Abstract: The present disclosure provided methods for determining the severity of glaucoma using the expression levels of GDF15. Determining the severity of glaucoma aids in treatment decisions.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for the administration of ?-NMN, which increases the secretion of adiponectin. The present disclosure also provides an adiponectin secretion enhancer comprising ?-nicotinamide mononucleotide, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or a solvate thereof, and a dietary supplement containing the aforementioned secretion enhancer, which can he ingested in order to increase the secretion of adiponectin. Also disclosed are methods of treating insulin resistance-related diseases such as of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, hypertension, obesity, and arteriosclerosis.

Abstract: Forward nine speed stages are achieved by four planetary gear units and six frictional elements and established by combination of synchronously fastening three of the six frictional elements. To an automatic transmission having the above-mentioned units and elements, there are added a first connecting member (M1) that connects a first ring gear (R1) of the first planetary gear unit (PG1) to a second carrier (C2) of the second planetary gear unit (PG2) and, a fourth brake (B4) that is able to fix the first connecting member (M1) to a transmission case (TC). By combination of simultaneously fastening three of the seven frictional elements with fastening of the fourth brake, at least one new speed stage is established so that the automatic transmission establishes forward speed stages that are equal to or more than forward ten speed stages.

Abstract: The internal combustion engines (M) of the invention are provided with a cooling water circuit, associated with a water radiator and with a lubricant oil circuit. The heat exchanger (HE) comprises an inlet and an outlet of water connected, in series, to an outlet of the water radiator, by means of a cooled water conduit and of the cooling water circuit, and to an inlet of the water radiator, by means of a return conduit and a hot water conduit; a fuel inlet nozzle and a fuel outlet nozzle, selectively connected to the fuel supply to the engine (M); and an inlet and an outlet of lubricant oil, connected to the lubricant oil circuit by means of respective oil conduits.

Abstract: The system is applied to an engine (M) having an injection system, a fuel feed line and a cooling system (CS), by means of a cooling fluid which circulates, through hot fluid ducts and cold fluid ducts, through the engine (M) and through a heat exchanger. The feed line has a first segment, connected to the injection system and provided with a first valve, to be closed when the fuel temperature is below a maximum value, and open when the fuel temperature reaches the maximum value. The feed line also has a second segment derived from the first and absorbing thermal energy from the hot fluid duct or from the combustion gases and provided with a second valve which remains open while the fuel temperature is lower than the maximum value, and which is closed when said temperature reaches the maximum value.

Abstract: The internal combustion engines (M) of the invention are provided with a cooling water circuit, associated with a water radiator and with a lubricant oil circuit. The heat exchanger (HE) comprises an inlet and an outlet of water connected, in series, to an outlet of the water radiator, by means of a cooled water conduit and of the cooling water circuit, and to an inlet of the water radiator, by means of a return conduit and a hot water conduit; a fuel inlet nozzle and a fuel outlet nozzle, selectively connected to the fuel supply to the engine (M); and an inlet and an outlet of lubricant oil, connected to the lubricant oil circuit by means of respective oil conduits.

Abstract: The system is applied to an engine (M) having an injection system (10), a fuel feed line (30) and a cooling system (CS), by means of a cooling fluid which circulates, through hot fluid ducts (61a, 61b) and cold fluid ducts (62a, 62b), through the engine (M) and through a heat exchanger (60). The feed line (30) comprises: a first segment (31), connected to the injection system (10) and provided with a first valve (33), to be closed when the fuel temperature is below a maximum value, and open when the fuel temperature reaches the maximum value; and a second segment (32) derived from the first and absorbing thermal energy from the hot fluid duct (61a, 61b) or from the combustion gases and provided with a second valve (34) which remains open while the fuel temperature is lower than the maximum value, and which is closed when said temperature reaches the maximum value.

Abstract: The fuel filter comprises: a housing (10); a lid (20) hermetically retained against an open end (14) of the housing (10) and incorporating an outlet nozzle (21); and a tubular filter element (50) housed inside the housing (10) to define, therewith, an annular fuel admission chamber (C). The filter element (50) has its interior maintained in communication with the outlet nozzle (21) of the lid (20. The housing (10) has the open end (14) thereof provided with an outer thread (16), at least one of the parts defined by the open end (14) of the housing (10) and by the lid (20) carrying a sealing means (30) seated against the other of said parts, the filter further comprising a nut (40) to be engaged to said outer thread (16) of the housing (10) and to the lid (20), maintaining the latter hermetically seated on the housing (10).

Abstract: A control apparatus for an automatic transmission includes a shift control section configured to perform a shift of the automatic transmission; and a judder judging section. The shift control section is configured to judge whether or not a progress of the shift is during an inertia phase. The judder judging section calculates a characteristic-gradient index value which is a value obtained by quantifying a phenomenon that appears as a relative rotational speed between input and output of the first friction-engagement element becomes reduced with a progress of the inertia phase. The phenomenon appears in a different way in dependence upon whether a relational characteristic of a friction coefficient of the first friction-engagement element with respect to the relative rotational speed is a positive-gradient characteristic or a negative-gradient characteristic. The judder judging section determines that the judder has occurred based on the characteristic-gradient index value.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire according to the present invention includes bead units and a carcass layer at least. The bead units includes an inside bead core and an inside bead filler located in an inside under an equipment on a vehicle, and an outside bead core and an outside bead filler located in an outside. The carcass layer includes a main body and turnbacks. The main body extends from the inside bead core to the outside bead core. Each of the turnbacks is turned back from the inside bead core or the outside bead core to an internal side of a belt layer. Here, each edge of the turnbacks provided at a tire inner peripheral side of the belt layer is located inside from each edge of the belt layer in a tread width direction. In addition, a height of the outside bead filler is lower than a height of the inside bead filler in a cross section along the tread width direction.

