Abstract: There is provided a versatile optical element applicable both to an electrode layer required in a bank bill field and to an optical element required in an ID field. In an optical element (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention, a first layer (2) is arranged on a second layer (3) having a relief structure on a surface thereof, and a first region (4) and a second region (5) are provided.

Abstract: The present invention can accomplish effective and accurate searching even for long, multilingual search word input. On the basis of a search request that is denoted in a first system of symbols, a server outputs search results that are denoted in a second system of symbols. Specifically, a search request character string input unit inputs a user-generated search request that is denoted in the first system of symbols. A signifying language translation unit converts the input search request that is denoted in the first system of symbols into a signifying language that is different from the first system of symbols. A search unit performs a search that uses the search request in the signifying language and outputs search results that are denoted in the second system of symbols. A presentation control unit controls the presentation of the search results.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ceramide dispersion which includes (1) ceramide-containing particles which contains a ceramide, which are dispersed in an aqueous phase as an oil-phase component, and which have a volume average particle diameter from 1 nm to 100 nm; and (2) a fatty acid component which is at least one of a fatty acid having a melting temperature not higher than 30° C. or a fatty acid salt; the amount of nonionic surfactant being 0 or not more than 0.1 times the total mass of the ceramide; the amount of an ionic surfactant other than the fatty acid component being 0 or less than 0.05 times the total mass of the ceramide; and the pH being from 6 to 8.

Abstract: A water-based cosmetic that includes: (A) ceramidic compound-containing particles that include a ceramidic compound and that are dispersed as an oil phase in an aqueous phase; (B) a fatty acid component composed of at least one selected from the group consisting of fatty acids and fatty acid salts; and (C) a polyhydric alcohol component that includes a first polyhydric alcohol having an IOB of 2.2 or more and a total content in the composition of from 3% by mass to 20% by mass, and a second polyhydric alcohol having an IOB of 2.0 or less and a total content in the composition of 0% by mass or not more than 3% by mass, wherein a total content of surfactant in the composition is 0% by mass or not more than 1% by mass, and a total mass of ceramidic compound in the composition is at least 3.0 times a total mass of the fatty acid component in the composition.

Abstract: A dictionary system available for the use in document search or available for the use in normalization of a term constituting a document. A dictionary system capable of supporting a complex term composed of a plurality of simple terms. A dictionary system includes a storage for storing a simple term dictionary unit containing at least one simple term and a complex term dictionary unit which represents a complex term that contains one of the simple terms constituting the simple term dictionary unit. Each simple term constituting the complex term is referred to through a pointer (unit identifier) to the simple term dictionary unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ceramide dispersion which includes (1) ceramide-containing particles which contains a ceramide, which are dispersed in an aqueous phase as an oil-phase component, and which have a volume average particle diameter from 1 nm to 100 nm; and (2) a fatty acid component which is at least one of a fatty acid having a melting temperature not higher than 30° C. or a fatty acid salt; the amount of nonionic surfactant being 0 or not more than 0.1 times the total mass of the ceramide; the amount of an ionic surfactant other than the fatty acid component being 0 or less than 0.05 times the total mass of the ceramide; and the pH being from 6 to 8.

Abstract: The present invention provides an a aqueous cosmetic preparation which includes at least a ceramide analog-containing particle that contains at least a ceramide analog and has a volume average particle diameter of from 2 nm to 150 nm, the particle is dispersed in an aqueous phase as an oil-phase component, and a fatty acid having 10 to 30 carbon atoms or salt thereof. The aqueous cosmetic preparation satisfies at least either a condition where the pH is 5.5 or more or a condition where the electric conductivity is 5.0 mS/cm or less.

Abstract: A ceramide dispersion, which includes at least: natural-ceramide-containing particles that are dispersed in an aqueous phase as an oil-phase component; and at least one surfactant, wherein the natural-ceramide-containing particles contain one or more natural ceramides in an amount of 50% by mass or higher with respect to the total mass of the oil components contained in an oil phase, and have a volume average particle diameter of from 0.5 nm to 100 nm; and the ceramide dispersion contains, in the at least one surfactant, at least one polyglycerin fatty acid ester having an HLB of from 10 to 16.

Abstract: A topical composition for external use comprising: a ceramide analogue-containing particle having a particle diameter of 0.001 ?m to 0.2 ?m; and a water-soluble polymer. It is preferable that, further, an oil component different from the ceramide analogue is contained in an amount of 20 parts by mass or less relative to 1 part by mass of the ceramide analogue-containing particle, and the ceramide analogue-containing particle is present in the oil component.

