Abstract: Provided is a molded body for dental use, said molded body being made from a polyester resin which as a material for esthetic dentures exhibits excellent fracture resistance and moderate bendability, and which ensures excellent polishability during denture fabrication, and has an alkali resistance which prevents a denture from fracturing due to denture cleaning. This molded body for dental use is made from a polyester resin which is composed of a dicarboxylic acid component containing a terephthalic acid residue, and a glycol component containing a 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residue and a 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residue, wherein the proportions of the terephthalic acid residue, 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residue and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residue in the polyester resin are 30 to 70 mol %, 5 to 25 mol %, and 25 to 50 mol %, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antibody which specifically recognizes three-dimensional structure of an extracellular region of a polypeptide encoded by PERP (p53 apoptosis effector related to PMP-22) gene and binds to the extracellular region. The antibody of the present invention is useful for treatment of various diseases which highly expresses a polypeptide encoded by the PERP gene. Also, a polypeptide encoded by the PERP gene or a cell expressing the polypeptide can be specifically detected by an immunological method using the antibody, so that the antibody is useful for diagnosis of various diseases related to PERP.

Abstract: A toner supplying roller is provided in which a polyurethane foam layer can be obtained without decreasing the reactivity of the polyurethane material, and in which contamination by a catalyst remaining in the polyurethane foam layer is suppressed, so that a good image can be obtained. Moreover, the toner supplying roller has suitable aperture cells in the surface, suitably performs the scraping off of the development residual toner and toner supply between the toner supplying roller and the developing roller, and forms a uniform toner thin film on the developing roller, so that a good image can be obtained. In a toner supplying roller including a polyurethane foam layer that is formed on the mandrel periphery using a polyurethane material including a polyol and a polyisocyanate, the polyol and the polyisocyanate have an amine number of 3 mg KOH/g or more and 15 mg KOH/g or less in total.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antibody which specifically recognizes three-dimensional structure of an extracellular region of a polypeptide encoded by PERP (p53 apoptosis effector related to PMP-22) gene and binds to the extracellular region. The antibody of the present invention is useful for treatment of various diseases which highly expresses a polypeptide encoded by the PERP gene. Also, a polypeptide encoded by the PERP gene or a cell expressing the polypeptide can be specifically detected by an immunological method using the antibody, so that the antibody is useful for diagnosis of various diseases related to PERP.

Abstract: A toner supplying roller is provided in which a polyurethane foam layer can be obtained without decreasing the reactivity of the polyurethane material, and in which contamination by a catalyst remaining in the polyurethane foam layer is suppressed, so that a good image can be obtained. Moreover, the toner supplying roller has suitable aperture cells in the surface, suitably performs the scraping off of the development residual toner and toner supply between the toner supplying roller and the developing roller, and forms a uniform toner thin film on the developing roller, so that a good image can be obtained. In a toner supplying roller including a polyurethane foam layer that is formed on the mandrel periphery using a polyurethane material including a polyol and a polyisocyanate, the polyol and the polyisocyanate have an amine number of 3 mg KOH/g or more and 15 mg KOH/g or less in total.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fusion polypeptide which comprises a polypeptide having G-CSF activity and a polypeptide having TPO activity and DNA which codes for the fusion polypeptide, to a fusion polypeptide in which a polypeptide having G-CSF activity and a polypeptide having TPO activity are fused via a spacer peptide and DNA which codes for the fusion polypeptide and to a polypeptide in which the fusion polypeptide comprising a polypeptide having G-CSF activity and a polypeptide having TPO activity is chemically modified with a polyalkylene glycol derivative. It also relates to an anemia-treating composition containing the fusion polypeptide as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A protein [kidney regeneration factor (KRGF-1)] whose expression is increased at the time of regeneration of damaged tissues in patients with renal diseases is isolated, and a DNA encoding the protein and an antibody recognizing the protein are produced. These materials can be utilized in screening of therapeutic agents for regenerating damaged renal tissues and in diagnosis of renal damage.

