Abstract: A peptide having a sequence which satisfies all of the following requirements (I) to (V) and has an activity of stimulating an immune cell: (I) the number of constituent amino acid residues is 12 to 36; (II) the sequence is amphipathic; (III) the charge of the whole molecule is +2 or more; (IV) when constituent amino acid residues are arranged so as to form an a-helical structure, a side chain of any aromatic amino acid residue is not located between side chains of at least two positively charged amino acid residues on a side where hydrophilic amino acid residues are located; and (V) the sequence contains an amino acid residue which serves as a cleavage point for a mitochondrial processing enzyme.

Abstract: A peptide having a sequence which satisfies all of the following requirements (I) to (V) and has an activity of stimulating an immune cell: (I) the number of constituent amino acid residues is 12 to 36; (II) the sequence is amphipathic; (III) the charge of the whole molecule is +2 or more; (IV) when constituent amino acid residues are arranged so as to form an a-helical structure, a side chain of any aromatic amino acid residue is not located between side chains of at least two positively charged amino acid residues on a side where hydrophilic amino acid residues are located; and (V) the sequence contains an amino acid residue which serves as a cleavage point for a mitochondrial processing enzyme.

Abstract: The present invention provides, as a gene encoding an antigen recognized by a G-CSF inducing antibody, a gene encoding any one of the following proteins: (a) a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO; 2; (b) a protein having an amino acid sequence comprising a deletion, substitution, addition or insertion of one or several amino acids with respect to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, and having a binding ability for an antibody which induces and secretes a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor or a fragment thereof: or (c) a protein having at least 50% or more homology with the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, and having a binding ability for an antibody capable of inducing and secreting a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor or a fragment thereof.

Abstract: Neutrophil attracting and activating factors that may already exist in normal cells are located. Polypeptides having neutrophil stimulating activity were isolated from an extract originating from a normal porcine heart, whereby the invention was completed. The invention provides (a) a polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1; (b) a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3 by deletion, substitution, insertion or addition of one or more amino acids and having neutrophil stimulating activity; or (c) a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence biologically equivalent to the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide (a) or (b).

Abstract: The present invention provides, as a gene encoding an antigen recognized by a G-CSF inducing antibody, a gene encoding any one of the following proteins: (a) a protein having an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO; 2; (b) a protein having an amino acid sequence comprising a deletion, substitution, addition or insertion of one or several amino acids with respect to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, and having a binding ability for an antibody which induces and secretes a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor or a fragment thereof: or (c) a protein having at least 50% or more homology with the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, and having a binding ability for an antibody capable of inducing and secreting a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor or a fragment thereof.

Abstract: In order to obtain a superconducting wire containing an oxide superconductor, whose critical current density is not much reduced upon application of bending, a plurality of strands 3, comprising oxide superconductors 1 covered with first metal sheaths 2, are filled into a second metal sheath 4, and deformation processing is performed to sectionally apply a compressive load to the second metal sheath, so that the thickness of the oxide superconductor 1 contained in each strand 3 is not more than 5% of the overall thickness of the superconducting wire 6.

Abstract: Powder of not more than 1 &mgr;m in mean particle diameter is prepared to contain a mixture of superconducting phases mainly composed of 2212 phases of Bi—Sr—Ca—Cu or (Bi, Pb)—Sr—Ca—Cu and non-superconducting phases which is obtained by calcining and pulverizing raw material powder at least once, this powder is heat treated at a high temperature and thereafter coated with a metal to prepare a round wire by deformation processing, thereafter a tape type or flat type wire is prepared by deformation processing, then the wire is heat treated under conditions for allowing phase transformation of the 2212 phases of main superconducting phases to 2223 phases with facilitation of grain growth, thereafter the as-formed 2223 phases are highly densified by deformation processing or pressurization, and the wire is again heat treated so that the 2223 phases are strongly bonded with each other and the non-superconducting phases are finely dispersed.

Abstract: Powder of not more than 1 &mgr;m in mean particle diameter is prepared to contain a mixture of superconducting phases mainly composed of 2212 phases of Bi—Sr—Ca—Cu or (Bi, Pb)—Sr—Ca—Cu and non-superconducting phases which is obtained by calcining and pulverizing raw material powder at least once, this powder is heat treated at a high temperature and thereafter coated with a metal to prepare a round wire by deformation processing, thereafter a tape type or flat type wire is prepared by deformation processing, then the wire is heat treated under conditions for allowing phase transformation of the 2212 phases of main superconducting phases to 2223 phases with facilitation of grain growth, thereafter the as-formed 2223 phases are highly densified by deformation processing or pressurization, and the wire is again heat treated so that the 2223 phases are strongly bonded with each other and the non-superconducting phases are finely dispersed.

Abstract: An oxide superconducting wire of an anisotropic oxide superconductor comprises a core part of the wire and a superconducting layer enclosing the core part so that specific crystal axes of the oxide superconductor are oriented toward the core part. A method of producing a wire of an anisotropic oxide superconductor comprises the steps of arranging a metal sheath around a metal rod for forming a core part of the wire and charging powder of the oxide superconductor in a clearance between the metal sheath and the metal rod for preparing a composite material, and plastically working the composite material so that the metal sheath is larger in reduction of area than the metal rod.

