Window to Japan
The chondrocytes were prepared from human iPS cells by a culture method for producing cartilage tissue without from human iPS cell-derived chondrocytes scaffolds. When transplanted into immunodeficient mice and rats, the cartilage prepared from human iPS cells led to tumor formation. The cartilage tissue prepared from human iPS cells was transplanted to damaged articular areas […]
The raw material used were corn cobs, providing glucose which was chemically dehydrated to furfural. In a 5 step chemical procedure, furfural was converted to terephtalic acid, and mass spectrometry showed that the carbon was 100 % derived from biomass. China Bio news release, Feb. 25, 2015; Yuya TACHIBANA et al., Nature Scientific Reports doi:10.1038/srep08249
The Polish Ministry of Economy and NEDO signed a LOI to study the use of Japan’s unique system of a “smart grid” which includes storage and stabilization technology without adding new transmission lines, for the integration of renewable energies into the Polish grid. Poland is in particular enhancing her wind power generation (7.6 GW planned […]
The groups of Takayasu SAKURAI and Takao SOMEYA have presented a wire-free, armband-type soft thermometer which draws energy from room light by flexible solar cells. Temperature sensing is done by a polymer-based sensor, and a piezoelectric buzzer is integrated. It measures body temperature continuously. The device was developed within the ERATO’s Someya biological harmony electronics […]
The laboratory of Isao YONEKURA has reported on a new technology which, if applied to thin crystals of, e. g., membrane proteins, allows visualization of the charge state of amino acids and ions. When applied to very thin three-dimensional crystals of rabbit sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2 + -ATPase or bovine liver catalase, the electrostatic potential map […]
The robot, which is a further development of Sumitomo’s “RIBA” robot, has the following features: (1) a flexible and smooth urethane exterior prepared by special cutting tool, (2) a modified truck which can change the supporting basal plane by extending and retracting the arm; “ROBEAR” distance can lift 140 kg, and (3) detection of humans […]
The group of Kyoko NOZAKI and Shuhei KUSUMOTO at the University of Tokyo’s Dept. of Chemistry and Biotechnology report the direct and selective hydrogenolysis of sp2 C–OH bonds in substituted phenols and naphthols catalysed by hydroxycyclopentadienyl iridium complexes. The corresponding arenes were obtained in up to 99% yields, indicating the possible production of arenes from […]
In a symposium held at Kyoto Research Park, an overview of recent progress in silk modification based on genome editing of silkworms was provided. Topics included the molding of new types of silk produced by recombinant silkworms to various shapes, cosmetic uses of fibroin, and potential production and applications of spider and hornet silk. Symposium […]
The new guidelines which will come into effect later this year will be explained at seven locations nationwide (Tokyo, Sendai, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka and Osaka) starting from March 2. Nikkei Biotech news release, Feb. 20, 2015
The antibodies contain less fucose as compared to other host organisms and thus exhibit less antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Nikkei Biotech news release, Feb. 20, 2015