Abstract: A drug coating layer which is a drug coating layer having a morphological form including a plurality of elongated bodies having long axes that each crystal of a water-insoluble drug independently has on a substrate surface, in which the long axes of the elongated bodies are nearly linear in shape, and the long axes of the elongated bodies form an angle in a predetermined range with respect to a substrate plane with which the long axis of the elongated body intersects. The drug coating layer can provide low toxicity and a high intravascular stenosis inhibitory effect.

Abstract: A liposome composition, which is obtained by mixing a water-miscible organic solution in which a phospholipid and cholesterol are contained in a total concentration of 100 to 200 w/v % in a water-miscible organic solvent with a first aqueous phase solution in an amount of 3/1 to 12/1 in terms of volume ratio to the water-miscible organic solution, thereby obtaining an emulsion in which the total concentration of the phospholipid and cholesterol in the resulting mixed phase is 15 to 50 w/v %, followed by subjecting the emulsion to external solution exchange with a second aqueous phase solution, wherein an ion gradient is formed between an aqueous phase in an internal region of a liposome membrane, including the first aqueous phase solution, and an aqueous phase in an external region of the liposome membrane, including the second aqueous phase solution, and a drug can be introduced in a high encapsulation amount.

Abstract: An absorption spectrometric analysis microchip with a chamber for holding a sample, a chamber for holding a reagent which reacts with this sample, a mixing chamber for mixing the reagent with the sample with the formation of a mixture and a sensing part with a sensing chamber for holding the mixture with a light incidence surface for the entry of light into the sensing chamber and a light exit surface for emergence of light from the sensing chamber. At least one of the light incidence surface and light exit surface is located in a recess area of the sensing part.

Abstract: A unit for measurement of absorbance using a microchip has a microchip with a continuous cavity, a sample chamber, a reagent chamber, a reagent mixing chamber and a chamber for measuring absorbance, which is arranged in a straight line in the area of the continuous cavity. The microchip is located in a chip holder which has a capillary part which is arranged such that the light used to measure absorbance is delivered through the capillary part to the chamber for measuring absorbance, the capillary part having a smaller opening diameter than the diameter of the cross section which is perpendicular to the optical axis of the chamber for measuring absorbance.

Abstract: Provided is an irinotecan formulation capable of supporting irinotecan and/or a salt thereof in a closed vesicle carrier at a high concentration and existing in blood for a long period of time by dramatically improved retentivity in blood compared to a conventionally known irinotecan liposome formulation. That is, an irinotecan formulation including a closed vesicle formed by a lipid membrane, in which irinotecan and/or a salt thereof is encapsulated at a concentration of at least 0.07 mol/mol (drug mol/membrane total lipid mol). There is an ion gradient between an inner aqueous phase and an outer aqueous phase in the irinotecan formulation. The closed vesicle is preferably liposome, in which only the outer surface of the liposome is preferably modified with a surface-modifying agent containing a hydrophilic polymer.

Abstract: A microchip testing device with a microchip having an absorbance measuring chamber for measuring absorbance, a transmitted light receiving unit for receiving light which has been emitted from a light source and has been transmitted through the absorbance measuring chamber, an aperture which extends in a straight line in the direction of the optical axis of the absorbance measuring chamber, with an entry opening for the light emitted by the light source on one end and a light exit opening on an opposite end from which the light enters the absorbance measuring chamber, an incident light beam splitter which is located in the optical path between the light exit opening of the aperture and the absorbance measuring chamber and which transmits part of the incident light and reflects another part of it, and a reflected light receiving part for receiving the light which has been reflected by the beam splitter.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a slightly water-soluble camptothecin liposome preparation with an excellent retention in blood for a drug, which can stably hold a slightly water-soluble camptothecin compound for a long period of time, whereby hydrolysis of an ?-hydroxylactone ring in blood is suppressed and the slightly water-soluble camptothecin compound is kept in a structure in which the ring is not opened and which makes the compound effective as an antitumor-active drug, and, moreover, the liability of the drug to leave a liposome is advantageously reduced, so that it is possible to maintain the drug concentration in plasma for a long period of time after administration. This object is achieved by the liposome preparation as described in the specification.

Abstract: A device for measuring the reflection factor by irradiating a measurement area of a microchip with light, and in which a light receiving part is made to receive light reflected from the measurement area for determination of the reflection factor of the measurement area. The light receiving part is located in an angular region ?, satisfying the relationship (½)????sin?1(1/n) and being located between angles ?min and ?max, ?min and ?max (in°) being angles which the reflection light forms with respect to a normal on the edge of the irradiated surface of the area to be measured in a virtual plane which contains the emission center of the light emitting part and which is perpendicular to the microchip, wherein ?min is ½ ? and ?max corresponds to sin?1(1/n), where ? (°) is the scattering angle of the light radiated by the light emitting part which is located directly above the area to be measured, and wherein n is the index of refraction of the transparent component.

Abstract: Provided is an irinotecan formulation capable of supporting irinotecan and/or a salt thereof in a closed vesicle carrier at a high concentration and existing in blood for a long period of time by dramatically improved retentivity in blood compared to a conventionally known irinotecan liposome formulation. That is, an irinotecan formulation including a closed vesicle formed by a lipid membrane, in which irinotecan and/or a salt thereof is encapsulated at a concentration of at least 0.07 mol/mol (drug mol/membrane total lipid mol). There is an ion gradient between an inner aqueous phase and an outer aqueous phase in the irinotecan formulation. The closed vesicle is preferably liposome, in which only the outer surface of the liposome is preferably modified with a surface-modifying agent containing a hydrophilic polymer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel amphiphilic substance, a nanoparticle using the novel amphiphilic substance, which can be used as a nanocarrier having high biocompatibility, a drug delivery system and a probe useful for the system, and, a molecular imaging system and a probe useful for the system. An amphiphilic block polymer comprising a hydrophilic block; and a hydrophobic block, wherein the hydrophilic block is a hydrophilic polypeptide chain having 10 or more sarcosine units, and the hydrophobic block is a hydrophobic molecular chain comprising units selected from the group consisting of amino acid units and hydroxyl acid units as essential structural units, and having 5 or more of the essential structural units.

