Monitoring and optimization of the microenvironment in a gravity-driven microfluidic system placed on a slow-tilting table.

Gravity-driven microfluidic chips offer portability and flexibility in different settings because pumps and connecting tubes are unnecessary for driving fluid flow. In a previous study, human induced pluripotent stem cells were cultured using gravity-driven microfluidics, with the liquid flow rate regulated by a tilting table. However, instability in cell culture has been observed, occasionally leading to cell death owing to unknown causes.

A broad-spectrum peptide screening method using an optimized solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-high-field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry for doping control in equine urine.

The abuse of prohibited peptide-based drugs with a broad spectrum of chemical characteristics poses a significant concern for the horseracing industry. Recently, there has been a notable increase in positive cases of small-peptide drugs reported in equine and canine sports. In addition to small peptides, large peptides (over 2 kDa) with structural diversity have also entered the market in increasing numbers as drugs for humans and livestock.

Generation of human induced pluripotent stem cell lines derived from two glucose transporter 1 deficiency syndrome patients.

Glucose transporter 1 deficiency syndrome (GLUT1DS), caused by impaired glucose transport at the blood-brain barriers, leads to various central nervous system dysfunctions. A comprehensive understanding of the underlying disease pathogenesis is still lacking. In this study, we have generated GLUT1DS-specific human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) derived from two patients.

Cardiac differentiation of chimpanzee induced pluripotent stem cell lines with different subspecies backgrounds.

The comparative analysis between humans and non-human primates is an instrumental approach for elucidating the evolutional traits and disease propensity of humans. However, in primates, cross-species analyses of their developmental events have encountered constraints because of the ethical and technical limitations in available sample collection, sequential monitoring, and manipulations. In an endeavor to surmount these challenges, in recent years, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have garnered escalating interest as an in vitro tool for cross-species analyses between humans and non-human primates.

Generation of human induced pluripotent stem cell lines derived from four Rett syndrome patients with MECP2 mutations.

Rett syndrome is characterized by severe global developmental impairments with autistic features and loss of purposeful hand skills. Here we show that human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines derived from four Japanese female patients with Rett syndrome are generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells using Sendai virus vectors. The generated hiPSC lines showed self-renewal and pluripotency and carried heterozygous frameshift, missense, or nonsense mutations in the MECP2 gene.

The migration pattern of cells during the mesoderm and endoderm differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells.

Gastrulation is the first major differentiation process in animal embryos. However, the dynamics of human gastrulation remain mostly unknown owing to the ethical limitations. We studied the dynamics of the mesoderm and endoderm cell differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells for insight into the cellular dynamics of human gastrulation.

Functional roles of CD26/DPP4 in lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injury.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by dysregulated inflammation and increased permeability of lung microvascular cells. CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) is a type II membrane protein that is expressed in several cell types and mediates multiple pleiotropic effects. We previously reported that DPP4 inhibition by sitagliptin attenuates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung injury in mice.

Functional Roles of CD26/DPP4 in Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with Interstitial Lung Disease.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) often causes intractable conditions. CD26/Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) is expressed in lung constituent cells and may be related to the pathogenesis of various respiratory diseases. We aimed to clarify the functional roles of CD26/DPP4 in PH-ILD, paying particular attention to vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs).

Impact of segmented optical axial length on the performance of intraocular lens power calculation formulas.

Purpose: To investigate the difference between the segmented axial length (AL) and the composite AL on a swept-source optical coherence tomography biometer and to evaluate the subsequent effects on artificial intelligence intraocular lens (IOL) power calculations: the Kane and Hill-RBF 3.0 formulas compared with established vergence formulas.

Setting: National Hospital Organization, Tokyo Medical Center, Japan.

Effect of Segmented Optical Axial Length on the Performance of New-Generation Intraocular Lens Power Calculation Formulas in Extremely Long Eyes.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of traditional vergence formulas with segmented axial length (AL) compared to traditional composite AL in extremely long eyes, and to determine whether the segmented AL can be extended to the new-generation formulas, including the Barrett Universal II, Emmetropia Verifying Optical 2.0 (EVO2), Hill-RBF 3.0 (Hill3), Kane, and Ladas Super formula (LSF) formulas in extremely long eyes.

Investigating the Effect of Substituting a Single Cysteine Residue on the Thermal Stability of an Engineered Sweet Protein, Single-Chain Monellin.

