Abstract: A flywheel assembly that receives torque from a crankshaft of an engine includes a flywheel, a damper mechanism, and a frictional resistance generation mechanism. The damper mechanism elastically connects the flywheel to the crankshaft in a rotational direction. The damper mechanism includes an input member, an output member, elastic members to connect elastically the input member and the output member in the rotational direction. The frictional resistance generation mechanism is located functionally in parallel with the damper mechanism in the rotational direction. The frictional resistance generation mechanism utilizes a portion of the flywheel as a friction surface.

Abstract: Disclosed are created stable polypeptides which are capable of inducing the production of interferon-gamma by immunocompetent cells. The present polypeptides contain specific amino acid sequences usually derived from the wild-type polypeptides, being capable of the production of interferon-gamma, by replacing the cysteine(s) with different amino acid(s). The present polypeptides possess a stability and an activity of inducing the production of IFN-? by immunocompetent cells, both of which are significantly higher than those of the wild-type polypeptides. In addition to the activity, the present polypeptides can exhibit remarkable activities of inducing the formation of killer cells and enhancing thier cytotoxicities. The present polypeptides are easily obtainable by the process according to the present invention using recombinant DNA techniques.

Abstract: A disease treatment is provided by controlling the expression of a protein induced by a heat shock factor. The novel compound benzo-1,3-dioxole provides an inhibitor of HSF activity or an inhibitor of inducing the production of a protein regulated by HSF, which inhibits the activity of a heat shock factor, a transcriptional regulatory factor, thereby in turn inhibiting transcription of a structural gene having a heat shock element sequenc in the gene region for transcriptional regulation into RNA, and thus inhibiting translation of the gene into a protein, and resulting in inhibition of inducing production of RNA or protein encoded by the gene. It also provides a drug for treating or preventing cancer through thermotherapy and a drug for treating or preventing stress diseases such as depression.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly with an improved bearing structure is provided. The flywheel damper (11) is a flywheel assembly for transmitting torque from the crankshaft of an engine, and has a first flywheel assembly (4), a second flywheel assembly (5), a damper mechanism (6), and a needle bearing (43). The first flywheel assembly (4) is fixed to the crankshaft (2). The second flywheel assembly (5) is disposed so as to be able to rotate relative to the first flywheel assembly (4). The damper mechanism (6) elastically connects the second flywheel assembly (5) to the crankshaft (2) in the rotation direction. The needle bearing (43) is a bearing to support rotatably the second flywheel assembly (5) on the crankshaft (2), and has a plurality of needles (44) disposed between the peripheral surfaces (21d) and (37b) of both members.

Abstract: A damper mechanism or a damper disk assembly realizing a low rigidity using a pair of elastic members is provided to achieve a further low rigidity in a region with small torques. The damper mechanism has a drive member 52, a driven member 53, a pair of first torsion springs 58A and 58B, and a second torsion spring 59. The springs 58A and 58B are functionally provided in series with each other in a rotational direction. The spring 59 is functionally provided in parallel with the springs 58A and 58B in such a way that the spring 59 is compressed in the rotational direction after the springs 58A and 58B are compressed to a certain angle when the drive member 52 and the driven member 53 rotate relative to each other.

Abstract: A torque converter with a lockup damper is provided to improve the vibration damping function. The torque converter 1 has the lockup device 7 for mechanically connecting and disconnecting a front cover 11 and a turbine 22, which includes a clutch mechanism and a damper mechanism. A friction generating mechanism 45 is a mechanism that generates friction resistance when the lockup damper operates, and includes a friction washer 52, which constitutes a friction surface, and a micro twisting angle adjustment gap 56, which is arranged to prevent the friction washer 52 from operating within a range of micro twisting angles.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for estimating the therapeutic efficacy of physiologically active substances or antitumor agents, particularly, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-&agr;) in the treatment of cancers. The method comprises a step of evaluating the expression level of a TNF-&agr;-related gene in a cancer cell.

Abstract: A disease treatment is provided by controlling the expression of a protein induced by a heat shock factor. The novel compound benzo-1,3-dioxole provides an inhibitor of HSF activity or an inhibitor of inducing the production of a protein regulated by HSF, which inhibits the activity of a heat shock factor, a transcriptional regulatory factor, thereby in turn inhibiting transcription of a structural gene having a heat shock element sequence in the gene region for transcriptional regulation into RNA, and thus inhibiting translation of the gene into a protein, and resulting in inhibition of inducing production of RNA or protein encoded by the gene. It also provides a drug for treating or preventing cancer through thermotherapy and a drug for treating or preventing stress diseases such as depression.

Abstract: A disease treatment is provided by controlling the expression of a protein induced by a heat shock factor.

Abstract: A torque converter with a lockup damper is provided to improve the vibration damping function. The torque converter 1 has the lockup device 7 for mechanically connecting and disconnecting a front cover 11 and a turbine 22, which includes a clutch mechanism and a damper mechanism. A friction generating mechanism 45 is a mechanism that generates friction resistance when the lockup damper operates, and includes a friction washer 52, which constitutes a friction surface, and a micro twisting angle adjustment gap 56, which is arranged to prevent the friction washer 52 from operating within a range of micro twisting angles.

