Abstract: A multistage centrifugal compressor capable of maintaining and improving efficiency while having a static flow path with a reduced outer diameter is provided. Each of return flow paths is provided with a plurality of return vanes disposed in a circular cascade form centered on a center line of a rotational shaft. Each of the return vanes is disposed as a leading vane (8A) and a trailing vane (8B). The trailing vanes are offset toward the pressure surface side of the leading vanes in a circumferential direction and provided so as to guide a flow from the pressure surface side of the leading vanes to negative pressure surfaces of the trailing vanes.

Abstract: Disclosed is an immunity-inducing agent having excellent ease of production and high immunostimulatory activity, the immunity-inducing agent comprising, as an active component, a polynucleotide/peptide conjugate in which an antigenic peptide is covalently bound to a single-stranded polynucleotide or polynucleotide derivative. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition comprising said immunity-inducing agent.

Abstract: A method of processing a target object includes (a) exposing a resist mask to active species of hydrogen generated by exciting plasma of a hydrogen-containing gas within a processing vessel while the target object is mounted on a mounting table provided in the processing vessel; and (b) etching a hard mask layer by exciting plasma of an etchant gas within the processing vessel after the exposing of the resist mask to the active species of hydrogen. The plasma is excited by applying of a high frequency power for plasma excitation to an upper electrode. In the method, a distance between the upper electrode and the mounting table in the etching of the hard mask layer ((b) process) is set to be larger than a distance between the upper electrode and the mounting table in the exposing of the resist mask to the active species of hydrogen ((a) process).

Abstract: A method of processing a target object includes (a) exposing a resist mask to active species of hydrogen generated by exciting plasma of a hydrogen-containing gas within a processing vessel while the target object is mounted on a mounting table provided in the processing vessel; and (b) etching a hard mask layer by exciting plasma of an etchant gas within the processing vessel after the exposing of the resist mask to the active species of hydrogen. The plasma is excited by applying of a high frequency power for plasma excitation to an upper electrode. In the method, a distance between the upper electrode and the mounting table in the etching of the hard mask layer ((b) process) is set to be larger than a distance between the upper electrode and the mounting table in the exposing of the resist mask to the active species of hydrogen ((a) process).

Abstract: A plasma etching method using a plasma etching apparatus including a lower electrode and an upper electrode is provided. The plasma etching method includes a first etching step of performing plasma etching using a first process gas and a second etching step of performing the plasma etching using a second process gas. The adhesion of a radical of the second process gas to an object of processing is less than the adhesion of a radical of the first process gas to the object of processing. While alternately repeating a first condition of turning on high-frequency electric power for plasma generation and a second condition of turning off the high-frequency electric power, the second etching step applies a negative direct-current voltage to the upper electrode so that the absolute value of the applied voltage is greater in a period of the second condition than in a period of the first condition.

Abstract: Reprogramming substances capable of substituting for Klf4, selected from the group consisting of members of the IRX family (e.g., IRX6), members of the GLIS family (e.g., GLIS1), members of the PTX family (e.g., PITX2), DMRTB1, and nucleic acids that encode the same, are provided. Also provided are a method of producing iPS cells, comprising the step of introducing into a somatic cell both one or more kinds of the above-described nuclear reprogramming substances and a substance capable of inducing iPS cells from a somatic cell when combined with Klf4. Still also provided are iPS cells comprising an extraneous nucleic acid that encodes any one of the above-described nuclear reprogramming substances, that can be obtained by the method, and a method of producing somatic cells by inducing the iPS cells to differentiate.

Abstract: Provided are a method of improving the efficiency of establishment of iPS cells, comprising the step of contacting one or more substances selected from the group consisting of members of the GLIS family (e.g., GLIS1) and nucleic acids that encode the same and one or more substances selected from the group consisting of members of the Klf family and nucleic acids that encode the same, with a somatic cell, an iPS cell comprising an exogenous nucleic acid that encodes a member of the GLIS family or a member of the Klf family, that can be obtained by the method, and a method of producing a somatic cell by inducing the differentiation of the iPS cell.

Abstract: A plasma etching method using a plasma etching apparatus including a lower electrode and an upper electrode is provided. The plasma etching method includes a first etching step of performing plasma etching using a first process gas and a second etching step of performing the plasma etching using a second process gas. The adhesion of a radical of the second process gas to an object of processing is less than the adhesion of a radical of the first process gas to the object of processing. While alternately repeating a first condition of turning on high-frequency electric power for plasma generation and a second condition of turning off the high-frequency electric power, the second etching step applies a negative direct-current voltage to the upper electrode so that the absolute value of the applied voltage is greater in a period of the second condition than in a period of the first condition.

Abstract: Provided are a method of improving the efficiency of establishment of iPS cells, comprising the step of contacting one or more substances selected from the group consisting of members of the GLIS family (e.g., GLIS1) and nucleic acids that encode the same and one or more substances selected from the group consisting of members of the Klf family and nucleic acids that encode the same, with a somatic cell, an iPS cell comprising an exogenous nucleic acid that encodes a member of the GLIS family or a member of the Klf family, that can be obtained by the method, and a method of producing a somatic cell by inducing the differentiation of the iPS cell.

Abstract: Reprogramming substances capable of substituting for Klf4, selected from the group consisting of members of the IRX family (e.g., IRX6), members of the GLIS family (e.g., GLIS1), members of the PTX family (e.g., PITX2), DMRTB1, and nucleic acids that encode the same, are provided. Also provided are a method of producing iPS cells, comprising the step of introducing into a somatic cell both one or more kinds of the above-described nuclear reprogramming substances and a substance capable of inducing iPS cells from a somatic cell when combined with Klf4. Still also provided are iPS cells comprising an extraneous nucleic acid that encodes any one of the above-described nuclear reprogramming substances, that can be obtained by the method, and a method of producing somatic cells by inducing the iPS cells to differentiate.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus is provided for formation of a high-quality image without irregularity in the image density independently of the infiltration time of the pretreatment liquid or the delivery speed of the plain paper sheet for the printing. The interval between a pretreatment liquid applicator 30 and printing heads 21-24 is adjusted by a stepping motor 98 driven by a stepping motor control circuit 34 based on the delivery speed data read by a memory controller 68. Thereby an endless belt 90 is allowed to circulate in the direction of the arrow-C or arrow-D. This circulation movement of the endless belt displaces the applicator holder 82 or the pretreatment liquid applicator 30 at an intended distance in the arrow-A direction or the reverse direction along the guide rail 86,88.

Abstract: A method for forming an image is provided which forms an image, on a recording medium having no ink-receiving layer such as industrial printing paper sheets, at high image density with uniform image density without feathering of the image. A processing liquid S is discharged from a processing liquid applicator onto a recording medium P before ink droplets I are ejected from printing heads 21-24 onto the recording medium P. The amount of the processing liquid S is controlled so as to allow the processing liquid S to infiltrate entirely before the ink droplet I impacts against the recording medium P. By controlling the amount of the processing liquid S as above, the processing liquid S has infiltrated entirely into the recording medium P when the ink droplet I impacts against the recording medium P. As the result, an image is formed by ideal shape of dots D with high-quality.