Abstract: The inventors found that B cell activation is suppressed by TGF-?3 produced by LAG3+ Treg. They also discovered a B cell activation suppressor which contains TGF-?3 or a molecule having a TGF-?3 function, and a therapeutic agent for autoimmune diseases.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic apparatus which can imitate a virtual character and in which others than a user can have communication with the virtual character so that the user can enjoy using the electronic apparatus together with the others. Input image information input through an image pickup portion (5) is compared with user's face image data or face feature data stored in a registered dictionary in anon-volatile memory (4), so as to generate response information. The registered dictionary includes partial region image data or feature data of each face part. The response information is generated based on similarity between image information of each face part extracted from the input image information and the registered dictionary. The response information is output to a display portion (6) as information imitating a behavior of the virtual character.

Abstract: The authentication system is hard against fraudulent acts even if the authenticator or the system of retail store is forged, resulting in the system with a high security. The system includes: an authenticator having an authentication processor to authenticate whether the user is registered previously, and a data output part to send an identification data of the user when the user is authenticated to be registered previously; and a server having a data input part to input data of the user, a credit appraiser to appraise the user according to the identification data, and an appraisal result output part to output the credit appraisal result.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises: an image storing unit operable to store an input image; a template storing unit operable to store at least one template of a body part area; a detecting unit operable to detect a location of and a size of the body part area out of the input image stored in the image storing unit, by using the at least one template of the body part area stored in the template storing unit; an ornament information storing unit operable to store ornament information of the ornament having a reference point; and an image composition unit operable to scale the ornament in accordance with the size of the body part area detected by the detecting unit, the image composition unit operable to locate a reference point of the scaled ornament so as to fit with a position of the body part area detected by the detecting unit, and the image composition unit further operable to compose the scaled ornament and the input image stored in the image storing unit.

Abstract: The information device collates the authentic information of an authenticatee with the registered authentic information, comprising an authentic information storage for storing registered authentic information; an information storage for storing specified information; a read information storing section in which information on reading of specified information is stored for each authenticatee; a collating section for collating the authentic information of the authenticatee with the registered authentic information; and an information reader for reading information corresponding to the authenticatee from the specified information in accordance with the information on reading of the specified information.

Abstract: An aqueous coating composition for exterior surface of a can, in which the resin component comprises a water-soluble or water-dispersible resin product prepared by reacting a resin having carboxyl functionality (a), an epoxy resin (b) and a tertiary amine (c), at least 50 mole % of the epoxy groups of said epoxy resin (b) being quaternary ammonium salt, provides a coating with a smooth and glossy surface, excellent processability, excellent adhesion properties, excellent retorting resistant properties and the like. Furthermore, the coating composition minimizes a generation of fume in an oven during curing.

Abstract: An aqueous coating composition comprising a carboxyl-containing reaction product neutralized and dispersed in an aqueous medium, the reaction product being produced by the esterification reaction of a carboxyl-containing acrylic resin (A) and an epoxy resin (B), the acrylic resin (A) comprising a carboxyl-containing polymerizable unsaturated monomer (A) and another polymerizable unsaturated monomer (b) as a monomer component, the acid value of the acrylic resin (A) at a higher molecular weight region with respect to its weight average molecular weight being higher by at least 80 mg KOH/g than at a lower molecular weight region, and a process for preparing said aqueous coating composition. The coating composition is capable of forming a coating film excellent in fabrication property, corrosion resistance, water resistance, flavor-retaining ability, among others. As a consequence, even a thin film of the composition is uniform in thickness and is outstanding in resistance to cratering and sagging.

Abstract: An aqueous coating composition comprising an acrylic resin-modified epoxy resin (D), which is obtained by the reaction between a mixture of a bisphenol F based epoxy resin (A) and a bisphenol F based phenoxy resin (B) and an acrylic resin having carboxyl functionality (C), said acrylic resin-modified epoxy resin (D) being dispersed into water, preferably by using ammonia or amine, provides a composition with low viscosity, excellent storage stability and excellent application workability. In addition, the coating of the present invention can be applied to an interior surface and the resulting film has a smooth surface, excellent processability, excellent retorting resistant properties, excellent adhesion properties, and excellent corrosion resistant properties.

Abstract: A curable composition characterized in that the composition comprises:(a) a nonaqueous dispersion of a particulate polymer insoluble in an organic liquid and prepared by polymerizing a radical-polymerizable unsaturated monomer in the organic liquid in the presence of a dispersion stabilizer resin, the stabilizer resin being a polymer consisting essentially of an alkoxysilane-containing vinyl monomer which is a compound represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein X is ##STR2## R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom or methyl, R.sub.2 is a bivalent saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same or different and are each phenyl, alkyl having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or alkoxyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R.sub.5 is alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and n is an integer of from 1 to 100; anda curing catalyst, or a chelate compound serving as a crosslinking curing agent admixed with the nonaqueous dispersion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coating composition for metal coating, said coating composition containing (A) at least one of an epoxidized polybutadiene resin and an epoxy group-containing polyhydric phenol-modified epoxidized polybutadiene resin, and (B) at least one of a capped epoxy resin and a methylol group-containing capped epoxy resin.

