Abstract: Agents for treating and preventing antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) comprising, as an active ingredient, a substance inhibiting interaction between gp39 on a T cell surface, which is a receptor mediating contact-dependent helper effector function, and CD40 on an antigen-presenting cell surface.

Abstract: In a facsimile apparatus, record density data associated with received data is used to control record density on a paper. At the same time, the emission intensity or pixel-by-pixel emission interval of a light emitting device is controlled to change tonality on a paper pixel by pixel in association with the record density. Hence, even when the record density of received data changes, the present invention prevents the density of a reproduced image from changing and prevents discontinuous lines from being undesirably exaggerated.

Abstract: A novel human antithrombin III (AT III) mutant having a high antithrombin activity in the absence of heparin and effective in the treatment of thrombotic disorders as an anticoagulant, which is obtained by mutating amino acids at the reactive site and the heparin binding site of human AT III into another amino acids with the use of the recombinant DNA technology with the use of a DNA coding for AT III as a template. The invention also relates to a method for mass producing the above-described mutant by incubating a host transformed by an expression vector having the cDNA of the mutant inserted therein.

Abstract: A recombinant natural killer cell activating factor is disclosed, preferably having a peptide of the following amino acid sequence in its molecule. The invention provides a cDNA coding for a recombinant natural killer cell activating factor, a expression plasmid involving the cDNA, a host transformed with the plasmid, an antitumor agent containing the recombinant natural killer cell activating factor and a pharmaceutical composition which comprises a pharmacologically effective amount of the antitumor agent and a pharmacologically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: A recombinant natural killer cell activating factor is disclosed, preferably having a peptide of the following amino acid sequence in its molecule. The invention provides a cDNA coding for a recombinant natural killer cell activating factor, a expression plasmid involving the cDNA, a host transformed with the plasmid, an antitumor agent containing the recombinant natural killer cell activating factor and a pharmaceutical composition which comprises a pharmacologically effective amount of the antitumor agent and a pharmacologically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus for reading an image on a sheet. The apparatus comprises an image reading part for scanning a predetermined area, including the sheet, one scanning line by one scanning line for producing an output image signal. A white reference image part is provided within the predetermined area so as to be scanned by the image reading part. A black reference image part is provided within the predetermined area so as to be scanned by the image reading part. A white reference memory is supplied with the output image signal from the image reading part for storing the output image signal supplied thereto, and a black reference memory is supplied with the output image signal from the image reading part for storing the output image signal supplied thereto. An image correction part is supplied with the output image signal from the image reading part and further with a first reference signal and a second reference signal from the white and black reference memories for producing a corrected image signal.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus capable of saving time necessary for the transmission of video data. Pixel signals provided by scanning a document in both the lengthwise and widthwise directions are digitized, then encoded, and then stored in independent buffer memories. One of the buffer memories storing a smaller amount of video data than the other is chosen to transmit its video data to a remote station over a line.

Abstract: An image reading device for a facsimile apparatus or the like compensates outputs of a line image sensor by shading while reading out a document. When a reference signal representative of a particular pixel is derived from a contaminated portion of a reference or white image, a reference signal representative of a pixel which immediately precedes that particular pixel is substituted for the latter. This promotes accurate shading which is free from the influence of contamination.