Abstract: A needle array transdermal absorption sheet to be attached onto a skin for supplying a drug into the skin, includes: a plurality of needle portions each having a tapered shape, each of the needle portions including a needle having a conical or pyramidal shape and a body part which has a columnar shape and whose end surface is connected to a base of the needle; a sheet portion having a flat-plate shape; and a plurality of frustum portions each having a frustum shape, the frustum portions which are arranged on a surface of the sheet portion in a manner that perimeters of larger bases of adjacent frustum portions are in contact with each other on the surface of the sheet portion, and smaller bases of which are respectively connected to the body parts of the needle portions.

Abstract: A needle array transdermal absorption sheet to be attached onto a skin for supplying a drug into the skin, includes: a plurality of needle portions each having a tapered shape, each of the needle portions including a needle having a conical or pyramidal shape and a body part which has a columnar shape and whose end surface is connected to a base of the needle; a sheet portion having a flat-plate shape; and a plurality of frustum portions each having a frustum shape, the frustum portions which are arranged on a surface of the sheet portion in a manner that perimeters of larger bases of adjacent frustum portions are in contact with each other on the surface of the sheet portion, and smaller bases of which are respectively connected to the body parts of the needle portions.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide highly safe nanoparticles which can be used simultaneously for imaging, hyperthermia and DDS and have high drug incorporation ratio. The present invention provides a nanoparticle which comprises an inorganic nanoparticle of 1 to 500 nm in average particle size having an active substance immobilized on the surface and a polymer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide nanoparticles that can easily be delivered to a small site such as a capillary and can be produced using highly biocompatible and safe material. The present invention provides a nanoparticle which contains at least one pharmaceutically active component, a magnetically responsive particle, and a protein.

Abstract: An object of the present invention to provide: a nanoparticle, which can be produced without the use of surfactants and synthetic polymers, which has a controllable size and is stable in the acidic range, and which further contains an active substance; and a method for producing the same. The present invention provides a casein nanoparticle which contains an active substance and has an average particle size between 10 nm or more and less than 300 nm, which is produced by the following steps (a) to (c): (a) a step of mixing casein into a basic aqueous medium between pH 8 or more and less than pH 11; (b) a step of adding at least one type of active substance to the solution obtained in the step (a); and (c) a step of injecting the solution obtained in the step (b) into an acidic aqueous medium at pH 3.5 to pH 7.5.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide highly safe nanoparticles made from highly biocompatible materials without the use of a surfactant or synthetic polymer. The present invention provides a protein nanoparticle which is obtained by enzymatic crosslinking during and/or after the formation of protein nanoparticle.

Abstract: It is disclosed a polymerizable composition for producing an optical member for 850 nm wavelength comprising: a polymerizable monomer composition and a compound, having a different refractive index from that of the polymerizable monomer composition, whose structure has a benzene ring substituted by a substituent having a Hammett value of not greater than 0.04 or by plural substituents having an average value of Hammett values thereof of not greater than 0.04. It is also disclosed a polymerizable composition for producing an optical member comprising a polymerizable monomer composition comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of C7-20 alicyclic (meth)acrylates and a compound, having a different refractive index from that of the polymerizable monomer composition and having a solubility parameter of not greater than 10.9, whose structure has a benzene ring substituted by the substituent or the substituents defined above.

Abstract: Novel optical members formed of a polymer comprising a repeating unit derived from a polymerizable monomer (A) which is a methacrylate derivative having a branched C3-8 alkyl group or a repeating unit derived from a polymerizable monomer (3) which is a (meth)acrylate derivative having a C7-20 alicyclic hydrocarbon group are disclosed. Novel processes for preparing an optical member comprising polymerization of a composition comprising the monomer (A) or the monomer (3) are also disclosed.

Abstract: A thin membrane for measuring protease activity, which is formed on a support and, which comprises one or more kinds of substances selected from the group consisting of a transferrin derivative and an albumin derivative and is crosslinked and/or substantially water-insoluble. The membrane enables selective measurement of protease activity of a particular class of protease such as matrix metalloproteinase 7.