Abstract: A device for measuring the reflection factor by irradiating a measurement area of a microchip with light, and in which a light receiving part is made to receive light reflected from the measurement area for determination of the reflection factor of the measurement area. The light receiving part is located in an angular region ?, satisfying the relationship (1/2)???? sin-1(1/n) and being located between angles ?min and ?max, ?min and ?max (in°) being angles which the reflection light forms with respect to a normal on the edge of the irradiated surface of the area to be measured in a virtual plane which contains the emission center of the light emitting part and which is perpendicular to the microchip, wherein ?min is 1/2 ? and ?max corresponds to sin-1(1/n), where ? (°) is the scattering angle of the light radiated by the light emitting part which is located directly above the area to be measured, and wherein n is the index of refraction of the transparent component.

Abstract: A microchip testing device with a microchip having an absorbance measuring chamber for measuring absorbance, a transmitted light receiving unit for receiving light which has been emitted from a light source and has been transmitted through the absorbance measuring chamber, an aperture which extends in a straight line in the direction of the optical axis of the absorbance measuring chamber, with an entry opening for the light emitted by the light source on one end and a light exit opening on an opposite end from which the light enters the absorbance measuring chamber, an incident light beam splitter which is located in the optical path between the light exit opening of the aperture and the absorbance measuring chamber and which transmits part of the incident light and reflects another part of it, and a reflected light receiving part for receiving the light which has been reflected by the beam splitter.

Abstract: A unit for measurement of absorbance using a microchip has a microchip with a continuous cavity, a sample chamber, a reagent chamber, a reagent mixing chamber and a chamber for measuring absorbance, which is arranged in a straight line in the area of the continuous cavity. The microchip is located in a chip holder which has a capillary part which is arranged such that the light used to measure absorbance is delivered through the capillary part to the chamber for measuring absorbance, the capillary part having a smaller opening diameter than the diameter of the cross section which is perpendicular to the optical axis of the chamber for measuring absorbance.

Abstract: An absorption spectrometric analysis microchip with a chamber for holding a sample, a chamber for holding a reagent which reacts with this sample, a mixing chamber for mixing the reagent with the sample with the formation of a mixture and a sensing part with a sensing chamber for holding the mixture with a light incidence surface for the entry of light into the sensing chamber and a light exit surface for emergence of light from the sensing chamber. At least one of the light incidence surface and light exit surface is located in a recess area of the sensing part.

Abstract: With the purpose of developing a widely applicable technique capable of preparing oral granular formulations having good handling properties and rapidly disintegrating or dissolving in the mouth during administration or when they are dissolved or suspended before use, the present invention provides oral granular formulations containing no or little binders and having fast-disintegrating or -dissolving properties.

Abstract: The object of the invention to devise an electrical insertion body for a tube lamp in which sealing bodies of an electrically conductive inorganic material component and a dielectric inorganic material component and upholding parts of the electrodes are attached securely to one another by sintering, and in which neither leaks nor falling out of the upholding parts of the electrodes occur.

Abstract: A dielectric barrier discharge lamp with a translucent part made of silica glass which contains OH radicals and in which damage of the silica glass by UV radiation can be suppressed and a sufficient amount of UV radiation can be obtained in a dielectric barrier discharge lamp, in which a silica glass discharge vessel is filled with a discharge gas which forms excimer molecules by a dielectric barrier discharge and which is at least partially provided with a translucent part, by the translucent part having a ratio of non-hydrogen bonding OH radicals to the total number of OH radicals which is less than or equal to 0.36.

Abstract: Thiourea derivatives represented by the formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different and each represents a lower alkyl group, or R.sub.1 or R.sub.2 taken together represent a group having the formula --(CH.sub.2).sub.m --in which m is 4 or 5, R.sub.3 represents a lower alkyl group or a cycloalkyl group or a group having the formula--(CH.sub.2).sub.l --R.sub.4 in which R.sub.4 is a phenyl, naphthyl, pyridyl, furyl or thienyl group optionally having 1-3 substituents selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, phenoxy, lower alkylthio, hydroxy, halogen, nitro, cyano and trifluoromethyl, and l represents an integer of 0 to 2 and n represents an integer of 1 to 5 or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof.The compounds of the invention are useful as a therapeutic agent for peptic ulcers which is also effective on prevention of the recurrence after discontinuation of the administration due to the antimicrobial activity against Helicobacter pyroli.

Abstract: A novel formulation of piroxicam for dermatological administration is disclosed. Pharmaceutical compositions containing piroxicam, lower alkanols, water, carboxyvinyl polymer, polyhydric alcohols, alkanolamines and optionally film-forming agents are prepared, said compositions having a pH of from about 6.5 to about 9.0. The novel formulation is characterized by excellent applicability on the skin, skin-permeability and good stability. The novel formulation, which is in gel ointment form, is as effective as orally administered peroxicam and is well suited for topical administration through skin for the treatment of various types of inflammatory conditions.