Abstract: A method for creating a monkey model of spinal cord injury, which includes exposing the dura mater of the cervical cord of a monkey and applying a load on the dura mater; the thus-created monkey model of spinal cord injury; and a method for evaluating a therapeutic drug for spinal cord injury by use of this model. According to the present invention, it is possible to create a monkey which is close to the human and thus useful as a model of human spinal cord injury. This model enables proper evaluation of therapeutic effects of various drugs on spinal cord injury. Through use of this model, it has been confirmed for the first time that transplantation therapy of human neural stem cells is efficacious against spinal cord injury.

Abstract: The present invention relates to multipotent stem cells derived from the interstitial tissues of skeletal muscle. The multipotent stem cell of the present invention is capable of differentiating into skeletal muscle cells, smooth muscle cells, cardiomyocytes, blood cells, vascular endothelial cells, adipocytes, osteoblasts, nervous cells, hepatocytes and pancreatic cells, and is useful for regeneration of tissues and cells and treatment for cardiac failure, hepatic insufficiency, renal insufficiency, leukemia, nerve degeneration disease, arthritis, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, and the like.

Abstract: Chimeric mice were constructed by transferring human CD34+ cells (hematopoietic stem cells) into a SCID mouse. In these chimeric mice, hematopoietic stem cells persistently differentiated into immune cells. Consequently, the chimeric mice can be immunized over a long time and enable one to obtain human antibodies against arbitrary antigens containing a human self-component.

Abstract: The present invention provides an immunodeficient mouse (NOG mouse) suitable for engraftment, differentiation and proliferation of heterologous cells, and a method of producing such a mouse. This mouse is obtained by backcrossing a C.B-17-scid mouse with an NOD/Shi mouse, and further backcrossing an interleukin 2-receptor &ggr;-chain gene-knockout mouse with the thus backcrossed mouse. It is usable for producing a human antibody and establishing a stem cell assay system, a tumor model and a virus-infection model.

Abstract: In a variable capacity type pump, in the inner diameter of a cam ring, an inner diameter of a portion forming a middle section between a suction section and a discharge section in a pump chamber is constituted by a negative slope curve in which an end portion of a suction port is set to be a start point, and a complete round curve and a negative slope curve are connected by a high-order curve.

Abstract: The steps of forming electrodes on one surface of a first substrate, forming electrodes on one surface of a second substrate, said second substrate opposing to said first substrate; preparing a phase boundary of the first substrate, the phase boundary allowing liquid-crystal molecules to align parallel to said substrate; preparing a phase boundary of the second substrate, the phase boundary allowing liquid-crystal molecules to align vertical to said substrate; filling a gap between said first and second substrates with liquid crystal to which a polymerizable material is added; and polymerizing the material added to the liquid crystal are employed. Even when a liquid-crystal cell is relatively thick, a high-speed operation can be achieved, and its response speed is rarely lowered in operation for an intermediate gradation, and the effective aperture ratio is increased.

Abstract: In a variable capacity type pump, in the inner diameter of a cam ring, an inner diameter of a portion forming a middle section between a suction section and a discharge section in a pump chamber is constituted by a negative slope curve in which an end portion of a suction port is set to be a start point, and a complete round curve and a negative slope curve are connected by a high-order curve.

Abstract: An evacuating apparatus having a high energy efficiency when the suction side pressure has reached the ultimate pressure or become a certain degree of vacuum, by decreasing the motive power owing to differential pressure. The evacuating apparatus (100) having a roughing vacuum pump (B) and a booster pump (A), each of which is constituted by a screw vacuum pump, wherein the design pumping speed of the roughing vacuum pump (B) is sufficiently smaller than the design pumping speed of the booster pump (A), but adequate to be operable as the roughing vacuum pump, and the number of turns of screw for the booster pump (A) is less than the number of turns of screw for the roughing vacuum pump (B).

Abstract: This invention provides a hydrophilic membrane wherein a hydrophilic cellulose derivative of a number average molecular weight of 2000˜8000 is adsorbed irreversibly to a hydrophobic membrane of an aromatic polymer. Since an amount of leaching substances is extremely small, the membrane can be used suitably in such fields as medical applications, electronics, etc. where even a quite small quantity of leaching substances from the membranes is limited especially small.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device capable of easily giving a pre-tilt angle to a homeotropic orientation, the method having the steps of: forming a film of homeotropic orientation material on the surface of a substrate, the material being sensitive to ultraviolet ray and having a property of orientating liquid crystal molecules, on an average, vertically to the surface of the film; and applying ultraviolet rays to the film of homeotropic orientation material along a direction tilted from the normal to the surface of the film.

Abstract: A linear motion apparatus is comprised of: a toothed rail (40); a linearly driving mechanism section (50) having a plurality of swinging plates (53), crankshafts (54, 55), and a casing (51); and guiding means for guiding the casing (51) relatively movably with respect to the toothed rail (40). The casing (51) includes: a pair of side portions (61, 62) which are guided by the guiding means on both sides, in a tooth width direction, of the rail (40); a pair of end plate portions (63, 64) which are located on opposite sides, as viewed in a longitudinal direction of the rail (40), of the swinging plates (53) and connect opposite end portions of the pair of side plate portions (61, 62); and a coupling member (521) which is located between the plurality of crankshafts (54, 55) as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the rail and couple intermediate portions of the pair of side plate portions (61, 62). The coupling member (521) is preferably passed through the swinging plates (53).

Abstract: A mutual exclusion control is performed with dynamically, allocated lock variables. A lock request circuit issues a lock acquisition request or an unlock request. A lock identifying information holding circuit holds an identifying information related to a currently valid lock. A lock identifying information comparing circuit judges whether or not a lock identifying information from the lock request circuit is included in the lock identifying information holding circuit. A lock identifying information updating circuit updates the lock identifying information holding circuit on the basis of the request from the lock request circuit.

Abstract: A rotary motion to longitudinal motion converting mechanism comprising a passive rack with a plurality of teeth, a plurality of active racks respectively having a plurality of teeth having the same pitch as that of the teeth of the passive rack and meshing with the passive rack, and a plurailty of rotatable crankshafts respectively having eccentric circular portions different in phase from one another and respectively having the active racks supported on the eccentric circular portions in such a manner that the passive rack is moved in its longitudinal direction through the active racks by rotary motions of the plurality of rotatable crankshafts.