Abstract: A liquid crystal composition contains liquid crystals containing one kind of or two or more kinds of silicone surfactants, a phenyl-modified silicone oil and water. The liquid crystal composition of the present invention contains 5 to 95% by weight in total of one kind of or two or more kinds of silicone surfactants, 0.1 to 90% by weight of a phenyl-modified silicone oil and 0.1 to 90% by weight of water. The liquid crystal composition of the present invention can solubilize hydrophobic compounds having poor solubility (for example, hydrocarbon oils such as squalane, fatty acids such as oleic acid and lipoic acid and ester oils such as cetyl isooctanoate) and is thus useful, for example, as toiletry materials and cosmetic materials.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a transdermal absorption enhancer by which various active ingredients are transdermally absorbed. In accordance with a transdermal absorption enhancer of the present invention which effective ingredient is lyotropic liquid crystal which has been utilized as a basic material for pharmaceutical preparations for external application and for cosmetics, transdermal absorption of a macromolecular substance and a water-soluble substance was able to be improved.

Abstract: Provision of a stable ?-lipoic acid. A method for producing ?-lipoic acid nanoparticles, the method comprising the steps of: preparing an aqueous dispersion liquid containing ?-lipoic acid and a nonionic surfactant; adding a divalent metal salt into the aqueous dispersion liquid, wherein the divalent metal salt is a divalent metal halide, a divalent metal acetate or a divalent metal gluconate; and adding an alkali metal carbonate or an alkali metal phosphate into the aqueous dispersion liquid which has been added with the divalent metal salt, thereby forming ?-lipoic acid nanoparticles.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for external application on the skin containing hydroquinone as an active ingredient, which has an excellent skin-whitening activity and reduced side effects. The composition for external application on the skin of the present invention as a means for achieving the object is characterized by containing hydroquinone or a derivative thereof compounded with a lyotropic liquid crystal.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide antibodies which recognize non-reducing mannose residues. The present invention provides antibodies recognizing non-reducing mannose residues, which are obtained through screening of phage-display library of human scFvs by using, as an antigen, Man3-DPPE which is an artificial glycolipid synthesized from mannotriose and dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine by reductive amination.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel dermal regeneration enhancer. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a dermal regeneration enhancer as a novel pharmaceutical use of lyotropic liquid crystal which has been utilized as a basic material for pharmaceutical preparations for external application and for cosmetics, and the dermal regeneration enhancer of the present invention achieves an excellent suppressive effect to aging of the skin, generation of spots, etc.

Abstract: A method for etching a stack with at least one silicon germanium layer over a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. A silicon germanium etch is provided. An etchant gas is provided into the processing chamber, wherein the etchant gas comprises HBr, an inert diluent, and at least one of O2 and N2. The substrate is cooled to a temperature below 40° C. The etching gas is transformed to a plasma to etch the silicon germanium layer.

Abstract: In a polymer electrolyte fuel cell provided with a fuel cell stack assembled by sandwiching a plurality of stacked single cell modules with a plurality of fastening members through a pair of end plates, the fuel cell including a first elastic member arranged between the fastening member and the end plate and a plurality of second elastic members arranged between the end plate and the end of the fuel cell stack, wherein each of the second elastic members is arranged on the surface of the end plate corresponding to the electrode portion of a membrane electrode assembly in each of the single cell module and each of the first elastic members is arranged on the surface of the end plate corresponding to a seal member arrangement region in which seal member is arranged between the periphery of the membrane electrode assembly and a pair of separator plates in each single cell module.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a transdermal absorption enhancer by which various active ingredients are transdermally absorbed. In accordance with a transdermal absorption enhancer of the present invention which effective ingredient is lyotropic liquid crystal which has been utilized as a basic material for pharmaceutical preparations for external application and for cosmetics, transdermal absorption of a macromolecular substance and a water-soluble substance was able to be improved.

Abstract: A method for etching features in an etch layer is provided. A patterned photoresist mask is provided over the etch layer, the photoresist mask having at least one photoresist line having a pair of sidewalls ending at a line end is provided. A polymer layer is placed over the at least one photoresist line, wherein a thickness of the polymer layer at the line end of the photoresist line is greater than a thickness of the polymer layer on the sidewalls of the photoresist line. Features are etched into the etch layer through the photoresist mask, wherein a line end shortening (LES) ratio is less than or equal to 1.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel dermal regeneration enhancer. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a dermal regeneration enhancer as a novel pharmaceutical use of lyotropic liquid crystal which has been utilized as a basic material for pharmaceutical preparations for external application and for cosmetics, and the dermal regeneration enhancer of the present invention achieves an excellent suppressive effect to aging of the skin, generation of spots, etc.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a novel agent for treating and/or preventing diabetes which agent can not only control a blood sugar level but also fundamentally treat a patient with type I diabetes suffering from destruction of ? cells and a patient with type II diabetes suffering from dysfunction in insulin secretion. The present invention provides an agent for treating and/or preventing diabetes, the agent containing retinoic acid as an active ingredient. Retinoic acid incorporated as an active ingredient may be all-trans retinoic acid, an isomer thereof, a derivative thereof, a salt thereof or a prodrug thereof. Retinoic acid may be incorporated singly. Alternatively, composite particles of retinoic acid and an appropriate inorganic or organic substance are prepared, and the retinoic acid composite particles may be incorporated.

