Abstract: For the purpose of forming a biofilm having amount and strength sufficient for the immobilization of a cell mass, the present invention provides a method for producing a biofilm, characterized in that it comprises co-culturing lactic acid bacteria belonging to Lactobacillus plantarum with yeast.

Abstract: A composition for relieving stress and/or disorder caused by stress is provided, which composition comprises lysine and arginine as active ingredients. The lysine and arginine may be in the form of a salt. In a preferred mode, the cause of stress is any one selected from the group consisting of mental strain, repetitive work, intellectual labor, menopausal mental instability, anxiety and strain with respect to a future event and premenstrual mental instability and strain.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to extract oil from the soybean material containing soybean germ as a main component, and to utilize it. The present invention relates to a method for producing a soybean material, comprising crudely crushing selected soybeans into a size of less than ½, and separating and concentrating a soybean germ fraction by means of sieving, sorting with air, separation based on the grain shape and the like, to the soybean germ fraction produced by said method, to oil prepared from the soybean material containing soybean germ as a main component, to oil containing 0.8% by weight or more of sterols' content, and to foods containing said oil.

Abstract: Administering or ingesting a combination of lysine with another agent for stress-related diseases other than lysine provides an improvement in the treatment and prevention of stress-related diseases (enhanced drug efficacy) and reduced side effects. Such combinations of lysine with another agent for stress-related diseases other than lysine can be employed in the form of a medicine (including a medicine for animals), a food, a drink or a feed, and are highly useful in preventing, treating, or ameliorating various stress-related diseases and preventing the progress of such diseases. The two ingredients as described above can be administered or ingested either at the same time or at different points and in different forms.

Abstract: Novel cellulose-producing bacteria including one capable of producing of a bacterial cellulose having a weight-average degree of polymerization in terms of polystyrene of 1.6×104 or above, one capable of producing a bacterial cellulose containing a small amount of the fraction with low degrees of polymerization, one producing a Bingham polysaccharide as a by-product, and one producing a small amount of water-soluble polysaccharide; a method for the production of bacterial cellulose, which comprises culturing these cellulose-producing bacteria; and bacterial cellulose thus obtained.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to extract oil from the soybean material containing soybean germ as a main component, and to utilize it. The present invention relates to a method for producing a soybean material, comprising crudely crushing selected soybeans into a size of less than ½, and separating and concentrating a soybean germ fraction by means of sieving, sorting with air, separation based on the grain shape and the like, to the soybean germ fraction produced by said method, to oil prepared form the soybean material containing soybean germ as a main component, to oil containing 0.8% by weight or more of sterols' content, and to foods containing said oil.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to extract oil from the soybean material containing soybean germ as a main component, and to utilize it.

Abstract: Novel cellulose-producing bacteria including one capable of producing of a bacterial cellulose having a weight-average degree of polymerization in terms of polystyrene of 1.6×104 or above, one capable of producing a bacterial cellulose containing a small amount of the fraction with low degrees of polymerization, one producing a Bingham polysaccharide as a by-product, and one producing a small amount of water-soluble polysaccharide; a method for the production of bacterial cellulose, which comprises culturing these cellulose-producing bacteria; and bacterial cellulose thus obtained.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to efficiently separate and utilize the rapeseed germ. The present invention relates to a method for the production of a fraction containing a rapeseed germ as a main component, comprising crushing a rapeseed and separating said fraction. One of the specific products derived from rapeseed germ is the oil and fat prepared by extraction or expression of the rapeseed germ.

Abstract: Novel cellulose-producing bacteria including one capable of producing of a bacterial cellulose having a weight-average degree of polymerization in terms of polystyrene of 1.6×104 or above, one capable of producing a bacterial cellulose containing a small amount of the fraction with low degrees of polymerization, one producing a Bingham polysaccharide as a by-product, and one producing a small amount of water-soluble polysaccharide; a method for the production of bacterial cellulose, which comprises culturing these cellulose-producing bacteria; and bacterial cellulose thus obtained.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a convenient method for restoring the various properties of BC even after it is once dried.The present invention relates to a method for processing a bacterial cellulose comprising dehydrating and drying under tension the bacterial cellulose produced in an agitated culture followed by homogenization, and to a method for processing a bacterial cellulose comprising dehydrating and drying the bacterial cellulose produced in an agitated culture under such conditions that a degree of planar orientation (h1/h2) (wherein h1 and h2 mean the height of a peak originating in the crystallographic plane (110) and the crystallographic plane (110), respectively, in a diffraction curve obtained with X-ray diffractometry by a reflection method) will be 2 or more, followed by homogenization.An excellent retention aid for fillers and sheet with a high strength may be prepared by using the bacterial cellulose obtained by the above methods.

Abstract: Novel cellulose-producing bacteria including one capable of producing of a bacterial cellulose having a weight-average degree of polymerization in terms of polystyrene of 1.6.times.10.sup.4 or above, one capable of producing a bacterial cellulose containing a small amount of the fraction with low degrees of polymerization, one producing a Bingham polysaccharide as a by-product, and one producing a small amount of water-soluble polysaccharide; a method for the production of bacterial cellulose, which comprises culturing these cellulose-producing bacteria; and bacterial cellulose thus obtained.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a simple and economical method for the production of BC having improved properties such as dispesibility, suspensibility and viscosity.

Abstract: Novel cellulose-producing bacteria including one capable of producing of a bacterial cellulose having a weight-average degree of polymerization in terms of polystyrene of 1.6.times.10.sup.4 or above, one capable of producing a bacterial cellulose containing a small amount of the fraction with low degrees of polymerization, one producing a Bingham polysaccharide as a by-product, and one producing a small amount of water-soluble polysaccharide; a method for the production of bacterial cellulose, which comprises culturing these cellulose-producing bacteria; and bacterial cellulose thus obtained.

Abstract: A plasmid vector capable of replicating in a Coryneform bacterial cell bearing a base sequence (a) functioning as an promoter in a Coryneform bacterium, a base sequence (b) functioning as an operator downstream from the base sequence (a), a base sequence (c) functioning as a site for ribosome binding in a Coryneform bacterial cell, a base sequence (d) functioning as a translation initiation codon, and a gene to be expressed which is directly ligated with the base sequence (d) and bearing a gene coding for a repressor protein capable of binding to the base sequence (d) functioning as an operator.

Abstract: A recombinant plasmid vector is provided which is capable of replicating and expressing in a Coryneform bacterial cell, which plasmid vector is pEC 701, pEC 702, pEC 801, pEC 830 or pEC 901.

Abstract: Amino acids are produced by culturing hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria of the genus Arthrobacter, Brevibacterium and Mycobacterium in an aqueous culture medium in the presence of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A novel strain belonging to genus Methylomonas grows well on a culture medium in the presence of methane as the main carbon source. The microbial cells are useful as a feedstuff.