Abstract: A method for detecting an abnormal cell based on gene expression analysis, which is useful for cancer diagnosis, is provided. A gene expression analysis method, comprising: measuring the expression level of a transcript of a human MLH1 gene containing the nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 at the 5?-terminus thereof and the expression level of a transcript of a human MLH1 gene containing the nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 at the 5?-terminus thereof, in a biological sample; and comparing the expression levels, thereby detecting a cell positive for microsatellite instability.

Abstract: In a gaming machine, a speaker outputs music at a predetermined time when it is determined that a result of a game satisfies a predetermined condition. A memory stores a program corresponding to a data sheet including a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. The plurality of columns include a reel field being predefined to be associated with the reels and including a command for controlling the reels and a trigger field including a triggering condition for executing a command of a corresponding row in synchronization with the music. A controller determines the result of the game. Each time any one of a plurality of triggering conditions for a plurality of rows is satisfied, the controller controls the reels according to a command of a row having the satisfied triggering condition.

Abstract: An operating efficiency of an observer is considerably restricted since it is not known at which position a culturing cell is disposed among a great number of pieces of holes of a culturing sheet. The culturing sheet is configured by a partitioning wall, a hole isolated by the partitioning wall, a local culturing region formed with plural local culturing region pillars a height of which is lower than that of the partitioning wall at a portion of a bottom face, and identification mark pillars formed at an identification mark region which differs from the culturing region at the bottom face of the hole. An identification mark is prevented from being unable to be optically recognized by adhering a spheroid to the identification mark region by making a diameter and a height of the identification mark pillar smaller than a diameter and a height of the local culturing pillar.

Abstract: In a gaming machine, a speaker outputs music at a predetermined time when it is determined that a result of a game satisfies a predetermined condition. A memory stores a program corresponding to a data sheet including a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns The plurality of columns include a reel field being predefined to be associated with the reels and including a command for controlling the reels and a trigger field including a triggering condition for executing a command of a corresponding row in synchronization with the music. A controller determines the result of the game. Each time any one of a plurality of triggering conditions for a plurality of rows is satisfied, the controller controls the reels according to a command of a row having the satisfied triggering condition.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing member that fixes a toner image on a recording medium; a pressure member that forms a fixing pressure portion between the pressure member and the fixing member by making pressure contact with an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member, the fixing pressure portion being passed through by the recording medium holding an unfixed toner image; a heat supplier that supplies heat to the fixing member; and a thermal diffusion member that diffuses heat on a surface of the fixing member by contact with the fixing member.

Abstract: Provided is a culture sheet which enables a technique for forming a three-dimensional tissue having uniform diameter without applying any chemical on the surface of a culture substrate. On the culture sheet (150) of the culture substrate, a plurality of holes (152) are formed and nanopillars (153), which are capable of controlling the adhesiveness and migration ability of cells, are formed on the bottom surface of each hole (152), said bottom face serving as a culture surface. The culture surface of each hole (151) is provided with a partition wall (152) and the internal nanopillars (153) are formed in the vicinity of the center of the hole (151). Owing to this configuration, the interaction among the disseminated cells can be restricted so that uniformly sized three-dimensional structures of the cells can be formed.

Abstract: Provided are a technique for easily forming a spheroid by three-dimensionally culturing hepatocytes, and a technique for forming a spheroid having a higher expression level of a transporter MRP2 playing a role of biliary excretion than that of a conventional method. In order to solve the above-described problems, the present inventors have found out a condition under which hepatocytes easily form the spheroid on a nanopillar sheet. More specifically, this is related to a concentration of Type I collagen coated onto the NP sheet. Also, they have found out a condition under which an expression level of a gene related to the excretion of the formed spheroid is improved. More specifically, after the spheroid is previously formed, a biological matrix is overlayered thereon.

Abstract: This invention relates to a vaccine for preventing or treating tautopathy, comprising a vector, as an active ingredient, comprising a nucleic acid encoding a mutant tau protein linked to a secretion signal sequence, wherein the vaccine is capable of inducing an antibody against an (optionally phosphorylated) tau protein in a subject in a more sustained manner compared with a case where the mutant tau protein is administered directly.

Abstract: Provided are a prophylactic and therapeutic agent for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis containing an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor and a method of screening for a prophylactic and therapeutic drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using an induced pluripotent stem cell derived from a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Abstract: A particle behavior analysis system includes a calculation section that, regarding a decomposition portion decomposed in accordance with a decomposition method in a range to be analyzed, considers interaction force with another substance that acts on a particle and calculates behavior of the particle, while performing information communication with other devices; and an output processing section that switches output advisability of an analysis result obtained by the calculation section based on priority of the decomposition portion corresponding to the advisability of output processing of the analysis result.