Abstract: Disclosed are created stable polypeptides which are capable of inducing the production of interferon-gamma by immunocompetent cells. The present polypeptides contain specific amino acid sequences usually derived from the wild-type polypeptides, being capable of the production of interferon-gamma, by replacing the cysteine(s) with different amino acid(s). The present polypeptides possess a stability and an activity of inducing the production of IFN-&ggr; by immunocompetent cells, both of which are significantly higher than those of the wild-type polypeptides. In addition to the activity, the present polypeptides can exhibit remarkable activities of inducing the formation of killer cells and enhancing thier cytotoxicities. The present polypeptides are easily obtainable by the process according to the present invention using recombinant DNA techniques.

Abstract: Disclosed are polypeptides which originate from mammal, having L-asparaginase activity. The polypeptides are easily prepared by applying recombinant DNA techniques to DNAs encoding the polypeptides and they exert satisfactory effects in the treatment and/or the prevention for diseases caused by tumor cells dependent on L-asparagine, and cause no substantial serious side effects even when administered to humans in relatively-high dose.

Abstract: An input rotary member 2 and an output rotary member 3 are circumferentially and elastically coupled together via first and second damper mechanisms 4 and 5 arranged in parallel. The first damper mechanism 4 includes first springs 8. The first springs 8 are arranged between the input and output rotary members 2 and 3 for transmitting torque therebetween. Compression of the first springs 8 does not start before a torsion angle reaches a first torsion angle 1. The second damper mechanism 5 includes second springs 13 and a high hysteresis torque generating mechanism 15 arranged in series. The second springs 13 can be compressed only within a range of a torsion angle &thgr;AC smaller than the first torsion angle &thgr;1.

Abstract: Disclosed are created stable polypeptides which are capable of inducing the production of interferon-gamma by immunocompetent cells. The present polypeptides contain specific amino acid sequences usually derived from the wild-type polypeptides, being capable of the production of interferon-gamma, by replacing the cysteine(s) with different amino acid(s). The present polypeptides possess a stability and an activity of inducing the production of IFN-&ggr; by immunocompetent cells, both of which are significantly higher than those of the wild-type polypeptides. In addition to the activity, the present polypeptides can exhibit remarkable activities of inducing the formation of killer cells and enhancing thier cytotoxicities. The present polypeptides are easily obtainable by the process according to the present invention using recombinant DNA techniques.

Abstract: Disclosed are polypeptides which originate from mammal, having L-asparaginase activity. The polypeptides are easily prepared by applying recombinant DNA techniques to DNAs encoding the polypeptides and they exert satisfactory effects in the treatment and/or the prevention for diseases caused by tumor cells dependent on L-asparagine, and cause no substantial serious side effects even when administered to humans in relatively-high dose.

Abstract: A disease treatment is provided by controlling the expression of a protein induced by a heat shock factor.

Abstract: Disclosed are polypeptides which originate from mammal, having L-asparaginase activity. The polypeptides are easily prepared by applying recombinant DNA techniques to DNAs encoding the polypeptides and they exert satisfactory effects in the treatment and/or the prevention for diseases caused by tumor cells dependent on L-asparagine, and cause no substantial serious side effects even when administered to humans in relatively-high dose.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly 1 includes a flywheel 2, a flexible plate 3 and a dynamic damper 4 to reduce the noise of an engine during acceleration of the speed of the engine. The flexible plate 3 connects the flywheel 2 with a crankshaft 5 so as to be able to oscillate in a bending direction. The dynamic damper 4 includes a mass body 13, and a plate 14 which connects the mass body 13 with the flywheel 2 so as to be able to oscillate in a bending direction.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly 1 includes a flywheel 2, a flexible plate 3 and a dynamic damper 4 to reduce the noise of an engine during acceleration of the speed of the engine. The flexible plate 3 connects the flywheel 2 with a crankshaft 5 so as to be able to oscillate in a bending direction. The dynamic damper 4 includes a mass body 13, and a plate 14 which connects the mass body 13 with the flywheel 2 so as to be able to oscillate in a bending direction.

Abstract: A disease treatment is provided by controlling the expression of a protein induced by a heat shock factor. The novel compound benzo-1,3-dioxole provides an inhibitor of HSF activity or an inhibitor of inducing the production of a protein regulated by HSF, which inhibits the activity of a heat shock factor, a transcriptional regulatory factor, thereby in turn inhibiting transcription of a structural gene having a heat shock element sequence in the gene region for transcriptional regulation into RNA, and thus inhibiting translation of the gene into a protein, and resulting in inhibition of inducing production of RNA or protein encoded by the gene. It also provides a drug for treating or preventing cancer through thermotherapy and a drug for treating or preventing stress diseases such as depression.