Abstract: Disclosed are polypeptides which originate from mammal, having L-asparaginase activity. The polypeptides are easily prepared by applying recombinant DNA techniques to DNAs encoding the polypeptides and they exert satisfactory effects in the treatment and/or the prevention for diseases caused by tumor cells dependent on L-asparagine, and cause no substantial serious side effects even when administered to humans in relatively-high dose.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly 1 includes a flywheel 2, a flexible plate 3 and a dynamic damper 4 to reduce the noise of an engine during acceleration of the speed of the engine. The flexible plate 3 connects the flywheel 2 with a crankshaft 5 so as to be able to oscillate in a bending direction. The dynamic damper 4 includes a mass body 13, and a plate 14 which connects the mass body 13 with the flywheel 2 so as to be able to oscillate in a bending direction.

Abstract: The dynamic damper allows for a stable operation of a sub-clutch without complicating a structure of the sub-clutch. A dynamic damper 170 attached to a coupling mechanism 191 for coupling a crankshaft 90 of an engine and an input shaft 9 of a transmission includes a mass member 171, a sub-clutch 173 and an annular rubber member 172. The sub-clutch 173 has a release member 186 which can be directly coupled to an inner peripheral portion of a diaphragm spring 4b and is axially movable, and releases the interlocked relationship between the input shaft 9 and the mass member 171 when the crankshaft 90 and the input shaft 9 are released from each other. The annular rubber member 172 elastically couples the input shaft 9 and the mass member 171 together in a rotating direction when the sub-clutch 173 keeps the interlock relationship between the input shaft 9 and the mass member 171.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly is provided for transmitting torque from a crankshaft 2 to a main drive shaft 3. The flywheel assembly 1 basically includes a first flywheel 4, a second flywheel 5, a damper mechanism 6, a bearing 17 and a flexible plate 41. The flywheel assembly is designed to suppress the transmission of bending vibrations to the second flywheels. The second flywheel 5 is disposed adjacent to a side of the first flywheel 4 which is remote from the crankshaft 2. The damper mechanism 6 elastically couples the first and second flywheels 4 and 5 together in the circumferential direction. The flexible plate 41 is arranged axially between the first and second flywheels 4 and 5 for supporting the second flywheel 5 with respect to the first flywheel 4. The flexible plate 41 is flexible in the bending direction. The bearing 17 is arranged between the flexible plate 41 and one of the first and second flywheels 4 and 5.

Abstract: This invention provides a calcium product which can be absorbed into the living body at a high ratio and which is prepared by extracting calcium from ashes using an acidic aqueous solution, the ashes containing small amounts of oxalic acid and phytic acid and being obtained by calcination of sesame testae.

Abstract: An inertia adding assembly is provided in a coupling mechanism 91 to reduce weight and cost for coupling a crankshaft of an engine to an input shaft of a transmission. The coupling mechanism 91 is basically provided with a flywheel assembly 60, a clutch disk assembly 5, a clutch cover assembly 4 and an inertia adding assembly 70. The clutch disk assembly 5 has a friction facing 5a, a spline hub 5c coupled to an input shaft 9 of a transmission and a damper having a maximum allowable operation angle of .theta..sub.max. The clutch cover assembly 4 is designed to frictionally engage the flywheel 61 with the friction facing 5a. The inertia adding assembly 70 has a mass portion 71 and a sub-clutch 73 for releasing and interlocking the input shaft 9 and the mass portion 71 together. The sub-clutch 73 has a torque transmission capacity smaller than a torque transmitted between the friction facing 5a and the spline hub 5c when the damper attains an angle of .theta..sub.max.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly (1) is provided for transmitting torque from a crankshaft (2) to a main drive shaft (3), and includes a first flywheel (4), a second flywheel (5) and a damper mechanism (6). The damper mechanism (6) is mechanically couples the second flywheel and the first flywheel together, however, the second flywheel is physically disposed between the first flywheel and the damper mechanism such that the damper mechanism may be replaced without removal of the second flywheel from the first flywheel.