Abstract: It is intended to provide an agent for regulating axon extension during neuranagenesis by regulating ephrin-Eph receptor signaling mechanisms and to provide a mouse having abnormal ephrin-Eph receptor signaling mechanisms. The present invention relates to a regulator of axon extension, comprising an agent for promoting or suppressing the function of ?-chimerin, and to a miffy (mfy) mouse derived from a B6 strain, which displays autosomal recessive inheritance of an abnormal walking trait exhibiting a hopping gait with left-right synchronized movement of limbs and has mutation in an ?-chimerin gene.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning blade member that has a tip abutting a surface of an image carrier so as to remove a residue remaining on the surface of the image carrier; an attaching member that includes a first attachment piece to which a base end of the cleaning blade member is attached, and a second attachment piece which is provided so as to intersect the first attachment piece at a predetermined angle; a housing member to which one of the first attachment piece and the second attachment piece is fixed at both ends along a longitudinal direction thereof; and an external force exerting member that exerts an external force in a direction which intersects a surface of the other one of the first attachment piece and the second attachment piece, which is not fixed to the housing member.

Abstract: An internal residual stress calculating device includes a prediction unit that predicts a temporal variation in deformation which is received by a medium having an image formed thereon from a correcting device correcting a deformation, and a calculation unit that calculates an internal residual stress of the medium having passed through the correcting device on the basis of a relational expression including an elasticity term and a term related to a plastic deformation and the temporal variation in deformation predicted by the prediction unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a culture sheet which enables technology in which three-dimensional tissues with uniform diameter are formed without applying chemicals to the surface of a culture substrate. A plurality of holes are formed on the culture sheet of the substrate, and nanopillars capable of controlling the adhesiveness or migration of a cell are formed on a culture surface that serves as the bottom surface of each of the holes. The culture surface of each of the holes having a structure in which a partition wall is provided, wherein, by forming the internal nanopillars in the vicinity of the center of each of the holes, the interaction of the disseminated cells can be limited to uniform the size of the three-dimensional structures of the cells to be formed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an action between an inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) protein and members of the caspase family of cell death proteases, for example, an interaction of the X chromosome linked IAP (XIAP) and caspase-3, caspase-7 or caspase-9, wherein the IAP regulates the activity of the caspases. The invention provides screening assays for identifying agents that alter the specific association of an IAP such as XIAP, c-IAP-1 or c-IAP-2 and a caspase such as caspase-3 or caspase-7 or a pro-caspase such as pro-caspase-9, or that modulate the activity of a caspase in the presence of an IAP and that regulate the activation of a pro-caspase by an IAP. The invention further provides methods of reducing the severity of a pathologic condition in an individual by administering to the individual an agent that alters the caspase inhibitory activity of an IAP.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming mechanism including: an image carrier containing a lubricant in a photosensitive layer that is formed on a surface of the image carrier, and on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developing section developing the electrostatic latent image into a visible image by a developer that contains the lubricant; and a cleaning member formed with a first layer that contacts the photosensitive layer, and a second layer that is formed of a material having a lower modulus of repulsion elasticity than the first layer and that is layered with the first layer and that does not contact the surface of the image carrier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an action between an inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) protein and members of the caspase family of cell death proteases, for example, an interaction of the X chromosome linked IAP (XIAP) and caspase-3, caspase-7 or caspase-9, wherein the IAP regulates the activity of the caspases. The invention provides screening assays for identifying agents that alter the specific association of an IAP such as XIAP, c-IAP-1 or c-IAP-2 and a caspase such as caspase-3 or caspase-7. The invention also provides screening assays for identifying agents that alter the specific association of an IAP such as XIAP, c-IAP-1 or c-IAP-2 and a pro-caspase such as pro-caspase-9. In addition, the invention also provides methods for identifying agents that modulate the activity of a caspase in the presence of an IAP and that regulate the activation of a pro-caspase by an IAP.

Abstract: A method is provided of playing a broadcast program content, which includes: (a) producing a combination-dependent unique key which is unique to a combination of a tuner unit and a computer unit; and (b) in response to issuance of a real-time play command or a recorded-video playback command from a user, playing a broadcast program content in real-time after transmission thereof from the tuner unit to the computer unit, or playing back recorded data after retrieval thereof from a data storage. In an illustrative embodiment, the produced combination-dependent unique key is outputted into an encryptor of the tuner unit for encryption, and the encrypted digital data is inputted into the computer unit. A decryptor of the computer unit is caused to attempt decryption of the encrypted digital data, using the produced combination-dependent unique key.

Abstract: Provided are a technique for easily forming a spheroid by three-dimensionally culturing hepatocytes, and a technique for forming a spheroid having a higher expression level of a transporter MRP2 playing a role of biliary excretion than that of a conventional method. In order to solve the above-described problems, the present inventors have found out a condition under which hepatocytes easily form the spheroid on a nanopillar sheet. More specifically, this is related to a concentration of Type I collagen coated onto the NP sheet. Also, they have found out a condition under which an expression level of a gene related to the excretion of the formed spheroid is improved. More specifically, after the spheroid is previously formed, a biological matrix is overlayered thereon.

Abstract: The present invention provides a monoclonal antibody displaying excellent specificity against heparan sulfate saccharide chains for the analysis of heparan sulfate saccharide chains specific to dentin. The invention also provides a method of evaluating reproductive dentin using the monoclonal antibody. The anti-heparan sulfate monoclonal antibody reacts against dentin-derived heparan sulfate and in particular the anti-heparan sulfate monoclonal antibody reacts strongly and specifically with uncalcified predentin regions. In the method of evaluating dentin, the antibody is reacted against an isolated dentin-derived sample and the reaction is used in order to evaluate the development of dentin.