Abstract: A cell culture substrate used for growing mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) while maintaining the differentiation potency of the mesenchymal stem cells includes a nonwoven fabric made of resin fibers spun using an electrospinning method. The nonwoven fabric includes a plurality of resin fibers having outer diameters of 10-50 ?m. The plurality of resin fibers are intertangled in random directions. A mesh structure is formed by the intertangled plurality of resin fibers adhering and joining together at locations where the resin fibers contact one another. The mesh structure forms mesh openings that have a substantially elliptical shape with a diameter of 100-200 ?m and that are surrounded by curved fibers. Innumerable air bubble pores having diameters of 0.1-3 ?m are formed over the entire surface of the fibers making up the nonwoven fabric.

Abstract: Provided is a bone-regeneration material comprising biodegradable fibers and exhibiting antimicrobial properties at an early stage following surgery, A method for producing a bone-regeneration material having antimicrobial properties and comprising biodegradable fibers, wherein the bone-regeneration material is produced by a step in which the biodegradable fibers are immersed in an inositol phosphate solution, then subsequently immersed in a solution containing silver ions, the biodegradable fibers have an outer diameter of 10-100 ?m, contain at least 30 wt % or more of a biodegradable resin and 40 wt % or more of calcium compound particles, and some of the calcium compound particles are exposed on the surface of the biodegradable fibers.

Abstract: Adipose-derived stem cells are isolated and extracted from an adipose tissue without using collagenase. An adipose tissue is covered with a nonwoven fabric sheet having sufficient interfiber space and pressed by an appropriate force. Thus, the adipose tissue infiltrates among fibers of the nonwoven fabric and then comes into contact with fibers surrounding the same. By immersing the nonwoven fabric as such in a culture medium, a number of adipose-derived stem cells are allowed to crawl out from the adipose tissue and then adhered to the fiber surface.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of providing a drug formulation material with which localized sustained release of a drug at any site in the body is possible, and which has good bioabsorption and is absorbed and broken down by the body after sustained release of the drug. A drug formulation material that has an exceedingly high sustained release effect, and that solves the foregoing problem, was successfully developed by dissolving a biodegradable resin and a drug in a solvent to prepare a spinning solution, and spinning fibers from the spinning solution by electrospinning.

Abstract: Rebuilding a defected bone by activating the innate self-regeneration ability of bone requires a considerably long period of time. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a bone defect filling material that initiates a bone rebuilding activity as quickly as possible after implantation and thereafter remains in the defect to continue promoting bone formation activity until sufficient bone formation has been achieved for the rebuilding of the defect. The present invention provides a cotton-like bone defect filling material comprising biodegradable fibers produced by electrospinning. The biodegradable fibers contain 40-60 wt % of calcium phosphate particles and 10 wt % or more of silicon-releasing calcium carbonate particles, with the remainder containing 30 wt % or more of poly(L-lactic acid) polymer, and the amount of the poly(L-lactic acid) polymer that is non-crystalline is 75-98%.

Abstract: Rebuilding a defected bone by activating the innate self-regeneration ability of bone requires a considerably long period of time. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a bone defect filling material that initiates a bone rebuilding activity as quickly as possible after implantation and thereafter remains in the defect to continue promoting bone formation activity until sufficient bone formation has been achieved for the rebuilding of the defect. The present invention provides a cotton-like bone defect filling material comprising biodegradable fibers produced by electrospinning. The biodegradable fibers contain 40-60 wt % of calcium phosphate particles and 10 wt % or more of silicon-releasing calcium carbonate particles, with the remainder containing 30 wt % or more of poly(L-lactic acid) polymer, and the amount of the poly(L-lactic acid) polymer that is non-crystalline is 75-98%.

Abstract: The present invention provides a calcium phosphate/biodegradable polymer hybrid material with high strength prepared by complexing a calcium phosphate porous material and a biodegradable polymer having a average molecular weight of 50,000 to 500,000, an implant comprising the hybrid material, and a method for producing a calcium phosphate/biodegradable polymer hybrid material prepared by immersing the calcium phosphate porous material within a solution including a biodegradable polymer and performing an ultrasonic treatment or a suction treatment.