Abstract: A dynamic damper 70 allows for a stable operation of a sub-clutch without complicating a structure of the sub-clutch. The dynamic damper 70 of a coupling mechanism 91 for coupling a crankshaft 90 of an engine and an input shaft 9 of a transmission includes a mass member 71, a sub-clutch 73 and an annular rubber member 72. The mass member 71 can rotate in accordance with rotation of the input shaft 9. The sub-clutch 73 has a release member 86 for release, and releases interlocking between the input shaft 9 and the mass member 71 when the crankshaft 90 and the input shaft 9 are released from each other by releasing the biasing state of a pressure plate 4c. The release member 86 is in contact with the pressure plate 4c and moves in accordance with an axial movement of the pressure plate 4c. The annular rubber member 72 elastically couples the input shaft 9 and the mass member 71 in the rotating direction when they are in the interlocked state.

Abstract: A dynamic damper 10 can dampen not only a torsional vibration but also an axial vibration. The dynamic damper 10 can operate in a coupling mechanism 1 to perform an operation interlocked with an input shaft 9 of the transmission. The dynamic damper 10 includes a mass member 11, a sub-clutch 13 and an elastic portion assembly 12. The coupling mechanism 1 has a main clutch 3 which is operatively coupled between a crankshaft 8 of an engine and an input shaft 9. The mass member 11 can selectively rotate with the input shaft 9 upon engagement of the sub-clutch 13. The sub-clutch 13 releases an interlocked relationship between the input shaft 9 and the mass member 11 when the main clutch 3 disengages the crankshaft 8 from the input shaft. The elastic portion assembly 12 includes at least one rubber member, which elastically couples the input shaft 9 and the mass member 11 together in the rotating and axial directions when the sub-clutch 13 interlocks the input shaft 9 and the mass member 11 together.

Abstract: A rotary damper for stabilization of a damping and temperature characteristic without impairing a temperature compensation function and facilitates a lubricating operation. The damper includes a bore for a damping force generating mechanism as a single communication flowpassage and a bore for a temperature compensation mechanism arranged in a line in a casing. The damping force generating mechanism is divided into two sets of damping elements with damping valves and return valves, arranged in series in the communication flowpassage with back surfaces of the damping valves and are oppositely positioned. A portion of the communication flowpassage between the damping valves is communicated with an oil chamber of a temperature compensation mechanism by an oil passage. A side panel is provided with a lubricating port toward the oil chamber of the temperature compensation mechanism.

Abstract: To reduce a frictional resistance generated between undulated ribbon-like springs and outer circumferential walls, a flywheel assembly is composed of a first flywheel 1, a second flywheel 3 and ribbon-like springs 18. A fluid chamber 17 is formed between the second flywheel 3 and the first flywheel 1. The undulated ribbon-like spring 18 is disposed within the fluid chamber 17. In one embodiment, a projecting ring portion 20a that projects beyond the other ring portions 20 is provided so as to contact with an outer circumferential portion 7a of the fluid chamber 17 in order to prevent the remainder of the spring from contacting the portion 7a of the chamber 17. In another embodiment, a mid-portion of the undulated ribbon-like spring is confined to restrict radially outward movement by a plate and axially aligned pins which prevent radial movement of portions of the spring.

Abstract: Insertion of IFN-alpha promoters in recombinant DNAs improves their expression efficiencies for useful polypeptides. Expression of such a recombinant DNA in host cells of mammalian origin is artificially controllable by the presence and absence of external stimuli using IFN-alpha inducers. Thus, transformants with such a recombinant DNA readily increase to a maximized cell density with causing neither damages nor extinction due to polypeptides they produce, and subsequent exposure to IFN-alpha inducers allows the proliferated cells to efficiently produce polypeptides with significant glycosylations.

