Abstract: Provided is a method for inducing pluripotent stem cells to differentiate into somatic cells in a culture medium containing a heparin binding growth factor, the method comprising bringing cells into contact with a conjugate of a laminin E8 fragment and a growth factor binding domain-containing fragment of a heparan sulfate proteoglycan. According to the present invention, pluripotent stem cells can be induced to differentiate into any desired somatic cells in a highly efficient manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition that is for treating myogenic diseases and that contains a cell group including skeletal muscle precursor cells differentiation-induced from pluripotent stem cells, the composition being characterized in that the cell group includes the skeletal muscle precursor cells that are Pax7-positive, and are CD146 (MCAM)-positive and CD57-negative on the surface thereof. The present invention also provides a method for purifying skeletal muscle precursor cells.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method of sorting a skeletal muscle progenitor cell from a cell population containing the skeletal muscle progenitor cell. The above-mentioned problem is solved by providing a step of introducing miRNA-responsive mRNA into a cell population. The miRNA-responsive mRNA contains (i) a nucleic acid having a sequence specifically recognized by miRNA specifically expressed in a skeletal muscle progenitor cell, and (ii) a nucleic acid containing a sequence encoding a marker protein.

Abstract: Provided is a method for inducing pluripotent stem cells to differentiate into somatic cells in a culture medium containing a heparin binding growth factor, the method comprising bringing cells into contact with a conjugate of a laminin E8 fragment and a growth factor binding domain-containing fragment of a heparan sulfate proteoglycan. According to the present invention, pluripotent stem cells can be induced to differentiate into any desired somatic cells in a highly efficient manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a skeletal muscle cell from a pluripotent stem cell, which includes a step of expressing one or more exogenous factors selected from MyoD, Myf5 and nucleic acids encoding them on a pluripotent stem cell.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method of sorting a skeletal muscle progenitor cell from a cell population containing the skeletal muscle progenitor cell. The above-mentioned problem is solved by providing a step of introducing miRNA-responsive mRNA into a cell population. The miRNA-responsive mRNA contains (i) a nucleic acid having a sequence specifically recognized by miRNA specifically expressed in a skeletal muscle progenitor cell, and (ii) a nucleic acid containing a sequence encoding a marker protein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a skeletal muscle cell from a pluripotent stem cell, which includes a step of expressing one or more exogenous factors selected from MyoD, Myf5 and nucleic acids encoding them on a pluripotent stem cell.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a skeletal muscle progenitor cell using a pluripotent stem cell, particularly an iPS cell, the method comprising the step 1) of culturing a pluripotent stem cell under serum-free conditions, and in the presence of Activin A, to allow the cell to differentiate into a PDGFR?-positive mesodermal cell, and the step 2) of culturing the mesodermal cell under serum-free conditions, and in the presence of a Wnt signal inducer, to allow the cell to differentiate into a skeletal muscle progenitor cell. Also provided are a cell population containing a skeletal muscle progenitor cell as obtained by the method, and a skeletal muscle regeneration promoting agent and therapeutic agent for muscular diseases such as muscular dystrophy, the promoting agent or agent comprising the skeletal muscle progenitor cell as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body to which an intake hose is connectable, traveling members for enabling the traveling of the cleaner body, and an obstacle-escaping angularly-movable member angularly movably mounted on the cleaner body. A dust collector chamber is formed in a front portion of the cleaner body, and an electrically-operated fan is mounted in a rear portion of the cleaner body. The angularly-movable member is so arranged as to be angularly movable around an outer wall of the dust collector chamber. A portion of the angularly-movable member projects outwardly from the front face of the cleaner body and the front side portions of the cleaner body.

Abstract: A paper bailing apparatus for a printer which holds paper against the platen by a bail roller. In order to drive the bail roller from the release position to the bailing position, the driving force of the paper feed gear is utilized. The paper feed gear transmits the driving force to a bail gear which rotates the bail roller through an idle gear. The idle gear is held away from the paper feed gear and the bail gear in the ordinary state. A compression piece provided on a carriage moves the bail gear to the driving position. When the carriage is moved beyond the printing range, the compression piece moves the idle gear to the driving position. Once the idle gear meshes with the paper feed gear and the bail gear, even if the carriage is moved beyond the printing range, the interlocking is continued until the bail roller is moved to the bailing position.

