Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide vectors for conveniently and efficiently producing ES-like cells in which foreign genes are not integrated into the chromosome. The present inventors discovered methods for producing ES-like cells from somatic cells using chromosomally non-integrating viral vectors. Since no foreign gene is integrated into the chromosome of the produced ES-like cells, they are advantageous in tests and research, and immunological rejection and ethical problems can be avoided in disease treatments.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for improving the efficiency of inducing pluripotent stem cells, as well as vectors and compositions for use therein. In the induction of pluripotent stem cells which contains the step of introducing a vector that contains the KLF gene, OCT gene, and SOX gene in this order, the efficiency of pluripotent stem cell induction was successfully increased significantly by further introducing a vector that contains the KLF gene but not the OCT gene and the SOX gene. The methods of the present invention have an excellent feature in that they allow efficient induction of pluripotent stem cells under a temperature condition closer to the physiological environment, and prompt vector removal after the pluripotent stem cell induction. The present invention enables more efficient induction of pluripotent stem cells.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide vectors for conveniently and efficiently producing ES-like cells in which foreign genes are not integrated into the chromosome. The present inventors discovered methods for producing ES-like cells from somatic cells using chromosomally non-integrating viral vectors. Since no foreign gene is integrated into the chromosome of the produced ES-like cells, they are advantageous in tests and research, and immunological rejection and ethical problems can be avoided in disease treatments.

Abstract: A lid lock apparatus for a vehicle includes a housing, a moving member supported within the housing, and a biasing member to bias the moving member in a direction in which the moving member engages with the lid member, the biasing member including a coil portion wound in a spiral shape and arranged at a lower side of the moving member so that an axial center of the coil portion is in a skewed position relative to an axis of the moving member, a fixed arm extending from a first end portion of the coil portion to engage with the housing, and a moving arm extending from a second end portion of the coil portion to engage with the moving member, the moving arm being deflected in a circumferential direction of the coil portion relative to the fixed arm by a movement of the moving member.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for improving the efficiency of inducing pluripotent stem cells, as well as vectors and compositions for use therein. In the induction of pluripotent stem cells which contains the step of introducing a vector that contains the KLF gene, OCT gene, and SOX gene in this order, the efficiency of pluripotent stem cell induction was successfully increased significantly by further introducing a vector that contains the KLF gene but not the OCT gene and the SOX gene. The methods of the present invention have an excellent feature in that they allow efficient induction of pluripotent stem cells under a temperature condition closer to the physiological environment, and prompt vector removal after the pluripotent stem cell induction. The present invention enables more efficient induction of pluripotent stem cells.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide vectors for conveniently and efficiently producing ES-like cells in which foreign genes are not integrated into the chromosome. The present inventors discovered methods for producing ES-like cells from somatic cells using chromosomally non-integrating viral vectors. Since no foreign gene is integrated into the chromosome of the produced ES-like cells, they are advantageous in tests and research, and immunological rejection and ethical problems can be avoided in disease treatments.

Abstract: A lid lock apparatus for a vehicle includes a driving motor, a moving member causing a lid member provided at a vehicle body to be inhibited from opening in a state where the moving member projects from the housing to engage with the lid member, the moving member being retracted into the housing by the driving motor to release the engagement between the moving member and the lid member, and a pulling member connected to the moving member and pulled in a case where the moving member is inhibited from moving by the driving motor to cause the moving member to be retracted into the housing and to release the engagement between the moving member and the lid member. The moving member is movable relative to the pulling member in a moving direction of the moving member in a case where the pulling member is inhibited from operating.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide vectors for conveniently and efficiently producing ES-like cells in which foreign genes are not integrated into the chromosome. The present inventors discovered methods for producing ES-like cells from somatic cells using chromosomally non-integrating viral vectors. Since no foreign gene is integrated into the chromosome of the produced ES-like cells, they are advantageous in tests and research, and immunological rejection and ethical problems can be avoided in disease treatments.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide vectors for conveniently and efficiently producing ES-like cells in which foreign genes are not integrated into the chromosome. The present inventors discovered methods for producing ES-like cells from somatic cells using chromosomally non-integrating viral vectors. Since no foreign gene is integrated into the chromosome of the produced ES-like cells, they are advantageous in tests and research, and immunological rejection and ethical problems can be avoided in disease treatments.

Abstract: The present invention provides Sendai virus vectors in which genes that encode reprograming factors for inducing pluripotent stem cells are incorporated in a specific order, compositions comprising these vectors for gene delivery to be used in the induction of pluripotent stem cells, and uses thereof. Incorporation of the KLF gene, OCT gene, and SOX gene in a specific order into a single Sendai virus vector successfully and significantly increased the efficiency of pluripotent stem cell induction. Loading multiple reprogramming factors into a single vector can further increase the induction efficiency of pluripotent stem cells while reducing the number of necessary vectors.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for producing a minus-strand RNA viral vector, which comprise using a promoter comprising a cytomegalovirus enhancer and a chicken ?-actin promoter, to induce the transcription of the genome RNA of a minus-strand RNA viral vector and the expression of minus-strand RNA viral proteins that form a ribonucleoprotein with the genome RNA. The methods of the present invention enable high efficiency production of highly safe minus-strand RNA viral vectors. The methods of the present invention are particularly useful for producing minus-strand RNA viral vectors that are deficient in envelope-constituting protein genes.

