Abstract: A speaker capable of properly adjusting a spring characteristic with which a voice coil is driven and capable of being driven in large amplitude. When a position control coil wound around a bobbin is at a reference position, both ends of the coil cross a magnetic gap formed between external and internal yokes by a predetermined length and Lorentz forces acting on the front and rear ends are balanced. When the voice coil moves in either forward or rearward direction, lengths of the magnetic gap crossed by the front and rear ends of the control coil are different therebetween, and the vector sum of Lorentz forces acting on the position control coil is opposite in direction from the movement of the voice coil, whereby the voice coil is stably held at the reference position.

Abstract: A speaker capable of properly adjusting a spring characteristic with which a voice coil is driven and capable of being driven in large amplitude. When a position control coil wound around a bobbin is at a reference position, both ends of the coil cross a magnetic gap formed between external and internal yokes by a predetermined length and Lorentz forces acting on the front and rear ends are balanced. When the voice coil moves in either forward or rearward direction, lengths of the magnetic gap crossed by the front and rear ends of the control coil are different therebetween, and the vector sum of Lorentz forces acting on the position control coil is opposite in direction from the movement of the voice coil, whereby the voice coil is stably held at the reference position.

Abstract: An apparatus 11 for estimating internal biological time of a biological individual on the basis of quantity data of a gene product as measured in a specimen sampled from the individual. The apparatus includes circadian oscillatory gene selection means for selecting circadian oscillatory genes whose time-course change in gene product quantity data as measured in standard specimens approximates a cosine curve having a predetermined period; circadian expression curve selection means for selecting, from among a plurality of cosine curves having different phases and sharing a specific period, a circadian expression curve which is similar to the pattern of time-course change in the expression product quantity of each of the above-selected circadian oscillatory genes; and registration means for registering information which identifies the selected circadian expression curve.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a Period2 gene promoter, a construct containing the promoter and a reporter gene, a cell containing the construct, a transgenic animal harboring the construct, and a method for screening a substance which controls expression or oscillatory expression of a biological clock gene. The screening method uses the above cell, a suprachiasmatic nucleus section or peripheral tissue of the above transgenic animal or the above transgenic animal.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a Period2 gene promoter, a construct containing the promoter and a reporter gene, a cell containing the construct, a transgenic animal harboring the construct, and a method for screening a substance which controls expression or oscillatory expression of a biological clock gene. The screening method uses the above cell, a suprachiasmatic nucleus section or peripheral tissue of the above transgenic animal or the above transgenic animal.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a Period2 gene promoter, a construct containing the promoter and a reporter gene, a cell containing the construct, a transgenic animal harboring the construct, and a method for screening a substance which controls expression or oscillatory expression of a biological clock gene.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical compositions having a cholesterol-lowering effect which comprises as the active ingredient a compound having a PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor)&dgr; activating effect or a PPAR&dgr;- and PPAR&ggr;-activating effect or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; pharmaceutical compositions wherein the cholesterol-lowering effect is an LDL-cholesterol-lowering effect; and a method for identifying a compound having a cholesterol-lowering effect characterized by measuring the PPAR&dgr;-activating effect or the PPAR&dgr;- and PPAR&ggr;-activating effect thereof. Means for Solution: It is found out that a compound exerting an excellent cholesterol-lowering effect on higher animals such as humans and ape has an effect of activating PPAR&dgr; or PPAR&dgr; and PPAR&ggr;.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a double clip for office use comprising a clip main body of metal spring sheet bent into an isosceles triangular cross-section, and operating levers of metal wire tiltably and pivotally connected to the clip main body so as to open the apex against the spring force, wherein index caps of synthetic resin serving as knobs are removably fitted on the bent front ends of the levers, thereby providing the double clip itself with an index indicating function in connection with filing and subsequent withdrawal of documents to facilitate the handling of documents while using the index caps as knobs to open and close the clip main body without giving pain to the finger tips of the user.

Abstract: A clamp useful for connecting fluid-conveying hoses and the like to couplings, valves and the like. The clamp is formed of a spring metal strip which has portions of its longitudinal parallel linear edges cut to provide a pair of parallel inclined linear edges such that the original constant width of the strip is gradually reduced toward the longitudinal opposite ends of the strip so that the width of the strip varies in proportion to the bending moment produced in the strip, with the thus narrowed opposite ends being bent in mutually opposed relation to provide operating knobs for forcibly spreading the ring diameter. The spring metal strip thus prepared is then wound into a ring of right circle, with the inclined linear edges abutting against each other along a given length, thereby ensuring uniform bending stress throughout the ring.

Abstract: Hydraulic pliers useful for mounting and dismounting snap rings (otherwise called C-shaped stop rings) of large nominal diameter. They comprise a hand-holdable plier main body having working fluid contained therein, a hydraulic piston mechanism contained in the plier main body and adapted to be moved by hydraulic forces exerted by manual pumping operation effected by gripping action applied from outside, and a working-pin opening and closing mechanism mounted on a plier head for operative connection to the hydraulic piston and adapted to be opened or closed in the same plane and at right angles to the directon of movement of the hydraulic piston as the latter advances. The hydraulic pliers do not require any accessory equipment and are handy to carry. Thus, they are designed to expand or contract snap rings of large diameter lightly and efficiently by their hydraulic force.

Abstract: A C-shaped retaining ring having an open portion and at least two pairs of cutouts formed in the inner peripheral edge or outer peripheral edge of the ring and arranged symmetrically on the opposite sides of the open portion, the ring being uniform in its width and thickness circumferentially thereof. The cutouts are arranged at apexes of an equilateral polygon formed when the ring is loaded as installed on a shaft or in a bore. In addition, the cutouts are separately spaced apart along the peripheral edge of the ring and have a progressively increasing depth toward the open portion. The remaining width of the portion of the ring defining each of the cutouts satisfies the equation: ##EQU1## where b.sub.n is the remaining width, b is the width of the ring, .alpha. is the angle between the center line and the end face of the open portion, and .PSI. is the angle between the center line and the cutout.