3D Printing of Composite Radiation Shielding for Broad Spectrum Protection of Electronic Systems.

The miniaturization of satellite systems has compounded the need to protect microelectronic components from damaging radiation. Current approaches to mitigate this damage, such as indiscriminate mass shielding, built-in redundancies, and radiation-hardened electronics, introduce high size, weight, power, and cost penalties that impact the overall performance of the satellite or launch opportunities. Additive manufacturing provides an appealing strategy to deposit radiation shielding only on susceptible components within an electronic assembly.

Difficulties in ensuring review quality performed by committees under the Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine in Japan.

We outlined five studies regarding the quality of the review by committees based on the Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine. The findings raise serious concerns about the independence, integrity, and quality of reviews of therapeutic plans by these committees with inappropriately close relationships to medical institutions and companies.

A web-based survey on various symptoms of computer vision syndrome and the genetic understanding based on a multi-trait genome-wide association study.

A variety of eye-related symptoms due to the overuse of digital devices is collectively referred to as computer vision syndrome (CVS). In this study, a web-based survey about mind and body functions, including eye strain, was conducted on 1998 Japanese volunteers. To investigate the biological mechanisms behind CVS, a multi-trait genome-wide association study (GWAS), a multivariate analysis on individual-level multivariate data, was performed based on the structural equation modeling methodology assuming a causal pathway for a genetic variant to influence each symptom via a single common latent variable.

Corneal cross-linking for keratoconus caused by compulsive eye rubbing in patients with Tourette syndrome: Three case reports.

Rationale: Eye rubbing is an important risk factor for keratoconus progression. Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder, and approximately 50% of individuals with TS exhibit obsessive-compulsive behaviors including eye rubbing. We report the effects of corneal cross-linking (CXL) on the progression of keratoconus combined with psychiatric treatment for 3 patients with TS.

SPACIA1/SAAL1 Deletion Results in a Moderate Delay in Collagen-Induced Arthritis Activity, along with mRNA Decay of Gene.

This study was performed to elucidate the molecular function of the synoviocyte proliferation-associated in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) 1/serum amyloid A-like 1 (SPACIA1/SAAL1) in mice CIA, an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and human RA-synovial fibroblasts (RASFs). -deficient mice were generated and used to create mouse models of CIA in mild or severe disease conditions. Cell cycle-related genes, whose expression levels were affected by small interfering RNA (siRNA), were screened.

Corneal crosslinking for keratoconus in Japanese populations: one year outcomes and a comparison between conventional and accelerated procedures.

Purpose: We retrospectively investigated the efficacy of corneal crosslinking (CXL) on progressive keratoconus in a Japanese population and compared the outcomes of conventional and accelerated CXL.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study METHODS: A total of 108 consecutive eyes in 95 patients (75 men; 21.9 ± 6.

Flattening effect of corneal cross-linking depends on the preoperative severity of keratoconus.

A retrospective observational study was conducted to validate the effect of corneal cross-linking (CXL) on eyes with progressing keratoconus, depending on severity.In total, 45 eyes of 33 patients (age: 23.9 ± 6.

Japan's challenges of translational regenerative medicine: Act on the safety of regenerative medicine.

The first issue of published 20 years ago featured an article that reported Japan's critical situation regarding clinical trials, calling for major reform. Twenty years later, Japan has enacted three laws to promote the use of regenerative medicine as a national policy. The first law to be enacted was the Regenerative Medicine Promotion Act, which represents the country's determination to work toward the promotion of regenerative medicine.

New Japanese initiatives on stem cell therapies.

Two laws aiming to provide a new legal framework to promote regenerative medicine, while ensuring the efficacy and safety of the treatments, came into effect in Japan on November 25, 2014. The scope of these laws is briefly described here.

Changes in corneal sensation, epithelial damage, and tear function after descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty.

Purpose: To study the ocular surface changes in eyes after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) compared with those after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP).

Methods: This prospective study compared the changes in 31 eyes of 28 patients who underwent DSAEK (DSAEK group) with those in 15 disease-matched eyes of 15 patients who underwent PKP (PKP group). Corneal epithelial integrity was evaluated using a fluorescein staining score.

Peripheral optical quality and myopia progression in children.

Background: To investigate the peripheral optical quality and its relationship with axial elongation, myopic progression in Japanese children.

