Abstract: The present invention relates to novel secretory polypeptides and precursor proteins thereof, which show a high homology to MIA (melanoma inhibitor activity)/CD-RAP (bovine cartilage-derived retinoic acid-sensitive protein); are specifically expressed in the cartilage tissue; and have an effect on the cartilage differentiation. The polypeptides and the DNAs encoding the same can be used for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of bone and joint diseases or pathological angiogenesis. As well, the polypeptides are useful as a reagent for screening a compound that promotes or inhibits the activity of the polypeptides. The antibody to the polypeptides can be used for the detection, quantification, or neutralization of the polypeptide in a test sample fluid. Further by using the promoter of the present invention, a therapeutic protein can be expressed predominantly in the cartilage tissue for a gene therapy.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compound represented by Formula: 1

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel protein belonging to an ADAM family, a partial peptide thereof or a salt thereof, a DNA encoding the protein, a recombinant vector comprising the DNA, a transformant, a method for producing the protein, a medicine comprising the protein or the DNA, an antibody against the protein, a method/kit for screening for a compound or a salt thereof which promotes or inhibits the protease activity or the extracellular metric degrading enzyme activity (preferably, the peptidoglycan degrading enzyme activity) of the protein, a compound obtained by the screening, and a medicine comprising the compound.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a useful and novel G protein-coupled receptor protein and DNA thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed are (1) a polypeptide (I) including the following amino acid sequence (II) in a molecule thereof: TyrAlaGluHisLysSerHisArgGlyGluTyrSerValCys (II) AspSerGluSerLeuTrpValThrAspLysSerSerAlaIle spIleArgGlyHisGlnValThrValLeuGlyGluIleLys ThrGlyAsnSerProValLysGlnTyrPheTyrGluThrArg CysLysGluAlaArgProValLysAsnGlyCysArgGlyIle AspAspLysHisTrpAsnSerGlnCysLysThrSerGlnThr TyrValArgAlaLeuThrSerGluAsnAsnLysLeuValGly TrpArgTrpIleArgIleAspThrSerCysValCysAlaLeu SerArgLysIleGlyArg (2) a DNA sequence coding for the polypeptide described in (1), (3) a vector including the DNA described in (2), (4) a transformant transformed by the vector described in (3), and (5) a process for producing the polypeptide (I) which comprises cultivating the transformant described in (4) in a culture medium to produce and accumulate the polypeptide described in (1) in a culture.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compound represented by Formula: wherein ring A and ring B may be same or different and each is an optionally substituted homocyclic or heterocyclic ring and the like, each R1 may be same or different and is a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, an acyl group, an optionally substituted heterocyclic group or SR2, etc., X1 is a bond, an optionally substituted divalent C1-3 aliphatic hydrocarbon group or —NR3—, etc, X2 is a bond, an optionally substituted divalent C1-3 aliphatic hydrocarbon group, —NR4—, —O— or —S(O)p— (wherein p is 0, 1 or 2), each Y may be same or different and is a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, a halogen atom, a carboxyl group, an acyl group, an optionally substituted hydroxy group, an optionally substituted amino group, SR5, an oxo group, a thioxo group, an optionally substituted imino group, a nitro group, a cyano group, etc.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel protein belonging to an ADAM family, a partial peptide thereof or a salt thereof, a DNA encoding the protein, a recombinant vector comprising the DNA, a transformant, a method for producing the protein, a medicine comprising the protein or the DNA, an antibody against the protein, a method/kit for screening for a compound or a salt thereof which promotes or inhibits the protease activity or the extracellular metric degrading enzyme activity (preferably, the peptidoglycan degrading enzyme activity) of the protein, a compound obtained by the screening, and a medicine comprising the compound. The present protein and a DNA encoding it can be used, for example, as an agent for treating or preventing various diseases such as disc herniation, ischialgia, glomerular nephritis, diabetic nephropathy, hepatic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis or osteopetrosis. In addition, the present antibody can be used for quantitating the present protein in a test solution.

Abstract: A passage extending from the upper pocket to the lower outlet being formed. The lower end of the passage has a receptacle positioned immediately above the outlet. At a location upward of the receptacle, another outlet that opens to one side of the passage is formed. The outlet and the lower outlet are connected to each other via an outlet passage. When a cell phone is dropped in from the upper pocket, it glides down inside the passage and is received by the receptacle established at the lower end. When the wearer of the jacket inserts fingers through the lower outlet and pushes up the receptacle, he can easily push out the cell phone held inside through the outlet, which opens to one side of the passage. The cell phone can be taken out from the lower outlet which is connected to the outlet via an outlet passage.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compound represented by Formula: 1

Abstract: A vibration damping, resinous, open cell cellular body is disclosed. The body has a base material thereof which consists essentially of a mixture of a tri-block copolymer as a combination of polystyrene and vinyl-polyisoprene and an ethylene series resin. In a method of manufacture, the mixture is blended and kneaded with a foaming agent and a crosslinking agent to form a foamable and crosslinkable composition. The composition is heated in a non-airtight mold to foam, thereby forming a cellular body with cells therein. The cellular body is then mechanically deformed to cause cells therein to be interconnected, thereby producing the open cell cellular body.

