Abstract: An aqueous resin composition with gas barrier properties contains (i) polyurethane resin having aurethane group and a urea group in a total concentration of 25 to 60% by weight and having a acid value of 5 to 100 mgKOH/g, (ii) a swelling inorganic layered compound (e.g., a water-swelling mica, and a montmorillonite), and (iii) a polyamine compound having an amine value of 100 to 1900 mgKOH/g. The polyurethane resin (i) is obtained by a reaction of (A) an aromatic, araliphatic or alicyclic polyisocyanate, (B) a polyhydroxyalkanecarboxylic acid, and at least one component selected from (C) a C2-8alkylene glycol and (D) a chain-extension agent (e.g., diamine, hydrazine and a hydrazine derivative), and neutralized with a neutralizing agent. The proportion of the acid group of the polyurethane resin (i) relative to the basic nitrogen atom of the polyamine compound (iii) is 10/1 to 1/5 as the equivalent ratio.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compound having melanocortin receptor agonist activity or antagonist activity, which is a novel biaryl compound represented by the formula (I): wherein ring A and ring B are optionally further substituted 6-membered aromatic rings; X is —CONR4—, —SO2NR4—, —CH2NR4— (R4 is a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, etc.), etc.; Y is a spacer having 1 to 12 atoms, etc.; Z is —CONR6—, —CO— (R6 is a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group or an optionally substituted heterocyclic group), etc.; R1 is an optionally substituted amino group, etc.; R2 is an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, etc.; R3 is an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, etc.; and R5 is an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, etc.; or a salt thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to non-human animal embryonic stem cells in which a lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase-like lysophospholipase endogenous gene is inactivated; non-human animals deficient in expression of LLPL gene; methods of screening for prophylactics and/or therapeutic drug using the cells or the animals; and prophylactics and/or therapeutic drug obtainable by the screening. The non-human animal ES cells of the invention in which their LLPL gene is inactivated are very useful in creating non-human animals deficient in expression of LLPL gene. The LLPL expression deficient non-human animals of the invention can be disease models for such diseases caused by insufficiency of the biological activities of LLPL since the animals lack various biological activities inducible by LLPL.

Abstract: The present invention intends to provide a body weight gain inhibitor and the like. The ligand of the present invention is useful as a superior body weight gain inhibitor and the like, or for a screening of the superior body weight gain inhibitor and the like.

Abstract: Adhesive composition and a flexible packaging composite film that can produce a reduced amount of low-molecular-weight compounds eluted into contents of a composite film to prevent spoilage of inherent properties or performances of the contents, can produce improved oil resistance to prevent significant reduction in strength even when used for oily contents, and can develop favorable flexibility of the composite film to prevent reduction in peel strength. Polyester polyamide polyol and/or polyurethane polyester polyamide polyol including an amide bond produced by reaction between a dimer acid and polyamine is prepared as a polyol component and also concentration of a cyclic compound formed by the amide bond and/or an ester bond in extracted water which is extracted from a composite film adhesively bonded by the adhesive composition by water of 0.5 mL/cm2 per unit area of the composite film is set to be 0.

Abstract: The present invention provides a prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent for pulmonary hypertension, comprising an antagonistic mutein of MCP-1 or a salt thereof, a DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the antagonistic mutein of MCP-1, or a neutralizing antibody against MCP-1. The antagonistic mutein of MCP-1 or a salt thereof, the DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence encoding the antagonistic mutein of MCP-1, or the neutralizing antibody against MCP-1 has hypotensive activity, and thus is useful as a pharmaceutical agent for preventing and/or treating pulmonary hypertension (primary pulmonary hypertension, in particular).

Abstract: A protein and DNA encoding the same are useful as preventives/remedies for diseases such as hypoglycemia, etc. The protein of the present invention is also useful as a reagent for screening a compound that inhibits the binding of the protein of the present invention to IRAP (insulin responsive aminopeptidase) or to GLUT4 (glucose transporter 4). The compound that inhibits the binding of the protein of the present invention to IRAP or GLUT4 is useful as a preventive/remedy for diseases, e.g., hyperglycemia, diabetes mellitus, etc.