Abstract: An automatic transmission control apparatus includes an engine rotational speed limit verifying section and a shift control characteristic changing section. The engine rotational speed limit verifying section is configured to receive an engine rotational speed limit value for limiting an engine rotational speed and determine if the engine rotational speed limit value is lower than a prescribed normal upper limit value. The shift control characteristic changing section is configured to change a shift schedule of an automatic transmission based on the engine rotational speed being limited by the engine rotational speed limit value and the automatic transmission having a stronger tendency to select a higher gear stage than if the engine rotational speed limit value was not being limited to a lower value than the prescribed normal limit value, when the engine rotational speed limit value is determined to lower than the prescribed normal upper limit value.

Abstract: A shift shock reducing apparatus for a power train having an engine and an automatic transmission having a frictional element that is to be engaged at upshift, comprising a control section that executes, during upshift, a torque down of the engine that starts before the start of an inertia phase in which a gear ratio of the transmission is changing from a before-shift gear ratio to an after-shift gear ratio, and a control section that makes larger a rising gradient of working oil pressure that is supplied to the frictional element to be engaged at upshift when the torque down that starts before the start of the inertia phase is executed than that when the torque down is not executed.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an automatic transmission includes a shift control section configured to perform a shift of the automatic transmission by engaging a first friction-engagement element and releasing a second friction-engagement element; and a judder judging section configured to judge an occurrence of judder due to self-exited vibration. The shift control section is configured to judge whether or not a progress of the shift is during an inertia phase. The judder judging section calculates a characteristic-gradient index value which is a value obtained by quantifying a phenomenon that appears as a relative rotational speed between input and output of the first friction-engagement element becomes reduced with a progress of the inertia phase.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire according to the present invention includes bead units and a carcass layer at least. The bead units includes an inside bead core and an inside bead filler located in an inside under an equipment on a vehicle, and an outside bead core and an outside bead filler located in an outside. The carcass layer includes a main body and turnbacks. The main body extends from the inside bead core to the outside bead core. Each of the turnbacks is turned back from the inside bead core or the outside bead core to an internal side of a belt layer. Here, each edge of the turnbacks provided at a tire inner peripheral side of the belt layer is located inside from each edge of the belt layer in a tread width direction. In addition, a height of the outside bead filler is lower than a height of the inside bead filler in a cross section along the tread width direction.

Abstract: An automatic transmission control apparatus includes an engine rotational speed limit verifying section and a shift control characteristic changing section. The engine rotational speed limit verifying section is configured to receive an engine rotational speed limit value for limiting an engine rotational speed and determine if the engine rotational speed limit value is lower than a prescribed normal upper limit value. The shift control characteristic changing section is configured to change a shift schedule of an automatic transmission based on the engine rotational speed being limited by the engine rotational speed limit value and the automatic transmission having a stronger tendency to select a higher gear stage than if the engine rotational speed limit value was not being limited to a lower value than the prescribed normal limit value, when the engine rotational speed limit value is determined to lower than the prescribed normal upper limit value.

Abstract: A shift shock reducing apparatus for a power train having an engine and an automatic transmission having a frictional element that is to be engaged at upshift, comprising a control section that executes, during upshift, a torque down of the engine that starts before the start of an inertia phase in which a gear ratio of the transmission is changing from a before-shift gear ratio to an after-shift gear ratio, and a control section that makes larger a rising gradient of working oil pressure that is supplied to the frictional element to be engaged at upshift when the torque down that starts before the start of the inertia phase is executed than that when the torque down is not executed.

Abstract: On a second thermo-module there are disposed a prism, an optical filter, and a sub-mount, via a base respectively. On the front side of the sub-mount, there are disposed a first photodetector and a second photodetector. The optical filter is structured with a crystal member that satisfies a condition that ?+(1/n0)×(?n/?T) becomes not more than 3.5, where ? is a coefficient of linear expansion, n0 is a refractive index at a normal temperature, and ?n is a change of a refractive index corresponding to a temperature variation ?T.

Abstract: On a second thermo-module there are disposed a prism, an optical filter, and a sub-mount, via a base respectively. On the front side of the sub-mount, there are disposed a first photodetector and a second photodetector. The optical filter is structured with a crystal member that satisfies a condition that &agr;+(1/n0)×(&Dgr;n/&Dgr;T) becomes not more than 3.5, where &agr; is a coefficient of linear expansion, n0 is a refractive index at a normal temperature, and &Dgr;n is a change of a refractive index corresponding to a temperature variation &Dgr;T.

Abstract: An electric sintering mold includes a clamping portion for clamping a powder material, the material clamped by the clamping portion being subjected to a pressure from a pressurizer and a pulsating electric current externally supplied, so that joule heat is generated within the material for sintering the material. The mold is formed of material containing metal boride having electroconductivity. An electric sintering apparatus using such mold and an electric sintering method utilizing such apparatus and mold are also disclosed.