Abstract: The present invention provides a preventive or therapeutic method for an inflammatory skin disease, such as psoriasis, the method comprising administering an oligopeptide as an active ingredient. More specifically, the invention provides a preventive or therapeutic method for an inflammatory skin disease, the method comprising administering an oligopeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence containing a DE loop sequence of RANKL protein and a ?-strand D sequence of RANKL protein placed adjacent to the N-terminal side of the DE loop sequence.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vaccine against IL-17A, which uses, as an immunogen, a polypeptide containing the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, or an amino acid sequence derived from a non-human mammal, which corresponds to SEQ ID NO: 1, a prophylactic or therapeutic agent containing the vaccine for diseases involving IL-17A as an aggravation factor, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides a combination preparation for inducing a specific immune response to an antigenic peptide, which contains (I) the antigenic peptide, and (II) an expression vector encoding a chimeric hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide, into which the antigenic peptide has been inserted or added, wherein said antigenic peptide is inserted in a region of amino acid residues 74-87 or 130-138 of the hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide, or added to the N-terminal or C-terminal of the hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide, wherein the antigenic peptide of (I) and the expression vector of (II) are substantially simultaneously administered to a subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides a preventive or therapeutic agent for an inflammatory skin disease, such as psoriasis, the agent comprising an oligopeptide as an active ingredient. More specifically, the invention provides a preventive or therapeutic agent for an inflammatory skin disease, the agent comprising an oligopeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence containing a DE loop sequence of RANKL protein and a ?-strand D sequence of RANKL protein placed adjacent to the N-terminal side of the DE loop sequence.

Abstract: The invention provides a peptide and an immunostimulant or hair grower containing the peptide as an active ingredient, as well as a method for hair growth or regrowth promotion by administering an effective amount of the peptide to a mammal. The peptide has 23 or less amino acids and includes the amino acid sequence LHRLKRLRKRL (SEQ ID NO: 1), preferably the amino acid sequence LHRLKRLRKRLK (SEQ ID NO: 9).

Abstract: The invention provides a peptide and an immunostimulant or hair grower containing the peptide as an active ingredient, as well as a method for hair growth or regrowth promotion by administering an effective amount of the peptide to a mammal. The peptide has 23 or less amino acids and includes the amino acid sequence LHRLKRLRKRL (SEQ ID NO: 1), preferably the amino acid sequence LHRLKRLRKRLK (SEQ ID NO: 9).

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel peptide and a novel immunostimulant or hair grower containing the peptide as an active ingredient. The present invention provides a peptide of 23 or less amino acids comprising the amino acid sequence LHRLKRLRKRL (SEQ ID NO: 1), preferably the amino acid sequence LHRLKRLRKRLK (SEQ ID NO: 9), and also provides an immunostimulant containing the peptide, a vaccine adjuvant containing the peptide, a vaccine composition containing the peptide, and a hair grower containing the peptide.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent for the treatment or prophylaxis of arteriosclerosis comprising an expression vector encoding a chimeric Hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide inserted with an amino acid sequence containing a specific epitope of apolipoprotein (a), wherein the amino acid sequence containing the specific epitope is inserted between the amino acid residues 80 and 81 of the hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel peptide and a novel immunostimulant or hair grower containing the peptide as an active ingredient. The present invention provides a peptide of 23 or less amino acids comprising the amino acid sequence LHRLKRLRKRL (SEQ ID NO: 1), preferably the amino acid sequence LHRLKRLRKRLK (SEQ ID NO: 9), and also provides an immunostimulant containing the peptide, a vaccine adjuvant containing the peptide, a vaccine composition containing the peptide, and a hair grower containing the peptide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a combination preparation for inducing a specific immune response to an antigenic peptide, which contains (I) the antigenic peptide, and (II) an expression vector encoding a chimeric hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide, into which the antigenic peptide has been inserted or added, wherein said antigenic peptide is inserted in a region of amino acid residues 74-87 or 130-138 of the hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide, or added to the N-terminal or C-terminal of the hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide, wherein the antigenic peptide of (I) and the expression vector of (II) are substantially simultaneously administered to a subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vaccine against IL-17A, which uses, as an immunogen, a polypeptide containing the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, or an amino acid sequence derived from a non-human mammal, which corresponds to SEQ ID NO: 1, a prophylactic or therapeutic agent containing the vaccine for diseases involving IL-17A as an aggravation factor, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent for the treatment or prophylaxis of arteriosclerosis comprising an expression vector encoding a chimeric Hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide inserted with an amino acid sequence containing a specific epitope of apolipoprotein (a), wherein the amino acid sequence containing the specific epitope is inserted between the amino acid residues 80 and 81 of the hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a therapeutic or improving agent for a lifestyle-related disease, containing an expression vector encoding a chimeric Hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide inserted with an amino acid sequence containing a specific epitope of the lifestyle-related disease-related factor, wherein the amino acid sequence containing the specific epitope is inserted between the amino acid residues 80 and 81 of the hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vaccine for the prophylaxis or treatment of diabetes using a polypeptide containing the amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO: 2 or an amino acid sequence of a non-human mammal, which corresponds to SEQ ID NO: 2, and the like as an immunogen, which induces a neutralizing antibody to DPP-4, and a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for diabetes, which contains a DDP-4 neutralizing antibody that recognizes a partial amino acid sequence of the aforementioned DDP-4.

