Abstract: A polypeptide represented by SEQ. ID No. 13 and a gene encoding the polypeptide. A gene is also represented by SEQ. ID No. 17, or a gene hybridizable thereto under stringent conditions and encoding a polypeptide which improves the efficiency of gene transfer into target cells with a retrovirus.

Abstract: A tapered roller bearing includes a retainer formed with a plurality of trapezoidal pockets. Each pocket includes cutouts formed in the crossbars defining each pocket near the narrow end thereof. A tapered roller is received in each pocket with its small-diameter end facing the narrow end of the pocket. Lubricating oil flowing into the bearing space defined radially inwardly of the retainer can quickly flows through the cutouts into the bearing space defined radially outwardly of the retainer at the narrow end of each pocket. Thus, it is possible to reduce the amount of lubricating oil flowing along the raceway of the inner ring to the large-diameter flange, and thus reduce the amount of lubricating oil remaining in the bearing, thereby reducing the torque loss due to rotational resistance of the bearing resulting from lubricating oil remaining in the bearing.

Abstract: [PROBLEM] To provide a medicine dispensing/packaging apparatus capable of smoothly dispensing and packaging tablets for each package despite the fact that it is simple in structure and low in cost. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] This medicine dispensing/packaging apparatus comprises a tablet feed means (2), a carrying means (27), a supporting means (58), and a dispensing/packaging means (4). The tablet feed means (2) is formed by continuously connecting, to each other, tablet storage parts (7) storing packages of tablets and having openable bottom plates (13) rotatably about pivot shafts, and the bottom plates (13) are rotated about one side of the continuously connecting direction. The carrying means (27) converts the direction of the tablet feed means (2) at least in the vertical lower direction after carrying the tablet feed means (2) horizontally to the opposite side of the rotating center of the bottom plate (13).

Abstract: Diffusion of water or oxygen present in the dielectric protection film is restrained by eliminating free oxygen in an oxide thin film while maintaining the characteristics of a dielectric protection film. As the dielectric material for forming a dielectric protection film for an optical disc or the like, an oxide mixture thin film of a niobium oxide and one of a silicon oxide and a titanium oxide is used. In a preferable example, a target made of a niobium oxide as the main component with 1 to 30% by weight of a silicon oxide added is used for formation of an oxide thin film by sputtering. Moreover, the oxide thin film is formed preferably in a nitrogen atmosphere. A nitrogen containing oxide thin film is produced by carrying out sputtering using a target with the oxygen lacked and a minute amount of nitrogen added. Thereby, a thin film having little reducing function and a high barrier property while having the characteristics comparable to a complete oxide can be produced.

Abstract: A polypeptide represented by SEQ. ID No. 13, a polypeptide represented by SEQ. ID No. 30 or functional equivalents thereof and a polypeptide represented by SEQ. ID No. 17.

Abstract: A storing unit stores a regular telephone number of a user and a provisional telephone number corresponding to the regular telephone number. An acquiring unit acquires a provisional telephone number of a receiver and a regular telephone number of a caller who called at the provisional telephone number of the receiver. A searching unit searches a regular telephone number corresponding to the provisional number of the receiver from the storing unit. A call establishing unit establishes a call between the caller and the receiver corresponding to the regular telephone number searched.

Abstract: A cleaning brush can prevent “image deletion” and “toner filming” attributable to uneven wear, a streak, an injury, etc. on an image bearing member caused by endurance, and a streak on the image bearing member or the like surface-roughened for the purposes of a long life and a high quality of image. In an image forming apparatus provided with the cleaning brush for removing any untransferred toner residual on the image bearing member, that portion of the cleaning brush which is in contact with the image bearing member is constituted by at least two kinds of hairs having different thicknesses, and the deformation resistivity ? of that portion of each hair which is in contact with the image bearing member is set to 1.15 N or greater.

Abstract: An image forming system which enables a service person to accurately and promptly replace or adjust a faulty component part of an image forming apparatus at the occurrence of a malfunction or during a periodic inspection. An external storage device stores to-do items and reference data. A service person performs a malfunction-correcting operation according to each to-do-item sent from the central control unit in response to his request via the image forming apparatus. Upon receipt of data input by the service person according to the to-do-item, the central control unit generates a synthetic data of the input data and the reference data. Based on the synthetic data, the service person determines whether or not a malfunction is corrected or the present to-do-item is cleared, and performs part replacement/adjustment, if necessary, to input new check/measurement data, which is sent to the central control unit again. This process is continued until the malfunction is corrected.

Abstract: A card case accommodates a card or the like in a hollow portion formed as a result of attachment of a cover member to a bottom member. The cover member has such a structure as to allow reversal of its opposite sides in its attachment to the bottom member. Reversal of the opposite sides of the cover member changes the depth of a planar recess portion of the cover member, the planar recess portion partially constituting the hollow portion. Accordingly, the card case can cope with encapsulation of cards of different thicknesses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication system, and the invention specifically provides a contents server that appropriately stores media contents from group users in a PoC service and a conference service. The contents server includes: a recording unit that records media information from plural users in a communicatable state participating in a predetermined group, for each group; a detecting unit that detects a communicatable state or an uncommunicatable state of each participating user, at each predetermined time; and a deleting unit that deletes confirmed media information already recorded in the recording unit, upon detecting that all the participating users are in the communicatable state.

