Abstract: A reactor, which includes a reactor body and two reactor ends sealing the ends of the reactor body, a plurality of reactor tubes extending inside the reactor body at least partially between the reactor ends, and at least one heat pipe disposed inside at least one of the reactor tubes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a multipotent stem cell, said method comprising culturing at least one fibroblast cell in the presence of an effective amount of at least one small molecule reprogramming factor(s) that induces the cell to de-differentiate into a multipotent stem cell, wherein the method excludes the use of reprogramming factor(s) that are not small molecules. The small molecule reprogramming factor(s) may include a G9a HMTase inhibitor(s) and/or a MEK inhibitor(s) optionally in combination with other small molecule reprogramming factor(s). The invention also includes methods of differentiating the multipotent stem cells, cells produced by the methods, assays using the cells and kits for use in the methods.

Abstract: A method of forging a raw material for sintering and forging. The method comprises the steps of: (a) compacting metallic powder containing iron as a main component and graphite to obtain a compact having a predetermined density; (b) sintering the compact at a temperature ranging from 700 to 1000° C. to form a sintered compact having a texture in which graphite is retained at grain boundary of metal powder; (c) compressing the sintered compact from two directions to obtain a compressed sintered compact; and (d) extruding the compressed sintered compact upon pressing the compressed sintered compact from the two directions in a manner that a pressure in one of the two directions is reduced relative to a pressure in the other of the two directions to accomplish extrusion forging.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises two accelerator position sensors and two throttle position sensors, and when one out of said two accelerator position sensors or said two throttle position sensors fails to operate, a limitation is added to the increase in accelerator position for the output characteristics of the accelerator position sensor. Thereby, the vehicle is enabled to travel at a minimum speed necessary without excessively increasing the engine output. When one of the two throttle position sensors fails to operate, the fuel injection quantity may be set based on the detection value of the accelerator position, which enables the vehicle to be driven by approximately the desired speed without excessively increasing the engine output.

Abstract: A water pump for an internal combustion engine having a pump casing and a pump cover that forms a circulation cavity. A plate is positioned interface of the pump casing and the pump cover and divides the circulation cavity into an inlet passage and an outlet passage and has a seal portion that seals against the leakage between the inlet passage and the outlet passage of a gap of the interface of the pump casing and the pump cover.

Abstract: A vulcanized rubber device to envelop a tire being recapped or retreaded, when place in an autoclave to vulcanize the rubber strip cemented between the new tread and the treated tire. This device, has an annular form, with a "U" section, whose lateral surfaces (5), are provided with a hole (2) and (4), and surrounding a circular opening (3), but has a new feature; a ring with grooves (1), on the inside of each internal lateral surface (4) and (5), forming radiating furrows.