Abstract: A motif is searched which can inhibit the proteolysis of a protein that has been administered to a cell or an individual. Thus, disclosed is a method for designing/producing a protein having resistance to proteolysis. Specifically disclosed is a motif capable of inhibiting proteolysis, which comprises an amino acid region lying between the 396th position and the 410th position from the C-terminal of DP-1.

Abstract: Provided is a novel compound which simultaneously inhibits both NMDA receptors and ASIC1a, which are associated with neurodegenerative disease and so on, and thus is useful for the prevention and treatment of various nervous system diseases. A biguanide derivative represented by the following general formula (1), a salt thereof, or a hydrate of the derivative or the salt: wherein, X1 represents a halogen atom, R1 represents an alkyl group, an optionally substituted aryl group, or an optionally substituted aralkyl group.

Abstract: A material hardness distribution display system (10) includes a probe unit (20) in which a plurality of probe elements (22) are two-dimensionally arranged. Each of the probe elements (22) has an oscillator (26) for introducing oscillation into a biological tissue and an oscillation detection sensor (28) which detects a reflected wave. The probe elements (22) are successively selected by a switch circuit (50) and connected to a hardness calculation unit (70) and a measurement depth calculation unit (82). The hardness calculation unit (70) executes a frequency component analysis for an incident wave signal to the oscillator (26) and a reflected wave signal from the oscillation detection sensor (28) to calculate the hardness of the biological tissue on the basis of the analysis results.

Abstract: An authentication server capable of determining securely and accurately whether an access source is a cellular phone or a computer when a content is accessed with being limited to cellular phone users.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide means for improving symptoms of cerebral dysfunction. [Solution Means] The inventor has newly found that peripheral administration of sepiapterin increases the bioavailability of aromatic monoamines in the brain. Accordingly, provided are a drug for preventing or improving cerebral dysfunction, which contains at least one of sepiapterin and its salt and also provided is a food and or drink for preventing or improving cerebral dysfunction, which contains at least one of sepiapterin and its salt. Unlike tetrahydrobiopterin, etc., sepiapterin is able to repress the lowering level of aromatic monoamines (such as serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline) in neurons in the brain and also increase the bioavailability.

Abstract: There is provided a gel-forming agent which is easily prepared and has all of high safety in the living body and the environment, good gel-forming capability, excellent use feeling, and good handleability. The oil-based gel-like composition of the present invention comprises 1 to 30% by weight of a gel-forming agent and 70 to 99% by weight of an oil-phase component, the gel-forming agent being obtained by blending polyglycerin having a degree of polymerization of 3 to 20 in an amount of [6.8 Ln(X)+17] parts by weight to 27 Ln(X) parts by weight with 100 parts by weight of lecithin, where X denotes the degree of polymerization of the polyglycerin. The degree of polymerization of the polyglycerin is preferably from 3 to 10. The zero-shear viscosity determined by the viscosity and viscoelasticity measurement is preferably 50 Pa·s or more.

Abstract: An objective of this invention is to provide an HCV strain with a high capacity for virus production in a cell culture system. This invention provides a nucleic acid encoding a polyprotein precursor of the hepatitis C virus JFH1 strain having one or more amino acid substitutions, wherein the polyprotein precursor comprises at least substitution of glutamine at position 862 with arginine, as determined with reference to the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 in the Sequence Listing.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an adhesive for orthodontic attachments, which contains (A) a polymerizable monomer, (B) a polymerization initiator and (C) a fluorescent dye and, when cured, exhibits a fluorescence spectrum having a peak at 400 to 800 nm. As the polymerization initiator (B), there is preferably used a compound which generates a radical through the transfer of hydrogen between two components, or a compound which generates a radical species through intramolecular cleavage. As the fluorescent dye (C), a coumarin type dye is used preferably.

Abstract: In the present invention, the methylation of the genomic DNA a Zar1 gene specifically found in proliferative disease is used as a marker. Specifically, the present invention provides a method for detecting proliferative disease, which comprises detecting the methylation of the genomic DNA of a Zar1 gene in a biological sample. There is thereby provided a method for detecting proliferative disease, using a marker having a high detection rate and a low false positive rate.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition for external use which is an organogel containing a fatty acid ester and a glycerolglycerin fatty acid ester, in particular, a novel transdermally absorbable pharmaceutical composition for external use which has a drug such as non-narcotic analgesics as an active ingredient made in organogel form containing a drug such as non-narcotic analgesics as an active ingredient, a fatty acid ester and a glycerolglycerin fatty acid ester, and a method for producing the composition. The pharmaceutical composition significantly improves skin permeability of drugs such as non-narcotic analgesics and allows a sufficient amount of drug to permeate the skin sustainably. Moreover, since the pharmaceutical composition is in organogel form, it can be easily applied to a preparation in practice. In addition, the pharmaceutical composition can provide efficient use and the like of drugs due to a high drug release rate and therefore is highly useful.

