Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning apparatus that includes a blower unit including a scroll casing including a first wall having an intake port, a second wall opposing the first wall, and a peripheral wall, and an impeller. The apparatus further includes a motor of the impeller, a blow-out flow channel, and a motor cooling air introduction chamber. The motor cooling air introduction chamber is in communication with the blow-out flow channel via an air intake port opening in the peripheral wall of a tongue portion facing the blow-out flow channel at a position more closer to the first wall side than an inner wall surface of the second wall. At least one airflow regulating rib facing the peripheral wall provided with the air intake port is provided, and the airflow regulating rib projects from the inner wall surface of the second wall and having a top portion in the blow-out flow channel.

Abstract: The invention provides a vehicle air-conditioning apparatus comprising a blower unit including ; a scroll casing including a first wall having an intake port, a second wall opposing the first wall, and a peripheral wall; an impeller; a motor of the impeller; a blow-out flow channel; and a motor cooling air introduction chamber, wherein the motor cooling air introduction chamber is in communication with the blow-out flow channel via an air intake port opening in the peripheral wall of a tongue portion facing the blow-out flow channel at a position more closer to the first wall side than an inner wall surface of the second wall, and at least one airflow regulating rib facing the peripheral wall provided with the air intake port is provided, and the airflow regulating rib projects from the inner wall surface of the second wall and having a top portion in the blow-out flow channel.

Abstract: Methods, compositions and kits are provided for generating inner ear cells in vitro. These methods find use a number of applications, such as in preparing inner ear cells for in vitro screening for agents that are toxic to inner ear cells, for in vitro screening for agents that prevent against, mitigate, or reverse the toxic effects of such agents, and for in vitro screening for agents that promote otoregeneration.

Abstract: Methods, compositions and kits are provided for generating inner ear cells in vitro. These methods find use a number of applications, such as in preparing inner ear cells for in vitro screening for agents that are toxic to inner ear cells, for in vitro screening for agents that prevent against, mitigate, or reverse the toxic effects of such agents, and for in vitro screening for agents that promote otoregeneration.

Abstract: Methods, compositions and kits are provided for generating inner ear cells in vitro. These methods find use a number of applications, such as in preparing inner ear cells for in vitro screening for agents that are toxic to inner ear cells, for in vitro screening for agents that prevent against, mitigate, or reverse the toxic effects of such agents, and for in vitro screening for agents that promote otoregeneration.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pharmaceutical preparation for hearing impairment, which is suitable for gene therapy of hearing impairment, that is, a pharmaceutical preparation for hearing impairment which comprises a virus envelope vector encapsulating a hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene or its plasmid as an active ingredient. Particularly, it is suitable as a pharmaceutical preparation for gene therapy for the purpose of prevention and treatment of deafness.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pharmaceutical preparation for hearing impairment, which is suitable for gene therapy of hearing impairment, that is, a pharmaceutical preparation for hearing impairment which comprises a virus envelope vector encapsulating a hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene or its plasmid as an active ingredient. Particularly, it is suitable as a pharmaceutical preparation for gene therapy for the purpose of prevention and treatment of deafness.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire for a passenger car having a pair of bead portions, a toroidal carcass portion extending over both bead portions, at least two belt layers provided in a crown portion of the carcass, a tread portion positioned at an outer peripheral side of the belt layer, and side wall portions provided at the right and left sides of the tread portion, and which further includes a steel cord as a reinforcing material for reinforcing at least one layer of the carcass portion and the belt layer. The steel cord is formed by plying a plurality of filaments each having a strand diameter of 0.125 to 0.275 mm, and has an inflection point on an S—S curve. A reduction rate of a diameter of the steel cord under a load stress which is one third of breaking strength in comparison with a no load condition is equal to or more than 20%.

Abstract: A low rolling resistance pneumatic radial tire having an improved appearance comprises a carcass composed of a single rubberized carcass ply containing cords therein. The carcass ply cord is a high tenacity vinylon cord having characteristics after vulcanization represented by the following equations: ##EQU1## Further, the carcass ply has the number of overlapped cords of not more than 15 at the shoulder portion in its joint portion.

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire having a low noise and an improved cornering stability has a belt structure of at least two belt layers composed of at least one layer containing cords each obtained by twisting organic fibers and at least one layer containing steel cords, at least one of the organic fiber cord layers being interposed between the steel cord layer and a tread at a state that both transversely outermost end portions are folded inward. This organic fiber cord is a cord obtained by twisting high strength, high modulus polyvinyl alcohol fibers and has particular twisting coefficient and strength. The tire further satisfies a particular relation between a height of a turnup portion of a carcass ply around a bead portion and a tensile stress at 50% elongation of a bead filler rubber reinforcing the bead portion at room temperature.