Abstract: A fluidized bed apparatus includes a fluidizing container, a porous plate, a lower spray nozzle, a bag filter, an upper spray nozzle, a backwash nozzle, and a backwash nozzle elevator. The fluidizing container is formed in an inverted truncated conical cylindrical shape. The porous plate is provided so as to block a lower opening of the fluidizing container. The lower spray nozzle jets out air into the fluidizing container via the porous plate. The bag filter is provided at an upper opening of the fluidizing container. The upper spray nozzle sprays spray liquid downward. The backwash nozzle sweeps away powder particulates adhered to the bag filter by jetting out air from the outside of the bag filter toward the inside and is moved up and down by the backwash nozzle elevator. The fluidizing container may be vibrated by a vibrator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member: charging means, including magnetic particles contacted to the image bearing member and a magnetic particle carrying member for carrying the magnetic particles, for charging a surface of the image bearing member; developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member, the developing means including a toner carrying member for carrying toner, and the toner carrying member having an end which is disposed inside an end a magnetic particle carrying region of the charging means; a transfer member for transferring a toner image from the image bearing member onto a toner image receiving member, the transfer member having an end which is inside the end of the magnetic particle carrying region; a cleaning member for removing the toner from the image bearing member after transfer operation of the transfer member, the cleaning member having an end which is outside the end of the magnetic particle carrying region; and

Abstract: A universal method of searching for a nucleic acid capable of effectively inhibiting gene expression; a nucleic acid construct to be used in this method; a vector; and a kit for the above method. This method is characterized in that a nucleic acid construct, which is a nucleic acid construct having a promoter sequence, at least two gene sequences and a poly A signal sequence and in which the above-described at least two gene sequences are transcribed as a single molecule RNA and at least one gene sequence is in the translatable state while at least one gene sequence is encoded in the substantially untranslatable state, is constructed.

Abstract: An alloy material, a thin film and an optical recording medium to achieve various tasks such as maintenance of a high reflectivity, improved corrosion resistance, simplified production of the alloy, and realization of stability and simplicity/easiness of a sputtering process when being used as a sputtering target. An AgPd alloy including Ag as a main component and Pd in the range of 0.5 to 4.9 atomic % is used as a thin film formation use sputtering target material, with the target material a thin film, that is a reflecting film, constituting an optical recording medium is formed and the optical recording medium containing the reflecting film as a constituent is produced.

Abstract: A tapered roller bearing includes a retainer formed with a plurality of trapezoidal pockets. Each pocket includes cutouts formed in the crossbars defining each pocket near the narrow end thereof. A tapered roller is received in each pocket with its small-diameter end facing the narrow end of the pocket. Lubricating oil flowing into the bearing space defined radially inwardly of the retainer can quickly flows through the cutouts into the bearing space defined radially outwardly of the retainer at the narrow end of each pocket. Thus, it is possible to reduce the amount of lubricating oil flowing along the raceway of the inner ring to the large-diameter flange, and thus reduce the amount of lubricating oil remaining in the bearing, thereby reducing the torque loss due to rotational resistance of the bearing resulting from lubricating oil remaining in the bearing.

Abstract: A storing unit stores a regular telephone number of a user and a provisional telephone number corresponding to the regular telephone number. An acquiring unit acquires a provisional telephone number of a receiver and a regular telephone number of a caller who called at the provisional telephone number of the receiver. A searching unit searches a regular telephone number corresponding to the provisional number of the receiver from the storing unit. A call establishing unit establishes a call between the caller and the receiver corresponding to the regular telephone number searched.

Abstract: A sunroof apparatus for a vehicle includes a sunroof panel, a panel holder, a lip member, a sealing member and a lip for wind noise. The panel holder supports the sunroof panel internally relative to a cabin of the vehicle. The lip member is attached to an end portion of the panel holder. The sealing member is attached to the lip member. The lip for wind noise extends from the lip member towards inside of the cabin. An end portion of the lip for wind noise is adapted to lie closer to the sunroof panel than an end portion of the panel holder.

Abstract: A connector holder holds a connector of a flat cable. Cable-folding members are provided on an arrangement path for the flat cable having the connector. The cable-folding member is provided at each of the folding positions of the flat cable that are specified on the arrangement path. The cable-folding member includes a positioning section for disposing the flat cable on the arrangement path and a direction-defining section for specifying a folding angle of the flat cable F in association with the positioning section. A successive folding apparatus and a successive folding method can enhance accuracies in dimension and operation in a successive folding process of a flat cable F.

Abstract: A cleaning brush can prevent “image deletion” and “toner filming” attributable to uneven wear, a streak, an injury, etc. on an image bearing member caused by endurance, and a streak on the image bearing member or the like surface-roughened for the purposes of a long life and a high quality of image. In an image forming apparatus provided with the cleaning brush for removing any untransferred toner residual on the image bearing member, that portion of the cleaning brush which is in contact with the image bearing member is constituted by at least two kinds of hairs having different thicknesses, and the deformation resistivity ? of that portion of each hair which is in contact with the image bearing member is set to 1.15N or greater.

Abstract: A polypeptide represented by SEQ. ID No. 13, a polypeptide represented by SEQ. ID No. 30 or functional equivalents thereof and a polypeptide represented by SEQ. ID No. 17.