Abstract: A solid object feeder according to the present invention includes a rotary disk including a plurality of storing holes of storing solid objects, a supporting member disposed below the rotary disk, and a guide member disposed above a peripheral portion of the rotary disk. The supporting member includes a step region continuing from an upstream side to a downstream side with respect to the guide member, and another region located upstream of the step region. A gap between the supporting member and a lower surface of the rotary disk in the step region is defined so that the solid object can move a space below the guide member from the upstream side to the downstream side. The gap is larger than a gap between the supporting member and the lower surface of the rotary disk in the other region.

Abstract: A method for forming pieces of food dough and an apparatus thereof is able to cut the food dough continuously extruded through a nozzle along the shape of the hole of the nozzle without causing deformation, and to locate pieces of the food dough on a conveyor without causing deformation. The apparatus for forming pieces of food dough comprises an extruding device and a cutting device, wherein the extruding device comprises a nozzle to continuously extrude food dough downward, and the cutting device comprises a cutting blade to cut the food dough into the pieces of food dough, a moving mechanism to move the cutting blade forward from an initial position, then to move the cutting blade downward, and then to return the cutting blade to the initial position, and a carrying-out conveyor, which is disposed below the nozzle and moves in the direction that the cutting blade moves forward.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a pluripotent stem cell that can efficiently differentiate into a target differentiated cell. According to the present invention, a method for producing a cell is provided, the method including a first step of obtaining an undifferentiated cell which is obtained by introducing a reprogramming factor into a somatic cell and has a relatively low ability to differentiate into a specific differentiated cell; and a second step of treating the cell while maintaining an undifferentiated state of the cell to obtain a cell having a relatively high ability to differentiate into the specific differentiated cell.

Abstract: A method for forming pieces of food dough and an apparatus thereof is able to cut the food dough continuously extruded through a nozzle along the shape of the hole of the nozzle without causing deformation, and to locate pieces of the food dough on a conveyor without causing deformation. The apparatus for forming pieces of food dough comprises an extruding device and a cutting device, wherein the extruding device comprises a nozzle to continuously extrude food dough downward, and the cutting device comprises a cutting blade to cut the food dough into the pieces of food dough, a moving mechanism to move the cutting blade forward from an initial position, then to move the cutting blade downward, and then to return the cutting blade to the initial position, and a carrying-out conveyor, which is disposed below the nozzle and moves in the direction that the cutting blade moves forward.

Abstract: Disclosed is a production method of pancreatic hormone-producing cells in a form that mimicks the pancreatogenesis, the method comprising subjecting stem cells to the following steps: (1) cultivating stem cells in a medium containing a Rho kinase inhibitor, (2) cultivating the cells obtained in (1) in a medium containing a GSK3 inhibitor, (3) cultivating the cells obtained in (2) in a medium containing GSK3 inhibitor and an activator of activin receptor-like kinase-4,7, (4) forming a cell mass from the cells obtained in (3), and cultivating the cell mass in a suspension state in a medium, (5) cultivating the cells obtained in (4) in a medium containing a retinoic acid receptor agonist, an inhibitor of AMP-activated protein kinase and/or activin receptor-like kinase-2,3,6, an inhibitor of activin receptor-like kinase-4,5,7 and a cell growth factor, and (6) cultivating the cells obtained in (5).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of more efficiently producing pancreas cells, particularly pancreatic hormone-producing cells, a method of stably producing pancreas cells in a large amount by more efficiently inducing differentiation of stem cells into pancreas cells, a medicament containing a pancreas cells and a screening method using the cells.

Abstract: Disclosed is a production method of pancreatic hormone-producing cells in a form that mimics the pancreatogenesis, the method comprising subjecting stem cells to the following steps: (1) cultivating stem cells in a medium containing a Rho kinase inhibitor, (2) cultivating the cells obtained in (1) in a medium containing a GSK3 inhibitor, (3) cultivating the cells obtained in (2) in a medium containing GSK3 inhibitor and an activator of activin receptor-like kinase-4,7, (4) forming a cell mass from the cells obtained in (3), and cultivating the cell mass in a suspension state in a medium, (5) cultivating the cells obtained in (4) in a medium containing a retinoic acid receptor agonist, an inhibitor of AMP-activated protein kinase and/or activin receptor-like kinase-2,3,6, an inhibitor of activin receptor-like kinase-4,5,7 and a cell growth factor, and (6) cultivating the cells obtained in (5).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of more efficiently producing pancreas cells, particularly pancreatic hormone-producing cells, a method of stably producing pancreas cells in a large amount by more efficiently inducing differentiation of stem cells into pancreas cells, a medicament containing a pancreas cells and a screening method using the cells.