Abstract: It is disclosed a polymerizable composition for producing an optical member for 850 nm wavelength comprising: a polymerizable monomer composition and a compound, having a different refractive index from that of the polymerizable monomer composition, whose structure has a benzene ring substituted by a substituent having a Hammett value of not greater than 0.04 or by plural substituents having an average value of Hammett values thereof of not greater than 0.04. It is also disclosed a polymerizable composition for producing an optical member comprising a polymerizable monomer composition comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of C7-20 alicyclic (meth) acrylates and a compound, having a different refractive index from that of the polymerizable monomer composition and having a solubility parameter of not greater than 10.9, whose structure has a benzene ring substituted by the substituent or the substituents defined above.

Abstract: A method for measuring a thiol group-containing compound, which comprises the steps of (1) contacting a sample containing a thiol group-containing compound with a thin membrane comprising a microparticle of a substance selected from the group consisting of a metal and a metal compound and comprising a hydrophilic binder; and (2) detecting a color change on the thin membrane resulting from interaction of the thiol group-containing compound and the microparticle, and a thin membrane used for said method. A thiol group containing compound such as an alkylmercaptan or a protein containing thiol groups can be conveniently and accurately measured.

Abstract: A thin membrane for measuring protease activity, which is formed on a support and, which comprises one or more kinds of substances selected from the group consisting of a transferrin derivative and an albumin derivative and is crosslinked and/or substantially water-insoluble. The membrane enables selective measurement of protease activity of a particular class of protease such as matrix metalloproteinase 7.

Abstract: A method for measuring protease activity, which comprises the steps of: (1) bringing a biosample containing a protease into contact with a crosslinked and/or substantially water-insoluble thin membrane that is formed on a support surface and contains at least one colorant selected from the group consisting of an emulsion-dispersed colorant and a solid-dispersed colorant and a protease substrate; and (2) washing the thin membrane with an aqueous medium and detecting traces of digestion formed on the thin membrane by an action of the protease.

Abstract: A method for judging effectiveness of a drug having protease inhibitory activity, which comprises the steps of: (1) bringing a biosample isolated or collected from a patient with a disease in which participation of a protease is suspected into contact with a thin membrane containing a protease substrate and formed on a surface of a support; (2) detecting a trace of digestion formed on the thin membrane by action of a protease; and (3) judging that a drug having protease inhibitory activity is effective for the patient when a trace of digestion is formed on the thin membrane. The method enables accurate judgment as to whether or not a drug having protease inhibitory activity is effective for a patient with a disease in which participation of a protease is suspected such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer before administration of the drug.

Abstract: A method for measuring protease activity, which comprises the steps of:

Abstract: A method for inhibiting retroviral infection in a subject comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of a naphthalenesulfonic acid compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, as herein defined.

Abstract: A peptide derivative amphiphatic compound or N-terminal salt thereof represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl or acyl group having 8 to 24 carbon atoms optionally having a substituent or an unsaturated group; X represents --O--or --NH--; R.sup.3n and R.sup.3(n+1) each represents an .alpha.--amino acid side chain; n is an integer of from 0 to 5; the compound may be a racemic compound or an optically active compound when the compound has an asymmetric carbon atom; and the N-terminal salt of the compound optionally forms with an acid component; an intermediate thereof, a liposome comprising said peptide derivative amphiphatic compound and a film consisting of a monolayer or multilayers comprising the peptide derivative amphiphatic compound are disclosed.

Abstract: A silver halide photographic material which comprises a support having thereon at least one hydrophilic colloid layer, wherein the hydrophilic colloid layer comprises (a) a binder comprising a dextran having a molecular weight of at least 100,000 and (b) an ionic polymer.

Abstract: A method for activating a membrane comprising cellulose as a main component, by reacting the membrane with a compound of the formula Cl-SO.sub.2 -R or Cl-CO-R.sub.1 where R is an optionally substituted alkyl or phenyl group and R.sub.1 is a releasing group, an activated membrane obtained by the method, a method of fixing a physiologically active substance on the activated membrane and a physiologically active substance-fixed membrane obtained by the method. A physiologically active substance can be fixed on the activated membrane by stable chemical bond between the substance and the membrane while maintaining the physiological activity of the substance.

Abstract: A thiocyanate-containing silver halide emulsion, characterized in that a disc tablet of 2.5 mm in diameter formed of 10 mg of silver halide contained in the silver halide emulsion shows an absorbance of 0.015 or higher or thiocyanate ion at 2052 cm.sup.-1, measured by IR spectroscopy. The emulsion is high in sensitivity, small in loss of photographic sensitivity caused by pressure and small in fluctuations in results of photographic processings.