Abstract: There has been a demand for a novel antisense nucleic acid or the like capable of inhibiting myostatin at the mRNA level. The present invention provides a specific antisense oligomer which allows exon 2 skipping in the myostatin gene or induces degradation of mRNA of the myostatin gene.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for measuring senescence of a test subject, including a step of measuring a level of taurine modification of mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR) in a biological sample isolated from a test subject, by a reverse transcription reaction from a primer with the tRNALeu(UUR) as a template. In addition, the present invention also provides a senescence determining drug containing a primer containing a base sequence consisting of 10-25 bases and complementary to the mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR). Furthermore, the present invention also provides a senescence determining kit containing a primer containing a base sequence consisting of 10-25 bases and complementary to the mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR) and a reverse transcriptase. Moreover, the present invention also provides an agent for improving a taurine modification rate of mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR), containing taurine as an active ingredient.

Abstract: There has been a demand for a novel antisense nucleic acid or the like capable of inhibiting myostatin at the mRNA level. The present invention provides a specific antisense oligomer which allows exon 2 skipping in the myostatin gene or induces degradation of mRNA of the myostatin gene.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of treating movement disorders by administering an effective amount of one or more adenosine A2A receptor antagonists to a patient in need thereof. The present invention also provides methods of decreasing the adverse effects of L-DOPA in patients receiving L-DOPA therapy in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The present invention further provides methods and compositions for treating Parkinson's disease patients with sub-clinically effective doses of L-DOPA by combining L-DOPA treatment with an effective amount of one or more adenosine A2A receptor antagonists (i.e., L-DOPA sparing effect). The present invention further provides methods of effective treatment of Parkinson's disease by co-administering at least one adenosine A2A receptor antagonist, L-DOPA and a dopamine agonist and/or a COMT inhibitor and/or a MAO inhibitor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of treating movement disorders by administering an effective amount of one or more adenosine A2A receptor antagonists to a patient in need thereof. The present invention also provides methods of decreasing the adverse effects of L-DOPA in patients receiving L-DOPA therapy in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The present invention further provides methods and compositions for treating Parkinson's disease patients with sub-clinically effective doses of L-DOPA by combining L-DOPA treatment with an effective amount of one or more adenosine A2A receptor antagonists (i.e., L-DOPA sparing effect). The present invention further provides methods of effective treatment of Parkinson's disease by co-administering at least one adenosine A2A receptor antagonist, L-DOPA and a dopamine agonist and/or a COMT inhibitor and/or a MAO inhibitor.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus is provided with a controller. When a photographing lens is attached to a camera body and a power switch is turned from ON to OFF, a drive motor first moves a diaphragm device to a minimum aperture, and thereafter the drive motor is switched from power ON to OFF. Thus, any damage to the inside of camera body due to sunlight entering into the opening of the diaphragm device can be prevented, and also the structure of camera body can be simplified by reducing the number of parts.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of treating movement disorders by administering an effective amount of one or more adenosine A2A receptor antagonists to a patient in need thereof. The present invention also provides methods of decreasing the adverse effects of L-DOPA in patients receiving L-DOPA therapy in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The present invention further provides methods and compositions for treating Parkinson's disease patients with sub-clinically effective doses of L-DOPA by combining L-DOPA treatment with an effective amount of one or more adenosine A2A receptor antagonists (i.e., L-DOPA sparing effect). The present invention further provides methods of effective treatment of Parkinson's disease by co-administering at least one adenosine A2A receptor antagonist, L-DOPA and a dopamine agonist and/or a COMT inhibitor and/or a MAO inhibitor.

Abstract: Methods of treating movement disorders by administering an effective amount of one or more adenosine A2A receptor antagonists to a patient in need thereof and methods of decreasing the adverse effects of L-DOPA in patients receiving L-DOPA therapy in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Also, methods and compositions for treating Parkinson's disease patients with sub-clinically effective doses of L-DOPA with an effective amount of one or more adenosine A2A receptor antagonists, optionally with a dopamine agonist and/or a COMT inhibitor and/or a MAO inhibitor.

