Window to Japan
In a collaborative study with the National Cancer Center, nano-surface and molecular-orientation limited (nSMOL) proteolysis of antitumor antibodies was used to determine their effective concentration in tumor tissue. The method will be further developed to visualize the pharmacokinetics of other drugs Shimadzu Corporation news release, December 18, 2013
The researchers established a mechanism by which islet precursor cells developed from ES cells could be stimulated to develop into functional islet ß cells. Daisuke SAKANO et al., Nature Chemical Biology doi:10.1038/nchembio.1410
The group around Mikiko Sodeoka has found that an O-derivative of nitro benzoxadiazole (NBD) which becomes fluorescent only after binding to a target membrane protein. RIKEN news release, December 16, 2013
The yoghurt is based on milk fermentation using Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Permission was obtained in 1973 from Embassy of Bulgaria for the trade name, and FOSHU status was received in 1996. Meiji Co. press release, December 11, 2013
By using an appropriate combination of progenitor cells, which were developed from iPS cells, the group was able to develop 3D structures of a functional kidney in vitro, including glomeruli with podocytes and renal tubules with proximal and distal regions and clear lumina. Atsuhiro TAGUCHI et al., CellStemCell https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.stem.2013.11.010
By performing molecular dynamics simulation of photosystem II (1,2 million atoms) in a membrane model, probable discharge pathways etc. became obvious. It is expected that this insight will help to develop artificial photosynthetic systems. Koji OGATA et al., JACS DOI: 10.1021/ja404317d
The artificial bone („Rifitto“) is composed of type-1 collagen and hydroxyapatite and is easily deformed. On healing, it is gradually replaced by autologous bone. The use of Rifitto is covered by health insurance. JST press release, December 9, 2013
A consortium led by Kyoto’s iPS Cell Research Institute has shown that erythroblasts derived from human pluripotent stem cells and immortalized by overexpression of c-MYC and BCL-XL allowed for the production of human erythrocytes in large scale. Sho-ichi HIROSE et al., Stem Cell Reports doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2013.10.010
Recent FOSHU products are „Pepsi Special“, containing difficult-to-digest starch from Matsutani Co., and „Lemon Tokucha“, a lemon tea which contains onion-type polyphenols and activates quercetine-hydrolyzing enzymes. Nikkei Biotech, December 10, 2013
Based on a 4 years’ prospective study involving some 40.000 men and some 48.000 women, a decreased suicide risk was associated with a „prudent dietary pattern“ but not with Japanese or Westernized style of food habits. Akiko Nanri et al., British J. of Psychiatry, doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.112.114793