Abstract: The present invention aims to express influenza virus RNA polymerase on a large scale, to crystallize the influenza virus RNA polymerase, and to provide a method for screening a substance capable of serving as an active ingredient in anti-influenza drugs which target a protein highly conserved among influenza virus species. The present invention provides a complex comprising a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence at positions 239-716 of the RNA polymerase PA subunit in influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 H1N1 and a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence at positions 1-81 of the RNA polymerase PB1 subunit in influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 H1N1, as well as a method for screening a substance capable of serving as an active ingredient in anti-influenza drugs, which comprises the step of selecting a substance which inhibits the interaction between ?-subunit and ?-subunit 1, each constituting influenza virus RNA polymerase, in the presence of a candidate substance.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for cancer diagnosis comprising measuring an endogenous antisense RNA whose relative expression to a sense RNA changes cancer-specifically in RNA-containing samples collected from a mammal. Also provided are endogenous antisense RNAs useful as cancer markers, and cancer diagnostic reagents containing the same.

Abstract: An operating status of a motor in a drive unit is analyzed to extend the life of the motor. A wearable motion assistive device 1 includes a shoulder joint mechanism 5 and an elbow joint mechanism 6 for aiding a movement of the shoulder joint and the elbow joint, and a control unit 100 having a control circuit for controlling drive units 11 for the shoulder and elbow joint mechanisms 5 and 6. The control unit 100 controls the drive units 11 based on a physical quantity and a biosignal detected by an angle sensor, a torque sensor, and a biosignal detecting sensor. A controller in the drive unit 11 includes a motor monitoring unit for monitoring an operational status of the motor, and a motor control unit for limiting a drive signal supplied to the motor based on a monitoring result provided by the motor monitoring unit, in order to prevent an overload state of the motor.

Abstract: A fluid transport device transports fluid containing electrolytes within a flow channel. At least a portion of the inner walls of the flow channels are hydrophilic from the inlet to the outlet thereof except at at least one valve portion. The device also includes: the valve portions, which are hydrophobic and function to block transport of at least one fluid; electrodes, which are provided at the at least one valve portion and function to reduce the surface tension of the fluid; and air vents, which are provided at the at least one valve portion and function to introduce air in order to block the fluid.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical for preventing or treating an inner ear disorder, comprising a spirohydantoin derivative represented by a general formula (I): in the formula, X represents a halogen atom or a hydrogen atom, and R1 and R2 simultaneously or individually represent a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted C1-6 alkyl group, or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A polymer dye has repeating units of formula (I): Each of R1, R2, and R3 is independently a monocyclic carbocyclic group, a condensed polycyclic carbocyclic group, a monocyclic heterocyclic group, or a condensed polycyclic heterocyclic group. In any case, each of R1, R2, and R3 independently may have a substituent. R1 is a divalent group, and R2 and R3 are monovalent groups. D is an organic dye group and n is an integer of from 0 to 10. The polymer dye has a number-average molecular weight of from 500 to 500,000. The dye can be a component in a film. The dye can also be included in various industrial materials in automobiles; communication instruments, such as mobile phones, PDA, remote controllers, mobile information terminals, electronic dictionaries, and electronic organizers; home electric appliances; construction parts; and the like.

Abstract: A plant with modified flower morphology is produced by suppressing a function of a transcription factor involved in determining the polarity of plants. More particularly, a plant with modified flower morphology is produced by the steps of obtaining a transformed cell by introducing a chimeric DNA in which a DNA encoding a transcription factor involved in determining the polarity and a functional peptide converting a transcription factor into a transcription repressor are fused; and regenerating a transformed plant from the transformed cell.

Abstract: This invention relates to an excellent root-knot nematode-resistance gene and a method for using the same. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel root-knot nematode-resistance gene that is unaffected by high temperature and is applicable to and quantitatively resistant to a wide variety of root-knot nematode species and strains and a root-knot nematode-resistant transgenic plant into which such gene has been introduced.

Abstract: Provided is an electrochemical sensor device capable of micromachining a channel while maintaining its measurement sensitivity and of reliably quantitating an analyte in a trace amount of a sample. An electrochemical sensor device includes: a channel portion formed in a substrate; and working electrodes for subjecting an analyte in a solution flowing in the channel portion to electrochemical measurement, the electrochemical sensor device includes a plurality of measuring portions individually provided with the working electrodes, and each of the working electrodes has a plurality of conductive protrusion portions formed to protrude from a bottom surface of each of the measuring portions.

Abstract: A software behavior modeling apparatus includes: a stack information recording unit, a termination information recording unit, a stack difference information generating unit configured to generate, as stack difference information, information formed by combining information being located from an uppermost stack frame until the termination information is detected, by using the termination information recorded by the termination information recording unit, and a model generating unit configured to generate a software behavior model based on the stack difference information.

