Promoter engineering of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RIM15 gene for improvement of alcoholic fermentation rates under stress conditions.

A loss-of-function mutation in the RIM15 gene, which encodes a Greatwall-like protein kinase, is one of the major causes of the high alcoholic fermentation rates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae sake strains closely related to Kyokai no. 7 (K7). However, impairment of Rim15p may not be beneficial under more severe fermentation conditions, such as in the late fermentation stage, as it negatively affects stress responses.

Chondrocyte spheroids on microfabricated PEG hydrogel surface and their noninvasive functional monitoring.

A two-dimensional microarray of 10 000 (100 × 100) chondrocyte spheroids was constructed with a 100 m spacing on a micropatterned gold electrode that was coated with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels. The PEGylated surface as a cytophobic region was regulated by controlling the gel structure through photolithography. In this way, a PEG hydrogel was modulated enough to inhibit outgrowth of chondrocytes from a cell adhering region in the horizontal direction, which is critical for inducing formation of three-dimensional chondrocyte aggregations (spheroids) within 24 h.

Vitamin D receptor polymorphism among rickets children in Mongolia.

Background: It was reported that 32% of children under five years old in Mongolia had symptoms of rickets. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism has received attention in relation to bone metabolism. We therefore investigated whether VDR polymorphism is related to high prevalence of rickets in Mongolia and to bone properties in childhood.

Association of swaddling, rickets onset and bone properties in children in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Objectives: To examine the influence of duration of completely or partially wrapped swaddling on rickets onset and bone properties in children of school age.

Study Design: Case-control study.

Methods: Subjects were 73 children aged 7-10 years with a history of rickets (cases) and 70 children with no history of rickets (controls) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.