Abstract: A cosmetic composition contains: a carotenoid (A), a collagen (B) having an average molecular weight of 40,000 or more, and a collagen peptide (C) having a weight average molecular weight of from 200 to 5,000.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a dispersion composition including a carotenoid-containing oily component, the dispersion composition being obtained by mixing an aqueous dispersion containing emulsion particles containing the carotenoid-containing oily component and a phospholipid or a derivative thereof with an aqueous composition containing ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof and an oily component that is 20% by mass or less relative to the mass of the whole dispersion composition, and the dispersion composition having emulsion particles having an average particle diameter of 200 nm or less; a dispersion composition including a carotenoid-containing oily component, the dispersion composition being obtained by mixing an aqueous dispersion containing emulsion particles containing a carotenoid-containing oily component and a phospholipid or a derivative thereof with an aqueous composition containing ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof and a pH adjusting agent, and the dispersion composition having a pH val

Abstract: A photosensitive composition having an extremely constant photosensitivity distribution relative to an exposure light having a wavelength of 400 nm to 410 nm, and excelling in pattern reproductivity, suppressing variations in pattern formation; a pattern forming material and a photosensitive laminate with the photosensitive composition laminated thereon; and a pattern forming apparatus and a pattern forming process. The photosensitive composition contains a binder, a polymerizable compound, and a photopolymerization initiator; the photosensitive composition has a maximum spectral sensitivity in the wavelength range of 380 nm to 420 nm; the minimum exposure dose S400 capable of forming a pattern at a wavelength of 400 nm of the photosensitive composition is 300 mJ/cm2 or less; the minimum exposure dose S410 capable of forming a pattern at a wavelength of 410 nm of the photosensitive composition is 300 mJ/cm2 or less; and S400 and S410 satisfy the relation 0.6<S400/S410<1.6.

Abstract: The objects of the present invention are to provide pattern forming materials capable of effectively suppressing sensitivity drop of photosensitive layers as well as capable of forming highly fine and precise patterns, pattern forming apparatuses equipped with the pattern forming materials, and pattern forming processes utilizing the pattern forming materials. In order to attain the objects, a pattern forming material is provided which comprises a support, and a photosensitive layer on the support, wherein the photosensitive layer comprises a polymerization inhibitor, a binder, a polymerizable compound, and a photopolymerization initiator, the photosensitive layer is exposed by means of a laser beam and developed by means of a developer to form a pattern, and the minimum energy of the laser beam is 0.1 mJ/cm2 to 10 mJ/cm2, which is required to yield substantially the same thickness of photosensitive layer subsequent to the developing as the thickness of the photosensitive layer prior to the exposing.

Abstract: A light-sensitive sheet comprises a support, a first light-sensitive layer and a second light-sensitive layer in this order. Each of the first and second light sensitive layers independently contains a binder, a polymerizable compound and a photo-polymerization initiator. The second light-sensitive layer is more sensitive to light than the first light-sensitive layer. A light-sensitive laminate comprises a substrate, the second light-sensitive layer and the first light-sensitive layer in this order.

Abstract: A blood collecting needle, which comprises: a needle tube having a human-body puncturing needle tube and a stopper-body puncturing needle tube, wherein the needle tube has an outer diameter having substantially the same dimension from a tip of the human-body puncturing needle tube to a tip of the stopper-body puncturing needle tube, the needle tube has an inner diameter having substantially the same dimension from the tip of the human-body puncturing needle tube to the tip of the stopper-body puncturing needle tube, and the blood collecting needle satisfies equation (1): 0.35?D1<0.70??(equation 1) wherein D1 represents the outer diameter (mm) of the needle tube.

Abstract: A blood collecting needle, which comprises: a needle hub; a human-body puncturing needle tube provided at one side of the needle hub; and a plug-body puncturing needle tube provided at the other side of the needle hub, wherein an outer diameter of a tip of the human-body puncturing needle tube and an outer diameter of a tip of the plug-body puncturing needle tube are different from each other.

Abstract: A light-sensitive sheet comprises a support, a first light-sensitive layer, a barrier layer and a second light-sensitive layer in this order. Each of the first and second light sensitive layers independently contains a binder, a polymerizable compound and a photo-polymerization initiator. The second light-sensitive layer is more sensitive to light than the first light-sensitive layer. A light-sensitive laminate comprises a substrate, the second light-sensitive layer, the barrier layer and the first light-sensitive layer in this order.

Abstract: A light-sensitive sheet comprises a support, a first light-sensitive layer, a barrier layer and a second light-sensitive layer in this order. Each of the first and second light sensitive layers independently contains a binder, a polymerizable compound and a photo-polymerization initiator. The second light-sensitive layer is more sensitive to light than the first light-sensitive layer. A light-sensitive laminate comprises a substrate, the second light-sensitive layer, the barrier layer and the first light-sensitive layer in this order.

Abstract: This invention provides a kit used for fabricating an integrated biomolecule sensor. The kit includes an optical fiber bundle unit, which holds the proximal ends of the plurality of optical fibers together with the end-face arranged substantially in the same plane and oriented substantially in the same direction, a plate with wells for holding solutions containing probe polymers with different base sequences, and an auxiliary plate having holes, which corresponds to the wells of the plate respectively. According to this invention, researchers and other people can easily fabricate the integrated biomolecule under individual requirements without need of expensive equipment.

Abstract: A light-sensitive sheet comprises a support, a first light-sensitive layer and a second light-sensitive layer in this order. Each of the first and second light sensitive layers independently contains a binder, a polymerizable compound and a photo-polymerization initiator. The second light-sensitive layer is more sensitive to light than the first light-sensitive layer. A light-sensitive laminate comprises a substrate, the second light-sensitive layer and the first light-sensitive layer in this order.