There are disclosed a composition containing 9-cis .beta.-carotene in high-purity and an industrially applicable method of obtaining the same from an alga. The composition can be obtained through steps of washing with ethanol dry powder of the alga belonging to Dunaliella, adding hexane to the washed algal powder, stirring the same, subjecting the same to filtration to obtain a filtrate, concentrating the filtrate to obtain a semi-solidic concentrate, adding hexane to the semi-solidic concentrate in an amount of 10-18 ml of hexane to 1 g of the semi-solidic concentrate, stirring the same, subjecting the same to filtration to obtain a filtrate, concentrating the filtrate to obtain an oily concentrate, adding hexane to the oily concentrate in an amount of 2-4.5 ml of hexane to 1 g of the oily concentrate to dissolve the same, and leaving the solution, as it is, under lower temperature condition to cause a separation of the composition. The composition is a rubiginous powder or crystals and contains 9-cis .beta.-carotene in an amount of 75% or more to total amount of the composition.

This invention is directed to a method for inhibiting the occurrence of a major vascular event in a subject whereby a subject is administered beta-carotene and/or vitamin E, either alone or in combination. Beta-carotene and/or vitamin E is administered such that the subject's risk of experiencing a major vascular event is thereby reduced. In another preferred embodiment, beta-carotene in combination with aspirin is particularly effective. The invention further includes pharmaceutical compositions comprising beta-carotene in combination with vitamin E.

The invention is to a carotenoid composition comprising: a) a carotenoid in an oil solvent wherein the weight of carotenoid in the carotenoid composition is up to 12%; b) a dispersion of a water dispersible matrix and a stabilizer, and optionally a non-oil solvent; and c) an emulsifier, wherein the carotenoid, non-oil solvent, water dispersible matrix, stabilizer and emulsifier all either exist naturally or are derived from natural sources without the use of chemical or synthesized compounds, nor chemically modified using processes of synthetic chemistry.

The present invention provides a data recording device which specifies a file to be deleted from a memory card 11 in response to the user's file deleting manipulation to a manipulation key 8, and moves the specified file to a predetermined temporary delete folder. In recording data, the device calculates remaining capacity of recording area of the memory card 11, to judge whether a series of data to be recorded is recordable. When it is determined that the data is recordable, the data is recorded in the recording area. When it is not determined that the data is recordable, a file included in the temporary delete folder is deleted and the data is recorded in the recording area.

A method used for synthesizing intermediates for use in the synthesis of carotenoids and carotenoid analogs, and/or carotenoid derivatives. In some embodiments, the invention includes methods for synthesizing optically active intermediates useful for the synthesis of optically active carotenoids. Synthesis of optically active carotenoids, in one embodiment, may be accomplished by forming an optically active dihydroxy intermediate from ketoisopherone. The optically active dihydroxy intermediate may be converted into optically active astaxanthin derivatives.