Compatibility Evaluation of Non-Woven Sheet Composite of Silk Fibroin and Polyurethane in the Wet State.

SF/polyurethane composite non-woven sheet was fabricated to evaluate the cardiovascular tissue engineering materials in the wet state. The compatibility and microstructure analyses were carried out on the fabricated SF/polyurethane composite non-woven sheet by thermal analysis and solid-state NMR analysis in the wet state. To evaluate the modulus of elasticity, a tensile test was performed and supported with dynamic viscoelasticity and mechanical analysis.

Silk fibroin-Pellethane® cardiovascular patches: Effect of silk fibroin concentration on vascular remodeling in rat model.

Life-threatening cardiovascular anomalies require surgery for structural repair with cardiovascular patches. The biomaterial patch, derived from Bombyx mori silk fibroin (SF), is used as an alternative material due to its excellent tissue affinity and biocompatibility. However, SF lacks the elastomeric characteristics required for a cardiovascular patch.

The effect of a silk Fibroin/Polyurethane blend patch on rat Vessels.

Patch grafts are widely used in various kind of vascular surgeries such as detect repair or dilation of vascular stenosis. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) patches are flexible and handle well, but have shown problems with calcification as they are non-bioabsorbable and therefore permanently remain in the body. It is important to develop an alternative biocompatible patch.

Recombinant Measles AIK-C Vaccine Strain Expressing the prM-E Antigen of Japanese Encephalitis Virus.

An inactivated Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) vaccine, which induces neutralizing antibodies, has been used for many years in Japan. In the present study, the JEV prM-E protein gene was cloned, inserted at the P/M junction of measles AIK-C cDNA, and an infectious virus was recovered. The JEV E protein was expressed in B95a cells infected with the recombinant virus.

Numerical investigation of side emission from large-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers.

For large-area ion-implanted vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), side emission from the edges of a chip disturbs the laser emission of a VCSEL mode, and suppression of it is fundamental. In this paper, we present results of a numerical investigation of the side emission from large-area VCSELs. We have modeled a VCSEL structure by an infinitely broad layer structure with mirror loss at the edge surfaces.

High power density vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with ion implanted isolated current aperture.

We report on GaAs-based high power density vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diodes (VCSELs) with ion implanted isolated current apertures. A continuous-wave output power of over 380 mW and the power density of 4.9 kW/cm have been achieved at 15 °C from the 100-μm-diameter aperture, which is the highest output characteristic ever reported for an ion implanted VCSEL.

Anti-arthritic activity of synthesized chondroitin sulfate E hexasaccharide.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-arthritic effects of synthesized chondroitin sulfate E hexasaccharide (sCSE-6, CAS 866407-73-0), using a type II collagen-induced arthritis model in mice. sCSE-6 was administered subcutaneously on a daily basis to type II collagen (CII)-sensitized mice from day 0 to day 55. The severity of arthritis, as well as the immunohistological features of the arthritic mice, were analyzed.

Development of a fully automated macromolecular crystallization/observation robotic system, HTS-80.

A robotic system has been developed to be used for macromolecular crystallization and observation in typical university laboratories with a research focus on protein crystallography. The system consists of three major parts: a dispenser unit, a storage unit and an observation unit. This system is designed to automatically perform all of the processes involved in crystallization and observation without requiring any manual operations.

IgA nephropathy associated with X-linked thrombocytopenia.

X-Linked thrombocytopenia (XLT) is characterized by congenital thrombocytopenia with small platelets and absence of immunodeficiency; XLT is an allelic variant of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS). Both entities are caused by mutations in the same gene. This study presents the case of an 8-year-old boy with XLT.

End-stage renal failure in a child with X-linked ichthyosis.

We describe an 8-year-old boy who presented with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) associated with X-linked ichthyosis (XLI). At birth, the patient exhibited scaly skin, cryptorchidism, and steroid sulfatase (STS) deficiency. DNA analysis showed deletion of exons 1-10 of the STS gene.