Abstract: A vehicle passenger restraining system comprises a knee bolster, a bolster movement structure, a collision detecting section and a control section. The knee bolster is disposed in a front portion of a seat in a vehicle. The bolster movement structure is coupled to the knee bolster to apply a rearwardly directed pulling force to each transverse end of the knee bolster. The collision detecting section is configured and arranged to detect information relating to a collision of the vehicle and a probability of a collision of the vehicle. The control section is configured to operate the bolster movement structure based on the information from the collision detecting section.

Abstract: An impact energy absorbing knee bolster system is basically provided with a load input part and a deformation accepting structure. The load input part is arranged to contact a passenger's knee during a collision. The deformation accepting structure is located between a load input part and a vehicle structural member to deform in response to an impact load imparted by the passenger's knee during a collision. The deformation accepting structure includes a plurality of collapsing parts forming wedge-shaped spaces between each of the collapsing parts and the load input part. Each of the collapsing parts has an inflection point with a longitudinal position between a forward end and a rearward end with the longitudinal positions of the inflection points being different for an upper one of the collapsing parts than for a lower one of the collapsing parts.

Abstract: An impact energy absorbing knee bolster system is basically provided with a lateral offset input restriction structure and a vertical offset input absorption structure. The lateral offset input restriction structure restricts a lateral offset input component of an impact load imparted by a passenger's knee against the knee bolster to lateral direction and promotes deformation of the knee bolster during a collision. The vertical offset input absorption structure absorbs a vertical offset input component of the impact load imparted by the passenger's knee against the knee bolster and to promote deformation of the knee bolster during the collision.

Abstract: A vehicle front end structure is configured to handle a front collision by using one or more inflatable bags to bear the collision load and produce a stable reaction force. The front inflatable bag is provided in a region where a colliding object can contact the front end of a vehicle body and configured such that it can deploy and inflate into a wall surface-like shape immediately before a collision. As a result, the collision load of a front collision can be absorbed efficiently. Additionally, since the inflated front inflatable bag serves to bear the collision load as a surface, it can generate a stable reaction force irregardless of the angle at which the collision load is imparted, the size of the colliding object, or size of the overlap ratio.

Abstract: A vehicle passenger restraining system comprises a knee bolster, a bolster movement structure, a collision detecting section and a control section. The knee bolster is disposed in a front portion of a seat in a vehicle. The bolster movement structure is coupled to the knee bolster to apply a rearwardly directed pulling force to each transverse end of the knee bolster. The collision detecting section is configured and arranged to detect information relating to a collision of the vehicle and a probability of a collision of the vehicle. The control section is configured to operate the bolster movement structure based on the information from the collision detecting section.

Abstract: A vehicle body end structure has a longitudinal frame member connected to a transverse frame member by curved parts to disperse the load when the vehicle undergoes an end (rear or front) collision. In particular, wedge-shaped open spaces exist between the interior surfaces of the transverse frame member and the corresponding wall surfaces of the curved parts that face the interior surfaces. Consequently, when the vehicle undergoes an end collision, the inward collapsing of the transverse frame member causes the curved parts to gradually undergo bending deformation while being folded over such that the curved parts touch against the transverse frame member. Deformation control structures are provided on the curved parts to prevent localized stress concentration from occurring and enable the curved parts to deform in a stable manner. Thus, the curved parts are prevented from undergoing acute bending and the input load is absorbed more efficiently.

Abstract: A vehicle body front section structure is provided with longitudinal frame members that are connected by curved parts to the back surface of a widthwise frame member to disperse the load when the vehicle undergoes a front collision. In particular, wedge-shaped open spaces exist between the back surface of the widthwise frame member and the wall surface of the curved part of each longitudinal frame member that faces the back surface. Consequently, when the vehicle undergoes a front collision, the rearward collapsing of the widthwise frame member causes the curved part to gradually undergo bending deformation while being folded over in such a manner that the wall surface thereof that faces the back surface touches against the back surface.

