Abstract: An expression vector is disclosed which contains a promoter DNA; a DNA encoding a peptide having a defined amino acid sequence and having secretion signal activity; and a DNA encoding an intended protein or a cloning site for insertion of the DNA encoding an intended protein. An expression vector is also disclosed which contains a promoter DNA; a DNA encoding any peptide having a defined amino acid sequence and having secretion signal activity; a DNA encoding an intended protein or a cloning site for insertion of the DNA encoding an intended protein; and a DNA encoding an anchor domain. The peptide having secretion signal activity allows for secretory production and cell surface display of a protein with high activity, in yeast.

Abstract: An axial flow blood pump comprises: an impeller (2) that rotates around an axis and is provided with axial flow blades on the peripheral surface thereof, a permanent magnet inside the impeller (2), and a dynamic bearing or a pivot bearing; a first casing (5) that surrounds the peripheral surface of the impeller (2) and is provided with an intake port (11); an annular fixed element (6) that generates a rotating magnetic field in the impeller (2) and can be fitted onto the outer surface of the first casing (5); an outlet port (12); a second casing (3) that is provided with guide vanes (diffusers) (31) in the inner surface thereof; and a socket member (4) that is fittably and securely mounted onto the outer peripheral surface of the second casing (3) and is provided with a joining portion that can join with the fixed element (6).

Abstract: Disclosed is a CO2 permselective membrane 1 having an amino acid ionic liquid and a porous membrane impregnated with the amino acid ionic liquid, wherein the amino acid ionic liquid contains a certain range of water.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of modifying a targeted site of a double stranded DNA, including a step of contacting a complex wherein a nucleic acid sequence-recognizing module that specifically binds to a target nucleotide sequence in a selected double stranded DNA and a nucleic acid base converting enzyme are bonded, with the double stranded DNA, to convert one or more nucleotides in the targeted site to other one or more nucleotides or delete one or more nucleotides, or insert one or more nucleotides into the targeted site, without cleaving at least one chain of the double stranded DNA in the targeted site.

Abstract: A distribution analysis device analyzes a distribution of a field having a property satisfying the Laplace equation, and includes: an obtainment unit that obtains measurement data indicating the distribution of the field measured through a sensor sensing area, the sensor sensing area being an area that moves in a measurement area where the distribution of the field is measured and being an area in which the field is sensed as an aggregate; and a calculation unit that calculates analysis data indicating the distribution of the field with a higher resolution than the measurement data, using an arithmetic expression that is obtained by deriving a solution of the Laplace equation using a boundary condition that an integral of the solution of the Laplace equation in a finite interval corresponding to a size of the sensor sensing area matches the measurement data.

Abstract: Provided is an Mg alloy and a method for producing same able to demonstrate high strength without requiring an expensive rare earth element (RE). The high-strength Mg alloy containing Ca and Zn within a solid solubility limit and the remainder having a chemical composition comprising Mg and unavoidable impurities is characterized in comprising equiaxial crystal particles, there being a segregated area of Ca and Zn along the (c) axis of a Mg hexagonal lattice within the crystal particle, and having a structure in which the segregated area is lined up by Mg3 atomic spacing in the (a) axis of the Mg hexagonal lattice. The method for producing the high-strength Mg alloy is characterized in that Ca and Zn are added to Mg in a compounding amount corresponding to the above composition and, after homogenization heat treating an ingot formed by dissolution and casting, the above structure is formed by subjecting the ingot to hot processing.

Abstract: An object recognition system is applicable to practical use, and utilizes image information besides speech information to improve recognition accuracy. The object recognition system comprises a speech recognition unit to determine candidates for a result of speech recognition on input speech and their likelihoods, and an image model generation unit to generate image models of a predetermined number of the candidates having the highest likelihoods. The system further comprises an image likelihood calculation unit to calculate image likelihoods of input images based on the image models, and an object recognition unit to perform object recognition using the image likelihoods. At the time of generating the image model of the candidate, the image model generation unit first searches an image model database, and, when the image model of the candidate is not found in the database, the image model generation unit generates said image model from image information on the web.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polynucleotide for cell surface expression. The polynucleotide of the invention comprises a promoter, a secretion signal sequence, a sequence encoding an intended protein, and a sequence encoding a cell surface-localized protein or a cell membrane-binding domain thereof, wherein the promoter is a promoter of a gene encoding the cell surface-localized protein. Provided is a polynucleotide for cell surface expression allowing the production of yeast displaying an enzyme on the cell surface with a high activity.

Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently producing ethanol by ethanol fermentation from xylose using a saccharified biomass, which contains various fermentation inhibitors. A method for producing ethanol from biomass of the present invention includes the step of culturing a xylose-utilizing yeast transformed so as to overexpress a gene for an acetic acid-responsive transcription factor in combination with a saccharified biomass.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for measuring oocyst of protozoa, such as Cryptosporidium, in an environment sample with high sensitivity at low cost within a short period of time; and a detecting reagent for use therein. Magnetic fine particles of 5 to 500 nm particle diameter having, immobilized thereto, binding factors for specific recognition of oocyst are added to an analyte containing a protozoan oocyst to form oocyst/binding factor/magnetic fine particle complexes by using a binding reaction to the oocyst, the formed complexes are recovered by a magnetic separation, and the protozoan oocysts contained in the complexes are assayed. Further, there is provided, for conducting the above method, a reagent for detecting protozoan oocysts comprising magnetic fine particles of 5 to 500 nm particle diameter having, immobilized thereto, antibodies against oocysts or binding factors for recognizing the antibodies.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a medical image processing apparatus includes an image storage memory, a calculation circuitry, a level decision circuitry, and an output interface circuitry. The image storage memory stores data of a plurality of images in different respiratory phases. The calculation circuitry calculates a motion amount of a region between the plurality of images for each pixel or area. The level decision circuitry decides a level concerning a severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for each pixel or area. The output interface circuitry outputs information concerning the decided level.

