Abstract: A gel composition contains an amphiphilic block polymer having a hydrophilic block chain and a hydrophobic block chain. An organogel is obtained by mixing the amphiphilic block polymer with an organic solvent, and a xerogel is formed by removing the organic solvent from the organogel. A hydrogel is formed by mixing the xerogel with water or an aqueous solution. A hydrogel encapsulating cells to be cultured may be formed by mixing a xerogel with an aqueous solution containing the cells such as a cell culture solution.

Abstract: Provided is a vehicle seat that can absorb energy with a link while maintaining engagement of gears in a lifting device. One embodiment of the present disclosure is the vehicle seat including a seat cushion, a cushion frame supporting the seat cushion, and the lifting device configured to raise and lower at least a portion of the seat cushion. The lifting device includes a pinion gear held by the cushion frame, a sector gear engaged with the pinion gear, and the link to which the sector gear is fixed and which is rotatably coupled to the cushion frame. The link is made of a material with a lower yield stress than a material forming the sector gear.

Abstract: The present invention chiefly aims to provide a new differentiation inducing agent (peptide) that can solve the previous problems in inducing differentiation of pluripotent stem cells such as ES/iPS cells into somatic cells (e.g., cardiomyocytes). The present invention can include, for example, a synthetic peptide having, in the molecular structure thereof, an amino acid sequence represented by the following (SEQ ID NO: 1), or an amino acid sequence formed by substitution, deletion and/or addition of one or several amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence. It can also include, for example, a composition for inducing differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into somatic cells, comprising said synthetic peptide. (SEQ?ID?No.

Abstract: A gel composition contains an amphiphilic block polymer having a hydrophilic block chain and a hydrophobic block chain. An organogel is obtained by mixing the amphiphilic block polymer with an organic solvent, and a xerogel is formed by removing the organic solvent from the organogel. A hydrogel is formed by mixing the xerogel with water or an aqueous solution. A hydrogel encapsulating cells to be cultured may be formed by mixing a xerogel with an aqueous solution containing the cells such as a cell culture solution.

Abstract: The gel composition according to the present invention comprises an amphiphilic block polymer that comprises a hydrophilic block chain having 20 or more sarcosine units and a hydrophobic block chain having 10 or more lactate units. The gel composition of the present invention has an excellent sustained releasability of a water-soluble drug, etc. and places a reduced burden on the living body. The gel composition may be provided in the form of an organogel, hydrogel or xerogel. A xerogel can be obtained by removing a dispersion medium from an organogel. A hydrogel can be obtained by wetting a xerogel with water or an aqueous solution.

Abstract: The hydrogel composition of the present invention includes an amphiphilic block polymer having a hydrophilic block chain having 20 or more sarcosine units and a hydrophobic block chain having 10 or more lactic acid units, and water as a dispersion medium. In the hydrogel composition, the amphiphilic block polymer is preferably present as hydrogel nano-particles having a particle diameter of 100 nm or less. The hydrogel can be prepared by mixing an amphiphilic block polymer with an aqueous liquid. The hydrogel is preferably substantially free of an organic solvent.

Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided. The vehicle seat includes a cushion frame, a coupling bracket including a coupling portion and a flange portion, a lifter link, and a fixing member. The coupling portion includes a plate panel which, is substantially orthogonal to a fixing face of the fixing member, and substantially parallel to a seat front-rear direction. An end face of the plate material is welded to the fixing face. The flange portion protrudes in a seat width direction from one end in the seat front-rear direction of the coupling portion, includes a plate panel substantially orthogonal to the fixing face, and is integrally molded with the coupling portion.

Abstract: A vehicle seat comprises a seat cushion, seatback, a cushion side frame, a rod, a seat supporting member, and a coupling bracket. A portion of the cushion side frame and a portion of the coupling bracket are overlapped such that the cushion side frame is located outside the coupling bracket. The cushion side frame and the coupling bracket comprise a through-hole that extends along a seat-width axis through the overlapped portion of the cushion side frame and the coupling bracket. The rod is inserted into the through-hole and has a flare outer diameter outside the cushion side frame that is larger than the diameter of the through-hole in the cushion side frame.

Abstract: In a seat in which an armrest is attached to a side frame of a seatback, a reinforcing member that inhibits lateral torsion deformation of the side frame at a location where the armrest is attached to the side frame when a lateral load is applied to the armrest, is cross-linked between the side frame and a lower panel arranged in a different location than the side frame.

Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided. The vehicle seat includes a cushion frame, a coupling bracket including a coupling portion and a flange portion, a lifter link, and a fixing member. The coupling portion includes a plate panel which, is substantially orthogonal to a fixing face of the fixing member, and substantially parallel to a seat front-rear direction. An end face of the plate material is welded to the fixing face. The flange portion protrudes in a seat width direction from one end in the seat front-rear direction of the coupling portion, includes a plate panel substantially orthogonal to the fixing face, and is integrally molded with the coupling portion.

Abstract: A vehicle seat frame includes a pair of side frames constituting side portions of a seat cushion frame, and a pipe member rotatably fitted at respective end portions in sliding holes of the side frames, thereby coupling the side frames to each other. At least one of the end portions of the pipe member is coupled to the corresponding side frame via a collar member having a cylindrical shape. An outer peripheral portion of the collar member has a sliding contact portion in sliding contact with a peripheral surface of the sliding hole. An inner peripheral portion of the collar member has an insertion-receiving portion into which the corresponding end portion of the pipe member is inserted and to which the corresponding end portion of the pipe member is secured. The dimensional tolerance of the sliding contact portion is set smaller than the dimensional tolerance of the insertion-receiving portion.