Abstract: A vehicle front end structure is configured to handle a front collision by using one or more inflatable bags to bear the collision load and produce a stable reaction force. The front inflatable bag is provided in a region where a colliding object can contact the front end of a vehicle body and configured such that it can deploy and inflate into a wall surface-like shape immediately before a collision. As a result, the collision load of a front collision can be absorbed efficiently. Additionally, since the inflated front inflatable bag serves to bear the collision load as a surface, it can generate a stable reaction force irregardless of the angle at which the collision load is imparted, the size of the colliding object, or size of the overlap ratio.

Abstract: A vehicle body end structure has a longitudinal frame member connected to a transverse frame member by curved parts to disperse the load when the vehicle undergoes an end (rear or front) collision. In particular, wedge-shaped open spaces exist between the interior surfaces of the transverse frame member and the corresponding wall surfaces of the curved parts that face the interior surfaces. Consequently, when the vehicle undergoes an end collision, the inward collapsing of the transverse frame member causes the curved parts to gradually undergo bending deformation while being folded over such that the curved parts touch against the transverse frame member. Deformation control structures are provided on the curved parts to prevent localized stress concentration from occurring and enable the curved parts to deform in a stable manner. Thus, the curved parts are prevented from undergoing acute bending and the input load is absorbed more efficiently.

Abstract: A vehicle body front section structure is provided with longitudinal frame members that are connected by curved parts to the back surface of a widthwise frame member to disperse the load when the vehicle undergoes a front collision. In particular, wedge-shaped open spaces exist between the back surface of the widthwise frame member and the wall surface of the curved part of each longitudinal frame member that faces the back surface. Consequently, when the vehicle undergoes a front collision, the rearward collapsing of the widthwise frame member causes the curved part to gradually undergo bending deformation while being folded over in such a manner that the wall surface thereof that faces the back surface touches against the back surface.

Abstract: A reinforcing structure is provided to attain sufficient reinforcing effect for a body frame without increasing a weight of a vehicle. The reinforcing structure includes a front pillar (3) whose peripheral wall has an outer panel (13) and a reinforcement (14) to provide a double wall structure, and an adjusting mechanism (15) for making a buckling-mode waveform of the outer panel (13) in a substantially-reversed phase to a buckling-mode waveform of the reinforcement (14). The adjusting mechanism (15) includes a plurality of beads (16) formed on a top wall of the reinforcement (14). Owing to the deformation of the outer panel (13) in a substantially-reversed phase to the deformation of the reinforcement (14), a resistance force due to contact between the outer panel (13) and the reinforcement (14) allows a deformation of the front pillar (3) to be is restricted to enhance reinforcing effect of the reinforcing structure.

Abstract: An intermediate joint is provided which joints two cylindrical members to form a side member used in a vehicle body. The intermediate joint includes a front and a rear connecting portion and an intermediate coupling portion coupling the front and rear connecting portions. The intermediate coupling portion is so formed physically as to have a degree of rigidity greater than those of the front and rear connecting portions. This improves the strength or rigidity of the intermediate joint without increasing the overall weight of the side member.

Abstract: A woven fabric formed by utilizing an interlaced false twisted yarn as the warp and the process for producing such woven fabric. The interlaced yarn as the warp has such a particular configuration that the collectness of the yarn can be effectively maintained during the weaving operation and, therefore, pilling of the individual filaments and snagging can be effectively prevented, and the sizing of the warp can be omitted. Since the interlaced yarn of the invention is effective bulkiness even if the superior collectness is provided, any possible slip of yarns from the crossing point between the warp and the weft can be effectively prevented. Consequently, fabric having a low yarn density can be easily produced. When the above-mentioned fabric is woven, the warp is wet at a weaving zone between the healds and cloth-fell defined by the beating motion of the reed. Accordingly, a water jet loom is preferably utilized to produce the woven fabric of the present invention.