Automated xeno-free chondrogenic differentiation from human embryonic stem cells: Enhancing efficiency and ensuring high-quality mass production.

Introduction: Repairing damaged cartilage poses significant challenges, particularly in cases of congenital cartilage defects such as microtia or congenital tracheal stenosis, or as a consequence of traumatic injury, as the regenerative potential of cartilage is inherently limited. Stem cell therapy and tissue engineering offer promising approaches to overcome these limitations in cartilage healing. However, the challenge lies in the size of cartilage-containing organs, which necessitates a large quantity of cells to fill the damaged areas.

Modeling tritium release to the atmosphere during the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident and application to estimating post-accident water system transit times.

During the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident on March 11, 2011, radionuclides such as tritium were released into the environment across Japan, obscuring the natural background signal of tritium in precipitation. This anthropogenic component was rapidly washed out by precipitation according to measurements in Japan. However, the impact of the accident on the natural tritium-based estimation of water system transit times in Fukushima and other prefectures in Japan remains uncertain.

Radical-cation salts of BEDT-TTF with tris-coordinated racemic dysprosium(III) and terbium(III) anions.

This paper reports the synthesis, crystal structures and conducting properties of the first BEDT-TTF radical-cation salts with symmetry tris-coordinated racemic lanthanide(III) anions. It is also the first crystallographic determination of the nine-coordinate tris(chelidonato)terbate and tris(chelidonato)dysprosate anions (chelidonic acid = clo = 4-oxo-4-pyran-2,6-dicarboxylic acid). Salt α-(BEDT-TTF)M(chelidonato)·EtOH·2HO is semimetallic for M = Tb, and semiconducting for M = Dy.

Dielectric properties depend on the crystal structure of perovskite-type RbTaO synthesized at high pressure.

We successfully synthesized perovskite-type RbTaO at 1173 K under 4 GPa. RbTaO crystalized as a cubic system (3̄ space group (SG), = 4.04108(3) Å) at 300 K in contrast to the orthorhombic perovskite-type RbNbO prepared under the same conditions.

FRET analysis of the unwrapping of nucleosomal DNA containing a sequence characteristic of the + 1 nucleosome.

Sequence-dependent mechanical properties of DNA could play essential roles in nuclear processes by affecting histone-DNA interactions. Previously, we found that the DNA entry site of the first nucleosomes from the transcription start site (+ 1 nucleosome) in budding yeast enriches AA/TT steps, but not the exit site, and the biased presence of AA/TT in the entry site was associated with the transcription levels of yeast genes. Because AA/TT is a rigid dinucleotide step, we considered that AA/TT causes DNA unwrapping.

Structure and function of a β-1,2-galactosidase from Bacteroides xylanisolvens, an intestinal bacterium.

Galactosides are major carbohydrates that are found in plant cell walls and various prebiotic oligosaccharides. Studying the detailed biochemical functions of β-galactosidases in degrading these carbohydrates is important. In particular, identifying β-galactosidases with new substrate specificities could help in the production of potentially beneficial oligosaccharides.

Discovery of bicyclic borane molecule BH.

The discovery of fullerene following the synthesis of graphene marked a paradigm shift in chemistry. Here, we report the discovery of biycycloborane, arising from the synthesis of borophane (hydrogen boride). Uniquely, this synthesis method involves a decomposition mechanism rather than traditional atom-by-atom assembly, marking an unique approach to constructing complex borane structures.

Effects of forearm rotation on wrist flexor and extensor muscle activities.

The forearm muscles coordinately control wrist motion, and their activity is affected by forearm rotation. Although forearm rotation has been implicated in the development of lateral and medial epicondylitis, its biomechanical background remains unknown. Therefore, the present study investigated the activity of wrist muscles in various forearm positions.

The preference for surprise in reinforcement learning underlies the differences in developmental changes in risk preference between autistic and neurotypical youth.

Background: Risk preference changes nonlinearly across development. Although extensive developmental research on the neurotypical (NTP) population has shown that risk preference is highest during adolescence, developmental changes in risk preference in autistic (AUT) people, who tend to prefer predictable behaviors, have not been investigated. Here, we aimed to investigate these changes and underlying computational mechanisms.

Discrepancies between subjective and objective sleep assessments revealed by in-home electroencephalography during real-world sleep.

Sleep insufficiency and sleep disorders pose serious health challenges. This study aimed to determine the potential discrepancy between subjective and objective sleep assessments, including the latter made by physicians, by analyzing a 421-participant dataset in Japan comprising multiple nights of in-home sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) data and questionnaire responses on sleep habits or subjective experiences. We employed logistic regression models to examine which subjective and objective sleep parameters physicians are paying attention to when assessing sleep insufficiency, insomnia, sleep quality, and sleep apnea.

Osmoregulation affects elimination of microplastics in fish in freshwater and marine environments.

In recent decades, microplastics (MPs) have emerged as one of the biggest environmental challenges in aquatic environments. Ingestion and toxicity of MPs in seawater (SW) and freshwater (FW) fish have been studied extensively both in field and laboratory settings. However, the basic mechanism of how fish deal with MPs in SW and FW remains unclear, although physiological conditions of fish differ significantly in the two environments.

Inverse dose protraction effects of high-LET radiation: evidence and significance.

Biological effects of ionizing radiation vary with radiation quality, which is often expressed as the amount of energy deposited per unit length, i.e., linear energy transfer (LET).

