the activating portion is opened by the function of the boundary surface.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for activating a lipase by adding a solution of lipase in an aqueous buffer at a pH near neutrality to an organic phase, e.g., tetradecane. Under these conditions lipase is activated as a function of an organic-and-water boundary surface between the organic and water phases. The lipase that is activated in this manner remains active even after lyophilization to remove the water and the organic phase. This activated lipase efficiently catalyzes a fat reforming reaction in non-aqueous and nano-aqueous conditions.

Abstract: A method to efficiently and continuously produce microspheres of natural oils and fats having a high melting point, the average particle diameter of which is in dozens of &mgr;m and is uniform, comprising the steps of heating oils and fats having a high melting point to a temperature greater than the melting point thereof to liquify same holding the oils and fats in a liquid state, forming a dispersed phase of the liquid oils and fats, pressurizing the dispersed phase and forming emulsions by dispersing the dispersed phase into a continuous phase via a plurality of microchannels, and isolating microspheres of the oils and fats having a high melting point by removing the continuous phase from the emulsions.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a method and an apparatus for efficiently manufacturing microspheres having a uniform particle diameter. The apparatus is as follows: the case 1 comprises the lower body 1a and the upper body 1b. A seal ring 3, a first plate 4 which is comprised of a transparent plate such as a glass plate or a plastic plate, an annular spacer 5, an intermediate plate 6 which is comprised of a silicon substrate or the like, an annular spacer 7, a second plate 8 and a seal ring 9 are inserted in this order into a concave portion 2 formed in the lower body 1a. The upper body 1b is superposed thereon. Further, the upper body 1b is attached to the lower body 1a with bolts or the like.

Abstract: A microchannel apparatus includes a plural partition walls 4 formed as extensions of plural microchannels 1 toward a continuous phase, and a flow path 5 is formed between adjacent ones of the partition walls 4. A dispersed phase pumped into a continuous phase via each microchannel 1 generates nearly perfect spheres in the course of passing through the microchannel and the flow path 5 in between the partition walls 4, thereby producing emulsions comprising fine and homogenous microspheres.

Abstract: Cross-flow microchannel apparatus for producing emulsions includes a pump 9 and a pump 11 which are driven to respectively supply a continuous phase to a concave portion 4 via a supply pipe 10, a supply hole 6 and a supply port 18 and a dispersed phase to a space between the outside of a base 3 and the inside of a concave portion 2 formed in a case 1 via a supply pipe 12 and a supply hole 7. Then, by applying a predetermined pressure to the dispersed phase, the dispersed phase is formed into fine particles via a microchannels 21 and mixed with the continuous phase, thereby forming emulsions. The emulsions are withdrawn to a tank and so on via a withdrawal port 19, a withdrawal hole 8, and a withdrawal pipe 13 for emulsions.

Abstract: In an apparatus for continuously manufacturing microspheres, a dispersed phase (O) is supplied to a chamber 27 for the dispersed phase inside of a bulkhead member 26 via a supply port 23. Thereafter, the dispersed phase enters into a gap 31 between a plate 22 via a supply port 29 in a base 25. The dispersed phase which enters into the gap 31 grows microspheres (particles) having a certain diameter while passing through a microchannel 33 by pressure applied by, for example, a pump, and is mixed with a continuous phase (W), so that microspheres are produced. The thus-produced microspheres float or are suspended in the continuous phase without needing any particular external force in response to their specific gravity, allowing the microspheres to be generated and withdrawn from a withdrawal port 32 at a significantly reduced pressure in comparison to conventional methods and apparatus.

Abstract: A dispersed phase (O) supplied inside a bulkhead member (17) through a supply port (14) enters a gap (20) between a plate (16) and a base (18) through a supply port (19) of the base (18) and the dispersed phase (O) having entered the gap (20) then enters a continuous phase (W) through a boundary section (21) by virtue of pressure applied by a pressurizing means such as a pump. Then, the dispersed phase is made into a particle having a predetermined diameter by a microchannel (24) in passing through this boundary section (21), thereby forming an emulsion (E) in which the dispersed phase (O) of the predetermined diameter is dispersed in the continuous phase (W).

Abstract: Provided is a multistage method and apparatus for concentrating a solution by reverse osmosis, comprising the steps and means for: maximizing the concentration of absolute in a solution in a multistage apparatus having only standard capacity pumps, including steps of providing first concentrating means for concentrating a solution to a first concentration, said first concentrating means comprising at least one concentrating unit which positioned upstream with respect to a direction in which a solution to be concentrated flows, and providing second concentrating means for concentrating the solution that has been concentrated by first concentrating means to a second concentration which is higher than said first concentrating means comprising at least one concentrating unit which is positioned downstream with respect to said direction; said concentrating units comprising consisting essentially of respective membrane modules and respective standard capacity pumps, the membrane module of the concentrating unit of

Abstract: Provided is a multistage method and apparatus for concentrating a solution by reverse osmosis, comprising the steps and means for: maximizing the concentration of absolute in a solution in a multistage apparatus having only standard capacity pumps, including steps of providing first concentrating means for concentrating a solution to a first concentration, said first concentrating means comprising a least one concentrating unit which positioned upstream with respect to a direction in which a solution to be concentrated flows, and providing second concentrating means for concentrating the solution that has been concentrated by first concentrating means to a second concentration which is higher than said first concentrating means comprising at least one concentrating unit which is positioned downstream with respect to said direction; said concentrating units comprising consisting essentially of respective membrane modules and respective standard capacity pumps, the membrane module of the concentrating unit of s