Abstract: The paste composition of the present invention is a paste composition comprising (i) a polyurethane resin which comprises (a) a recurring unit represented by the formula (1) and (b) a recurring unit represented by the formula (2), a molar fraction of said recurring unit (a) being in the range of 0.35 to 0.99, a molar fraction of said recurring unit (b) being in the range of 0.01 to 0.65, the total of both the molar fractions being 1, (ii) a solvent and (iii) a powder. By the use of the paste composition, dielectric layers, sealing products, barrier ribs, phosphors, etc. can be favorably formed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel benzazepine derivative represented by formula: wherein, R1 is a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring, R2 is lower alkyl group, etc., Y is an optionally substituted imino group, ring A and ring B are independently an optionally substituted aromatic ring, W is formula —W1—X2—W2— (W1 and W2 are independently S(O)m1 (m1 is 0, 1, or 2), etc., and X2 is an optionally substituted alkylene group etc.), a preparation method and use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing an antibody, by which metastin or its derivative can be quantified specifically with a high sensitivity, a method of detecting/quantifying metastin or its derivative using the antibody, and a diagnostic agent (e.g., a diagnostic for pregnancy) the same. Specifically, an antibody capable of specifically reacting with a partial peptide at the N-terminus or C-terminus of a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 or its derivative, and a method of detecting/quantifying metastin or its derivative using the antibody as well as a diagnostic agent using the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel protein belonging to an ADAM family, a partial peptide thereof or a salt thereof, a DNA encoding the protein, a recombinant vector comprising the DNA, a transformant, a method for producing the protein, a medicine comprising the protein or the DNA, an antibody against the protein, a method/kit for screening for a compound or a salt thereof which promotes or inhibits the protease activity or the extracellular metric degrading enzyme activity (preferably, the peptidoglycan degrading enzyme activity) of the protein, a compound obtained by the screening, and a medicine comprising the compound. The present protein and a DNA encoding it can be used, for example, as an agent for treating or preventing various diseases such as disc herniation, ischialgia, glomerular nephritis, diabetic nephropathy, hepatic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis or osteopetrosis. In addition, the present antibody can be used for quantitating the present protein in a test solution.

Abstract: A novel sodium-dependent bile acid transporter protein, an Na+/H+ exchange transporter protein, a P-type ATPase protein and a vanilloid receptor protein, and polynucleotides encoding these proteins are useful in screening preventives/remedies for hyperlipemia, arteriosclerosis, genital diseases or digestive diseases; respiratory diseases, renal diseases or digestive diseases; pancreatic diseases, central nerve diseases, digestive diseases or respiratory diseases; inflammatory diseases, rheumatoid diseases or diabetic neurosis; etc.

Abstract: A method for producing carbamates that enables carbamates to be produced at low costs, with high selectivity and high yield, and in a simple manner, and a method for producing isocyanates that enables isocyanates industrially used to be produced by using the carbamates obtained by the carbamates producing method. Nonaromatic amine selected from the group consisting of aliphatic amine, alicyclic amine, and aralkyl amine is allowed to react with alkylaryl carbonate to thereby produce carbamates. Also, the carbamates thus obtained are thermally decomposed to thereby produce isocyanates. When carbamates are produced in this method, alkyl carbamates can be obtained with high selectivity and at high yield by using simple equipment. Also, when isocyanates are produced in this method, polyisocyanates used industrially as the raw material of polyurethane can be produced in a simple manner and with efficiency.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel protein belonging to an ADAM family, a partial peptide thereof or a salt thereof, a DNA encoding the protein, a recombinant vector comprising the DNA, a transformant, a method for producing the protein, a medicine comprising the protein or the DNA, an antibody against the protein, a method/kit for screening for a compound or a salt thereof which promotes or inhibits the protease activity or the extracellular metric degrading enzyme activity (preferably, the peptidoglycan degrading enzyme activity) of the protein, a compound obtained by the screening, and a medicine comprising the compound. The present protein and a DNA encoding it can be used, for example, as an agent for treating or preventing various diseases such as disc herniation, ischialgia, glomerular nephritis, diabetic nephropathy, hepatic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis or osteopetrosis. In addition, the present antibody can be used for quantitating the present protein in a test solution.