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire having improved cornering stability, service durability and rolling resistance is provided by using high-elasticity, high-strength vinylon fiber having specified elongation and strength as a cord material for at least one belt layer in a belt composed of at least two belt layers. Particularly, noise level can be reduced without damaging other tire performances by combining at least one layer of high-elasticity, high-strength vinylon fiber cords with at least one layer of steel cords as a belt of the tire.

Abstract: Nylon cords having a yarn strength of not less than 12 g/d are subjected to a stretch heating treatment under specified conditions before the dipping and then dipped in a dipping solution having a particular composition, whereby the strength and adhesion force of the resulting dipped cords are considerably improved for use in large size tires.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire is reinforced with cords made of polyvinyl alcohol based fibers, and meets the following requirements:(1) A tenacity, S (g/d) of the cords taken out from the tire meets a relation: S.gtoreq.14.5-12N.sub.T in which N.sub.T is a coefficient of twist, which is represented by N.sub.T =N.times..sqroot.0.139.times.D/.rho..times.10-3. N, D and .rho. are a number of twist (turns/10 cm), a half of a total denier of the cords, and a specific density of the cords, respectively.(2) A tenacity-retaining percentage of the cords in an absolutely dried state is not less than 90% of that before the treatment with boiling water. The absolutely dried state means that after the cord is treated with boiling water at 120.degree. C. while being maintained at a constant length, the cord is dried.

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire having improved cornering stability, service durability and rolling resistance is provided by using high-elasticity, high-strength vinylon fiber having specified elongation and strength as a cord material for at least one belt layer in a belt composed of at least two belt layers. Particularly, noise level can be reduced without damaging other tire performances by combining at least one layer of high-elasticity, high-strength vinylon fiber cords with at least one layer of steel cords as a belt of the tire.

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire is disclosed, which comprises a toroidal tire body extending from bead portions to a crown portion through sidewall portions, and a reinforcement for the tire body consisting of a carcass composed of at least one cord ply containing polyester fiber cords therein, which cord ply being wound around a bead core embedded in each of the bead portions from the inside of the tire to the outside thereof, and a belt composed of at least two ply layers superimposed around the crown portion of the carcass and containing cords arranged at a relatively small inclination angle with respect to the mid-circumferential plane of the tire, the cords of which being crossed with each other. In this type of the tire, the carcass line of the tire body at a mounted state of the tire on a normal rim under a normal internal pressure depicts such a radial profile in tire section that a ratio of R/R' is within a range of 0.65-0.

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire having a high durability is disclosed, which comprises a carcass composed of at least one ply containing polyester fiber cords embedded in rubber. This polyester fiber cord has particular fiber properties and cord properties. Among the cord properties, the elongation under a tension of 2 g/D of the cord after the specific post-cure inflation treatment is not more than 4.5% and the sum of the elongation and heat shrinkage is not more than 8.0%.

Abstract: A variable resistor is disclosed which may readily attain or reproduce a preset value. A wiper arm or plate is carried by an outer shaft for rotation with a wiper in sliding contact with a resistor so that the resistance value may be continuously varied in a conventional manner. In order to detect the angular position of the outer shaft where a preset value is obtained, a click mechanism is incorporated. A click spring of the click mechanism is fixed to a switching plate carried by an inner shaft fitted into the outer shaft for rotation therewith or independently thereof in case of presetting, and a ball loosely carried at the free end of the click spring is adapted to engage with a recess formed at a predetermined position of a stationary click plate so that the inner shaft may be stopped at a predetermined angular position.

Abstract: There is provided a combined variable resistor assembly provided with position indicator means for indicating positions of individual variable resistors by respective bright spots adapted to be moved by manipulating the associated variable resistors. This variable resistor assembly may find use mainly for electronic tuners, and with which the present states of the individual variable resistors for volume control, balance control, sound quality control and so forth can be known at a glance at the indicator means.

Abstract: There is provided a combined variable resistor assembly provided with position indicator means for indicating positions of individual variable resistors by respective bright spots adapted to be moved by manipulating the associated variable resistors. This variable resistor assembly may find use mainly for electronic tuners, and with which the present states of the individual variable resistors for volume control, balance control, sound quality control and so forth can be known at a glance at the indicator means.