Abstract: There is provided a calibration device including: a calibration signal supply unit configured to supply, as a calibration input signal, a multitone signal having tones in a plurality of frequency bands to a converter configured to multiply an input signal by each of a plurality of signal patterns and limit a band to obtain each of a plurality of bandpass signals, and reconstruct an output signal in accordance with an input signal from the plurality of bandpass signals; a calibration bandpass signal acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of calibration bandpass signals obtained by the converter in response to the multitone signal; and a calibration processing unit configured to calibrate a parameter for the reconstruction in the converter based on the plurality of calibration bandpass signals.

Abstract: An atmosphere of a carbon source comprising an oxygenic compound is brought into contact with a catalyst with heating to yield single-walled carbon nanotubes. The carbon source comprising an oxygenic compound preferably is an alcohol and/or ether. The catalyst preferably is a metal. The heating temperature is preferably 500 to 1,500° C. The single-walled carbon nanotubes thus obtained contain no foreign substances and have satisfactory quality with few defects.

Abstract: The object is to isolate and identify human and mouse adiponectin receptors, to provide a novel protein having adiponectin binding ability, and to provide a screening method and screening kit for a ligand, agonist and antagonist to an adiponectin receptor using such protein. To achieve this object, a protein is used, as novel protein having adiponectin binding ability, that is (a) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence according to Seq. No. 2, 4, 6 or 8, or (b) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence according to Seq. No. 2, 4, 6 or 8 with one or more amino acids deleted, replaced or added, and having adiponectin binding ability.

Abstract: An atmosphere of a carbon source comprising an oxygenic compound is brought into contact with a catalyst with heating to yield single-walled carbon nanotubes. The carbon source comprising an oxygenic compound preferably is an alcohol and/or ether. The catalyst preferably is a metal. The heating temperature is preferably 500 to 1,500° C. The single-walled carbon nanotubes thus yield contain no foreign substances and have satisfactory quality with few defects.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a novel aromatic prenyltransferase, Orf2 from Streptomyces sp. strain CL190, involved in naphterpin biosynthesis has been identified and the structure thereof elucidated. This prenyltransferase catalyzes the formation of a C—C bond between a prenyl group and a compound containing an aromatic nucleus, and also displays C—O bond formation activity. Numerous crystallographic structures of the prenyltransferase have been solved and refined, e.g., (1) prenyltransferase complexed with a buffer molecule (TAPS), (2) prenyltransferase as a binary complex with geranyl diphosphate (GPP) and Mg2+, and prenyltransferase as ternary complexes with a non-hydrolyzable substrate analogue, geranyl S-thiolodiphosphate (GSPP) and either (3) 1,6-dihydroxynaphthalene (1,6-DHN), or (4) flaviolin (i.e., 2,5,7-trihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, which is the oxidized product of 1,3,6,8-tetrahydroxynaphthalene (THN)). These structures have been solved and refined to 1.5 ?, 2.25 ?, 1.95 ? and 2.

Abstract: The object is to isolate and identify human and mouse adiponectin receptors, to provide a novel protein having adiponectin binding ability, and to provide a screening method and screening kit for a ligand, agonist and antagonist to an adiponectin receptor using such protein. To achieve this object, a protein is used, as novel protein having adiponectin binding ability, that is (a) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence according to Seq. No. 2, 4, 6 or 8, or (b) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence according to Seq. No. 2, 4, 6 or 8 with one or more amino acids deleted, replaced or added, and having adiponectin binding ability.

Abstract: Kits and methods for selectively assaying a target adiponectin multimer in a biological sample. Such methods accurately evaluate the relationship between a disease and adiponectin through selective assay of adiponectin multimers and provide information that cannot be obtained through measurement of the total amount of adiponectin alone. A method for selectively assaying a target adiponectin multimer in a biological sample comprising distinguishing target adiponectin multimer from the other adiponectin multimers by using a protease and/or an antibody.

Abstract: A coordinate complex of diaminocyclohexane platinum (II) with a block copolymer comprising a poly(ethylene glycol) segment and a poly(carboxylic acid) segment is provided. The complex can be effectively used in treatments for tumors, in particular malignant tumors.

Abstract: An apatite-containing film having photocatalytic activity is produced by a process comprising the steps of preparing a liquid mixture comprising a Ca-containing compound and a P-containing compound, subjecting the liquid mixture to reaction to prepare an apatite-precursor composition, applying the apatite-precursor composition to a substrate, and drying the applied apatite-precursor composition. The process may further comprise a heating step after the drying step. The apatite-precursor composition is preferably in the form of a sol.

Abstract: The object is to isolate and identify human and mouse adiponectin receptors, to provide a novel protein having adiponectin binding ability, and to provide a screening method and screening kit for a ligand, agonist and antagonist to an adiponectin receptor using such protein. To achieve this object, a protein is used, as novel protein having adiponectin binding ability, that is (a) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence according to Seq. No. 2, 4, 6 or 8, or (b) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence according to Seq. No. 2, 4, 6 or 8 with one or more amino acids deleted, replaced or added, and having adiponectin binding ability.

