Development of iPSC-derived FIX-secreting hepatocyte sheet as a novel treatment tool for hemophilia B treatment.

Background: Hemophilia B is an inherited disorder caused by a mutation in the FIX gene, which results in insufficient blood clotting factor IX (FIX) production from hepatocytes. Currently, there are no treatments for hemophilia B patients. The patients should be continuously administrated with clotting factor concentrates 2-3 times a month to prevent bleeding.

Prime editing with genuine Cas9 nickases minimizes unwanted indels.

Unlike CRISPR-Cas9 nucleases, which yield DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), Cas9 nickases (nCas9s), which are created by replacing key catalytic amino-acid residues in one of the two nuclease domains of S. pyogenesis Cas9 (SpCas9), produce nicks or single-strand breaks. Two SpCas9 variants, namely, nCas9 (D10A) and nCas9 (H840A), which cleave target (guide RNA-pairing) and non-target DNA strands, respectively, are widely used for various purposes, including paired nicking, homology-directed repair, base editing, and prime editing.

Polymers based on thieno[3,4-]pyrrole-4,6-dione and pyromellitic diimide by CH-CH arylation reaction for high-performance thin-film transistors.

Three homopolymers were successfully synthesized by direct CH-CH arylation polymerization of thieno[3,4-]pyrrole-4,6-dione or pyromellitic diimide derivatives affording highly purified polymers with high molecular weights (43.0-174.7 K).

Intermolecular interactions of an isoindigo-based organic semiconductor with various crosslinkers through hydrogen bonding.

Three crosslinkers (1,4-diaminobutane, 1,8-diaminooctane, and 1,6-hexanediol) were selected to produce hydrogen-bonded networks using a simple and effective method. The effects of these crosslinkers on the arrangement of crystalline structures were successfully studied using X-ray diffraction and high-voltage electron microscopy. The hydrogen-bonded isoindigo-based small molecules with 1,4-diaminobutane showed the best performance, with a crystal structure showing long-range order, due to the more suitable length of the 1,4-diaminobutane chain.

Synthesis of Alternating Polyisocyanate Copolymers by Anionic Polymerization for Mimicking Amphiphilic Helical Peptides.

The amphiphilic conformation of α-helical peptides has important biological functions, such as ion transport, antifreeze, and innate immunity, which can be mimicked by alternating polyisocyanate copolymers. We synthesized poly(allyl isocyanate-alt-(S)-(-)-α-methylbenzyl isocyanate (P(AIC-alt-SMBIC)) and ammonium-containing P(AIC-alt-SMBIC) (N-P(AIC-alt-SMBIC)), ensuring the amphiphilic helical conformation. The benzyl group of SMBIC plays an important role in alternating copolymerization with its steric and electron-withdrawing effects, while AIC provides an alkene group capable of introducing a customized functional group.

Self-assembly of POSS-Polystyrene Bottlebrush Block Copolymers on an Angle-Robust Selective Absorber for Enhancing the Purity of Reflective Structural Color.

A facile approach for improving color purity is explored by the introduction of an angle-robust selective absorber (ARSA) into bottlebrush block copolymer (BBCP)-based one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystals (PCs). The BBCPs of poly[(3-(12-(-5-norbornene--2,3-dicarboximido)dodecanoylamino)propyl POSS)--(norbornene--styrene)], P ( = 1-4), with ultrahigh molecular weights ( ∼ 2260 kDa) and low dispersities ( ∼ 1.07) are synthesized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization.

Base editing in human cells with monomeric DddA-TALE fusion deaminases.

Inter-bacterial toxin DddA-derived cytosine base editors (DdCBEs) enable targeted C-to-T conversions in nuclear and organellar DNA. DddA, the deaminase catalytic domain derived from Burkholderia cenocepacia, is split into two inactive halves to avoid its cytotoxicity in eukaryotic cells, when fused to transcription activator-like effector (TALE) DNA-binding proteins to make DdCBEs. As a result, DdCBEs function as pairs, which hampers gene delivery via viral vectors with a small cargo size.

Synthesis and photophysical properties of -alkyl dithieno[3,2-:2',3'-]pyrrole based donor/acceptor-π-conjugated copolymers for solar-cell application.

Two kinds of donor-acceptor π-conjugated copolymer based on poly{[-hexyl-dithieno(3,2-:2',3'-)pyrrole-2,6-diyl]-[isoindigo]} (PDTP-IID) and poly{[-hexyl-dithieno(3,2-:2',3'-)pyrrole-2,6-diyl]-[thiazol-2,5-diyl]} (PDTP-Thz) were investigated. These copolymers were synthesized a Stille coupling reaction. The results showed the structure-property relationships of different donor-acceptor (D-A) combinations.

BMP4 signaling plays critical roles in self-renewal of R2i mouse embryonic stem cells.

Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) can be maintained in a pluripotent state under R2i culture conditions that inhibit the TGF-β and ERK signaling pathways. BMP4 is another member of the TGF-β family that plays a crucial role in maintaining the pluripotency state of mESCs. It has been reported that inhibition of BMP4 caused the death of R2i-grown cells.

Electrochemical properties of an activated carbon xerogel monolith from resorcinol-formaldehyde for supercapacitor electrode applications.

Activated carbon xerogel monoliths were prepared from resorcinol and formaldehyde a catalyst-free and template-free hydrothermal polycondensation reaction, followed by pyrolysis and activation. The ratio of resorcinol (R) to distilled water (W) was varied to afford an interconnected pore structure with controlled pore size, while the pyrolysis temperature was optimized to give high specific surface area. Activation was carried out at 700 °C after soaking the samples in 6 M KOH aqueous solution.