Abstract: A W/O emulsion is produced from an aqueous solution containing a substance to be entrapped in a vesicle in a dissolved or suspended state and an oil phase containing an emulsifier; subsequently, the W/O emulsion is cooled to a temperature at which the aqueous solution of the W/O emulsion becomes a frozen particle and the oil phase maintains a liquid state, and the oil phase is removed; thereafter, an oil phase containing a vesicle constituent lipid is added to the frozen particle, and the obtained mixture is then stirred, so as to substitute the emulsifier on the surface of the frozen particle with the vesicle constituent lipid; and thereafter, an external Water phase is added to the frozen particle coated with a lipid membrane, so as to hydrate the lipid membrane by the external water phase. This process achieves a high entrapment yield of a desired substance while controlling desired physical properties such as particle diameter.

Abstract: A classification estimating system can include an input element group; an intermediate element group into which are input values of first intermediate variables for which a first multiple desensitization, including an accumulation of values of each input element of a first input element group and each value of a first output sensitivity and each value of a first multiplex output sensitivity, has been carried out and calculated; an output element group into which is input a value of an output variable calculated based on a value of each intermediate element of a first intermediate element group and a value of each connection weight; a classification information estimating module for estimating classification information based on pre-stored correspondence relationship information and a value of the output variable; and a classification information display.

Abstract: A test method that provides data useful in predicting the probability of onset of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is described along with a kit for performing the method, and a pharmaceutical preparation and a molecular targeted therapy for treating or preventing GVHD. The test method includes measuring the blood DNAM-1 concentration of a patient of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from bone marrow or the like over a period after the transplantation to provide data concerning the transition of the concentration to an abnormally high level deviating from the normal range, whereby the probability of the development of acute graft-versus-host disease is predicted, the risk of the development is estimated, or therapeutic effects after the development are evaluated.

Abstract: An actuator in which overshooting has been reduced is provided. A cylinder is divided by a piston to provide first and second chambers, and first and second control valves 41, 43, which adjust fluid pressure supply to respective chambers in a non-step manner, and first and second discharge valves 42, 44, which control outflow of fluid from the first and second chambers, are provided. A first control device carries out feedback control of pressure to be supplied to the first or second chamber such that a difference between a target position of the piston and a detected position of the piston becomes smaller. A second control device carries out differential-preceding PD control to bias pressure to be commonly supplied to the first and second chambers such that the difference between the target position of the piston and the detected position of the piston becomes smaller.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for early, sensitively and reliably detecting and distinguishing intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in a malignant tumor occurring primarily in the liver in a simple way, and a kit therefor. In the method, a glycan biomarker consisting of a lectin WFA (Wisteria floribunda Agglutinin)-binding glycoprotein derived from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is used as a cancer marker to detect intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by detecting the cancer marker in a test specimen. The method for detecting intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma can clearly differentiate intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma from hepatocellular carcinoma and enables early detection and determination with a performance clinically acceptable in terms of applicability, sensitivity and precision.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus by which IMT examination can be efficiently performed by simple processing in a health check. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes: a signal processing unit for performing at least envelope detection processing on reception signals outputted from an ultrasonic probe to generate envelope data; an image data generating unit for generating image data representing an ultrasonic image on an object to be inspected based on the envelope data; a pre-measurement processing part for performing structural image generating processing on the envelope data; and a measurement part for performing measurement based on the envelope data processed by the pre-measurement processing part.

Abstract: To form a good quality silicon oxide film provided with both a superior Qbd characteristic and Rd characteristic, a wafer W is loaded into a plasma treatment apparatus where the surface of a silicon layer 501 of the wafer W is treated by plasma oxidation to form on the silicon layer 501 to a film thickness T1 a silicon oxide film 503. Next, the wafer W on which the silicon oxide film 503 is formed is transferred to a thermal oxidation treatment apparatus where the silicon oxide film 503 is treated by thermal oxidation to thereby form a silicon oxide film 505 having a target film thickness T2.

Abstract: A Titanium-Tantalum base shape memory alloy is provided which possesses high machinability and is suitable for repeated high temperature operation. The Titanium-Tantalum base shape memory alloy consists of 15 mol %-40 mol % Tantalum, additive elements, and the balance Titanium and impurities.

Abstract: There is provided a micro-bubble generator including a swirling-flow generating vane nozzle and vortex breakdown nozzle connected coaxially to each other. The swirling flow generating vane nozzle produces a swirling flow of a liquid having a gas introduced to the center thereof from a gas feeding unit. The swirling flow is supplied to a flow constricting section included in the vortex breakdown nozzle to provide micro bubbles from a vortex breakdown section also included in the vortex breakdown nozzle.