Abstract: A buckle device including: a buckle that is configured to engage with a tongue of a seatbelt device, a cover member that includes a first member and a second member for assembly together, and at which the buckle is provided; an elongated member that is anchored to the first member at a length direction leading end portion of the elongated member, and a retention section that is provided at the first member, and that is configured to engage a portion of the elongated member that is further toward a length direction base end side of the elongated member than the length direction leading end portion.

Abstract: A buckle device including: a buckle that is configured to engage with a tongue of a seatbelt device, a cover member that includes a first member and a second member for assembly together, and at which the buckle is provided; an elongated member that is anchored to the first member at a length direction leading end portion of the elongated member, and a retention section that is provided at the first member, and that is configured to engage a portion of the elongated member that is further toward a length direction base end side of the elongated member than the length direction leading end portion.

Abstract: A webbing take-up device enabling a reduction in size of an overload release mechanism and easy adjustment of an operation torque of the overload release mechanism is provided. In the overload release mechanism of this webbing take-up device, rotary force of a large diameter gear is transmitted to a small diameter gear via plural annular friction springs. The friction springs are disposed between an inner periphery face of a main body portion of the large diameter gear and a tubular portion of the small diameter gear, side by side along an axial direction of the two gears. Consequently, a radial direction enlargement of the large diameter gear and small diameter gear due to space for disposing the friction springs may be restrained. Moreover, the operation torque of the overload release mechanism may be adjusted stepwise by changing the number of the friction springs to be used, in accordance with requirements.

Abstract: A webbing take-up device enabling a reduction in size of an overload release mechanism and easy adjustment of an operation torque of the overload release mechanism is provided. In the overload release mechanism of this webbing take-up device, rotary force of a large diameter gear is transmitted to a small diameter gear via plural annular friction springs. The friction springs are disposed between an inner periphery face of a main body portion of the large diameter gear and a tubular portion of the small diameter gear, side by side along an axial direction of the two gears. Consequently, a radial direction enlargement of the large diameter gear and small diameter gear due to space for disposing the friction springs may be restrained. Moreover, the operation torque of the overload release mechanism may be adjusted stepwise by changing the number of the friction springs to be used, in accordance with requirements.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an expression vector that allows for stable production of N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase 2 in large amounts and a process for production of N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase 2 using the same. The present invention provides a recombinant baculovirus expression vector obtained by incorporating into baculovirus DNA, a DNA fragment having lobster L21 DNA, DNA encoding gp67 signal peptide and DNA encoding the 79th to 883rd amino acids of human N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase 2 in this order in the 5? to 3? direction.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an expression vector that allows for stable production of N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase 2 in large amounts and a process for production of N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase 2 using the same. The present invention provides a recombinant baculovirus expression vector obtained by incorporating into baculovirus DNA, a DNA fragment having lobster L21 DNA, DNA encoding gp67 signal peptide and DNA encoding the 79th to 883rd amino acids of human N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase 2 in this order in the 5? to 3? direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides O-glycan ?2,8-sialyltransferase which has novel substrate specificity and substrate selectivity, and ?-galactoside ?2,6-sialyltransferase which has novel action and substrate specificity. The sialyltransferase of the present invention can be used as a medicament for suppression of cancer metastasis, prevention of virus infection, suppression of inflammatory response, or activation of neural cells.

Abstract: A protein having activities of a human platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase, and represented by an amino acid sequence represented by the following formula (I) or an amino acid sequence having homology therewith; and a DNA encoding the protein: 1 Met Gly Val Asn Gln Ser Val Gly Phe Pro Pro Val Thr Gly Pro His Leu Val Gly Cys Gly Asp Val Met Glu Gly Gln Asn Leu Gln Gly Ser Phe Phe Arg Leu Phe Tyr Pro Cys Gln Lys Ala Glu Glu Thr Met Glu Gln Pro Leu Trp Ile Pro Arg Tyr Glu Tyr Cys Thr Gly Leu Ala Glu Tyr Leu Gln Phe Asn Lys Arg Cys Gly Gly Leu Leu Phe Asn Leu Ala Val Gly Ser Cys Arg Leu Pro Val Ser Trp Asn Gly Pro Phe Lys Thr Lys Asp Ser Gly Tyr Pro Leu Ile Ile Phe Ser His Gly Leu Gly Ala Phe Arg Thr Leu Tyr Ser Ala Phe Cys Met Glu Leu Ala Ser Arg Gly Phe Val Val Ala Val Pro Glu His Arg Asp Arg Ser Ala Ala Thr Thr Tyr Phe Cys Lys Gln Ala Pro Glu Glu Asn Gln Pro Thr Asn Glu Ser Leu Gln Glu Glu Trp Ile Pro Phe Arg Ar

Abstract: A novel megakaryocyte differentiation factor, for example, consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 30; DNA coding for the megakaryocyte differentiation factor, an expression vector comprising the DNA, a host transformed with the expression vector, and a process for production of the megakaryocyte differentiation factor using the host.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an isolated human protein having platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase activity.

