Abstract: The problems: It is an object of the present invention to provide an immune regulating agent capable of modulating a receptor function concerning immune regulation of DR6, and a method for screening thereof. The object aims to provide: The present invention relates to an immune regulating agent containing a physiologically active substance having an ability to bind specifically to DR6 and an ability to regulate signal transduction induced by specific binding between DR6 and Sdc1, as an active component. The immune regulating agent of the present invention can be used for treating or preventing diseases caused by excessive or abnormal immune response in mammals or diseases for which enhancement of immune function is desired in mammals, as an immune regulating agent based on a hitherto unknown mechanism, capable of regulating signal transduction induced by specific binding between DR6 and Sdc1.

Abstract: The problems: It is an object of the present invention to provide an immune regulating agent capable of modulating a receptor function concerning immune regulation of DR6, and a method for screening thereof. The object aims to provide: The present invention relates to an immune regulating agent containing a physiologically active substance having an ability to bind specifically to DR6 and an ability to regulate signal transduction induced by specific binding between DR6 and Sdc1, as an active component. The immune regulating agent of the present invention can be used for treating or preventing diseases caused by excessive or abnormal immune response in mammals or diseases for which enhancement of immune function is desired in mammals, as an immune regulating agent based on a hitherto unknown mechanism, capable of regulating signal transduction induced by specific binding between DR6 and Sdc1.

Abstract: A tension determining apparatus that is arranged above cylindrical air chambers determines tensions at both edges of a web before the web enters helical routes of the cylindrical air chambers. Middle direction changing air chambers among three direction changing air chambers arranged in a row are inclined by a predetermined angle according to the difference between the tensions at both edges of the web. Therefore, a snaking and a bias of the web are reduced, and the web can run stably.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for recovering flatness of a web material which comprises heating a side edge portion of the web material at a temperature in a range from a glass transition temperature minus 40.degree. C. to a melting point of the web material for a period of from 1 to 600 seconds, and an apparatus for recovering flatness of a web material which comprises a plurality of conveying rollers for conveying the web material and a side edge portion heating means which surrounds and heats the side edge portion of the web material traveling through conveying rollers. According to the method and apparatus, the side edge portion(s) elongated by the previous heat treatment is recovered to a state similar to the central portion by reheating to correct the side edge portion(s), and thereby, flatness of the web material can be improved.

Abstract: A method of winding a polymer film web around a cylindrical core, where the core is heated by blowing hot-air against the core prior to winding the polymer film web, and the polymer film web is wound around the heated core while blowing hot-air against the polymer film web. In another embodiment of the winding method, the polymer film is wound while knurled along both edge parts in the width direction of the film to form knurls so as to gradually decrease in the thickness thereof from one end of the film that contacts with the core toward the other end of the film. Furthermore, a heat treating method for annealing a film roll and a heat treating apparatus therefor are disclosed, which method comprises the steps of surrounding the film roll with heat insulating panels and blowing hot-air against the film roll in the direction along the core axis while rotating the core intermittently or continuously at a rotary speed of from 0.04 to 4 revolutions per hour.

Abstract: A method of winding a polymer film web around a cylindrical core, where the core is heated by blowing hot-air against the core prior to winding the polymer film web, and the polymer film web is wound around the heated core while blowing hot-air against the polymer film web. In another embodiment of the winding method, the polymer film is wound while knurled along both edge parts in the width direction of the film to form knurls so as to gradually decrease in the thickness thereof from one end of the film that contacts with the core toward the other end of the film. Furthermore, a heat treating method for annealing a film roll and a heat treating apparatus therefor are disclosed, which method comprises the steps of surrounding the film roll with heat insulating panels and blowing hot-air against the film roll in the direction along the core axis while rotating the core intermittently or continuously at a rotary speed of from 0.04 to 4 revolutions per hour.

Abstract: A splicing tape supply device is composed of a main body for supplying splicing tape to a splicing drum and a moving mechanism for moving the main body. The main body is provided with a reel on which the splicing tape is wound, and the splicing tape is unwound from the reel and supplied to the splicing drum via a peel plate. The moving mechanism consists of a pair of rails and screw feeding equipment. An angle of inclination .theta..degree. of the rails is equal to an angle of inclination of a cutting line between two web ends, and the rails are inclined in the same direction of the cutting line. When the main body is moved along the rails, the splicing tape is supplied to the splicing drum at the angle of .theta..degree.. Thereby, the web ends, which are cut at a predetermined angle of inclination, can be satisfactorily spliced together with the splicing tape.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for recovering flatness of a web material which comprises heating a side edge portion of the web material at a temperature in a range from a glass transition temperature minus 40.degree. C. to a melting point of the web material for a period of from 1 to 600 seconds, and an apparatus for recovering flatness of a web material which comprises a plurality of conveying rollers for conveying the web material and a side edge portion heating means which surrounds and heats the side edge portion of the web material traveling through conveying rollers. According to the method and apparatus, the side edge portion(s) elongated by the previous heat treatment is recovered to a state similar to the central portion by reheating to correct the side edge portion(s), and thereby, flatness of the web material can be improved.

Abstract: Knurling is applied to both side edge portions of a high-molecular film and then the film is wound up. A packing agent is applied to the knurled portions to enclose air at the time of winding in spaces between wound film layers and the film is put into an annealing isothermal chamber while contact between the wound film layers is prevented by the air. Preferably, the high-molecular film is made to pass through a heating zone just before the winding so that the high-molecular film after heated is wound up. More preferably, the winding core used for winding is a hollow porous winding core and high-temperature pressurized air is blown out onto the film through the hollow porous cylindrical surface.

Abstract: A method for heat treating a rolled polyester support at a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature (Tg) is disclosed, wherein the polyester film is wound around a core to have a difference in roll diameter of 10% or less and then heat treated to render the film surface smooth. Further disclosed are a photographic polyester support which is subjected to heat treatment according to the above-described method, a silver halide photographic material which uses the above-described polyester support and a polyester support having a creak value of from 10 to 600 g.

Abstract: A web takeup roll includes a web takeup core and a shape-memory resin layer provided on an outer circumference of the web takeup core. In the present web takeup roll, a modulus of elasticity of the shape-memory resin layer changes with temperature.