Abstract: A wood preservative that comprises as an active ingredient a Piper methysticum, plant or a processed product thereof or a compound represented by Formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and R16 are same or different and each denotes a hydrogen atom, hydroxy or a C1-4 alkoxy, or R1 and R2 are taken together to form a group represented by —O—(CH2)n—O— wherein n is an integer of 1 to 3, R5 is a C1-4 alkoxy and X is —CH═CH—, —CH2—CH2— or epoxyethylene, and the bond: denotes a single bond or a double bond can prevent the attacking wood by an insect harmful to the wood and also prevents the appearance and the growth of a wood-rotting fungus or a wood- staining fungus while being highly safe to humans and animals without exerting no adverse effect on the environment.

Abstract: The betacellulin mutein or its salt of the present invention is useful for better therapeutic drug for diabetes. Since they have intact BTC activity and reduced EGF activity, and no antigenicity-related problems.

Abstract: Genes encoding novel proteins named AID (Activation-Induced cytidine Deaminase), that are structurally related to APOBEC-1, an RNA editing enzyme, and have a cytidine deaminase activity similar to APOBEC-1, have been found by preparing cDNA libraries from mouse B cell clone CH12F3-2 (which undergoes class switch recombination from IgM to IgA at an extremely high rate after activation of the cells by stimulation with cytokines), with and without stimulation with cytokines, and performing subtraction cloning using the libraries.

Abstract: The pharmaceutical composition of the invention, which comprises a benzimidazole compound of the formula 1

Abstract: The invention relates to metastin derivatives represented by the formula: X-AA1-AA2-AA3-AA4-Z (I), or a salt thereof, or a pro-drug thereof, which have cancer metastatis suppressing activity and cancer proliferation suppressing activity. The invention also relates to the use of these derivatives as drugs for preventing or treating cancers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing an optically active form of a compound represented by the formula (I) having a steroid C17,20-lyase inhibitory activity and is useful as an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of prostatism, tumor such as breast cancer, and the like or a salt thereof, which method includes reacting a mixture of optically active compounds of a naphthalene derivative represented by the formula: wherein R is a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group, R1 is a hydrogen atom, a hydrocarbon group or an aromatic heteromonocyclic group, R2 is a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, * shows the position of an asymmetric carbon, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8 and R9 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a hydroxy group, a thiol group, an amino group, a carbamoyl group, an acyl group or a halogen atom, and R7 is bonded with R6 or R8 to form, together with a carbon atom on a naphthalene ring, a 5 or 6-membered ring containing an oxygen atom, with an op

Abstract: A coating composition capable of forming an alkali-soluble lubricating film, which contains as main components an aqueous polyurethane composition (A) and a lubricating functionality-providing agent (B) at 1-30 wt % with respect to the solid content of the aqueous polyurethane composition, having excellent press moldability and scratch resistance, as well as lubricating surface treated metal articles with excellent press moldability and scratch resistance, that are coated with the coating composition to a dry film thickness of 0.5-5 &mgr;m. The coating composition preferably further contains as a main component silica particles (C) in an amount of 1-30 wt % with respect to the solid content of the aqueous polyurethane composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel secretory polypeptides and precursor proteins thereof, which show a high homology to MIA (melanoma inhibitor activity)/CD-RAP (bovine cartilage-derived retinoic acid-sensitive protein); are specifically expressed in the cartilage tissue; and have an effect on the cartilage differentiation. The polypeptides and the DNAs encoding the same can be used for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of bone and joint diseases or pathological angiogenesis. As well, the polypeptides are useful as a reagent for screening a compound that promotes or inhibits the activity of the polypeptides. The antibody to the polypeptides can be used for the detection, quantification, or neutralization of the polypeptide in a test sample fluid. Further by using the promoter of the present invention, a therapeutic protein can be expressed predominantly in the cartilage tissue for a gene therapy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the ligand polypeptide for the human pituitary- and mouse pancreas-derived G protein-coupled receptor proteins. The ligand polypeptide or the DNA which codes for the ligand polypeptide can be used for (1) development of medicines such as pituitary function modulators, central nervious system function modulators, and pancreatic function modulators, and (2) development of receptor binding assay systems using the expression of recombinant receptor proteins and screening of pharmaceutical candidate compounds. In particular, by the receptor binding assay systems utilizing the expression of recombinant G protein-coupled receptor proteins in accordance with the invention, agonists and antagonists of G protein-coupled receptors which are specific to human and other warm-blooded animals can be screened and the agonists or antagonists obtained can be used as therapeutic and prophylactic agents for various diseases.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide excellent preventives and/or remedies for heart diseases. Specifically, the present invention provides heart muscle cell apoptosis inhibitors, preventives and/or remedies for heart diseases, comprising a compound represented by the following formula: wherein R represents an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, an optionally substituted aromatic heterocyclic group, or an optionally substituted amino group; or a salt thereof.