Abstract: The peptides and precursors thereof, inclusive salts thereof, of the present invention are useful as a pharmaceutical composition, for example as therapeutic or prophylactic agents for hormone-producing tumors, acromegaly, gigantism, dementia, gastric ulcer and the like, hormone secretion inhibitors, tumor growth inhibitors, neural activity or sleep modulators, etc. The DNAs coding for the peptides or precursors of the invention are useful as a pharmaceutical composition, for example as agents for the gene therapy or prevention of hormone-producing tumors, acromegaly, gigantism, dementia, gastric ulcer and the like, hormone secretion inhibitors, tumor growth inhibitors, neural activity or sleep modulators, etc. Furthermore, the DNAs coding for the peptides or precursors of the invention are useful as agents for the gene diagnosis of various diseases, for example, hormone-producing tumors, acromegaly, gigantism, dementia, gastric ulcer, etc.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel protein belonging to an ADAM family, a partial peptide thereof or a salt thereof, a DNA encoding the protein, a recombinant vector comprising the DNA, a transformant, a method for producing the protein, a medicine comprising the protein or the DNA, an antibody against the protein, a method/kit for screening for a compound or a salt thereof which promotes or inhibits the protease activity or the extracellular metric degrading enzyme activity (preferably, the peptidoglycan degrading enzyme activity) of the protein, a compound obtained by the screening, and a medicine comprising the compound. The present protein and a DNA encoding it can be used, for example, as an agent for treating or preventing various diseases such as disc herniation, ischialgia, glomerular nephritis, diabetic nephropathy, hepatic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis or osteopetrosis. In addition, the present antibody can be used for quantitating the present protein in a test solution.

Abstract: A spunbonded elastic nonwoven fabric according to the invention comprises fibers formed from a polymer comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer has a solidifying point of 65° C. or above as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and contains 3.00×106 or less polar-solvent-insoluble particles per g as counted on a particle size distribution analyzer, which is based on an electrical sensing zone method, equipped with an aperture tube having an orifice of 100 ?m in diameter, and wherein the fibers have diameters such that the standard deviation of fiber diameters (Sn) divided by the average fiber diameter (Xave) (Sn/Xave) gives a value of 0.15 or less.

Abstract: The anti-19P2 ligand monoclonal antibodies of the invention (in particular P2L-1Ca) have very high binding ability and can neutralize the arachidonic acid metabolite releasing activity of the 19P2 ligand. Therefore, they can be used, among others, as diagnostic, prophylactic and/or therapeutic agents for various diseases caused by some or other abnormality in the pituitary function modulating activity (e.g. prolactin secretion promoting activity), central nervous system modulating activity and pancreatic function modulating activity, among others, supposedly possessed by the 19P2 ligand. The immunoassay method using the monoclonal antibodies of the invention by the sandwich technique (in particular the sandwich technique using the monoclonal antibody and an antibody recognizing an intermediate portion of the 19P2 ligand) can assay the 19P2 ligand or a derivative thereof specifically and with high sensitivity.

Abstract: A protein and DNA encoding the same are useful as preventives/remedies for diseases such as hypoglycemia, etc. The protein of the present invention is also useful as a reagent for screening a compound that inhibits the binding of the protein of the present invention to IRAP (insulin responsive aminopeptidase) or to GLUT4 (glucose transporter 4). The compound that inhibits the binding of the protein of the present invention to IRAP or GLUT4 is useful as a preventive/remedy for diseases, e.g., hyperglycemia, diabetes mellitus, etc.

Abstract: The paste composition of the present invention is a paste composition comprising (i) a polyurethane resin which comprises (a) a recurring unit represented by the formula (1) and (b) a recurring unit represented by the formula (2), a molar fraction of said recurring unit (a) being in the range of 0.35 to 0.99, a molar fraction of said recurring unit (b) being in the range of 0.01 to 0.65, the total of both the molar fractions being 1, (ii) a solvent and (iii) a powder. By the use of the paste composition, dielectric layers, sealing products, barrier ribs, phosphors, etc. can be favorably formed.