Targeted A-to-G base editing in human mitochondrial DNA with programmable deaminases.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) editing paves the way for disease modeling of mitochondrial genetic disorders in cell lines and animals and also for the treatment of these diseases in the future. Bacterial cytidine deaminase DddA-derived cytosine base editors (DdCBEs) enabling mtDNA editing, however, are largely limited to C-to-T conversions in the 5'-TC context (e.g.

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Secreting Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improve Outcomes in Rett Syndrome Mouse Models.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe X-linked dominant neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 () gene; regulates the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor () and increasing BDNF levels ameliorates RTT symptoms. However, the clinical application of BDNF is limited, because of its short half-life and low penetrance across the blood-brain barrier. In this study, we generated BDNF-secreting mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from the human umbilical cord cells, using CRISPR-Cas9.

Clathrate Hydrate Inhibition by Polyisocyanate with Diethylammonium Group.

Polymers containing amide groups have been used as kinetic hydrate inhibitors (KHIs). The amide group has good performance for hydrate nucleus adsorption, resulting in inhibition of hydrate growth. Polyisocyanates composed of an amide backbone can be KHI candidates; however, the use of polyisocyanates as KHIs has not yet been reported.

Preparation of a polymer nanocomposite via the polymerization of pyrrole : biphenyldisulfonic acid : pyrrole as a two-monomer-connected precursor on MoS for electrochemical energy storage.

We prepared a poly(pyrrole : biphenyldisulfonic acid : pyrrole (Py:BPDSA:Py)) nanocomposite of molybdenum disulfide (MoS), P(Py:BPDSA:Py)-MoS, with high crystallinity. The composite is synthesized by oxidative polymerization of Py:BPDSA:Py as a two-monomer-connected precursor (TMCP) linked by ionic bonding on a molybdenum disulfide (MoS) monolayer. The chemical, structural and morphological characterization of this composite is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Impact of N-Substituent and p of Azole Rings on Fuel Cell Performance and Phosphoric Acid Loss.

The influence of N-substituent and p of azole rings has been investigated for the performance of high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs). Imidazole, benzimidazole, and triazole groups were functionalized on the side chains of poly(phenylene oxide), respectively. Each azole group is categorized by their N-substituent into two types: unsubstituted and methyl-substituted azoles.

Solution-State Long-Range Molecular Ordering in Poly(3-hexylthiophene).

A blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and poly(-hexyl isocyanate--2-vinylpyridine) (PHIC--P2VP) in a common solvent shows the formation of long-range (micrometer-scale) nanowires of P3HT through hydrophobic interactions between the hexyl arms of P3HT and PHIC in a parallel way, which increase the planarity that leads to the generation of vibration bands with a lower free exciton bandwidth ( = 67 meV) in the solution state, which is further decreased to 9 meV after 48 h annealing of the blend film. The resulting nanowires of the P3HT show a 100-fold increase in current in comparison to pristine P3HT.

Effectiveness and Safety of Herbal Medicine for Atopic Dermatitis: An Overview of Systematic Reviews.

Objectives: Herbal medicine (HM) is attracting attention for treating atopic dermatitis (AD). This overview was conducted to summarize and critically evaluate the current systematic reviews (SRs) on HM for the treatment of AD.

Methods: Through comprehensive searches, all relevant SRs on HM for AD published until May 2020 were included.

Risk Factors of Bacteremia following Multiple Traumas.

Background: Bacteremia is a major nosocomial infection that frequently occurs in trauma patients, increasing morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors and to describe epidemiological patterns for early onset (EOB) and late onset (LOB) bacteremia after trauma.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of all trauma patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit and general ward between January 2011 and December 2015.

The size of pelvic hematoma can be a predictive factor for angioembolization in hemodynamically unstable pelvic trauma.

Purpose: Unstable pelvic fracture with bleeding can be fatal, with a mortality rate of up to 40%. Therefore, early detection and treatment are important in unstable pelvic trauma. We investigated the early predictive factors for possible embolization in patients with hemodynamically unstable pelvic trauma.

Recent advances in genome editing of stem cells for drug discovery and therapeutic application.

Genome engineering technologies right from viral vector-mediated to protein-based editing- which include zinc finger nucleases, TALENs, and CRISPR/Cas systems-have been improved significantly. These technologies have facilitated drug discovery and have resulted in the development of potential curative therapies for many intractable diseases. They can efficiently correct genetic errors; however, these technologies have limitations, such as off-target effects and possible safety issues, which need to be considered when employing these techniques in humans.

Fabrication of a composite anion exchange membrane with aligned ion channels for a high-performance non-aqueous vanadium redox flow battery.

Fabrication of high-conductivity ion exchange membranes (IEMs) is crucial to improve the performance of non-aqueous vanadium redox flow batteries (NAVRFBs). In the present work, anion exchange membranes with high-conductivity were fabricated by aligning ion channels of the polymer electrolyte impregnated in porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) under electric fields. It was observed that the ion channels of the polymer electrolyte were uniformly orientated in the atomic-force microscopy image.

Coloration of colloidal polymer particles through selective extraction of Mie backscattering for cation-responsible colorimetric sensors.

Mie backscattering-based coloration of water-dispersed polymer particles is investigated. Diluted colloids and light absorber-added colloids are individually prepared to study the scattering properties. Light absorber-added colloids show ~2.

Determination of complex dielectric function of CHNHPbBr perovskite cubic colloidal quantum dots by modified iterative matrix inversion method.

Recent advances in lead halide perovskite quantum dots appeal with their potential in various optoelectronic devices such as photovoltaics, photodetectors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers. However, lack of information on the intrinsic optical properties of lead halide perovskite quantum dots (QDs) lags the progress in device performances and further development in various applications. In this letter, the complex dielectric function of CHNHPbBr perovskite cubic colloidal QDs was determined from the UV-Vis absorption by using a modified iterative matrix inversion (IMI) method.