Abstract: The present invention provides screening methods for agonists or antagonists of Sema6C using Plexin-A1, and tools for the screening and the like. It evaluates a case of making a recombinant protein having an extracellular domain of Semaphorin 6C contact a protein having an extracellular domain of Plexin-A1 by comparing it with a case of contacting a recombinant protein and a target substance having an extracellular domain of Semaphorin 6C, or the target substance with a protein having an extracellular domain of Plexin-A1. The evaluation will be carried out by the connectivity of a protein having an extracellular domain of Semaphorin 6C, a growth cone collapse activity of Plexin-A1 expressing cell, or a contractile activity of Plexin-A1 expressing cell.

Abstract: To provide a semaphorin inhibitor; a peripheral or central nerve regeneration promoter which contains said semaphorin inhibitor as an active ingredient; and a preventive or remedy for a neuropathic disease and a neurodegenerative disease containing said nerve regeneration promoter, or the like. A low-molecular weight compound, which acts at a concentration of 10 ?g/ml or below to inhibit the growth cone collapse activity of semaphorin such as semaphorin 3A, semaphorin 6C or the like and/or the nerve outgrowth inhibitory activity of semaphorin in a collagen gel and which does not substantially affect cell proliferation, is obtained from the culture of strain SPF-3059 belonging to the genus Penicillium. The low-molecular weight compound with the semaphorin inhibitory activity thus obtained exhibits the in vivo nerve-regeneration promoting action.

Abstract: Novel semaphorin Z; a gene thereof; a partial peptide of the semaphorin Z; an antibody; a DNA or an RNA complementary to the semaphorin Z gene; a method for screening a semaphorin Z inhibitor by using the semaphorin Z; the semaphorin Z inhibitor obtained by the screening; and a CNS neuron regeneration promoter comprising the inhibitor.

Abstract: To provide a semaphorin inhibitor; a peripheral or central nerve regeneration promoter which contains said semaphorin inhibitor as an active ingredient; and a preventive or remedy for a neuropathic disease and a neurodegenerative disease containing said nerve regeneration promoter, or the like. A low-molecular weight compound, which acts at a concentration of 10 ?g/ml or below to inhibit the growth cone collapse activity of semaphorin such as semaphorin 3A, semaphorin 6C or the like and/or the nerve outgrowth inhibitory activity of semaphorin in a collagen gel and which does not substantially affect cell proliferation, is obtained from the culture of strain SPF-3059 belonging to the genus Penicillium. The low-molecular weight compound with the semaphorin inhibitory activity thus obtained exhibits the in vivo nerve-regeneration promoting action.

Abstract: To provide a semaphorin inhibitor; a peripheral or central nerve regeneration promoter which contains said semaphorin inhibitor as an active ingredient; and a preventive or remedy for a neuropathic disease and a neurodegenerative disease containing said nerve regeneration promoter, or the like. A low-molecular weight compound, which acts at a concentration of 10 ?g/ml or below to inhibit the growth cone collapse activity of semaphorin such as semaphorin 3A, semaphorin 6C or the like and/or the nerve outgrowth inhibitory activity of semaphorin in a collagen gel and which does not substantially affect cell proliferation, is obtained from the culture of strain SPF-3059 belonging to the genus Penicillium. The low-molecular weight compound with the semaphorin inhibitory activity thus obtained exhibits the in vivo nerve-regeneration promoting action.

Abstract: It is possible to use a screening system using the inhibition of CD81 gene expression, the inhibition of CD81 expression or the inhibition of its function (activity) as an indication in searching for a drug for preventing, ameliorating or treating IBD. Also, anti-CD81 antibody is highly efficacious as the active ingredient of a drug for preventing, ameliorating or treating IBD. Further, it is possible to use a polynucleotide having at least 15 consecutive bases in the base sequence of CD81 gene and/or a polynucleotide complementary to the above polynucleotide as a disease marker for IBD.

Abstract: The present invention provides Semaphorin W inhibiting neurite outgrowth, and a gene therefor, as well as other Semaphorins hybridizing to said Semaphorin W gene, modified proteins or partial peptides of said Semaphorin W, antibodies against said Semaphorin W, antisense nucleotides against said Semaphorin W gene, and the use of such substances as pharmaceutical or diagnostic agents or laboratory reagents. The present invention further provides a method of screening for Semaphorin W antagonists employing said Semaphorin W, Semaphorin W antagonists obtained by said screening method, pharmaceutical agents comprising such antagonists, and transgenic animals involving said Semaphorin W.

Abstract: The present invention provides Semaphorin W inhibiting neurite outgrowth, and a gene therefor, as well as other Semaphorins hybridizing to said Semaphorin W gene, modified proteins or partial peptides of said Semaphorin W, antibodies against said Semaphorin W, antisense nucleotides against said Semaphorin W gene, and the use of such substances as pharmaceutical or diagnostic agents or laboratory reagents. The present invention further provides a method of screening for Semaphorin W antagonists employing said Semaphorin W, Semaphorin W antagonists obtained by said screening method, pharmaceutical agents comprising such antagonists, and transgenic animals involving said Semaphorin W.

Abstract: Unjust acts such as carrying out a commodity without reading a commodity code, whether it is intentional or accidental are prevented. The purchased commodity accommodating and transporting apparatus may include a commodity code reading section for reading a commodity code applied to a commodity and a transportable accommodation section for accommodating therein a commodity whose commodity code has been read. Further, elements for purchasing a commodity (such as a section for receiving a prepaid card, a credit card, a bank card or a similar card) may be fixed to said transportable accommodation section to allow a customer to perform purchasing operations during selection of a commodity when shopping.