Abstract: The present invention provides a therapeutic or improving agent for a lifestyle-related disease, containing an expression vector encoding a chimeric Hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide inserted with an amino acid sequence containing a specific epitope of the lifestyle-related disease-related factor, wherein the amino acid sequence containing the specific epitope is inserted between the amino acid residues 80 and 81 of the hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent for the treatment or prophylaxis of arteriosclerosis comprising an expression vector encoding a chimeric Hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide inserted with an amino acid sequence containing a specific epitope of apolipoprotein (a), wherein the amino acid sequence containing the specific epitope is inserted between the amino acid residues 80 and 81 of the hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber blanket for an offset printing, comprising a surface rubber layer, a first fabric layer, a compressible layer and a second fabric layer, wherein the thickness of the blanket falls within a range of between 1.65 mm and 3 mm, the first fabric layer is a plain weave having a thickness falling within a range of between 0.2 mm and 0.35 mm, the second fabric layer is a plain weave having a thickness falling within a range of between 0.35 mm and 0.55 mm, a tensile strength not lower than 50 kgf/cm, and an elongation at break not higher than 7.5%, and the compressible layer has a thickness falling within a range of between 0.5 mm and 2.15 mm.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber blanket for an offset printing, comprising a surface rubber layer, a first fabric layer, a compressible layer and a second fabric layer, wherein the thickness of the blanket falls within a range of between 1.65 mm and 3 mm, the first fabric layer is a plain weave having a thickness falling within a range of between 0.2 mm and 0.35 mm, the second fabric layer is a plain weave having a thickness falling within a range of between 0.35 mm and 0.55 mm, a tensile strength not lower than 50 kgf/cm, and an elongation at break not higher than 7.5%, and the compressible layer has a thickness falling within a range of between 0.5 mm and 2.15 mm.

Abstract: A clamping structure for disk drive for receiving a disk includes a spindle hub, a spacer, and a clamp ring. The spindle hub has a flange at a first end thereof. The flange has a first protruding portion. The discs are stacked on the first protruding portion. The first spacer is interposed between adjacent ones of the disks. The clamp ring is fixed to a second end of the spindle hub. The clamp ring has a second protruding portion for biasing the disks toward the flange of the spindle hub. In a process of forming a holder arm of the disk drive, the tip of a holder arm is contoured by wire cutting method after the holder armed is roughly formed from a metal body. In the wire cutting method, a voltage is placed between the metal body and the wire. The tip of the holder is contoured by the wire by bringing the wire into contact with the metal body.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive capable of reducing the influence of a tension ascribable to the forming of a flexible printed circuit (FPC), which transfers the output signal of a magnetic head, on a carriage. The curved configuration and arrangement of the FPC are changed to minimize the tension ascribable to the FPC even when the carriage seeks the inner or outer peripheral portion of a magnetic disk.