Abstract: Compounds represented by general formula (1) or salts thereof which have a matrix metalloprotease inhibitory activity and are useful as drugs, wherein the rings A and B represent each an optionally substituted homocycle or heterocycle, etc.; R1s are the same or different and each represents hydrogen, optionally substituted hydrocarbyl, acyl, etc.; X1 represents a bond, optionally substituted divalent aliphatic hydrocarbyl, etc.; X2 represents a bond, optionally substituted divalent aliphatic hydrocarbyl, —O—, etc.; Ys are the same or different represents hydrogen, optionally substituted hydrocarbyl, oxo, etc.; m is 0 or 1; n is an integer of 1 to 3; q1 is an integer of 1 to 2n+4; and q2 is an integer of 0 to 2n+3, provided that q1+q2 is 2n+4.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polypeptide represented by the following amino acid sequence:(Met)n=X=Leu=Ala=Gly=Glu=Ile=Ala=Gly=Val=Asn - Trp=Glu=Ser - Gly=Tyr=Leu=Val=Gly=Ile=Lys=Arg=Gln=Arg=Arg - Leu=Tyr=Cys=Asn - Val=Gly=Ile=Gly=Phe=His=Leu=Gln=Val=Leu=Pro - Asp=Gly=Arg=Ile - Ser=Gly=Thr=His=Glu=Glu=Asn=Pro=Tyr=Ser=Leu - Leu=Glu=Ile=Ser - Thr=Val=Glu=Arg=Gly=Val=Val=Ser=Leu=Phe=Gly - Val=Arg=Ser=Ala - Leu=Phe=Val=Ala=Met=Asn=Ser=Lys=Gly=Arg=Leu - Tyr=Ala=Thr=Pro - Ser=Phe=Gin=Glu=Glu=Cys=Lys=Phe=Arg=Glu=Thr Leu=Leu=Pro=Asn - Asn=Tyr=Asn=Ala=Tyr=Glu=Ser=Asp=Leu=Tyr=Gln - Gly=Thr=Tyr=Ile - Ala=Leu=Ser=Lys=Tyr=Gly=Arg=Val=Lys=Arg=Gly - Ser=Lys=Val=Ser - Pro=Ile=Met=Thr=Val=Thr=His=Phe=Leu=Pro=Arg=Ile wherein n is 0 or 1 and X represents Pro Ala Gly Thr Arg Ala Asn Asn Thr Leu Leu Asp Ser Arg Gly Trp Gly Thr Leu Leu Ser Arg Ser Arg Ala Gly or a fragment thereof (n=0: SEQ ID NO: 1, n=1: SEQ ID NO: 2), a recombinant DNA coding for the polypeptide, a vector containing the recombinant DNA, the preparation of a

Abstract: The present invention provides a polypeptide represented by the following amino acid sequence: ##STR1## wherein n is 0 or 1 and X represents Pro Ala Gly Thr Arg Ala Asn Asn Thr Leu Leu Asp Ser Arg Gly Trp Gly Thr Leu Leu Ser Arg Ser Arg Ala Gly or a fragment thereof (n=0: SEQ ID NO:1, n=1: SEQ ID NO:2), a recombinant DNA coding for the polypeptide, a vector containing the recombinant DNA, the preparation of a transformant carrying the vector, and the production of the polypeptide with the transformant. The use of this peptide in pharmaceutical compositions is also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed are respiratory-deficient yeast except Saccharomyces cerevisiae AH22R.sup.-, said respiratory-deficient yeast being transformed with a DNA containing a gene encoding a protein foreign to yeast and a method for preparing a protein foreign to yeast described above, which comprises culturing the yeast, and producing and accumulating the protein in a culture. The respiratory-deficient yeast of the present invention can produce a higher amount of protein than its parent strain.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for easily preparing .gamma.-Cd(OH).sub.2. The present invention facilitates improvement in the charge/discharge performance and energy density of an alkaline secondary battery having a cadmium electrode including .gamma.-Cd(OH).sub.2. The present invention provides superrapid-chargeable batteries, such as a nickel-cadmium alkaline secondary battery having a cadmium electrode including .gamma.-Cd(OH).sub.2 in which the weight of cadmium hydroxide contained in the negative electrode is 0.95 times as much as the weight of nickel hydroxide contained in the positive electrode, a manganese dioxide-cadmium alkaline secondary battery in which the weight of cadmium hydroxide contained in the negative electrode is not more than 0.84 times as much as the weight of manganese dioxide contained in the positive electrode, and a silver oxide-cadmium alkaline secondary battery in which the weight of cadmium hydroxide contained in the negative electrode is not more than 1.

Abstract: A sealed alkaline secondary battery with a cadmium negative electrode employs a micro-porous separator having circular or elliptic pores, to thereby eliminate the occurrence of internal short-circuiting and to improve the oxygen gas absorption ability of the battery.

Abstract: A DNA sequence wherein a DNA segment coding for a signal peptide of the formula:M-R-S-F-L-L-L-A-L-C-F-L-P-L-A-A-L-Gis bound to the 5' end of a DNA segment coding for human lysozyme, a cell transformed with the above DNA sequence and a process for producing human lysozyme, which comprises cultivating the above cell accumulating human lysozyme in the culture and recovering the same are disclosed.The above techniques make the mass production of human lysozyme useful as pharmaceuticals possible. The present signal peptide is superior to that of hen egg white lysozyme for secretive production of human lysozyme.