Abstract: To provide a semaphorin inhibitor; a peripheral or central nerve regeneration promoter which contains said semaphorin inhibitor as an active ingredient; and a preventive or remedy for a neuropathic disease and a neurodegenerative disease containing said nerve regeneration promoter, or the like.

Abstract: Novel semaphorin Z; a gene thereof; a partial peptide of the semaphorin Z; an antibody; a DNA or an RNA complementary to the semaphorin Z gene; a method for screening a semaphorin Z inhibitor by using the semaphorin Z; the semaphorin Z inhibitor obtained by the screening; and a CNS neuron regeneration promoter comprising the inhibitor.

Abstract: Novel semaphorin Z; a gene thereof; a partial peptide of the semaphorin Z; an antibody; a DNA or an RNA complementary to the semaphorin Z gene; a method for screening a semaphorin Z inhibitor by using the semaphorin Z; the semaphorin Z inhibitor obtained by the screening; and a CNS neuron regeneration promoter comprising the inhibitor.

Abstract: Semaphorin Y inhibiting neurite outgrowth, and a nucleotide sequence therefor, as well as other Semaphorin sequences hybridizing to the Semaphorin Y sequence, modified proteins or partial peptides of Semaphorin Y, antibodies against Semaphorin Y, antisense nucleotides against Semaphorin Y gene, and the use of such substances as pharmaceutical or diagnostic agents or laboratory reagents are disclosed. Further, a method of screening for Semaphorin Y antagonists employing Semaphorin Y, Semaphorin Y antagonists obtained by the screening method, pharmaceutical agents comprising such antagonists, and transgenic animals involving Semaphorin Y are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides Semaphorin Y inhibiting neurite outgrowth, and a gene therefor, as well as other Semaphorins hybridizing to said Semaphorin Y gene, modified proteins or partial peptides of said Semaphorin Y, antibodies against said Semaphorin Y, antisense nucleotides against said Semaphorin Y gene, and the use of such substances as pharmaceutical or diagnostic agents or laboratory reagents. The present invention further provides a method of screening for Semaphorin Y antagonists employing said Semaphorin Y, Semaphorin Y antagonists obtained by said screening method, pharmaceutical agents comprising such antagonists, and transgenic animals involving said Semaphorin Y.

Abstract: The invention provides a purchased commodity accommodating and transporting apparatus having a self scanning function and a POS system which prevent an unjust act such as to carry out a commodity without reading a commodity code whether it is intentional or accidental. The purchased commodity accommodating and transporting apparatus comprises a commodity code reading section for reading a commodity code applied to a commodity, an accommodation section for accommodating therein a commodity whose commodity code has been read, a weighing equipment for measuring the total weight of commodities accommodated in the accommodation section, a weight determination section for detecting the increase/decrease of the total weight of the commodities in the accommodation section, and an alarm generation section responsive to a result of the detection for generating an alarm when the total weight of the commodities has changed without reading a commodity code.

Abstract: Human ciliary neurotrophic factor (human CNTF) mutants, in which at least the amino acid residue corresponding to position 153 of wild type human CNTF has been substituted with another amino acid residue in the amino acid sequence encoding human CNTF, exhibit an activity comparable or superior to that of wild type human CNTF. It is therefore expected that the human CNTF mutants would be effective as drugs with improved side effects such as reduction in appearance of an autoantibody, loss of body weight, anorexia, a dry cough, fatigue, etc.In cytokines having sequence similarity to human CNTF and abundant .alpha. helices (GH, PRL, EPO, G- CSF, LIF, IL-6, IL-2, IL-4, GM-CSF), there are further provided mutants in the D1 cap region.

Abstract: The invention provides a POS system which employs a purchased commodity accommodating and transporting apparatus having a self scanning function and is improved in that the access time for data transfer processing is reduced to reduce the time required for settlement of accounts and complete transfer of data is assured to enhance the reliability. A two-dimensional bar code printing section is provided on the purchased commodity accommodating and transporting apparatus and prints commodity code information from a commodity code reading section as a two-dimensional bar code.

Abstract: The invention provides a purchased commodity accommodating and transporting apparatus having a self scanning function and a POS system which prevent an unjust act such as to carry out a commodity without reading a commodity code whether it is intentional or accidental. The purchased commodity accommodating and transporting apparatus comprises a commodity code reading section for reading a commodity code applied to a commodity, an accommodation section for accommodating therein a commodity whose commodity code has been read, a weighing equipment for measuring the total weight of commodities accommodated in the accommodation section, a weight determination section for detecting the increase/decrease of the total weight of the commodities in the accommodation section, and an alarm generation section responsive to a result of the detection for generating an alarm when the total weight of the commodities has changed without reading a commodity code.

Abstract: The invention provides a POS system which employs a purchased commodity accommodating and transporting apparatus having a self scanning function and is improved in that the access time for data transfer processing is reduced to reduce the time required for settlement of accounts and complete transfer of data is assured to enhance the reliability. A two-dimensional bar code printing section is provided on the purchased commodity accommodating and transporting apparatus and prints commodity code information from a commodity code reading section as a two-dimensional bar code.

Abstract: A Point of Sale (POS) system includes a portable terminal for a customer and an adjustment POS terminal connected to the portable terminal in a retail store. The portable terminal includes an input unit for inputting article codes corresponding to goods selected by a customer and a local price look-up (PLU) file for storing main article codes. A retrieval unit retrieves the article information from the local PLU file in accordance with the article code input through the input unit, and a calculation unit performs calculation processes in accordance with the result of retrieval by the retrieval unit. A display unit then displays the article information and a result of calculation by the calculation unit. A storage unit stores the article information and a result of calculation by the calculation unit. A communication unit sends the article information which is temporarily stored in the storage unit to the adjustment POS terminal.