Abstract: The present invention provides a physiologically active peptide, a DNA encoding the peptide, an antibody which recognizes the peptide, and application methods thereof useful in screening and developing a therapeutic agent for diseases which accompany infection and inflammation, diseases which accompany abnormal differentiation and proliferation of smooth muscle cells, diseases which accompany abnormal activation of fibroblasts, diseases which accompany abnormal activation of a synovial tissue, diseases which accompany disorder of pancreatic &bgr; cells, diseases which accompany abnormality of osteoblasts or osteoclasts, diseases which accompany abnormal activation of immunocytes, diseases which accompany disorder of a blood vessel, diseases of an eye based on angiogenesis, diseases which accompany neopla, diseases in which linkage to gene regions of a major histocompatibility antigen is confirmed, and the like.

Abstract: Provided are a novel DNA which encodes a selection marker appropriate for the transformation system of filamentous fungi of the genus Monascus and for expression of a recombinant DNA, and a novel DNA which functions as a promoter and a terminator. There is also provided a novel transformation system of filamentous fungi of the genus Monascus, in which filamentous fungi of the genus Monascus is transformed with a vector comprising the DNA encoding the above selection marker and the DNA encoding a desired protein in addition to promoter and terminator sequences to obtain a transformant; culturing the transformant; and isolating at high levels the expression product of the recombinant DNA.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of efficiently screening for steroid sulfatase activity-inhibiting compounds which are useful for the treatment of hormone-dependent diseases such as breast cancer, etc. by causing a test compound to act on cells carrying an introduced steroid sulfatase gene and estimating the inhibiting activity of the compound on the growth of the cells.

Abstract: Provided is an isolated phytase derived from a microorganism. The microorganism is preferably from the genus Monascus. The phytase has a Michaelis constant of 10 to 110 &mgr;M when phytic acid is used as a substrate. A process for producing the phytase is also provided as is an animal feed comprising the phytase. The phytase is preferably isolated from Monascus anka IFO 30873. The phytase has a Km of 107 &mgr;m when phytic acid is used as a substrate, the optimum pH is 2.5, the optimum temperature is 45° C., the molecular weight of the phytase is 140 kDa when measured by gel filtration, and the isolectric point is 5.2 using chromatofocusing.

Abstract: The present invention provides phytases having low Km values for phytic acid, a process for producing the phytases by using a microorganism having the ability to produce and accumulate the phytases and feed containing the phytases.

Abstract: The phytase is preferably isolated from Monascus anka IFO 30873. The phytase has a Km of 20 &mgr;m when phytic acid is used as a substrate, the optimum pH is 6.0, the optimum temperature is 50° C., the molecular weight of the phytase is 120 kDa when measured by gel filtration, and the isolectric point is 4.8 using chromatofocusing.

Abstract: Provided is an isolated phytase derived from a microorganism. The microorganism is preferably from the genus Monascus. The phytase has a Michaelis constant of 10 to 110 &mgr;M when phytic acid is used as a substrate. A process for producing the phytase also is provided, as is an animal feed comprising the phytase.

Abstract: A magnetic card in which a magnetic layer is successfully concealed without lowering the magnetic output of the magnetic layer and giving any restriction to the design of the card. Such a magnetic card can be produced in the following manner. A magnetic layer (magnetic stripe) 12 is formed on a substrate 11 by means of thermal transfer, and a thin film layer 13 is formed, by vacuum deposition or the like, on the entire surface of the substrate 11 including the surface of the magnetic layer 12 to conceal the magnetic layer 12. Patterns, etc. are printed on the surface of the thin film layer 13 to form a print layer 14, and a light-diffractive structure layer 15 is further formed on the print layer 14 of thermal transfer. On the other hand, a print layer 14A is provided on the back surface of the substrate 11, and a reverse side protective layer 16 is further provided on the print layer 14A to cover it.