Single-chain monellin (SCM) is an engineered protein that links the two chains of monellin, a naturally sweet-tasting protein. This protein is an attractive candidate for use as a sugar replacement in food and beverages and has numerous other applications. Therefore, generating SCM mutants with improved stability is an active area of research to broaden the range of its potential applications.

Xenograft of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac lineage cells on zebrafish embryo heart.

Cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are a promising cell source for regenerative medicine and drug discovery. However, the use of animal models for studying human cardiomyocytes derived from hiPSCs in vivo is limited and challenging. Given the shared properties between humans and zebrafish, their ethical advantages over mammalian models, and their immature immune system that is rejection-free against xenografted human cells, zebrafish provide a suitable alternative model for xenograft studies.

Functional roles of CD26/DPP4 in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

The pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis involves complex interplay between cell types and signaling pathways. Recurrent alveolar epithelial injury can occur during pulmonary inflammation, causing dysregulation of epithelial repair. Dysregulated repair interacts with mesenchymal, inflammatory, and endothelial cells to trigger fibroblast-to-myofibroblast activation.

Gravity-driven microfluidic device placed on a slow-tilting table enables constant unidirectional perfusion culture of human induced pluripotent stem cells.

Gravity-driven microfluidics, which utilizes gravity force to drive liquid flow, offers portability and multi-condition setting flexibility because they do not require pumps or connection tubes to drive the flow. However, because the flow rate decreases with time in gravity-driven microfluidics, it is not suitable for stem cell experiments, which require long-term (at least a day) stability. In this study, gravity-driven microfluidics and a slow-tilting table were developed to culture cells under constant unidirectional perfusion.

Comparison of two one-piece acrylic foldable intraocular lenses: Short-term change in axial movement after cataract surgery and its effect on refraction.

Purpose: To compare the change in intraocular lens (IOL) axial movement, corneal power, and postoperative refraction of eyes implanted with two different single-piece, open loop, acrylic foldable IOLs with planar-haptic design: one IOL with hinges vs. one IOL without hinges. The role of IOL axial movement on short-term refractive shift after cataract surgery was also evaluated.

Humanized anti-IL-26 monoclonal antibody as a novel targeted therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease.

IL-26 is a Th17 cytokine, with its gene being absent in rodents. To characterize the in vivo immunological effects of IL-26 in chronic systemic inflammation, we used human IL26 transgenic (hIL-26Tg) mice and human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (hCBMC) in mouse allogeneic-graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and chronic xenogeneic-GVHD model, respectively. Transfer of bone marrow and spleen T cells from hIL-26Tg mice into B10.

Proposal of an in vitro thrombus-growth model for evaluating anticoagulants.

The general anticoagulant evaluation requires high expense equipment, reagents, and space. Therefore, not all laboratories can perform research related to anticoagulant. In this study, we propose a novel simple method "in vitro thrombus-growth model" that can evaluate anticoagulant ability by measuring weight.

Preliminary demonstration of a novel intraocular lens power calculation: the O formula.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of a new formula of intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation (the O formula) based on ray tracing without commonly used parameters, including ultrasound-compatible axial length, keratometry readings, and A-constant.

Setting: Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan.

Design: Retrospective consecutive case series.

A case report of native vertebral osteomyelitis caused by Cutibacterium modestum.

Background: Cutibacterium modestum was named in 2020. C. modestum was previously called Propionibacterium humerusii.

Case Report: Getting a Peek at the Angle of a Patient with Severe Keratoconus.

Visualization of the iridocorneal angle, which contains the aqueous humor circulatory system and controls intraocular pressure, is important for diagnosing and managing glaucoma; however, the presence of keratoconus, keratoglobus, or severe myopia may enable direct angle visualization without gonioscopy contact lenses or applying a coupling gel. We present the first report of a case in which the iridocorneal angle was viewed directly in an eye with keratoconus using the RetCam without applying gel to the cornea. This method overcame the inability to view the angle directly in a normal eye because of the total internal reflection.

Slow diffusion on the monolayer culture enhances auto/paracrine effects of Noggin in differentiation of human iPS cells induced by BMP.

Auto/paracrine factors secreted from cells affect differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of secreted factors are not well known. We previously showed that pattern formation in hPSCs induced by BMP4 could be reproduced by a simple reaction-diffusion of BMP and Noggin, a cell-secreted BMP4 inhibitor.