Abstract: A viscous resistance generation mechanism includes a first flywheel, a plurality of sliders and a driven plate. The first flywheel includes an arcuate fluid filled chamber, with the plurality of sliders disposed within the fluid filling chamber and movable in the circumferential direction. The driven plate is formed with a plurality of protrusion which are inserted into each of the plurality of sliders. The plurality of sliders are connected to the driven plate, and the interior of each of said sliders is sealed from the fluid filled chamber. Small torsional vibrations are dampened by large gaps between the fluid filled chamber and the plurality of sliders, and large torsional vibrations are dampened by small gaps between the plurality of protrusions and the interior of each of the plurality of sliders.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly comprises a first flywheel connectable to an engine, a second flywheel, and an inter-flywheel viscous damping mechanism, providing viscous damping through a fluid of flywheel torsional vibrations. The second flywheel is rotatably supported on the first flywheel and has a friction facing on which a friction material presses. The second flywheel includes an annular capturing channel provided radially inward of the friction facing for capturing fluid from leakage driven on the friction facing side by centrifugal force, and a plurality of through-holes, extending from the capturing channel to a space between the flywheels, for guiding fluid captured by the capturing channel to the space.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ophthalmic composition comprising a sleep inducing substance or a sleep inhibiting substance, and the sleep inducing substance or the sleep inhibiting substance is derived from an organism. Thus, the invention provides an ophthalmic composition comprising a sleep adjusting substance which normalizes irregularity of the rhythm of sleep and a liquid ophthalmic medicament comprising the composition, the composition and the medicament being safe and obtainable by anyone, and a method for regulating the rhythm of sleep comprising instilling the ophthalmic medicament including the sleep adjusting substance to an individual.

Abstract: A fluid viscous damper mechanism (4) used in a flywheel assembly includes a first flywheel (1) and a second flywheel (3) which are connected for limited rotary displacement therebetween. The displacement of the two flywheels is defined within a first displacement range and a second displacement range, where the second range is greater than the first range. The flywheels form therebetween a plurality of fluid flow chambers. Disposed between a first and a second of the flow chambers is a sub-choke (S1). Disposed between a third and a fourth of the flow chambers is a main choke (S2). In one embodiment, the sub-choke (S1) produces a predetermined fluid flow resistance force in response to displacement between the flywheels in the first displacement range. The main choke (S2) produces a gradually increasing fluid flow resistance force in response to displacement between the flywheels in the second displacement range.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly includes a first flywheel having an annular wall on its outer peripheral portion, a seal plate fixed to the outer peripheral portion to form an annular space between the first flywheel and the seal plate, a driven plate arranged to freely rotate relative to the first flywheel within the annular space, an elastic coupling mechanism arranged inside the annular space which elastically connects the first flywheel and the driven plate circumferentially, and a viscous dampening mechanism. The viscous dampening mechanism is formed adjacent to the outer peripheral portion inside the annular space and has a fluid filled chamber. The driven plate includes a plurality of protrusion, each one of the protrusions extending into one of the fluid filled chambers. The viscous portion has a choke formed inside the fluid filled chamber that passes fluid while the first flywheel and driven plate rotate relative to each other.

Abstract: The device relates to a viscous torsional vibration dampening device for a flywheel mechanism and includes a flywheel (1), drive plates (14), driven plates (15), and a fluid filled chamber housing 18. The drive plates 14, the chamber housing and the flywheel are coupled to one another and rotate together. Within the chamber housing is a first slider cap (30) that forms a first choke between an inner surface of the chamber housing and is arranged to freely move circumferentially inside the liquid chamber. With the first slider cap (30) is a second slider cap (31). The second slider cap (31) is arranged to freely move circumferentially within the confines of the first slider cap (30). A second choke is defined between an inner surface of the first slider cap and an outer surface of the second slider cap that has a fluid path area smaller than that of the first choke.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly comprises a first flywheel connectable to an engine, a second flywheel, and an inter-flywheel viscous damping mechanism, providing viscous damping through a fluid of flywheel torsional vibrations. The second flywheel is rotatably supported on the first flywheel and has a friction facing on which a friction material presses. The second flywheel includes an annular capturing channel provided radially inward of the friction facing for capturing fluid from leakage driven on the friction facing side by centrifugal force, and a plurality of through-holes, extending from the capturing channel to a space between the flywheels, for guiding fluid captured by the capturing channel to the space.

Abstract: A cognition enhancer comprising, as an effective ingredient, a bicyclic compound containing nitrogen atom having the general formula (I): ##STR1## or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof.