Abstract: In the process of producing a porous body containing a fibrous apatite/collagen composite by gelating a dispersion comprising said fibrous apatite/collagen composite, collagen and water, freeze-drying the resultant gel to form a porous body, and cross-linking collagen in said porous body, a method for controlling the average pore diameter of said porous body by the solidification time of said gel in said freezing step.

Abstract: Provided is a sustained-release microparticle preparation of a human growth hormone which combines biodegradability with sustained-release performance while avoiding the use of an organic solvent as much as possible, allows the sustained-release of a human growth hormone over 3 days or more and reduction in the initial burst release, can contain a human growth hormone at 10% or more, can quantitatively adsorb and encapsulate a human growth hormone at up to 20%, and has excellent dispersion and needle penetration properties. A process for producing the sustained-release microparticle preparation of a human growth hormone is also provided. The sustained-release microparticle preparation comprises a porous apatite derivative, a human growth hormone, and a water-soluble divalent metal compound.

Abstract: A porous and spherical calcium phosphate particle which is substituted with a metal ion or has a metal ion carried on the surface thereof, and has a particle diameter of 0.1 to 100 ?m. The calcium phosphate particle is a novel functional particle which is useful, for example, as a material for use in gas chromatography allowing the separation of a chemical substance of a trace amount with high accuracy.

Abstract: A porous composite comprising a porous layer containing a calcium phosphate ceramic, and a dense layer formed on part of the porous layer and having a smaller average pore size than that of the porous layer. The porous composite can be produced by (1) introducing a slurry containing a calcium phosphate ceramic/collagen composite and collagen into a molding die having a high thermal conductivity, (2) rapidly freezing and drying the slurry in the molding die, to form a porous body comprising a porous layer and a dense layer formed on the porous layer, (3) cross-linking collagen in the porous body, and (4) removing the dense layer except for a portion thereof on a surface coming into contact with a soft tissue when implanted in a human body, so that the porous layer is exposed.

Abstract: Provided is a sustained-release microparticle preparation of a human growth hormone which combines biodegradability with sustained-release performance while avoiding the use of an organic solvent as much as possible, allows the sustained-release of a human growth hormone over 3 days or more and reduction in the initial burst release, can contain a human growth hormone at 10% or more, can quantitatively adsorb and encapsulate a human growth hormone at up to 20%, and has excellent dispersion and needle penetration properties. A process for producing the sustained-release microparticle preparation of a human growth hormone is also provided. The sustained-release microparticle preparation comprises a porous apatite derivative, a human growth hormone, and a water-soluble divalent metal compound.

Abstract: A porous and spherical calcium phosphate particle which is substituted with a metal ion or has a metal ion carried on the surface thereof, and has a particle diameter of 0.1 to 100 ?m. The calcium phosphate particle is a novel functional particle which is useful, for example, as a material for use in gas chromatography allowing the separation of a chemical substance of a trace amount with high accuracy.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new metal or metal oxide porous material and a preparation method thereof, and more particularly concerns a new sponge-shaped noble metal, especially a silver porous material that is useful as a catalyst for an organic synthetic reaction such as an epoxidation reaction and partial oxidation reaction, and a functional material for electronic devices, heat dissipation and bacterial filtration and a preparation method thereof, as well as such a new silver catalyst.

Abstract: Sustained release microparticles suitable for various types of drugs, or drug-containing sustained release microparticles capable of sustained release of drugs over a period of three days or more and capable of inhibiting initial burst release; a process for producing the same; and preparations containing the microparticles are disclosed. The drug-containing sustained release microparticles comprise a drug other than human growth hormone and a porous apatite derivative, and optionally include a water-soluble bivalent metal compound.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sustained-release composition by which a sustained-release effect can be obtained for a long time when injecting microparticles of the composition in an amount that can be subcutaneously or intramuscularly injected to a human with ease and without pain. The composition comprises porous hydroxyapatite microparticles having pores embolized by filling the pores in the microparticles with a biologically active drug, a human serum protein, and a mucopolysaccharide, and adding a divalent metal ion. Alternatively, the composition comprises porous hydroxyapatite microparticles having pores embolized in the outer layer by filling the pores in the microparticles with a biologically active drug, a human serum protein, and a water-soluble calcium salt one after another or at one time, and then adding sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, or an aqueous carbonate ion solution.

Abstract: By rotating a cell-culture container while controlling the temperature and the gaseous atmosphere, cells are cultured under the application of hydrostatic pressure due to centrifugal force, and according to this cell culture, cells are efficiently activated and cultured while inhibiting dedifferentiation.

Abstract: The alternate soaking apparatus for treatment of tissue materials has a plurality of chemical liquid containers, a treatment container for soaking and treating a tissue material, a plurality of liquid feed tubes for providing fluid communication between the corresponding chemical liquid containers and the treatment container to introduce the respective chemical liquids into the treatment container, a liquid discharge tube for discharging the chemical liquids in the treatment container, and control means for controllably opening and closing the liquid feed tubes and the liquid discharge tube to allow the plurality of chemical liquids to be contained in the treatment container individually and alternately.