Abstract: An artificial tissue capable of carrying necessary nutrients for maintaining activities of cells and tissues, and a method of manufacturing an artificial blood vessel. A plurality of forms of blood vessels are extracted from an image of a living tissue and made into a blood vessel form image. Each of the blood vessel forms of the blood vessel form image is adjusted and a blood vessel formation pattern is formed. A blood vessel cell culturing pattern of forming is formed, in a cell culturing layer. The blood vessel cell culturing pattern includes: a cell adhesion portion having adhesive properties with a blood vessel cell and formed to the blood vessel formation pattern; and a cell adhesion-inhibiting portion having cell adhesion-inhibiting properties for inhibiting adhesion with a blood vessel cell and formed in an area other than the cell adhesion portion. A blood vessel cell is adhered to the cell adhesion portion, and cultured into a tissue.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an artificial tissue construct that has means for transporting nutrients, oxygen, waste products, or the like and is viable in vivo. The present invention relates to a tissue construct formed in vitro, which comprises a vascular layer, a basal membrane layer, and a tissue-forming cell layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for culturing cells, which comprises the steps of: causing cells to adhere to the surface of a cell array substrate having a cell adhesiveness variation pattern that comprises regions having good cell adhesiveness and regions having inhibited cell adhesiveness patterned on a substrate; transferring the adhered cells to a cell culture substrate in such patterned state; and culturing the transferred cells.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, an implant in which cells are arranged in a fine pattern that is available for immediate implantation and that does not need to be removed after implantation is provided. The present invention relates to a cell-containing sheet, which comprises cells and a support comprising a bioabsorbable material, in which the support has a cell adhesion protein-containing layer on the surface thereof and the cells form a pattern on the support.

Abstract: A method for estimation of change in bone mineral density or a method for diagnosis of osteoporosis, comprising the step of measuring change in a concentration of soluble interleukin-6 receptor in a blood sample, by for example, sandwich assay or competition assay; and a kit for carrying out the methods, comprising: (1) an anti-sIL-6R antibody immobilized to a solid carrier, and (2) an anti-sIL-6R antibody bound to a detectable marker or capable of binding to a detectable marker.

Abstract: A method for estimation of change in bone mineral density or a method for diagnosis of osteoporosis, comprising the step of measuring change in a concentration of soluble interleukin-6 receptor in a blood sample, by for example, sandwich assay or competition assay; and a kit for carrying out said methods, comprising:(1) an anti-sIL-6R antibody immobilized to a solid carrier, and(2) an anti-sIL-6R antibody is bound to a detectable marker or capable of binding to a detectable marker.

Abstract: Described are caffeic acid derivatives represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein either one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group, a group --CO.sub.2 R.sup.4, or a group --CONR.sup.5 R.sup.6, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 being either a hydrogen atom or a particular group, and the other is the group --CO.sub.2 R.sup.4 or the group --CONR.sup.5 R.sup.6, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are coupled together to represent a 5-membered ring so formed, Y represents a particular group or atom, X represents a substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl, heterocyclic or heterocyclic ring-alkyl group, m and n stand for particular integers, and R.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a group --OCO.sub.2 R.sup.7, R.sup.7 being a hydrogen atom or a particular group, or a group --OCONR.sup.8 R.sup.9, R.sup.8 representing a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group and R.sup.9 representing a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.

Abstract: Described are caffeic acid derivatives represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein either one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group, a group --CO.sub.2 R.sup.4, or a group --CONR.sup.5 R.sup.6, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 being either a hydrogen atom or a particular group, and the other is the group --CO.sub.2 R.sub.4 or the group --CONF.sup.5 R.sup.6, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are coupled together to represent a 5-membered ring so formed, Y represents a particular group or atom, X represents a substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl, heterocyclic or heterocyclic ring-alkyl group, m and n stand for particular integers, and R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a group --OCO.sub.2 R.sup.7, R.sup.7 being a hydrogen atom or a particular group, or a group --OCONR.sup.8 R.sup.9, R.sup.8 representing a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group and R.sup.9 representing a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.

Abstract: Novel derivatives of caffeic acid of the general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein X is hydrogen atom or hydroxy; R.sup.1 is hydrogen atom, a straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a group of the formula:--(CH.sub.2).sub.n --Z--R.sup.2wherein n is an integer of 1 to 10; Z is oxygen atom, vinylene residue or a single bond; and R.sup.2 is a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl or heterocyclic residue is provided. These derivatives possess 12-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity and are useful for curing and preventing circulatory diseases. A pharmaceutical composition containing said derivtive is also provided.