Abstract: The present invention provides a peptide fragment or a series of peptide fragments having a cell death-inhibitory activity, having the amino acid sequence consisting of 103 amino acid residues at the C-terminal of selenoprotein P, or having said amino acid sequence with one or several amino acid residues therein being deleted, substituted or added, or having a partial sequence of either of the above amino acid sequences, a medicament for treatment comprising said peptide fragment or a series of peptide fragments, an antibody to said peptide fragment or a series of peptide fragments, and a method for screening a cell death-inhibitory activity using said peptide fragment or a series of peptide fragments. The preferable peptide fragment or a series of peptide fragments of the present invention has the amino acid sequences shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 and/or SEQ ID NO: 2 or has a partial sequence thereof.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a superconducting thin film material includes a vapor phase step of forming a superconducting layer by a vapor phase method and a liquid phase step of forming a superconducting layer by a liquid phase method so that the latter superconducting layer is in contact with the former superconducting layer. Preferably, the method further includes the step of forming an intermediate layer between the former superconducting layer and a metal substrate. The metal substrate is made of a metal, and preferably the intermediate layer is made of an oxide having a crystal structure of any of rock type, perovskite type and pyrochlore type, and the former superconducting layer and the latter superconducting layer both have an RE123 composition. Accordingly, the critical current value can be improved.

Abstract: It is intended to provide an antibody showing immunoreactivity selectively to ADAMTS-13 and applications of this antibody in epitope analysis or diagnosis of an ADAMTS-13 autoantibody-positive patient. Alternatively, it is intended to provide a process for producing and use of a modified ADAMTS-13 molecule partially deleted aiming at the application in pharmaceutical products. An antibody specific for ADAMTS-13 which can be obtained from a warm-blooded animal immunized and sensitized with a polypeptide containing a part or the whole of ADAMTS-13 amino acid sequence; a process for producing an antibody comprising a step of immunizing and sensitizing a warm-blooded animal with a polypeptide containing a part or the whole of ADAMTS-13 amino acid sequence; use of the above-described antibody including a method of detecting and purifying ADAMTS-13; and a modified ADAMTS-13 molecule partially deleted are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides an epitope recognized by an antibody (hereinafter, also referred to as an anti-ADAMTS-13 antibody) against a cleaving protease (hereinafter, also referred to as ADAMTS-13) specific to von Willebrand factor (hereinafter, also referred to as vWF), and a polypeptide comprising the epitope region. The present invention also provides a polypeptide located in a region from position 449 to position 687 in an amino acid sequence composing the ADAMTS-13, which is recognized by the anti-ADAMTS-13 antibody, or a peptide fragment derived from the polypeptide.

Abstract: A method for producing influenza virus on large scale is provided. A method for propagating influenza virus which comprises, after removing or decreasing a trypsin inhibitor secreted into culture of MDCK cells (cell line derived from dog kidney) by washing with a culture medium or a buffer, inoculating influenza virus into said cells and culturing said influenza virus-inoculated cells in a culture medium supplemented with trypsin.

Abstract: A superconducting thin film material that can realize attainment of an excellent property such as a high JC and a high IC and reduction of costs at the same time includes an orientated metal substrate and an oxide superconductor film formed on the orientated metal substrate. The oxide superconductor film includes a physical vapor deposition HoBCO layer formed by a physical vapor deposition method, and a metal organic deposition HoBCO layer formed on the physical vapor deposition HoBCO layer by a metal organic deposition method.

Abstract: The present invention herein discloses a method for purifying human serum albumin, which is characterized in that it comprises the steps of heat-treating a human serum albumin-containing solution including impurities originated from a host cell, in the presence of a divalent cation such as calcium ion, magnesium ion, nickel ion, cobalt ion, iron ion and zinc ion to thus selectively allow the impurities to undergo agglutination. The present invention also provides the highly purified human serum albumin prepared by the foregoing method.

Abstract: A gene encoding a production amount-potentiating factor is introduced into an animal cell to transform the cell. Alternatively, a protein production gene and the gene encoding the production amount-potentiating factor are introduced into the animal cell to transform the cell. Herein, as the production amount potentiating factor, there is used a factor having caspase activity inhibiting activity and/or protein biosynthesis activity potentiating action, for example, baculovirus P35. Further, the animal cell is cultured by a culturing method under a condition that apoptosis is not induced, so that a protein is mass-produced.

Abstract: A human-derived human anti-human IL-18 antibody of the present invention is an antibody against human IL-18, the antibody including: an H-chain complementarity determining region consisting of (a) a polypeptide consisting of amino-acid sequences represented by SEQ ID NOS: 4 to 6, or (b) a polypeptide which is a mutant of the polypeptide (a) and which serves as the H-chain complementarity determining region; and an L-chain complementarity determining region against human interleukin-18 consisting of (c) a polypeptide consisting of amino-acid sequences represented by SEQ ID NOS: 10 to 12, or (d) a polypeptide which is a mutant of the polypeptide (c) and which serves as the L-chain complementarity determining region. This makes it possible to provide a human anti-human IL-18 antibody and a method for using the antibody.

Abstract: A substance effective for treating immunopathy where interleukin 6 (IL-6) is involved is provided. A human anti-human IL-6 antibody and a human anti-human IL-6 antibody fragment having a high affinity to human IL-6 were obtained using phage antibody technique. The antibody and antibody fragment are expected to be useful as a medicament for treating inflammation and immunopathy caused by IL-6.