Comparison of oncological outcomes between extended and no pelvic lymph node dissection in patients with high- or very high-risk prostate cancer: a multi-institutional study.

Background: Despite providing valuable staging and prognostic information, the therapeutic benefit of pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) remains uncertain. We sought to assess the effect of extended PLND (ePLND) on the biochemical recurrence (BCR) of patients with National Comprehensive Cancer Net (NCCN) high- or very high-risk prostate cancer treated via robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).

Methods: We used a multi-institutional database (six centers) to assess 989 patients who underwent RARP from 2014 to 2022 with or without ePLND, among which 699 patients underwent BCR analysis.

First-line pembrolizumab-axitinib versus sunitinib in metastatic RCC: subgroup analysis of patients enrolled in the phase 3 KEYNOTE-426 in Eastern Asia.

Background: The phase 3 open-label KEYNOTE-426 study demonstrated that first-line pembrolizumab plus axitinib improved overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) versus sunitinib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) in a global population. This subgroup analysis investigated the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab-axitinib versus sunitinib in patients enrolled in KEYNOTE-426 in East Asia (Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan).

Methods: Adults with clear cell mRCC were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive intravenous pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks with oral axitinib 5 mg twice daily or oral sunitinib 50 mg once daily (4 weeks on/2 weeks off).

Behavior changes to promote preconception health: a systematic review.

Background: Preconception care is expected to prevent diseases, promote health, and improve pregnancy outcomes. Although a consensus exists on the efficacy of folic acid supplementation and preconception vaccination, evidence regarding comprehensive approaches to preconception care targeting the general population remains lacking. We aimed to identify and examine preconception care programs delivered to reproductive-aged women and men to promote behavioral change.

Inverse dose protraction effects of low-LET radiation: evidence and significance.

Biological effects of ionizing radiation vary not merely with total dose but also with temporal dose distribution. Sparing dose protraction effects, in which dose protraction reduces effects of radiation have widely been accepted and generally assumed in radiation protection, particularly for stochastic effects (e.g.

sp. nov., a crude oil aggregation-forming anaerobic bacterium isolated from marine sediment.

A crude oil aggregation-forming, strictly anaerobic, Gram-stain-positive, spore-forming, rod-shaped, motile and mesophilic bacterium, named strain SH18-2, was isolated from marine sediment near Sado Island in the Sea of Japan. The temperature, salinity and pH ranges of this strain for the growth were 15-40 °C (optimum 35 °C), 0.5-6.

Regulatory dynamics of Sch9 in response to cytosolic acidification: From spatial reconfiguration to cellular adaptation to stresses.

The regulation of cellular metabolism is crucial for cell survival, with Sch9 in serving a key role as a substrate of TORC1. Sch9 localizes to the vacuolar membrane through binding to PI(3,5)P, which is necessary for TORC1-dependent phosphorylation. This study demonstrates that cytosolic pH regulates Sch9 localization.

-Linked Parkinson Syndrome in Female Heterozygotes Is Associated With PET-Detectable Tau Pathology.

Background And Objectives: A previous postmortem study of men with Christianson syndrome, a disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the gene , reported a mechanistic link between pathologic tau accumulation and progressive symptoms such as cerebellar atrophy and cognitive decline. This study aimed to characterize the relationships between neuropathologic manifestations and tau accumulation in heterozygous women with mutation.

Methods: We conducted a multimodal neuroimaging and plasma biomarker study on 3 middle-aged heterozygous women with mutations (proband 1: mid-50s; proband 2: early 50s; proband 3: mid-40s) presenting with progressive extrapyramidal symptoms.

Electrochemical Small-Angle X-ray Scattering for Potential-Dependent Structural Analysis of Redox Enzymes.

Various methods exist for exploring different aspects of these mechanisms. However, techniques for investigating structural differences between the reduced and oxidized forms of an enzyme are limited. Here, we propose electrochemical small-angle X-ray scattering (EC-SAXS) as a novel method for potential-dependent structural analysis of redox enzymes and redox-active proteins.

Local structure of amorphous sulfur in carbon-sulfur composites for all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries.

All-solid-state (ASS) batteries are a promising solution to achieve carbon neutrality. ASS lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries stand out due to their improved safety, achieved by replacing organic solvents, which are prone to leakage and fire, with solid electrolytes. In addition, these batteries offer the benefits of higher capacity and the absence of rare metals.

Firm ownerships matter in measuring carbon footprints and its driving forces in China's domestic value chains.

Some research has studied the carbon footprints of the multinational enterprises (MNEs) in the global value chains (GVCs). However, currently there are few studies have studied the carbon footprints of the foreign invested firms (FIFs) distributed in different provinces in China's domestic value chains (DVCs). This paper has used China's inter-provincial input-output table distinguishing domestically owned enterprises (DEs), Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan (HMTs) invested enterprises and other foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) to study the carbon footprints of the FIFs in China's DVCs and further analyzed the driving factors of the carbon footprints change.

CD9/SOX2-positive cells in the intermediate lobe of the rat pituitary gland exhibit mesenchymal stem cell characteristics.

Adult tissue stem cells of the anterior pituitary gland, CD9/SOX2-positive cells, are believed to exist in the marginal cell layer (MCL) bordering the residual lumen of the Rathke's pouch. These cells migrate from the intermediate lobe side of the MCL (IL-MCL) to the anterior lobe side of the MCL and may be involved in supplying hormone-producing cells. Previous studies reported that some SOX2-positive cells of the anterior lobe differentiate into skeletal muscle cells.