Abstract: The ? antigen-encoding gene and the ? antigen protein suppress the production of interleukin-4 etc., improve the Th2 type cytokine-dominant state, and furthermore inhibit various conditions of allergic diseases such as IgE production, histamine release and eosinophil infiltration, and therefore they are very effective for the prevention or treatment of atopic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and allergic conjunctivitis, and more broadly allergic diseases.

Abstract: An agent for treatment of pemphigoid is provided. For use as an agent for treatment of pemphigoid, IFN-? is administered in a dose of 2,000,000 JRU once daily for 7 days by intravenous drip infusion. Depending on symptoms, side effects and age of a patient, the dose can be change, or the dosage can changed to intravenous drip infusion given once in several days. IFN-? is fast-acting against pemphigoid, involves few side effects, and is considered to be effective. The mechanism of action is presumed to be that IFN-? suppresses the chemotaxis and function of eosinophils which are considered to be directly involved in the occurrence of pemphigoid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel protein (MAY-I) which exhibits immunosuppressive activity in allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction, and provides a gene encoding that protein, a vector containing said gene, a transformant produced by said vector, a method of manufacturing the said protein with immune activity by culturing said transformant, and a medicinal composition and the like containing the said protein.

Abstract: An agent for treatment of pemphigoid is provided. For use as an agent for treatment of pemphigoid, IFN-? is administered in a dose of 2,000,000 JRU once daily for 7 days by intravenous drip infusion. Depending on symptoms, side effects and age of a patient, the dose can be change, or the dosage can changed to intravenous drip infusion given once in several days. IFN-? is fast-acting against pemphigoid, involves few side effects, and is considered to be effective. The mechanism of action is presumed to be that IFN-? suppresses the chemotaxis and function of eosinophils which are considered to be directly involved in the occurrence of pemphigoid.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer comprising a plurality of sample containers for accommodating different blood samples individually, specific sample container moving means, a plurality of reagent containers for accommodating at least a reagent for an assay of guanase activity, a specific reagent container holding means, a plurality of reaction containers, specific reaction container moving means, specific sample pouring means, specific cleaning vessels, specific stirring means, specific measuring means, specific cleaning means, a specific analog-digital converter, specific counting-calculating means, a specific display means, and specific operation control means, so that the display means produces a signal for excluding the measured blood sample corresponding to a display value when the display value is above a predetermined reference value of guanase activity.

Abstract: The guanase activity in body fluids such as blood serum can be rapidly and accurately assayed by (I) decomposing guanine with the guanase in the specimen to xanthine and ammonia at pH 7-9, preferably at pH 8, (II) decomposing the xanthine formed by former step I with xanthine oxidase to uric acid and hydrogen peroxide, (III) reacting the reactant solution of the former step II with 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinonehydrazone, an aniline derivative such as N,N-di-lower-alkylaniline and peroxidase, and finally measuring the optical absorption of the reactant solution of the step III at 570-600 nm. The all steps can be completed within 15 minutes. Therefore, this assay is adoptable for automatic assay of guanase on usual clinically available automatic analyzers.

Abstract: A surgical clip is formed from a resilient strip piece and comprises a pair of elongated clip legs for clipping a blood vessel therebetween, and an annular bight portion connecting said clip legs at their respective one ends, said clip legs having opposed surfaces which are normally in contact with each other substantially over their whole lengths owing to the resilience of said bight portion which can be opened when the inner diameter of said annular bight portion is forcibly spread.

Abstract: This invention relates to a finger rehabilitation device used in surgical therapy etc., for the purpose of restoring the muscular strength of fingers after therapy and more particularly it relates to a construction of a separable type elastic finger rehabilitation device adapted to gradually increase an unti-bending pressure on the finger according as the finger function is restored, so as to insure rapid restoration of the muscular strength.