Abstract: A propagation delay time measuring system 100 includes a propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110 and a reply apparatus 120. The propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110 continuously transmits plural measuring packets a. A clock time of transmission is stored in the measuring packet a. The reply apparatus 120 sends back the measuring packets a, transmitted from the propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110, to the propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110. In the propagation delay time measuring system 100, the propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110 receives the measuring packets a sent back from the reply apparatus 120, and the propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110 measures a propagation delay time between the propagation delay time measuring apparatus 110 and the reply apparatus 120 using at least one of the received measuring packets a.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apoptosis-inducing agent capable of inducing apoptosis in various cells including tumor cells and other cells in a simple manner, etc. The apoptosis-inducing agent of the present invention comprises a peptide shown in (a) or (b) below, a derivative thereof, or a salt of the peptide or the derivative: (a) a peptide which comprises an amino acid sequence represented by the formula: C—X-D-X—X—X—X—Y—X—C—X—C (SEQ ID NO: 1)(I); or (b) a peptide which comprises an amino acid sequence with deletion, substitution or addition of one or several amino acids in the amino acid sequence represented by formula (I) and which has apoptosis-inducing activity.

Abstract: The purpose of this invention is that the optimum approximation formula can be derived even if an analysis filter has non-linear characteristic in a discrete signal approximation system. The norm of source signal 1 is bounded. Analysis filters 2 of FIR filters yield the output signal that is expressed with polynomial of transformed source signal 1 through a unit filter. An interpolation function is calculated according to the filter characteristic based upon the multi-dimensional function transformed from the polynomial. The output signal of the analysis filter 2 is sampled after each constant interval to obtain a discrete signal. The approximation function of the power function of the source signal 1 is calculated with linear combination of the interpolation functions using the discrete signals as coefficients. The radical of this approximation function is calculated to derive the root approximation function of the source signal 1.

Abstract: A concentric-circular-gradient functional material for biogenic use is produced using first, second, third and forth cylindrical partitions, and a cylindrical dice which are concentrically stood on a supporting stand. Ti powder (A) fills the first cylindrical partition. A first mixed powder including Ti powder (A) and biogenic material powder (B) fills between the first and second cylindrical partitions. A second mixed powder including a smaller amount of Ti powder (A) than the first mixed powder fills between the second and third cylindrical partitions. A third mixed powder including a smaller amount of Ti powder (A) than the second mixed powder fills between the third and fourth cylindrical partitions. The biogenic material powder (B) fills between the fourth cylindrical partition and the dice. The first to fourth partitions are pulled out. The dice is capped using a punch. The powders are sintered using a discharge plasma sintering machine.

Abstract: This invention relates to an agent for promoting differentiation of an ES cell, preferably an agent for promoting differentiation of an ES cell into a hepatocyte or a prophylactic agent for teratoma, comprising uPA. Furthermore this invention relates to a method of promoting differentiation of an ES cell, preferably a method of promoting differentiation of an ES cell into a hepatocyte, comprising the step of contacting uPA with the ES cell, or a method of preparing a hepatocyte comprising the step of contacting uPA with an ES cell to differentiate the ES cell into a hepatocyte.

Abstract: An automatic milking apparatus for laboratory animals that can facilitate and stabilize the positioning of a teat cup 20 is provided for full automation of a milking operation. An end of a first milk tube 12 attached to a teat cup 20 for laboratory animals is attached to a free end of a flexible arm A having one end fixed to a suitable base (milk collecting container stand B). The flexible arm A includes a laminated body 40 including a long member 41 formed of a material that is flexible and after being flexed, can maintain the shape (for example, a lead plate) and a steel plate member 42, the laminated body 40 being coated by a coating member 50, the members being in contact with each other in such a manner that they slip relative to each other upon being flexed in their entirety, the flexible arm A including a secured part 53 formed at the one end, the secured part 53 preventing relative movement of the respective members. The tip of the flexible arm A is not displaced after being positioned.

Abstract: Disclosed is a topical therapeutic agent for ophthalmic diseases, which comprises a compound capable of binding specifically to a DNA sequence. More preferably disclosed is a topical therapeutic agent for ophthalmic diseases, which comprise a pyrrole-imidazole polyamide having a specific structure. The topical therapeutic agent for ophthalmic diseases comprises a pyrrole-imidazole polyamide which can inhibit transforming growth factor-? gene and matrix metalloproteinase 9 gene.

Abstract: In an X-ray imaging apparatus that performs X-ray CT imaging, an X-ray generator (13) that generates an X-ray cone beam (BX1) and an X-ray detector (21) that detects the X-ray cone beam (BX1) radiated to an object (specifically, image object (OB)) are revolved for 180 degrees to be opposed to each other with the object being located therebetween. Further, the X-ray generator (13) is moved such that a revolution reference point (CP) that is set on an optical path (CB) of the X-ray cone beam (BX1) goes round of a predetermined oval shape while the X-ray detector (13) and the X-ray generator (21) are revolved for 180 degrees. Setting is made such that a CT image area (CA) to be imaged by the irradiation of the X-ray cone beam (BX1) has an approximately triangular shape through the above-mentioned operation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a higher plant having cytochrome c6 in the thylakoid space of chloroplast, which is characterized in that it comprises introducing a gene encoding a fused protein formed by adding a signal peptide consisting of 50 to 80 amino acid residues to a cytochrome c6 protein into the genome of a higher plant.

Abstract: An X-ray CT imaging apparatus includes an X-ray generating section, an X-ray image capturing section, a supporting section, a holding section, a rotation driving section, and an X-ray controlling section, wherein the X-ray generating section generates an X-ray cone beam, the X-ray image capturing section detects the X-ray cone beam having passed through an object, the supporting section supports the X-ray generating section and the X-ray image capturing section with the object positioned therebetween, the holding section holds the object, the rotation driving section rotates the supporting section relatively to the object, and the X-ray controlling section alleviates an influence of a high X-ray absorption region, present inside the object, in the X-ray image capturing section by means of a control model formed based upon information on the high X-ray absorption region.