Abstract: The present invention relates to a screening method for a compound and includes a step of detecting binding between a vitamin D receptor and CDP. A novel method enabling screening in vitro of a compound having strong bone forming action and low side effects, a compound participating in osteoblast differentiation and selected by the method of screening, a therapeutic agent containing the compound for diseases intervening in the increase in vitamin D-mediated transcriptional activity by a complex of a vitamin D receptor and CDP, and a kit for performing the screening method are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for screening a substance having a thermogenesis enhancing effect containing a compound having an effect activating PPAR?, an agent containing the compound, and an agent having antidiabetic, antiobestic or visceral accumulated fat-lowering function. The present invention provides an agent containing a compound having an effect activating PPAR?, which is a peroxisome proliferator activated receptor, and having effects which enhances nonshivering thermogenesis (nST), specifically enhances uncoupling respiration in mitochondria of cells in an adipose tissue or the like, or proton leak in inner membranes of mitochondria, and increases the amount of expression of UCP1, and provides an antidiabetic agent, an antiobestic gent and a visceral accumulated fat-lowering agent containing the compound. Further, the present invention provides a method for screening the compound by measuring a PPAR? activating effect.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for screening a substance having a thermogenesis enhancing effect containing a compound having an effect activating PPAR ?, an agent containing the compound, and an agent having antidiabetic, antiobestic or visceral accumulated fat-lowering function. The present invention provides an agent containing a compound having an effect activating PPAR ?, which is a peroxisome proliferator activated receptor, and having effects which enhances nonshivering thermogenesis (nST), specifically enhances uncoupling respiration in mitochondria of cells in an adipose tissue or the like, or proton leak in inner membranes of mitochondria, and increases the amount of expression of UCP1, and provides an antidiabetic agent, an antiobestic gent and a visceral accumulated fat-lowering agent containing the compound. Further, the present invention provides a method for screening the compound by measuring a PPAR ? activating effect.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for screening a substance having a thermogenesis enhancing effect containing a compound having an effect activating PPAR &dgr;, an agent containing the compound, and an agent having antidiabetic, antiobestic or visceral accumulated fat-lowering function.

Abstract: Problems of the present invention are to provide methods for diagnosing the morbid state based on the assay of a human airway trypsin-like protease in a biosample and to provide a therapeutic agent for diseases associated with the human airway trypsin-like protease.

Abstract: A method for predicting the constitution susceptible to the onset of specific diseases in individual humans, for example, respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, sinobronchial syndrome, pulmonary emphysema, diffuse panbronchiolitis or bronchiectasis, effects of treatment on patients or prognosis of the treatment by analyzing the genetic polymorphisms of a human trypsin-like enzyme of the respiratory tract.

Abstract: This invention provides a nucleic acid sequence encoding a trypsin-like enzyme which can be present at the trachea of human lungs, and can selectively digest a synthetic substrate for trypsin and a synthetic substrate for thrombin, and fibrinogen; and a process for producing the trypsin-like enzyme by genetic engineering utilizing the nucleic acid sequence.