Abstract: An electric cleaner is provided with a moving mechanism for avoiding or escaping an obstacle so as to turn and move a cleaner body when the cleaning body collides with the obstacle. According to the electric cleaner, even if the cleaner body is collided with the obstacle, it is easy to escape or avoid away from the obstacle to ensure a smooth travel of the cleaner body while preventing an overturn of the cleaner.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body to which an intake hose is connectable, traveling members for enabling the traveling of the cleaner body, and an obstacle-escaping angularly-movable member angularly movably mounted on the cleaner body. A dust collector chamber is formed in a front portion of the cleaner body, and an electrically-operated fan is mounted in a rear portion of the cleaner body. The angularly-movable member is so arranged as to be angularly movable around an outer wall of the dust collector chamber. A portion of the angularly-movable member projects outwardly from the front face of the cleaner body and the front side portions of the cleaner body.

Abstract: An engine controller includes a first calculation unit for calculating an amount of fuel injection and ignition timing by a first interrupt process in response to a TDC signal and calculating fuel injection start timing and ignition timing by a higher-order interrupt process having a higher priority than the first interrupt process, a second calculation unit for obtaining a value representing a proportion of the interrupt execution time contained in one interrupt period in accordance with the period of the first interrupt process and the interrupt execution time and comparing the value of the proporiton with a predetermined value, and an inhibition unit for omitting or inhibiting the execution of a next interrupt process by the first calculation means when the interrupt execution time contained in one interrupt period exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for controlling the solenoid current of a solenoid valve which controls the amount of suction air in an internal combustion engine. A solenoid current control value is calculated as a function of engine operating conditions and a corrected solenoid current control value is determined as a predetermined function of the solenoid current control value. The solenoid valve is controlled as a function of the corrected solenoid current control value. The solenoid valve is controlled by generating a pulse signal having a duty ratio which is a function of the solenoid current control value.

Abstract: A fuel injection control system for an engine having a plurality of cylinders includes a plurality of driver units for actuating fuel injection valves on the respective cylinders, a processing unit for starting processing operation in synchronism with a cycle of operation of the cylinders when the engine is in a normal operation mode, to compute times for which the fuel injection valves are to be opened based on an engine operating condition in the normal operation mode and to issue processed data, and for starting processing operation out of synchronism with the cycle of operation when the engine is in a particular operation mode, to compute times for which the fuel injection valves are to be opened based on an engine operating condition in the particular operation mode and to issue processed data, and a plurality of counters for successively opening the fuel injection valves through the driver units based on the processed data set in the counters and corresponding to the computed times from the processing m

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for controlling the solenoid current of a solenoid valve which controls the amount of suction air in an internal combustion engine. A solenoid current control valve is calculated and a present time value of solenoid current is detected after which a deviation between the present time solenoid current and the solenoid current control value is calculated. A correction value for the present time solenoid current control value is calculated based upon the deviation and a corrected solenoid current control value is determined as a function of the present time solenoid current control value and the correction value.

Abstract: An auxiliary air amount control device for an internal-combustion engine, which for the purpose of permitting uninterrupted control of the number of revolutions of the engine mainly during an idling operation of the engine, enables an auxiliary air amount control valve disposed in a bypass interconnecting the upstream and downstream sides of a throttle valve to be so controlled that the idling operation will be carried out properly even when an arithmetic device serving to set the opening degree or the position of the control valve is out of order. This is effected by feeding a prescribed command value to an air control valve of the solenoid type when the arithmetic device is out of order, and by varying the resistance of the valve solenoid coil as a function of engine temperature, so that the opening degree of the valve is jointly responsive to the fixed command and the engine temperature.

Abstract: Electric control apparatus (20) for equipment (1) comprising a driving circuit (5) for generating a signal (S.sub.1) to drive the equipment as installed in a vehicle, the driving circuit including circuitry having a first specified working voltage range, and a breaking circuit (6) operatively interposed between the driving circuit and the equipment, the breaking circuit including a first switching circuit (100) for operatively interrupting the supply of the drive signal to the equipment under a condition that the supply voltage (Vdd) is lowered below a first predetermined level (V.sub.

Abstract: Fuel injections are sequentially effected into cylinders of a multicylinder internal combustion engine in predetermined sequence in synchronism with pulses of a predetermined crank angle position signal from engine rotational angle sensing means. If no TDC signal pulse is generated between an immediately preceding pulse and a present pulse of a cylinder-discriminating signal, a simultaneous fuel injections are effected into all the engine cylinders upon generation of the present pulse of the cylinder-discriminating signal. Preferably, the engine rotational angle sensing means is determined to be abnormal when the simultaneous fuel injections have been effected consecutively a predetermined number of times.