Abstract: The nanoparticles of the present invention consist of a molecular aggregate containing an amphipathic block polymer that has a hydrophilic block and a hydrophobic block. It is preferable that the amphipathic block polymer be biodegradable. The nanoparticles of the present invention are obtained by granulating into particles an amphipathic block polymer in the presence of an amino acid whose isoelectric point is 7 or less. In one embodiment, the granulation is done by bringing a solution containing an amphipathic block polymer or the dried product thereof into contact with an aqueous liquid. Granulation can be done in the presence of an amino acid by including an amino acid whose isoelectric point is 7 or less in either a solution that contains an amphipathic block polymer or in an aqueous liquid, or in both.

Abstract: The gel composition according to the present invention comprises an amphiphilic block polymer that comprises a hydrophilic block chain having 20 or more sarcosine units and a hydrophobic block chain having 10 or more lactate units. The gel composition of the present invention has an excellent sustained releasability of a water-soluble drug, etc. and places a reduced burden on the living body. The gel composition may be provided in the form of an organogel, hydrogel or xerogel. A xerogel can be obtained by removing a dispersion medium from an organogel. A hydrogel can be obtained by wetting a xerogel with water or an aqueous solution.

Abstract: A vehicle seat comprises a seat cushion, seatback, a cushion side frame, a rod, a seat supporting member, and a coupling bracket. A portion of the cushion side frame and a portion of the coupling bracket are overlapped such that the cushion side frame is located outside the coupling bracket. The cushion side frame and the coupling bracket comprise a through-hole that extends along a seat-width axis through the overlapped portion of the cushion side frame and the coupling bracket. The rod is inserted into the through-hole and has a flare outer diameter outside the cushion side frame that is larger than the diameter of the through-hole in the cushion side frame.

Abstract: A vehicle seat frame includes a pair of side frames, a pair of cylindrical collar members, a pair of link members, and a pipe member coaxially secured at end portions to the collar members. At least one of the collar members is substantially equal in outer diameter to the pipe member. A contact surface portion having a reduced outer diameter is formed in an end portion of a first member, which is brought into contact with a second member. The first member is one of the pipe member and the collar member that is substantially equal in outer diameter to the pipe member, and the second member is the other one of them. The first member and the second member are secured to each other by welding, with the contact surface portion kept in contact with an inner peripheral portion of the second member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a spring member mounting structure, which is a structure for mounting a spring member on a cushion frame connecting side frames by use of a rear pipe. The spring member has rear clipping portions engaged with the rear pipe. Cover members, which are provided at seat central sides of connecting portions of the side frames and the rear pipe, have extension portions extending toward the seat central sides. The rear clipping portions abut on ends of the seat central sides of the extension portions, and are mounted to the rear pipe by width direction positioning of the spring member.

Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat frame, a bushing having a shape of a hollow cylinder and a pipe. The pipe is fitted to the bushing and attached to the seat frame. The pipe includes a body portion having a fitting diameter different from a fitting diameter of the bushing and a fitting portion formed at an end in an axial direction of the body portion and fitted to an inner periphery or an outer periphery of the bushing. The fitting portion is formed in a diameter-reduced or diameter-increased hollow cylindrical shape that is fitted to the inner periphery or the outer periphery of the bushing.

Abstract: A conveyance seat includes a seat frame, and a rod that extends to a region on a seat inside, and that is connected to the seat frame. The rod is connected to the seat frame via a shaft member. The shaft member includes a tubular portion having a through-hole, and a protruding portion protruding toward an outside in a radial direction from one end of the tubular portion in an axial direction. The shaft member is assembled to the seat frame in a state in which the tubular portion is inserted through the seat frame from a seat outside, and an insertion position of the shaft member in the axial direction is restricted by a position where the protruding portion abuts against an outside surface of the seat frame. The rod is inserted in the axial direction through the through-hole in the shaft member, and assembled to the shaft member.

Abstract: A vehicle seat frame includes a pair of side frames constituting side portions of a seat cushion frame, and a pipe member rotatably fitted at respective end portions in sliding holes of the side frames, thereby coupling the side frames to each other. At least one of the end portions of the pipe member is coupled to the corresponding side frame via a collar member having a cylindrical shape. An outer peripheral portion of the collar member has a sliding contact portion in sliding contact with a peripheral surface of the sliding hole. An inner peripheral portion of the collar member has an insertion-receiving portion into which the corresponding end portion of the pipe member is inserted and to which the corresponding end portion of the pipe member is secured. The dimensional tolerance of the sliding contact portion is set smaller than the dimensional tolerance of the insertion-receiving portion.

Abstract: A vehicle seat frame includes a pair of side frames, a pair of cylindrical collar members, a pair of link members, and a pipe member coaxially secured at end portions to the collar members. At least one of the collar members is substantially equal in outer diameter to the pipe member. A contact surface portion having a reduced outer diameter is formed in an end portion of a first member, which is brought into contact with a second member. The first member is one of the pipe member and the collar member that is substantially equal in outer diameter to the pipe member, and the second member is the other one of them. The first member and the second member are secured to each other by welding, with the contact surface portion kept in contact with an inner peripheral portion of the second member.