Efficient hepatic differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells in a three-dimensional microscale culture.

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) represent a novel source of hepatocytes for drug development, disease modeling studies, and regenerative therapy for the treatment of liver diseases. A number of protocols for generating functional hepatocytes have been reported worldwide; however, reproducible and efficient differentiation remained challenging under conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture. In this study, we describe an efficient differentiation protocol for generating functional hepatocyte-like cells from human iPSC-derived homogenous hepatic endoderm cells combined with three-dimensional (3D) microscale culture system.

[Lead poisoning and child health: integrated efforts to combat this problem].

An epidemiological survey was carried out by technicians of the State Health Secretary and the Municipal Health Secretary of Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil, due to excessive atmospheric lead emissions caused by a battery manufacturer. This survey included 853 children from 0 to 12 years old, in a 1,000-meter area from the polluting source, in Bauru (2002). The blood lead levels of children in the exposed group were higher than those in the control group (p < 0.

Verification of the symmetry of the mandibular ramus in patients with temporomandibular disorders and asymptomatic individuals: a comparative study.

Some studies have reported that mandibular ramus asymmetries are more pronounced in patients with temporomandibular disorders. The symmetry of the mandibular ramus was verified in a group of patients with temporomandibular disorders and compared with that of a control group of asymptomatic individuals. Heights of the mandibular ramus and of the condyle and gonial angles were measured from panoramic radiographs.

Allele frequency distribution of two highly polymorphic DNA sequences in three ethnic groups and its application to the determination of paternity.

The allele frequency distribution of two highly polymorphic DNA sequences has been determined in three ethnic groups (American blacks, Caucasoids, and Hispanics) from the New York metropolitan area. The two loci examined were D14S1 and the flanking region of HRAS-1. The former was analyzed in EcoRI-digested DNA and the latter in TaqI-digested DNA.

Isolation and partial characterization of mutants of the trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata and their use in detecting genetic recombination.

Crithidia fasciculata was used as a model trypanosomatid to study the possible existence of genetic recombination in this group of protozoa. The approach was based on the ability to select a variety of mutants on agar plates. Following mutagenesis of wild type cells by nitrosoguanidine or ethylmethanesulfonate, stable mutant phenotypes were obtained.