Methods: Twenty-nine Japanese children, ages 10 to 12 years old, with baseline refraction from +0.75 D to -5.

Long-term results of amniotic membrane transplantation for partial limbal deficiency.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of amniotic membrane transplantation as a treatment option in cases with partial limbal deficiency.

Methods: Sixteen eyes of 14 patients with partial limbal deficiency underwent amniotic membrane patch (AMP) or amniotic membrane graft with patch (AMGP) following keratectomy for conjunctivalization of the cornea. The average follow-up period was 52 months.

Interleukin 1 beta promoter polymorphism is associated with keratoconus in a Japanese population.

Purpose: Polymorphisms in the interleukin 1 alpha (IL1A) and IL1B gene regions were previously associated with keratoconus in a Korean population. In the present study, we investigated whether the IL1A and IL1B polymorphisms are associated with keratoconus in a Japanese population.

Methods: A total of 169 Japanese patients with keratoconus and 390 Japanese healthy controls were recruited.

Deep stromal opacity after corneal cross-linking.

Purpose: To describe 3 cases with deep corneal stromal opacity that occurred several months after corneal cross-linking.

Methods: A 36-year-old man, a 19-year-old man, and a 14-year-old girl underwent corneal cross-linking for their progressive keratoconus. Corneal cross-linking was performed according to the Dresden protocol.

Overexpression of SPACIA1/SAAL1, a newly identified gene that is involved in synoviocyte proliferation, accelerates the progression of synovitis in mice and humans.

Objective: To identify novel genes associated with dysregulated proliferation of activated synovial fibroblasts, which are involved in arthritic joint destruction.

Methods: We performed transcriptome analysis to identify genes that were up-regulated in the foot joints of mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). The effect of candidate genes on proliferation of synovial fibroblasts was screened using antisense oligodeoxynucleotides and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs).

Outcomes of cataract surgery in eyes with a low corneal endothelial cell density.

Purpose: To evaluate the surgical outcomes of cataract surgery in eyes with a low preoperative corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) and analyze factors affecting the prognosis.

Setting: Tokyo Dental College, Ichikawa General Hospital, Chiba, Japan.

Design: Noncomparative case series.

The contribution of the posterior surface to the corneal aberrations in eyes after keratoplasty.

Purpose: To investigate the contribution of posterior corneal surfaces to higher-order aberrations (HOAs) of the cornea, optical quality, and visual acuity after keratoplasty.

Methods: Corneal topography of anterior and posterior surfaces and pachymetry were conducted using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) in 40 eyes (10 eyes after penetrating keratoplasty [PK], 10 eyes after deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty [DALK], 10 eyes after Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty [DSAEK], and 10 normal eyes). Anterior, posterior, and total corneal HOAs were calculated using ray-tracing and decomposition into Zernike polynomials and were evaluated as root mean square values.

Preoperative characteristics and a potential mechanism of chronic dry eye after LASIK.

Purpose: To determine whether measurable preoperative characteristics predispose patients to chronic dry eye after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK).

Methods: The study consisted of 24 eyes of 24 patients who underwent LASIK. Tear breakup time, Schirmer testing with and without anesthesia, rose bengal staining, central corneal sensitivity, nucleus-to-cytoplasmic ratio, and goblet cell density were evaluated 2 weeks before and 1 week, 3 months, and 9 months after surgery.

Age and topographical comparison of telomere lengths in human corneal endothelial cells.

Purpose: Human corneal endothelium exhibits both age-related and topographical differences in relative proliferative capacity and in senescence characteristics. The purpose of these studies was to compare telomere lengths in human corneal endothelial cells (HCEC) from the central and peripheral areas of corneas from young and older donors to determine whether these changes may be due to replicative senescence or to stress-induced premature senescence.

Methods: Pairs of corneas from five young (<30 years old) and six older donors (>65 years old) were separated into central and peripheral areas using a 9.

Comparative analysis of gene expression profiles in intact and damaged regions of human osteoarthritic cartilage.

Objective: To analyze the differences in gene expression profiles of chondrocytes in intact and damaged regions of cartilage from the same knee joint of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

Methods: We compared messenger RNA expression profiles in regions of intact and damaged cartilage (classified according to the Mankin scale) obtained from patients with knee OA. Five pairs of intact and damaged regions of OA cartilage were evaluated by oligonucleotide array analysis using a double in vitro transcription amplification technique.