Abstract: A distribution analyzing device (20) includes: an obtaining unit (21) which obtains measurement data of a field measured, through a sensor sensing area, independently at each of rotation angles and at each of grid coordinate positions of the sensor sensing area; and a calculation unit (22) which calculates a distribution of the field from the measurement data, using an arithmetic expression obtained by deriving a target harmonic function, which indicates the distribution of the field, using a condition that a convolution of the target harmonic function and a shape function, which indicates a shape of a cross section of the finite sensor sensing area along a plane parallel to the measurement plane, is equal to a provisional harmonic function derived by solving the Laplace equation using the measurement data and a size of the sensor sensing area in a direction perpendicular to the measurement plane.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing ethanol efficiently even in the presence of a fermentation inhibitor in a saccharified biomass. The present invention provides a method for producing ethanol from biomass, comprising: culturing a transformed xylose-utilizing yeast to overexpress the gene for at least one pentose phosphate pathway metabolic enzyme, with a saccharified biomass.

Abstract: A medical-image processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes an extracting unit, a dividing unit, and an estimating unit. The extracting unit extracts a disease candidate region from a medical image. The dividing unit divides the disease candidate region into multiple partial regions. The estimating unit uses the feature value of each of the partial regions to estimate the disease state of the disease candidate region.

Abstract: An axial flow blood pump comprises: an impeller (2) that rotates around an axis and is provided with axial flow blades on the peripheral surface thereof, a permanent magnet inside the impeller (2), and a dynamic bearing or a pivot bearing; a first casing (5) that surrounds the peripheral surface of the impeller (2) and is provided with an intake port (11); an annular fixed element (6) that generates a rotating magnetic field in the impeller (2) and can be fitted onto the outer surface of the first casing (5); an outlet port (12); a second casing (3) that is provided with guide vanes (diffusers) (31) in the inner surface thereof; and a socket member (4) that is fittably and securely mounted onto the outer peripheral surface of the second casing (3) and is provided with a joining portion that can join with the fixed element (6).

Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional molded model that can reproduce the feel of an organ. A three-dimensional shape of a body site subject to molding is extracted from brightness information of two-dimensional data obtained from medical diagnostic devices, and three-dimensional molding data of the body site and the internal structure site thereof is created. The three-dimensional shape data is edited using a modeling function. Respective touch equivalent parameter tables are created. The material type and the formulation ratio of the modeling material used for molding each body site and internal structural site are defined, and added to the touch equivalent parameter tables. Primitive shape data is generated from the parameters of the touch equivalent parameter tables, and a Boolean operation is performed on the body site data and internal structure site data as well as on the primitive shape data. Molding is performed using the defined materials.

Abstract: An inter-spinous implant includes an approximately conical screw portion, further having a screw thread, which can be screwed between spinous processes; a head portion of an approximate inverted frustum shape of the same axis as the screw portion; a spacer portion that is formed between the screw portion and the head portion in the axial direction; and a through hole that passes through the axial center of the screw portion, the spacer portion, and the head portion. At least one slit is formed in the major axial direction of the total shape of the implant, having at least one-third the length of the total length of the major axial direction, the depth whereof reaching the through hole. Disposing the slit in the major axial direction of the implant proper imparts flexibility and elasticity to the implant overall, simplifies the installation and insertion of the implant.

Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently producing ethanol by ethanol fermentation from xylose using a saccharified biomass, which contains various fermentation inhibitors. A method for producing ethanol from biomass of the present invention includes the step of culturing a xylose-utilizing yeast transformed so as to overexpress a gene for an acetic acid -responsive transcription factor in combination with a saccharified biomass.

Abstract: A gutclamper includes two hard rod-like bodies having flexible belts on one ends, a joint at which the rod-like bodies are joined, and at least one through hole made in one of the belts. The gut tract is clipped by using the two hard rod-like bodies and the joint as a pivot. By clipping the gut tract by side surfaces of the rod-like bodies, it can be clipped while the width of the gut is pressed and widened, so that the gut is prevented from being excessively clamped and torn. In addition, the two rod-like bodies are made different in length from each other, a through hole is made in the belt connected to the shorter rod-like body, and the tip end of the longer rod-like body is fit into the through hole and locked, so that reliable clipping is realized without an excessive burden being placed on an operator.

Abstract: A liquid medicine of the present invention comprising liquid having carbon dioxide dissolved therein, said liquid being administered by using means of liquid injection, and a method of treatment of the present invention using a liquid medicine comprising liquid having carbon dioxide dissolved therein, said liquid being administered by using means of liquid injection can reduce or eliminate tumors with few side effects. When the liquid medicine of the present invention comprising liquid having carbon dioxide dissolved therein, said liquid being administered by using means of liquid injection, and the method of treatment of the present invention using a liquid medicine comprising liquid having carbon dioxide dissolved therein, said liquid being administered by using means of liquid injection are used in combination with surgical therapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy of tumors, effects can be enhanced or side effects can be reduced compared with monotherapy or multidisciplinary therapy thereof.