Abstract: An apatite-containing film having photocatalytic activity is produced by a process comprising the steps of preparing a liquid mixture comprising a Ca-containing compound and a P-containing compound, subjecting the liquid mixture to reaction to prepare an apatite-precursor composition, applying the apatite-precursor composition to a substrate, and drying the applied apatite-precursor composition. The process may further comprise a heating step after the drying step. The apatite-precursor composition is preferably in the form of a sol.

Abstract: In difference coding, each of a first to M-th channel signals is divided into frames and independent energy of every channel signal and difference energy of difference signals between all channel signals are calculated for each frame. In ascending order of energy, if a signal corresponding to an energy value is independent signal, it is determined that independent coding should be used for the signal. If the signal is a difference signal and the type of coding for one of channel signals has been determined, it is determined that the other should be difference-coded using the former channel signal as a reference signal. If the type of coding for neither of the channel signals has been determined, it is determined that one of them should be independently coded and the other should be difference-coded using the former channel signal as a reference signal.

Abstract: Provided are a dispersion comprising organic-inorganic hybrid type particles carried thereon with a biologically active substance, wherein the above particles can be obtained by allowing a block copolymer represented by Formula (I): PEG-block-poly(carbo)??(I) (wherein PEG represents a polyethylene glycol segment, and carbo represents a repetitive unit having a carboxylate ion on a side chain) and an aqueous medium system capable of forming hydroxyapatite to coexist with the biologically active substance, and a preparing method for the same.

Abstract: There is provided a three-dimensional image reconstructing apparatus for reconstructing a three-dimensional image of an object.

Abstract: The present invention provides adiponectin expression-inducing agents, and therapeutic agents using the same for obesity and obesity-related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases or metabolic diseases, as well as methods of searching for adiponectin expression-inducing agents. KLF9, which can bind to the 32-bp fragment of position ?188 to position ?157 from the adiponectin expression start site, was demonstrated to enhance adiponectin promoter activity. Therefore, the present invention uses KLF9 as an adiponectin expression-inducing agent, and suggests that KLF9 replenishment therapy is useful for preventing and/or treating obesity or obesity-related diseases including metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance and type II diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

Abstract: An apatite-containing film having photocatalytic activity is produced by a process comprising the steps of preparing a liquid mixture comprising a Ca-containing compound and a P-containing compound, subjecting the liquid mixture to reaction to prepare an apatite-precursor composition, applying the apatite-precursor composition to a substrate, and drying the applied apatite-precursor composition. The process may further comprise a heating step after the drying step. The apatite-precursor composition is preferably in the form of a sol.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of pretreating a sample for conveniently, quickly and accurately measuring the total amount of adiponectin present in a biological sample contaminated with various adiponectin multimers. The method of measuring an sample for immunologically assaying the total amount of adiponectin present in the sample comprises reacting, with an adiponectin-containing sample, at least one of a reducing agent, an acid or a salt thereof, a surfactant, and a protease.

Abstract: The present invention provides adiponectin expression-inducing agents, and therapeutic agents using the same for obesity and obesity-related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases or metabolic diseases, as well as methods of searching for adiponectin expression-inducing agents. KLF9, which can bind to the 32-bp fragment of position ?188 to position ?157 from the adiponectin expression start site, was demonstrated to enhance adiponectin promoter activity. Therefore, the present invention uses KLF9 as an adiponectin expression-inducing agent, and suggests that KLF9 replenishment therapy is useful for preventing and/or treating obesity or obesity-related diseases including metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance and type II diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

Abstract: A thermistor device having a high-speed response to temperature and a large ON/OFF ratio at the operating temperature. The thermistor device comprises a first layer of a first material having a positive temperature coefficient of resistance and a second layer of a second material having a semiconductivity and formed directly on the first layer. As the first material changes from conductive to a semiconductive or an insulative at or near the transition temperature TM-I, the interface between the first and second layer changes to a pn junction.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of identifying a substance that down-regulates or up-regulates an immune response and kits used for the identification methods. A method of this invention comprises detecting a substance that inhibits or enhances the interaction between CD26 and caveolin-1. Another method comprises detecting a substance that inhibits or enhances the interaction between caveolin-1 and Tollip. Still another method comprises detecting a substance that inhibits or enhances the interaction among caveolin-1, Tollip, and IRAK-1. The present invention also relates to immunoregulatory agents comprising a substance that down-regulates an immune response, such as siRNA against caveolin-1 or Tollip. The invention further provides immunoregulatory agents comprising a substance that up-regulates an immune response. These agents are useful for treating inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, or other immune-mediated disorders.