Abstract: A sequential shooting controller includes both high and low load drive modes, and first and second power-voltage detectors. The high/low load drive modes drive a device under high/low loads. The first power-voltage detector detects a power-voltage by connecting a load. The second power-voltage detector detects the voltage across the device. The first power-voltage detector is actuated at the beginning of sequential shooting before a first image capturing operation starts. The high load image capturing operation starts when the voltage detected by the first power-voltage detector is higher than a first threshold. The low load image capturing operation starts when the voltage detected by the first power-voltage detector is lower than the first threshold. The second power-voltage detector is driven during a high load image capturing operation. The second power-voltage detector is disabled during a low load image capturing operation.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus is provided in a camera body, in which a controller drives a stepping motor to move the slider away from an origin position, thereafter drives the stepping motor in the opposite direction toward the origin position, and thereafter detects the slider position after holding the stepping motor for a first waiting time upon a distance from the slider to the origin position becoming less than slider-moving distance for one step of the stepping motor. The controller causes the stepping motor to enter a free state upon a lapse of the first waiting time and detects the slider position upon a lapse of a second waiting time to set an initial excitation pattern from a difference between the slider position detected during the first waiting time and the slider position detected in the free state thereof and from the moving distance of the slider.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor, a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw, a position detector, and a controller. When the stepping motor is in a free state, the slider allows a diaphragm operatively-associated rod to move to an initial position. The controller detects the slider origin position when the stepping motor is in the free state and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider away from the origin position against a biasing force of a resilient biaser, and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider toward the origin position while detecting the slider position; and sets an initial excitation pattern of the stepping motor upon a distance from the detected slider position to the origin position becoming less than a slider moving distance for one step of the stepping motor.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor; a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw; a position detector; and a controller. When driving the stepping motor by a predetermined number of steps in a direction to move the slider away from an origin position, the controller detects the slider position before driving the stepping motor stepwise as the origin position via the position detector, and thereafter detects a stepping position of the slider to compare the stepping position with the origin position each time the stepping motor is driven by one step, and counts the number of steps based from the moment at which the stepping position of the slider exceeds a predetermined position in the direction to move the slider away from the origin position against the biasing force of the resilient biaser.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor; a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw; a position detector; and a controller. When driving the stepping motor by a predetermined number of steps in a direction to move the slider away from an origin position, the controller detects the slider position before driving the stepping motor stepwise as the origin position via the position detector, and thereafter detects a stepping position of the slider to compare the stepping position with the origin position each time the stepping motor is driven by one step, and counts the number of steps based from the moment at which the stepping position of the slider exceeds a predetermined position in the direction to move the slider away from the origin position against the biasing force of the resilient biaser.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus is provided in a camera body, in which a controller drives a stepping motor to move the slider away from an origin position, thereafter drives the stepping motor in the opposite direction toward the origin position, and thereafter detects the slider position after holding the stepping motor for a first waiting time upon a distance from the slider to the origin position becoming less than slider-moving distance for one step of the stepping motor. The controller causes the stepping motor to enter a free state upon a lapse of the first waiting time and detects the slider position upon a lapse of a second waiting time to set an initial excitation pattern from a difference between the slider position detected during the first waiting time and the slider position detected in the free state thereof and from the moving distance of the slider.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor, a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw, a position detector, and a controller. When the stepping motor is in a free state, the slider allows a diaphragm operatively-associated rod to move to an initial position. The controller detects the slider origin position when the stepping motor is in the free state and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider away from the origin position against a biasing force of a resilient biaser, and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider toward the origin position while detecting the slider position; and sets an initial excitation pattern of the stepping motor upon a distance from the detected slider position to the origin position becoming less than a slider moving distance for one step of the stepping motor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of treating movement disorders by administering an effective amount of one or more adenosine A2A receptor antagonists to a patient in need thereof. The present invention also provides methods of decreasing the adverse effects of L-DOPA in patients receiving L-DOPA therapy in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The present invention further provides methods and compositions for treating Parkinson's disease patients with sub-clinically effective doses of L-DOPA by combining L-DOPA treatment with an effective amount of one or more adenosine A2A receptor antagonists (i.e., L-DOPA sparing effect). The present invention further provides methods of effective treatment of Parkinson's disease by co-administering at least one adenosine A2A receptor antagonist, L-DOPA and a dopamine agonist and/or a COMT inhibitor and/or a MAO inhibitor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of treating movement disorders by administering an effective amount of one or more adenosine A2A receptor antagonists to a patient in need thereof. The present invention also provides methods of decreasing the adverse effects of L-DOPA in patients receiving L-DOPA therapy in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The present invention further provides methods and compositions for treating Parkinson's disease patients with sub-clinically effective doses of L-DOPA by combining L-DOPA treatment with an effective amount of one or more adenosine A2A receptor antagonists (i.e., L-DOPA sparing effect). The present invention further provides methods of effective treatment of Parkinson's disease by co-administering at least one adenosine A2A receptor antagonist, L-DOPA and a dopamine agonist and/or a COMT inhibitor and/or a MAO inhibitor.

Abstract: A sequential shooting controller includes both high and low load drive modes, and first and second power-voltage detectors. The high/low load drive modes drive a device under high/low loads. The first power-voltage detector detects a power-voltage by connecting a load. The second power-voltage detector detects the voltage across the device. The first power-voltage detector is actuated at the beginning of sequential shooting before a first image capturing operation starts. The high load image capturing operation starts when the voltage detected by the first power-voltage detector is higher than a first threshold. The low load image capturing operation starts when the voltage detected by the first power-voltage detector is lower than the first threshold. The second power-voltage detector is driven during a high load image capturing operation. The second power-voltage detector is disabled during a low load image capturing operation.

Abstract: A battery check device for a portable electronic apparatus, such as a digital camera, for example, can selectively use a plurality of types of batteries. The battery check device comprises a battery determining processor that determines a type of battery, when the battery is mounted in the portable electronic apparatus. A battery check processor is provided for checking the residual battery power in accordance with the determined battery type for the mounted battery. An indicating processor indicates the plurality of types of batteries that can be mounted in the portable electronic apparatus. The indicating processor further indicates the determined battery type.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an image pickup device which converts incident light of an object image into an electrical signal during an exposure operation; a processor which captures the electrical signal, and thereafter generates a digital image from the electrical signal; a battery checking device which performs a battery check process for determining whether a battery voltage of the digital camera is lower than a predetermined voltage level; a controller which forcibly terminates the exposure operation when the battery checking device determines that the battery voltage drops below the predetermined voltage level during the exposure operation, and subsequently makes the processor start capturing the electrical signal in order to generate a backup digital image; and a warning device which warns a user that the exposure operation is forcibly terminated due to a shortage of the battery voltage and that the backup digital image is underexposed, in the case where the exposure is forcibly terminated.