Abstract: An oxide superconducting wire is obtained by performing plastic working and heat treatment of a metal pipe which is filled up with raw material powder of an oxide superconductor. In the plastic working step, the metal pipe is subjected to flat working so that the raw material powder flows in the longitudinal direction as well as the cross direction in the metal pipe. In this case, a draft of at least 80% and not more than 98% is selected in the flat working step, to further promote the cross-directional flow of the raw material powder, thereby further improving density of the raw material powder. Thus, the as-formed oxide superconducting wire exhibits higher critical current density.

Abstract: A method of producing a Bi—Pb—Sr—Ca—Cu oxide superconductor by thermally treating raw material comprises steps of performing first plastic deformation on the raw material, performing first heat treatment on the material being subjected to the first plastic deformation, performing second plastic deformation on the material being subjected to the first heat treatment, and performing second heat treatment on the material being subjected to the second plastic deformation.

Abstract: In order to obtain a superconducting wire containing an oxide superconductor, whose critical current density is not much reduced upon application of bending, a plurality of strands 3, comprising oxide superconductors 1 covered with first metal sheaths 2, are filled into a second metal sheath 4, and deformation processing is performed to sectionally apply a compressive load to the second metal sheath, so that the thickness of the oxide superconductor 1 contained in each strand 3 is not more than 5% of the overall thickness of the superconducting wire 6.

Abstract: According to one aspect, provided is a junction between tape-type superconductors, which are formed of metal-coated oxide superconductors. The superconductors of the superconducting wires, which are oppositely joined to each other, are overlapped with each other. According to another aspect, provided is a method of joining tape-type superconducting wires formed of metal-coated oxide superconductors, which comprises a step of preparing tape-type superconducting wires having portions to be joined, a step of separating metal coatings from first sides of the superconductors in the portions to be joined for exposing the superconductors, a step of overlapping the exposed superconductors with each other, and a step of joining the overlapped superconductors to each other. In the junction obtained according to these aspects, it is possible to stably carry a uniform superconducting current.

Abstract: According to one aspect, provided is a junction between tape-type superconductors, which are formed of metal-coated oxide superconductors. The superconductors of the superconducting wires, which are oppositely joined to each other, are overlapped with each other. According to another aspect, provided is a method of joining tape-type superconducting wires formed of metal-coated oxide superconductors, which comprises a step of preparing tape-type superconducting wires having portions to be joined, a step of separating metal coatings from first sides of the superconductors in the portions to be joined for exposing the superconductors, a step of overlapping the exposed superconductors with each other, and a step of joining the overlapped superconductors to each other. In the junction obtained according to these aspects, it is possible to stably carry a uniform superconducting current.

Abstract: According to an aspect, a tape-type high temperature superconducting wire is provided by applying compression work to a wire manufactured by drawing so that an oxide high temperature superconductor is divided into a plurality of superconductors by a stabilizing material of substantially equal thickness. According to another aspect, a high temperature superconducting wire is provided by packing a material which becomes a superconductor portion into a metal sheath which becomes the stabilizing material and applying drawing work thereto, followed by bundling an assembly of these wire in a metal sheath and applying drawing work thereto. The thickness of the superconductor portion is approximately 10% or less than the thickness of the wire. The critical current density is hardly decreased in the high temperature superconducting wire even if subjected to bending work.

Abstract: A holder (1) provided with a spirally extending groove (2) is prepared and an oxide superconducting wire (3) is arranged in the groove (2) to be heat treated, so that each portion thereof is not bonded to another portion during the heat treatment.

Abstract: A method of producing a Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu oxide superconductor by thermally treating raw material comprises steps of performing first plastic deformation on the raw material, performing first heat treatment on the material being subjected to the first plastic deformation, performing second plastic deformation on the material being subjected to the first heat treatment, and performing second heat treatment on the material being subjected to the second plastic deformation.

Abstract: A high temperature superconducting coil includes an oxide superconducting wire 2 wound in a coil, a container 3 for accommodating the superconducting wire 2, and a filling resin portion 4 for fixing the superconducting wire 2 in the container 3 by being injected into the container 3 and then cured.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of preparing an oxide superconducting wire comprising the steps of coating a powder material for forming an oxide superconductor with a metal, performing deformation processing on the metal-coated powder material thereby obtaining a tape-type wire material, superposing a plurality of such tape-type wire materials, performing first heat treatment on the plurality of superposed tape-type wire materials while simultaneously diffusion-bonding the metallic coats to each other, then performing deformation processing on the plurality of superposed tape-type wire materials, and performing second heat treatment on the plurality of deformation-processed tape-type wire materials. Preferably the oxide superconductor to be obtained is a bismuth oxide superconductor having a 2223 composition in a composition of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu or (Bi,Pb)-Sr-Ca-Cu, and the powder material consists of a superconducting phase, which is mainly composed of a 2212 phase, and non-superconducting phases.

Abstract: In order to prevent inflation of a metallic coating during heat treatment so that no ununiformity is caused in the critical current density in a method of preparing an oxide superconducting wire which is obtained by heat treating and sintering metal-coated raw material powder for an oxide superconductor, raw material powder (5) for an oxide superconductor is filled up in a metal billet (1), which in turn is degassed and sealed in the degassed state, elongated with application of hydrostatic extrusion, and then heat treated.