Fabrication of Perfluoropolyether Microfluidic Devices Using Laser Engraving for Uniform Droplet Production.

A perfluoropolyether (PFPE)-based microfluidic device with cross-junction microchannels was fabricated with the purpose of producing uniform droplets. The microchannels were developed using CO laser engraving. PFPE was chosen as the main material because of its excellent solvent resistance.

Multicolor Two-Photon Microscopy Imaging of Lipid Droplets and Liver Capsule Macrophages In Vivo.

Lipid droplets (LDs) store energy and supply fatty acids and cholesterol. LDs are a hallmark of chronic nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Recently, studies have focused on the role of hepatic macrophages in NAFLD.

Microfluidic Bioreactor with Fibrous Micromixers for In Vitro mRNA Transcription.

A new type of microfluidic bioreactor with fibrous micromixers for the ingredient mixing and a long macrochannel for the in vitro transcription reaction was fabricated for the continuous production of mRNA. The diameter of the fibrous microchannels in the micromixers was tuned by using an electrospun microfibrous disc with different microfiber diameters. The micromixer with a larger diameter of fibrous microchannels exhibited a better mixing performance than the others.

Advances in small molecule two-photon fluorescent trackers for lipid droplets in live sample imaging.

Two-photon fluorescent trackers for monitoring of lipid droplets (LDs) would be highly effective for illustrating the critical roles of LDs in live cells or tissues. Although a number of one-photon fluorescent trackers for labeling LDs have been developed, their usability remains constrained in live sample imaging due to photo damage, shallow imaging depth, and auto-fluorescence. Recently, some two-photon fluorescent trackers for LDs have been developed to overcome these limitations.

Dysregulation of the Acrosome Formation Network by 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) in Infertile Sperm: A Case Report with Advanced Techniques.

8-Hydroxyguanine (8-oxoG) is the most common oxidative DNA lesion and unrepaired 8-oxoG is associated with DNA fragmentation in sperm. However, the molecular effects of 8-oxoG on spermatogenesis are not entirely understood. Here, we identified one infertile bull (C14) due to asthenoteratozoospermia.

Cellhesion VP enhances the immunomodulating potential of human mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation is a promising therapy for regenerative medicine. However, MSCs grown under two-dimensional (2D) culture conditions differ significantly in cell shape from those in the body, with downregulated stemness genes and secretion of paracrine factors. Here, we evaluated the effect of 3D culture using Cellhesion VP, a water-insoluble material composed of chitin-based polysaccharide fibers, on the characteristics of human Wharton's jelly-derived MSCs (hMSCs).

Quantitative analysis of the bilateral coordination and gait asymmetry using inertial measurement unit-based gait analysis.

Inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based gait analysis can be used to quantitatively analyze the bilateral coordination and gait asymmetry (GA). The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in bilateral coordination and GA due to gait speed using an IMU based gait analysis and identify spatiotemporal factors affecting bilateral coordination and GA. Eighty healthy adults (40 men and 40 women) participated in the study.

Addition of amino acid moieties to lapatinib increases the anti-cancer effect via amino acid transporters.

Anti-cancer agents delivered to cancer cells often show multi-drug resistance (MDR) due to expulsion of the agents. One way to address this problem is to increase the accumulation of anti-cancer agents in cells via amino acid transporters. Thus, val-lapatinib and tyr-lapatinib were newly synthesized by adding valine and tyrosine moieties, respectively, to the parent anti-cancer agent lapatinib without stability issues in rat plasma.