Abstract: A mixture of inositol derivatives in which a sugar is bonded to inositol includes an inositol derivative (A10) in which total sugars bonded to one inositol molecule is 10 or more in terms of monosaccharide units. In addition, a mixture of inositol derivatives in which a sugar is bonded to inositol includes 5% by mass or more of an inositol derivative (A7), in which total sugars bonded to one inositol molecule is 7 or more in terms of monosaccharide units, with respect to a total amount of inositol derivatives (100% by mass).

Abstract: A method for producing an inositol derivative includes a step of reacting inositol and dextrin in the presence of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase to generate an inositol derivative in which a sugar is bonded to the inositol, and to obtain a solution containing the inositol derivative and the cyclodextrin glucanotransferase; and a step of removing the cyclodextrin glucanotransferase in the solution using an ultrafiltration membrane, in which a deactivation treatment of the cyclodextrin glucanotransferase in the solution is not performed.

Abstract: A plant cultivation device and the like capable of growing a plant while preventing leaves thereof from curling are provided. The device includes: a first illumination irradiating the plant to be cultivated with blue light; a second illumination irradiating the plant with red light; and a controller controlling irradiation of the blue light from the first illumination and irradiation of the red light from the second illumination, wherein the controller controls the blue light irradiation to be performed 21 hours or more a day including a case in which the blue light irradiation is performed 5 hours or more without performing the red light irradiation, and the red light irradiation to be performed 12 hours or more a day.

Abstract: Provided is an anti-aging agent for skin which contains, as an active component, an inositol derivative in which a monosaccharide or an oligosaccharide is bonded to inositol, in which a total amount of the monosaccharide or the oligosaccharide bonded to one inositol molecule is 2 or greater in terms of monosaccharide unit.

Abstract: A mixture of inositol derivatives in which a sugar is bonded to inositol includes an inositol derivative (A10) in which total sugars bonded to one inositol molecule is 10 or more in terms of monosaccharide units. In addition, a mixture of inositol derivatives in which a sugar is bonded to inositol includes 5% by mass or more of an inositol derivative (A7), in which total sugars bonded to one inositol molecule is 7 or more in terms of monosaccharide units, with respect to a total amount of inositol derivatives (100% by mass).

Abstract: A method for producing an inositol derivative includes a step of reacting inositol and dextrin in the presence of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase to generate an inositol derivative in which a sugar is bonded to the inositol, and to obtain a solution containing the inositol derivative and the cyclodextrin glucanotransferase; and a step of removing the cyclodextrin glucanotransferase in the solution using an ultrafiltration membrane, in which a deactivation treatment of the cyclodextrin glucanotransferase in the solution is not performed.

Abstract: Provided is an anti-aging agent for skin which contains, as an active component, an inositol derivative in which a monosaccharide or an oligosaccharide is bonded to inositol, in which a total amount of the monosaccharide or the oligosaccharide bonded to one inositol molecule is 2 or greater in terms of monosaccharide unit.

Abstract: A screw extruder for industrially mass-producing a cellulose-containing composition having a high saccharification performance by continuously conducting pretreatment of cellulose-containing biomass to pretreatment, which screw extruder is characterized as including a raw-material feed portion, a pulverization section, a heating section and a cooling section, and having a plurality of seal rings arranged in the heating section.

Abstract: A treatment method for biomass, which is a pretreatment method including continuously performing hydrothermal treatment using a screw extruder to produce a biomass composition for saccharification from cellulose-containing biomass and containing only a small quantity of furfural, the treatment method sequentially including: pulverizing the cellulose-containing biomass so as to have a maximum grain size of 1,000 ?m or less and adjusting a water content ratio thereof to from 30% to 80%; performing hydrothermal treatment in which an element including a seal ring and at least one set of a kneading disc and/or a left-hand screw is arranged immediately upstream of the seal ring, at a temperature of (1) from 150° C. to 200° C. or (2) from 200° C. to 215° C. for 0.1 minute to 15 minutes while performing kneading pulverization having a grinding effect; and cooling a treated product to 100° C. or less to recover the treated product.

Abstract: A method for assaying cellulase activity, including: a process (A) of preparing two or more substrate solutions, which have an identical absorbance measured at an identical wavelength and in which cellulose is dispersed at an identical concentration, and measuring the absorbance of each of the substrate solutions; a process (B) of respectively adding different kinds of enzyme solutions to the substrate solutions, and performing an enzyme reaction under the same conditions; a process (C) of measuring the absorbance of each of the substrate solutions after the enzyme reaction; a process (D) of calculating the absorbance decrease values of the substrate solutions before and after the enzyme reaction; and a process (E) of assaying cellulase activities of the enzyme solutions based on the absorbance decrease values. In the assay of the process (E), it is determined that the enzyme solutions have higher cellulase activity as the absorbance decrease values become larger.

Abstract: A treatment method for biomass which is a pretreatment method including continuously performing hydrothermal treatment using a screw extruder to produce a biomass composition for saccharification from cellulose-containing biomass serving as a raw material with a small amount of electricity. The treatment method sequentially includes: pulverizing, in a pulverization section of the screw extruder, the cellulose-containing biomass so as to have a maximum grain size of 1,000 ?m or less and adjusting a water content ratio thereof to from 30% to 80%; performing, in a heating section of the screw extruder, hydrothermal treatment at a temperature of from 205° C. to 250° C. for 0.1 minute to 10 minutes while performing kneading pulverization having a grinding effect; and cooling, in a cooling section of the screw extruder downstream of the heating section, a treated product to 100° C. or less to recover the treated product.

Abstract: A treatment method for biomass, which is a pretreatment method including continuously performing hydrothermal treatment using a screw extruder to produce a biomass composition for saccharification from cellulose-containing biomass serving as a raw material, the treatment method sequentially including: pulverizing the cellulose-containing biomass serving as a raw material so as to have a maximum grain size of 1,000 ?m or less and adjusting a water content ratio thereof to from 20% to 80%; performing, in a heating section of the screw extruder, hydrothermal treatment at a temperature of from 150° C. to 250° C. for 0.1 minute to 10 minutes while performing kneading pulverization having a grinding effect; and cooling, in a cooling section of the screw extruder downstream of the heating section, a treated product to 100° C. or less to recover the treated product of the cellulose-containing biomass having an average grain size of 100 ?m or less.

Abstract: A pretreatment method for producing sugar from a cellulose-containing biomass, which includes subjecting the cellulose-containing biomass to hydrothermal treatment while fluidizing the cellulose-containing biomass; a production method of a biomass composition for saccharification use, including the pretreatment method; and a method for producing sugar, which includes hydrolyzing the biomass composition for saccharification use obtained by the above-mentioned production method.

Abstract: A pretreatment method (1) for improving saccharification performance of a cellulose-containing biomass as a saccharification starting material, which includes: step 1 of pulverizing cellulose-containing biomass; step 2 of subjecting the pulverized cellulose-containing biomass to hydrothermal treatment; and step 3 of finely pulverizing the cellulose-containing biomass subjected to the hydrothermal treatment. The fine pulverization in step 3 is performed by using a refiner or disc mill provided with a plate or disc without a flow passage leading from a center toward a circumferential direction. Also disclosed is (2) a method for producing a biomass composition for saccharification, which includes conducting the pretreatment method; and (3) a method for producing a sugar, which includes hydrolyzing a biomass composition for saccharification obtained by the production method.