Low-cost automated cell counting module fabricated using CNC milling and soft lithography.

Cell counting is one of the basic and essential procedures that researchers in cell biology, bioengineering, and other related fields learn at the outset. Systems based on various measurement principles are commercially available, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of performance, cost, and footprint. Herein, we developed a cost-effective, scalable, and compact module that enables cell counting with reasonable accuracy, throughput, and sensitivity.

Brain physiology during photoperiod-related caste determination in the primitively eusocial wasp Polistes jokahamae.

Adult females of the primitively eusocial wasp Polistes jokahamae can change caste in response to photoperiod length. Short-day photoperiod females store more lipids but have less developed ovaries for hibernation (becoming gynes), whereas long-day photoperiod females have fewer lipid stores but more developed ovaries under queenless conditions (becoming egg-laying workers). To explore the physiological mechanisms underlying photoperiod-related caste determination, analyses of gene expression levels in the brains of short- or long-day females were performed.

Association between iron intake and excessive daytime sleepiness in the community-dwelling Japanese: the Toon Health Study.

Purpose: Brain iron deficiency is known to cause dopaminergic dysfunction in people with restless legs syndrome. Considering the role that dopamine plays in the wake-promoting system, we speculated that iron deficiency may contribute to the development of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Therefore, we conducted the present study to examine the association between iron intake and EDS in the general population.

Are Amphibian Eggs a Precious Food Resource for (Amphibia: Urodela) in Spring?

Most true predators are generalists, and it is difficult to examine their actual diets in the wild. In many cases, the prey that experience a large impact are also not well known. Amphibians are generalist predators that prey mainly on insects, and amphibian species active beginning in spring are considered to prey on food resources other than insects in this season due to the low number of insects.

A Latitudinal Variation in Growth Rate Caused by the Differences in the Length of the Period Suitable for Larval Growth in the Japanese Black Salamander, .

In ectotherms, body size differences between latitudes resulting from shorter activity periods at higher latitudes may disappear due to higher growth rates. Although such latitudinal variations have been examined for various taxa, only a few studies have examined such variations in Japanese vertebrates. is widely distributed in the northern part of Honshu, Japan, and although their larval period in the wild is shorter at high latitudes, there is no latitudinal variation in the body size of juveniles in the wild.

Time-Resolved Probing of the Iodobenzene C-Band Using XUV-Induced Electron Transfer Dynamics.

Time-resolved extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy was used to investigate photodissociation within the iodobenzene C-band. The carbon-iodine bond of iodobenzene was photolyzed at 200 nm, and the ensuing dynamics were probed at 10.3 nm (120 eV) over a 4 ps range.

Geochemical insights and model optimisation for pilot-scale passive treatment of manganese and zinc in a legacy mine in Japan.

Elevated concentrations of manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) in water bodies can disrupt ecosystems and damage aquatic life. However, the mechanisms underlying the removal of Mn and Zn under dynamic conditions and the optimal hydraulic retention time (HRT) for passive treatment plants remain unclear. Here, a pilot-scale passive treatment system for the removal of Mn and Zn from legacy mine drainage in northern Japan is proposed; it was performed at circumneutral pH for 152 days.

Canine regional gastric blood flow measurement using perfusion computed tomography.

This study aimed to determine the feasibility of using perfusion computed tomography (CT) to assess blood flow in different regions of the stomach in dogs. Dynamic perfusion CT scans were conducted on five beagle dogs, and blood flow analysis was performed using the maximum slope and Patlak plot methods. The findings revealed significant variations in blood flow among the fundus, body, and pylorus of the stomach.

Genetic characteristics of the coronet scores related to Holstein cattle hoof health in Japan.

Hoof disorders are crucial factors leading to dairy cattle culling. These disorders are difficult to detect, diagnose, and record, causing animal health problems and serious economic losses. The coronet score is a new hoof health indicator developed by the Dairy Herd Improvement Program of Japan.

The Definition of RNA Age Related to RNA Sequence Changes.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) undergoes dynamic changes in its structure and function under various intracellular and extracellular conditions over time. However, there is a lack of research on the concept of the RNA age to describe its diverse fates. This study proposes a definition of RNA age to address this issue.

Trajectories of plant-based diet indices and the associated risk of hypertension among Chinese adults: a cohort study based on the China Health and Nutrition Survey 2004-2015.

Background: Plant-based diets have been found to be associated with hypertension. Dietary intake is a dynamic and changing process that can be better characterized by trajectories of dietary indices. However, the associations between plant-based diet trajectories and hypertension over time remained unknown.

The development of orofacial complex in bats: Implications for orofacial clefting.

Orofacial morphology in mammals plays a critical role in essential life functions such as feeding and communication, which are influenced by the shapes of these anatomical structures. Bats are known to exhibit highly diversified orofacial morphotypes within their clade, reflecting their varied diets and echolocation behaviors. The presence of bony discontinuities between the premaxilla and maxilla or among the premaxillae is a notable feature of bat orofacial morphology, observed in certain lineages.

Efficacy of GPE strain live attenuated vaccine and CP7_E2alf strain recombinant live vaccine (marker vaccine) against Japanese epidemic classical swine fever virus isolated in 2019 and DIVA discrimination ability of the marker vaccine.

Classical swine fever (CSF) re-emerged in Japan in 2018, with the epidemic virus identified as genotype 2.1, which is moderately virulent and more difficult to detect and control than the highly virulent strain. Domestic pigs were administered with GPE strain live attenuated vaccine (GPE vaccine) for outbreak management.

Specific PCR primer designed from genome data for rapid detection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 in the Cavendish banana.

Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) tropical race 4 (TR4) severely affects banana production worldwide.

Potential radiosensitive germline biomarkers in the testes of wild mice after the Fukushima accident.

We investigated potential germline-specific radiosensitive biomarkers in the testes of large Japanese field mice (Apodemus speciosus) exposed to low-dose-rate (LDR) radiation after the Fukushima accident. Fukushima wild mice testes were analysed via RNA-sequencing to identify genes differentially expressed in the breeding and non-breeding seasons when compared to controls. Results revealed significant changes during the breeding season, with Lsp1 showing a considerable upregulation, while Ptprk and Tspear exhibited significant reductions.

Crystal structure of a novel heterooligomeric aminotransferase from Serratia sp. ATCC 39006 provides insights into function.

Serratia sp. ATCC 39006 has two tandemly positioned genes, ser4 and ser5, both annotated as sugar aminotransferases, in a putative secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene cluster. Ser5 possesses a complete fold-type I aminotransferase fold, while Ser4 lacks the N- and C-terminal regions and a catalytically important lysine residue of fold-type I aminotransferase.

A land plant-specific VPS13 mediates polarized vesicle trafficking in germinating pollen.

Pollen has an extraordinary ability to convert from a dry state to an extremely rapidly growing state. During pollination, pollen receives water and Ca from the contacting pistil, which will be a directional cue for pollen tube germination. The subsequent rapid activation of directional vesicular transport must support the pollen tube growth, but the molecular mechanism leading to this process is largely unknown.