Abstract: A novel megakaryocyte differentiation factor, for example, consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 30; DNA coding for the megakaryocyte differentiation factor, an expression vector comprising the DNA, a host transformed with the expression vector, and a process for production of the megakaryocyte differentiation factor using the host.

Abstract: A novel megakaryocyte differentiation factor, for example, consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 30; DNA coding for the megakaryocyte differentiation factor, an expression vector comprising the DNA, a host transformed with the expression vector, and a process for production of the megakaryocyte differentiation factor using the host.The megakaryocyte differentiation factor accelerates differentiation of megakaryocytes in the presence of IL-3, and acts as a thrombopoietin, and therefore an effective medicament to various diseases involving a decrease in platelete.

Abstract: An oxidized phospholipid degrading enzyme is provided, which plays an important role in the oxygen stress preventive mechanism in organisms. The enzyme hydrolyzes a 1-acyl-2-.omega.-carboxyfatty acid acyl-3-phosphatidylcholine as a substrate at the 2-ester bond thereof to form 1-acyl-2-lyso-3-phosphatidylcholine. The activity of the enzyme is slightly enhanced by 4 mM calcium chloride. The molecular mass of the enzyme is 95.+-.5 kDa (by gel filtration). The enzyme is composed of three subunits whose molecular masses have been found to be 29 kDa, 30 kDa and 45 kDa, respectively, by SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis. A gene coding the enzyme is also provided. This gene is important for the synthesis of the enzyme by genetic engineering.

Abstract: This invention relates to an isolated and purified DNA encoding an amino acid sequence which comprises SEQ. ID. NO:3.

Abstract: A novel megakaryocyte differentiation factor, for example, consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 30; DNA coding for the megakaryocyte differentiation factor, an expression vector comprising the DNA, a host transformed with the expression vector, and a process for production of the megakaryocyte differentiation factor using the host. The megakaryocyte differentiation factor accelerates differentiation of megakaryocytes in the presence of IL-3, and acts as a thrombopoietin, and therefore an effective medicament to various diseases involving a decrease in platelete.

Abstract: An oxidized phospholipid degrading enzyme is provided, which plays an important role in the oxygen stress preventive mechanism in organisms. The enzyme hydrolyzes a 1-acyl-2-.omega.-carboxyfatty acid acyl-3-phosphatidylcholine as a substrate at the 2-ester bond thereof to form 1-acyl-2-lyso-3-phosphatidylcholine. The activity of the enzyme is slightly enhanced by 4 mM calcium chloride. The molecular mass of the enzyme is 95.+-.5 kDa (by gel filtration). The enzyme is composed of three subunits whose molecular masses have been found to be 29 kDa, 30 kDa and 45 kDa, respectively, by SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis. A gene coding the enzyme is also provided. This gene is important for the synthesis of the enzyme by genetic engineering.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel megakaryocyte differentiation factors, which are useful as therapeutic agents due to their accelerating effects on the differentiation of megakaryocytes and their thrombopoietic effects. The megakaryocyte differentiation factors of the present invention include the megakaryocyte differentiation factor having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 34. The present invention also provides DNA coding for the megakaryocyte differentiation factors of the present invention, expression vectors containing the DNA, hosts transformed with the expression vectors, and processes for production of the megakaryocyte differentiation factors using transformed hosts. The present invention further provides specific antibodies to the megakaryocyte differentiation factors of the present invention.

Abstract: Disclosed is a human TNF derivative with a reduced tendency to cause adverse side effects that is obtained by replacing the 31st and 32nd arginine residues from the N-terminal of the amino acid sequence of human TNF, which has a potential for causing serious adverse effects, with asparagine residue and threoine residue, respectively, as well as a method of preparing the same utilizing recombinant DNA technology.

Abstract: Disclosed is a human TNF derivative with a reduced tendency to cause adverse side effects that is obtained by replacing the 31st and 32nd arginine residues from the N-terminal of the amino acid sequence of human TNF, which has a potential for causing serious adverse effects, with asparagine residue and threoine residue, respectively, as well as a method of preparing the same utilizing recombinant DNA technology.

Abstract: A method of purifying a polypeptide having a physiological activity such as one having interferon activities from a culture mixture of a microorganism obtained by a recombinant DNA technique and capable of producing the polypeptide is disclosed. The method comprises subjecting the cultured cells to extraction and purification in the presence of a salt of zinc or copper and polyethyleneimine thereby inhibiting decomposition and denaturation of the polypeptide. The extracted polypeptide can be further purified by column chromatographies using a column containing an anion exchange resin, column containing a cation exchange resin and column containing a gel filtration resin.