Abstract: A compound of the formula: [wherein R1 is a hydrocarbon group which may be substituted; R2 is a cyclic hydrocarbon group which may be substituted or a heterocyclic group which may be substituted; R3 is halogen atoms, a carbamoyl group which may be substituted, a sulfamoyl group which may be substituted, an acyl group derived from sulfonic acid, a C1-4 alkyl group which may be substituted, a C1-4 alkoxy group which may be substituted, an amino group which may be substituted, a nitro group or a cyano group; R4 is hydrogen atoms or a hydroxy group; n is 0 or 1; and p is 0 or 1 to 4]; or a salt thereof, has potent CCR5 antagonistic activity and can be advantageously used as a medicament for inhibition of HIV infection to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, especially for the treatment or prevention of AIDS.

Abstract: The punch coated with Cr-Dopé-N is advantageous as a punch for preparing tablets containing an acidic substance or an adhesive substance and is excellent in corrosion resistance and releasing property.

Abstract: This invention provides a convenient and industrially advantageous process producing amine derivatives having the action of inhibiting the secretion and accumulation of amyloid &bgr; protein. In Compound (I), the ether linkage is selectively cleaved without cleaving the amide linkage present in the same molecule and tertiary amines are not converted into quaternary salts, and thus Amine Derivative (V) with good qualities having the action of inhibiting the secretion and accumulation of amyloid &bgr; protein can be obtained in high yield.

Abstract: Crystals of (E)-4-[4-(5-methyl-2-phenyl-4-oxazolylmethoxy)benzyloxyimino]-4-phenylbutyric acid (provided that crystals having a melting point of 126° C. to 127° C. are excluded), which have an excellent anti-diabetic action.

Abstract: A method for removing from a peptide the diketone of the methionine residue, and a method for manufacturing a peptide or salt thereof which does not possess an N-terminal methionine residue, characterized by having a peptide or salt thereof which possesses a diketone of the optionally oxidized N-terminal methionine residue react with 3,4-diaminobenzoic acid or a salt thereof in the presence of acetic acid and sodium formate, formic acid and sodium formate, or formic acid and sodium acetate.

Abstract: A process for producing a biodegradable polymer having free carboxyl at the &ohgr;-end charcterized by polymerizing a cyclic ester compound in the presence of a hydroxymonocarboxylic acid derivative having protected carboxyl or a hydroxydicarboxylic acid derivative having protected carboxyl, and then deprotecting the thus obtained polymer having protected carboxyl at the &ohgr;-end. Use of the above process makes it easy to control the molecular weight of the target biodegradable polymer and the content of free carboxyl therein, thereby enabling the efficient production of a polymer having a high purity and being contaminated with littel catalyst remaining therein.

Abstract: This invention relates to cell lines that are obtained using cultured cell lines derived from human liver as a host and that stably express a number of human cytochromes P450. The human liver-derived cultured cell lines of the present invention are useful in, for example, analyzing an enzyme participating in the metabolism of xenobiotics or endogenous substrates, because of their stable expression of human cytochromes P450 CYP1A1, 1A2, 2A6, 2B6, 2C8, 2C9, 2C9, 2D6, and 3A4.

Abstract: The pharmaceutical composition of the invention, which comprises a benzimidazole compound of the formula wherein R1 is hydrogen, alkyl, halogen, cyano, carboxy, carboalkoxy, carboalkoxyalkyl, carbamoyl, carbamoylalkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, trifluoromethyl, acyl, carbamoyloxy, nitro, acyloxy, aryl, aryloxy, alkylthio or alkylsulfinyl, R2 is hydrogen, alkyl, acyl, carboalkoxy, carbamoyl, alkylcarbamoyl, dialkylcarbamoyl, alkylcarbonylmethyl, alkoxycarbonylmethyl or alkylsulfonyl, R3 and R5 are the same or different and each is hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy or alkoxyalkoxy, R4 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy which may optionally be fluorinated, or alkoxyalkoxy, and m is an integer of 0 through 4, and a basic inorganic salt stabilizing agent, is physically stable. Magnesium and calcium basic inorganic salt stabilizing agents are particularly useful.

Abstract: A method for producing a compound of the formula: (1) in a secondary or tertiary alcohol in the presence of a base, or (2) in the absence of a base is provided.

Abstract: A sustained-release composition containing a hydroxynaphthoic acid salt of a biologically active substance and a biodegradable polymer, a method of its production, and a pharmaceutical composition containing said sustained-release composition.