Abstract: A method for etching a multi-layer resist defined over a substrate in a plasma etch chamber is provided. The method initiates with introducing the substrate having a pattern defined on a first layer of the multi-layer resist into the etch chamber. SO2 gas flows into the etch chamber and a plasma is struck in the etch chamber while flowing the SO2 gas. The multi-layer resist is then etched.

Abstract: A method for etching a multi-layer resist defined over a substrate in a plasma etch chamber is provided. The method initiates with introducing the substrate having a pattern defined on a first layer of the multi-layer resist into the etch chamber. SO2 gas flows into the etch chamber and a plasma is struck in the etch chamber while flowing the SO2 gas. The multi-layer resist is then etched.

Abstract: In a plasma processing system, including a plasma processing chamber, a method of optimizing the etch resistance of a substrate material is described. The method includes flowing pre-coat gas mixture into the plasma processing chamber, wherein the pre-coat gas mixture has an affinity for a etchant gas flow mixture; striking a first plasma from the pre-coat gas mixture; and introducing a substrate comprising the substrate material. The method also includes flowing the etchant gas mixture into the plasma processing chamber; striking a second plasma from the etchant gas mixture; and etching the substrate with the second plasma. Wherein the first plasma creates a pre-coat residual on a set of exposed surfaces in the plasma processing chamber, and the etch resistance of the substrate material is maintained.

Abstract: A composition contains nanoparticles of retinoic acid as an active ingredient. The nanoparticles have reduced irritancy of retinoic acid and are suitable for subcutaneous or intravenous administration, as well as for use in sustained-release preparation. The high skin permeability of the nanoparticles makes the composition suitable for use in pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical external preparations or cosmetics intended for skin application. The retinoic acid nanoparticles of the present invention are coated with an inorganic salt of polyvalent metal and can be dissolved in water to make a stable clear solution that can be formulated into injectable preparations for subcutaneous and intravenous administration. The polyvalent metal inorganic salt coating helps reduce the irritancy of retinoic acid, so that the nanoparticles do not cause inflammation or tumor formation at the site of application. The inorganic salt of polyvalent metal may be calcium carbonate, zinc carbonate or calcium phosphate.

Abstract: To provide an external preparation or injectable preparation that exerts the effect of enabling transdermal or transmucosal in viva absorption of fat-soluble drugs and water-soluble drugs not having been satisfactorily attained hitherto and that contains a highly absorbable fat-soluble/water-soluble drug, the injectable preparation especially aiming at sustained-release and target effects. In particular, drug-containing nanoparticles (secondary nanoparticles) are provided by causing primary nanoparticles containing a fat-soluble drug or fat-solubilized water-soluble drug to act with a bivalent or trivalent metal salt. Further, drug-containing nanoparticles (tertiary nanoparticles) are provided by first causing primary nanoparticles containing a fat-soluble drug or fat-solubilized water-soluble drug to act with a bivalent or trivalent metal salt to thereby obtain secondary nanoparticles and thereafter causing a monovalent to trivalent basic salt to act on the secondary nanoparticles.

Abstract: Nanoparticles containing retinoic acid have reduced irritancy of retinoic acid and are suitable for subcutaneous or intravenous administration, as well as for use in sustained-release preparation. The high skin permeability of the nanoparticles makes them suitable for use in pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical external preparations or cosmetics intended for skin application. The present invention provides a method for adjusting the particle size of such nanoparticles and nanoparticles produced by such a method. Specifically, the method involves dispersing retinoic acid dissolved in a lower alcohol in an aqueous alkali solution; adding a nonionic surfactant to the dispersion to form a mixed micelle; adding to the micelle a halide or acetate of divalent metal along with a carbonate or phosphate of alkali metal so that the molar ratio of the former to the latter is 1:0 to 1:1.

Abstract: An etch processor for etching a wafer includes a chuck for holding the wafer and a temperature sensor reporting a temperature of the wafer. The chuck includes a heater controlled by a temperature control system. The temperature sensor is operatively coupled to the temperature control system to maintain the temperature of the chuck at a selectable setpoint temperature. A first setpoint temperature and a second setpoint temperature are selected. The wafer is placed on the chuck and set to the first setpoint temperature. The wafer is then processed for a first period of time at the first setpoint temperature and for a second period of time at the second setpoint temperature.

Abstract: To provide: drug-encapsulating inorganic microparticles in which a method of producing pharmaceutical preparations is simple, which are not stimulative, which are applicable to a great number of potent proteins, potent low-molecular weight compounds and genes, and once applied thereto, enable the potent proteins, potent low-molecular weight compounds and genes to be kept stable, and which give an excellent sustained release effect and a targeting effect to the drugs; a method of manufacturing the same; and pharmaceutical preparations of drug-encapsulating inorganic microparticles.