Abstract: RE superconductive layer of high critical current density (Jc) is superimposed on an interlayer formed so as to, while ensuring cracking prevention, excel in crystallinity, such as in-plane orientation degree and direction, and surface smoothness. On an oriented Ni substrate, there are sequentially superimposed an interlayer of cerium oxide loaded with 20 to 60 mol %, in terms of metal content, of one or at least two rare earth elements according to MOD technique and an RE superconductive layer of high Jc according to MOD technique. The above interlayer is formed by mixing a Gd, Y and/or Yb organometallic compound solution with a Ce organometallic compound solution, applying the mixed solution onto an oriented Ni substrate so as to form a coating film and subjecting the coating film to calcination heat treatment and thereafter firing in an Ar—H2 atmosphere at 950 to 1150° C. under a pressure of 50 to 500 Pa. YBCO superconductive layer is formed on this interlayer according to TFA-MOD technique.

Abstract: A method for determining a condition of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), by analyzing the amount and/or enzyme activity of a von Willebrand factor (vWF)-cleaving protease (ADAMTS13) (preferably also the amount of vWF) in a patient suffering from DIC, and a kit for determining a condition of DIC, comprising an antibody or a fragment thereof which specifically binds to ADAMTS13, are disclosed. According to the present invention, a differential diagnosis of patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) can be carried out from among patients with DIC, which could not be distinguished on the basis of only clinical findings or known markers.

Abstract: A safe and effective hemostatic is provided. The invention relates to a bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric holding thrombin as an effective ingredient and a hemostatic comprising said bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric. The bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric holding thrombin in accordance with the present invention may be prepared by a process which comprises the steps of immersing a bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric into a solution containing thrombin and of lyophilizing the obtained nonwoven fabric. The bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric holding thrombin in accordance with the present invention allows for quicker and more effective hemostasis.

Abstract: Tape-shaped superconducting wires, and a superconducting coil formed from said wires, wherein a plurality of electrically separated superconducting film parts, each having a rectangular cross section and arranged in parallel, form parallel conductors, providing superconducting wires capable of containing losses incurred in the presence of alternating current (A/C). A superconducting coil is made by winding the superconducting wires, wherein the coil structure contains at least a part wherein perpendicular interlinkage magnetic fluxes acting among conductor elements of the parallel conductors by the distribution of magnetic fields generated by the superconducting coils cancel mutually in order to contain circulating current within the wires and to make shunt current uniform, thereby providing a low-loss A/C superconducting coil.

Abstract: A superconducting system that includes an interface circuit capable of making the best use of a high-speed superconducting circuit and a high-speed semiconductor circuit. A multi-chip module in which an Nb superconducting circuit having Josephson junctions formed by the use of Nb and an oxide high-temperature superconducting latch interface circuit having Josephson junctions formed by the use of an oxide high-temperature superconductor are connected is located in a low temperature environment kept at 4.2 K. The oxide high-temperature superconducting latch interface circuit is connected to a high-speed semiconductor amplifier and a signal outputted from the Nb superconducting circuit is transmitted to the high-speed semiconductor amplifier.

Abstract: An optically sampling device optically samples an optical analog signal using a sampled signal having a predetermined sampling frequency, and outputs control light having a pulse train of an optically sampled optical analog signal. A signal generating device generates a pulse train of signal light which is synchronized with the sampled signal. An optical encoding device optically encodes the pulse train of the signal light according to the control light, by using optical encoders each including nonlinear optical loop mirrors, and outputs pulse trains of optically encoded signal light from said optical encoders, respectively. An optically quantizing device performs optical threshold processing on the pulse trains of optically-encoded signal light to optically quantize them, by using at least one of optical threshold processors each of which is connected to each of said optical encoders and includes a nonlinear optical device, and outputs optically quantized pulse trains as optical digital signals.

Abstract: A continuous observation apparatus of magnetic flux distribution in which a long sample containing a superconducting material or magnetic material is transferred to an observation position and magnetic flux is observed sequentially at each of certain areas along a longitudinal direction of the sample is provided. A method of continuously observing magnetic flux by which a long sample containing a superconducting material or magnetic material is transferred to an observation position and magnetic flux is observed sequentially at each of certain areas along a longitudinal direction of the sample is also provided.

Abstract: A medicament for improving prognostic survival in therapy of malignant tumor is provided that may improve prognostic survival in DIC patients where the basal disease is malignant tumor, especially malignant tumor in hematopoietic organs. The medicament according to the invention comprises as a main active ingredient Activated Protein C, which is obtained from plasma or prepared by using the genetic recombination technique, and efficiently prolongs life-span of DIC patients where the basal disease is malignant tumor, especially malignant tumor in hematopoietic organs. In particular, the medicament may reduce adverse side effects of chemotherapeutics in chemotherapy of malignant tumor to enhance efficacy of said therapy and improve prognostic survival of patients suffering from malignant tumor.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a superconducting coil includes a tertiary parallel superconductor unit (60) composed of superposed in parallel a plurality of layers of secondary parallel superconductor units (50). The layers of secondary parallel superconductor units include a plurality of superconductor elements (40) arranged in parallel along the axial direction of the coil, forming a superconducting conductor unit. The tertiary parallel superconductor unit is wound on a bobbin (55). In another embodiment, the superconducting coil includes one or more layers of the secondary parallel superconductor unit wound on the bobbin. In both embodiments, the secondary parallel superconductor unit can include at least one non-superconducting conductor element (70). The layer of the secondary parallel superconductor unit forming an outer side of the tertiary parallel superconductor unit can include at least one non-superconducting conductor element.

Abstract: A recombinant ecarin protein that specifically activates prothrombin, said protein being efficiently prepared by the genetic engineering technique comprising the steps: (1) culturing a transformant microorganism or animal cell transformed with an expression vector in which a gene encoding ecarin is incorporated to the downstream of a promoter so as to produce and accumulate ecarin in culture supernatant or within said transformant and recovering the produced ecarin; and (2) purifying a solution containing the recovered ecarin to obtain purified ecarin. The present invention allows for production of recombinant ecarin on an industrial scale.