Abstract: A lid lock apparatus for a vehicle includes a housing, a moving member supported within the housing, and a biasing member to bias the moving member in a direction in which the moving member engages with the lid member, the biasing member including a coil portion wound in a spiral shape and arranged at a lower side of the moving member so that an axial center of the coil portion is in a skewed position relative to an axis of the moving member, a fixed arm extending from a first end portion of the coil portion to engage with the housing, and a moving arm extending from a second end portion of the coil portion to engage with the moving member, the moving arm being deflected in a circumferential direction of the coil portion relative to the fixed arm by a movement of the moving member.

Abstract: The present invention provides Sendai virus vectors in which genes that encode reprograming factors for inducing pluripotent stem cells are incorporated in a specific order, compositions comprising these vectors for gene delivery to be used in the induction of pluripotent stem cells, and uses thereof. Incorporation of the KLF gene, OCT gene, and SOX gene in a specific order into a single Sendai virus vector successfully and significantly increased the efficiency of pluripotent stem cell induction. Loading multiple reprogramming factors into a single vector can further increase the induction efficiency of pluripotent stem cells while reducing the number of necessary vectors.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a probe card in which the positional shift of the tip of a probe can be compensated for in response to a change in the temperature, and a wafer test in a wide range of temperatures can be performed. More specifically, the probe card includes a substrate, a probe composed of a first metallic material having a first thermal expansion coefficient, a base of the probe being joined to the substrate, a tip of the probe coming into contact with a connection terminal of an electronic device, and a thermal compensation member composed of a second metallic material having a second thermal expansion coefficient that is higher than the first thermal expansion coefficient, a base of the thermal compensation member being fixed to the substrate, a tip of the thermal compensation member coming into contact with the probe at an intermediate portion between the base of the probe and the tip of the probe.

Abstract: A lid lock apparatus for a vehicle includes a driving motor, a moving member causing a lid member provided at a vehicle body to be inhibited from opening in a state where the moving member projects from the housing to engage with the lid member, the moving member being retracted into the housing by the driving motor to release the engagement between the moving member and the lid member, and a pulling member connected to the moving member and pulled in a case where the moving member is inhibited from moving by the driving motor to cause the moving member to be retracted into the housing and to release the engagement between the moving member and the lid member. The moving member is movable relative to the pulling member in a moving direction of the moving member in a case where the pulling member is inhibited from operating.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide vectors for conveniently and efficiently producing ES-like cells in which foreign genes are not integrated into the chromosome. The present inventors discovered methods for producing ES-like cells from somatic cells using chromosomally non-integrating viral vectors. Since no foreign gene is integrated into the chromosome of the produced ES-like cells, they are advantageous in tests and research, and immunological rejection and ethical problems can be avoided in disease treatments.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a probe card in which the positional shift of the tip of a probe can be compensated for in response to a change in the temperature, and a wafer test in a wide range of temperatures can be performed. More specifically, the probe card includes a substrate, a probe composed of a first metallic material having a first thermal expansion coefficient, a base of the probe being joined to the substrate, a tip of the probe coming into contact with a connection terminal of an electronic device, and a thermal compensation member composed of a second metallic material having a second thermal expansion coefficient that is higher than the first thermal expansion coefficient, a base of the thermal compensation member being fixed to the substrate, a tip of the thermal compensation member coming into contact with the probe at an intermediate portion between the base of the probe and the tip of the probe.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for producing a minus-strand RNA viral vector, which comprise using a promoter comprising a cytomegalovirus enhancer and a chicken ?-actin promoter, to induce the transcription of the genome RNA of a minus-strand RNA viral vector and the expression of minus-strand RNA viral proteins that form a ribonucleoprotein with the genome RNA. The methods of the present invention enable high efficiency production of highly safe minus-strand RNA viral vectors. The methods of the present invention are particularly useful for producing minus-strand RNA viral vectors that are deficient in envelope-constituting protein genes.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for producing viruses, whose propagation depends on the cleavage of viral protein by a protease, in a manner independent of the protease. The methods of the present invention for producing viruses comprise producing viruses in the presence of a modified viral protein in which the protease cleavage sequence is changed to a cleavage sequence for an alternative protease. Viral vectors can be more efficiently produced by replacing the protease cleavage sequence with a cleavage sequence for a protease expressed endogenously in virus-producing cells. The methods of the present invention enable the production of high titer viruses using a wide variety of cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides paramyxoviral vectors encoding active ribozymes. The vectors of the present invention are suitable as vectors for gene therapy to express desired ribozymes in a broad range of tissues in vivo or ex vivo. The vectors of the present invention can be used in gene therapy for cancers and other diseases.