Abstract: A compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein Y is sulfur or methylene and A is Asn or Asp, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is useful for the treatment of calcium metabolic disorders, cardiac disease and ulcers, and for the improvement of cranial circulation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a can interior coating composition which contains (A) a modified bisphenol based epoxy resin formed by introducing at least one of a functional group represented by the following formula: ##STR1## where R is a bivalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, into a molecular terminal of a bisphenol based epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent of 180 to 7,000 and a number average molecular weight of 350 to 10,000, and (B) a resol phenol resin obtained by reacting the modified bisphenol based epoxy resin (A) with formaldehydes in the presence of a basic catalyst.

Abstract: A compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is H or H-Ala-NH- and when A is Asp, B is Asp or Glu, C is Leu and D is Val; when A is Asn and B is Gly, C is Phe and D is Gly; when A is Asn, B is Asp or Glu and C is Leu, D is Gly; and when A is Asn, B is Asp or Glu, and C is Phe, D is Val, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, is useful for the treatment of calcium metabolic disorders, cardiac disease and ulcers, and for the improvement of cerebral circulation.

Abstract: An aqueous coating composition characterized in that the composition comprises:(A) a water-dispersible film-forming acrylic polymer,(B) a crosslinking agent prepared by dispersing a hydrophobic melamine resin in water in the presence of a water-soluble resin, the hydrophobic melamine resin being up to about 20 in solvent dilution ratio when diluted with a water/methanol solvent mixture (35/65 in weight ratio) and about 500 to about 4000 in weight average molecular weight, and(C) a pigment.The composition is very suitable for use in the two-coat one-bake coating method as a base-coat composition.

Abstract: A peptide represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein Y means a sulfur atom or methylene group, A stands for Asp or Asn, B denotes Val or Met and C is Asn or Ser, or a salt thereof.

Abstract: A peptide of the formula ##STR1## wherein A is Tyr or Phe, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, is useful for the diagnosis of parathyroid gland function. When A is Tyr, the peptide can be labelled with iodine-125 without losing its PTH activity and without undergoing oxidation upon storage.

Abstract: A novel peptide of the formulaH--Ser--Arg--Arg--Ala--Gln--Asp--Phe--Val--Gln--Trp--Leu--Met--Asn--Thr--OHis the 16-29 fragment of glucagon and can be conjugated with a protein such as albumin or modified albumin using glutaraldehyde or 3-(2'-benzothiazolyl-dithio) propionate succinimide ester as a conjugation reagent. The conjugated peptide can be used to sensitize a mammal by administering the conjugated peptide subcutaneously, after which the blood is collected from the mammal and antibodies concentrated from the blood, which antibodies are then useful in assay methods for trace amounts of glucagon in human blood.

Abstract: A peptide of the formulaR--Lys--Lys--Glu--Asp--Asn--Val--Leu--Val--Glu--Ser--His--Glu--Lys--Ser--Le u--Gly--Glu--Ala--Asp--Lys--Ala--Asp--Val--Asp--Val--Leu--Thr--Lys--Ala--Ly s--Ser--Gln--Ohwherein R is H, H--Tyr-- or R.sub.1 --Pro--Arg--, R.sub.1 is H, H--Tyr-- or R.sub.2 --Ala--Gly--Ser--Gln--Arg--, and R.sub.

Abstract: A peptide of the formulaR-SER-LEU-PRO-SER-PRO-SER-ARG-LEU-PRO-GLY-PRO-SER-ASP-THR-PRO-ILE-LEU-PRO-G LN-OHwhereinR: H or R.sub.1 -Ser-Ser-Ser-Ser-Lys-Ala-Pro-Pro-Pro group,R.sub.1 : H or R.sub.2 -R.sub.3 -Asp-Asp-Pro-Arg-Phe-Gln-Asp group,R.sub.2 : H or R.sub.4 -Asp-His-Pro-Leu-Thr group,R.sub.4 : H-R.sub.5 -Gly-Gly-Pro-Lys group,R.sub.5 : Cys or Tyr group, andR.sub.3 : Cys or S-acetamidemethyl-Cys group,or salt thereof, has utility for the preparation of antibodies for assaying human chorionic gonadotropin or as a labelling reagent.

Abstract: A peptide of the formulaR--Lys--Lys--Glu--Asp--Asn--Val--Leu--Val--Glu--Ser--His--Glu--Lys--Ser--Le u--Gly--Glu--Ala--Asp--Lys--Ala--Asp--Val--Asp--Val--Leu--Thr--Lys--Ala--Ly s--Ser--Gln--OHwherein R is H, H--Tyr-- or R.sub.1 --Pro--Arg--, R.sub.1 is H, H--Tyr-- or R.sub.2 --Ala--Gly--Ser--Gln--Arg--, and R.sub.2 is H, H--Cys-- or H--Tyr--, or a salt thereof, is useful for assaying human parathyroid hormone (h-PTH).