Abstract: A method for screening for a substance capable of regulating the regeneration, proliferation or differentiation of a cell or an organ, which comprises the steps of: (1) allowing a cell having a regenerative, proliferative or differentiative capability to form an embryoid body; (2) treating the embryoid body produced in step (1) with a digestive enzyme to prepare single cells from the embryoid body; (3) seeding the cells prepared in step (2) onto an adhesive plate, and adding a candidate substance to the plate to perform adhesion culturing of the cells on the plate; (4) conducting quantitative and simultaneous analysis of the levels of expression of at least two types of genes involved in the regeneration, proliferation or differentiation of cells after the adhesion culturing of step (3); and (5) evaluating the influence of the candidate substance on the regeneration, proliferation or differentiation of cells based on the results of the quantitative analysis obtained in step (4).

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel polypeptide involving in the modulation of central nervous system function, circulatory function, immune function, gastrointestinal function, metabolic function, reproductive function, etc., it can be used as a drug for treating or preventing a variety of diseases, e.g. HIV infection or AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) or the like.

Abstract: The polypeptides in the present invention possess the effects of promoting and inhibiting the secretion of prolactin, and are thus useful as drugs for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, in terms of prolactin secretion stimulants, which are associated with the secretion of prolactin, such as hypoovarianism, spermatic underdevelopment, menopausal symptoms, hypothyroidism, etc. The polypeptides are useful as drugs for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, in terms of prolactin secretion inhibitors, which are associated with the secretion of prolactin, such as pituitary tumor, diencephalon tumor, menstrual disorder, autoimmune diseases, prolactinoma, sterility, impotence, amenorrhea, lactorrhea, acromegaly, Chiari-Frommel syndrome, Argonz-del Castilo syndrome, Forbes-Albright syndrome, lymphoma, Sheehan's syndrome, spermatogenesis disorder, etc.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel peptide derivatives, which are recognized as ligands to G-coupled protein receptor proteins. The peptide of the present invention can be used in (1) development of a receptor binding assay system using the expression system of the recombinant receptor protein and screening of candidates for pharmaceutical compounds, and (2) development of pharmaceutical preparations such as a neutral nerve function regulator, a circulatory function regulator, a cardiac function regulator, an immune function regulator, a digestive organ function regulator, a metabolic function regulator, a generative organ regulator or the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of screening genes associated with cell regeneration, growth and differentiation and regulators for cell regeneration, growth or differentiation; regulators for cell regeneration, growth or differentiation; and so on.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel polypeptide involving in the modulation of central nervous system function, circulatory function, immune function, gastrointestinal function, metabolic function, reproductive function, etc., it can be used as a drug for treating or preventing a variety of diseases, e.g. HIV infection or AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) or the like.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel polypeptide involving in the modulation of central nervous system function, circulatory function, immune function, gastrointestinal function, metabolic function, reproductive function, etc., it can be used as a drug for treating or preventing a variety of diseases, e.g. HIV infection or AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) or the like.

Abstract: The present invention intends to provide a screening of agonist/antagonist and the like. Specifically, the invention provides a method of screening a compound or its salt that alters the binding property between a novel G protein-coupled receptor protein or its salt, and a substance relating to cholesterol metabolism, which comprises using the receptor protein or its salt, which contains the same or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 14 or SEQ ID NO: 16, and the substance relating to cholesterol metabolism.

Abstract: The polypeptides in the present invention possess the effects of promoting and inhibiting the secretion of prolactin, and are thus useful as drugs for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, in terms of prolactin secretion stimulants, which are associated with the secretion of prolactin, such as hypoovarianism, spermatic underdevelopment, menopausal symptoms, hypothyroidism, etc. The polypeptides are useful as drugs for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, in terms of prolactin secretion inhibitors, which are associated with the secretion of prolactin, such as pituitary tumor, diencephalon tumor, menstrual disorder, autoimmune diseases, prolactinoma, sterility, impotence, amenorrhea, lactorrhea, acromegaly, Chiari-Frommel syndrome, Argonz-del Castilo syndrome, Forbes-Albright syndrome, lymphoma, Sheehan's syndrome, spermatogenesis disorder, etc.

Abstract: The RFRP-3 peptide of the present invention which is an agent for promoting prolactin secretion is useful as a prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent for various diseases associated with prolactin secretion, such as hypoovarianism, seminal vesicle hypoplasia, menopausal syndrome and hypothyroidism.

Abstract: By using (1) a G protein-coupled receptor protein having the same or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 or its salt and (2) a fatty acid or an eicosanoid, a compound or its salt that can change the binding properties of the receptor protein or its salt to the fatty acid or the eicosanoid can be screened efficiently.

Abstract: The polypeptides in the present invention possess the effects of promoting and inhibiting the secretion of prolactin, and are thus useful as drugs for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, in terms of prolactin secretion stimulants, which are associated with the secretion of prolactin, such as hypoovarianism, spermatic underdevelopment, menopausal symptoms, hypothyroidism, etc. The polypeptides are useful as drugs for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, in terms of prolactin secretion inhibitors, which are associated with the secretion of prolactin, such as pituitary tumor, diencephalon tumor, menstrual disorder, autoimmune diseases, prolactinoma, sterility, impotence, amenorrhea, lactorrhea, acromegaly, Chiari-Frommel syndrome, Argonz-del Castilo syndrome, Forbes-Albright syndrome, lymphoma, Sheehan's syndrome, spermatogenesis disorder, etc.