Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing dopaminergic neuron progenitor cells from pluripotent stem cells, which method comprises the steps of: (i) performing adherent culture of pluripotent stem cells on an extracellular matrix in a medium containing a reagent(s) selected from the group consisting of BMP inhibitor, TGF? inhibitor, SHH signal-stimulating agent, FGF8, and GSK3? inhibitor; (ii) collecting Corin- and/or Lrtm1-positive cells from the cells obtained in Step (i) using a substance which binds to Corin and/or a substance which binds to Lrtm1; and (iii) performing suspension culture of the cells obtained in Step (ii) in a medium containing a neurotrophic factor.

Abstract: An organic tellurium compound is disclosed having a versatility that, when used as a living radical polymerization initiator, it is applicable to polymerization of a vinyl monomer in an aqueous vehicle without using any surfactant or dispersant. The organic tellurium compound is represented by a general formula (1), where R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, A represents an alkali metal atom or an alkaline earth metal atom, x=1 when A is monovalent, x=½ when A is divalent, and R3 is represented by a general formula (2), where in the general formula (2) R4 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, R5 and R6 each independently represent an alkylene group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, and a represents an integer from 0 to 10.

Abstract: A two-dimensional photonic-crystal surface-emitting laser includes an active layer, a two-dimensional photonic crystal, and electrodes. The two-dimensional photonic crystal contains a plate-shaped base material arranged on one side of the active layer and different refractive index portions arranged at lattice points of a predetermined lattice in the base material and having a refractive index different from that of the base material, a band edge frequency for each position in an electric current supply region, which is at least a part of the two-dimensional photonic crystal, is monotonically increased in one direction parallel to the base material. Such a two-dimensional photonic crystal occurs when the different refractive index portion has a refractive index smaller than that of the base material, a filling factor, which is a ratio of a volume occupied by the different refractive index portion in a unit lattice constituting the lattice, is monotonically increased in the one direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a viral vector comprising (a) a cDNA of a recombinant viral RNA having a sequence of a Borna disease viral genome comprising a disrupted G gene of the Borna disease viral genome and an inserted G gene of an avian bornaviral genome, wherein the cDNA of the recombinant viral RNA has at least an N gene, an X gene, a P gene and an L gene of the Borna disease viral genome in the same order as in the Borna disease viral genome and has an inserted foreign gene; (b) DNAs encoding ribozymes; and (c) a promoter sequence, wherein (b) the DNAs encoding ribozymes are located upstream and downstream of (a) the cDNA of the recombinant viral RNA, and (a) the cDNA of the recombinant viral RNA and (b) the DNAs encoding ribozymes are located downstream of (c) the promoter sequence.

Abstract: A new and useful p-type oxide semiconductor with a wide band gap and an enhanced electrical conductivity and the method of manufacturing the p-type oxide semiconductor are provided. A method of manufacturing a p-type oxide semiconductor including: generating atomized droplets by atomizing a raw material solution containing at least a d-block metal in the periodic table and a metal of Group 13 of the periodic table; carrying the atomized droplets onto a surface of a base by using a carrier gas; causing a thermal reaction of the atomized droplets adjacent to the surface of the base under an atmosphere of oxygen to form the p-type oxide semiconductor on the base.

Abstract: Provided are: an antibody which specifically binds to and neutralizes USAG-1 or an antigen-binding fragment thereof; and a pharmaceutical composition containing the antibody or the antigen-binding fragment.

Abstract: A plurality of metabolites contained in culture supernatants of a plurality of iPS cell clones whose differentiation efficiency into chondrocytes or neural crest cells is known is quantified, and a relationship between the measured values of the plurality of metabolites obtained by the quantification and the differentiation efficiencies is subjected to a multivariate analysis, and a model for predicting a differentiation efficiency of iPS cells is constructed. Furthermore, the plurality of metabolites contained in a culture supernatant of a test cell group including a single type of iPS cell clones is quantified, and the values, obtained by the quantification, are applied to the model, thereby predicting a differentiation efficiency of the test cell group into chondrocytes or neural crest cells. This makes it possible to predict the differentiation efficiency of iPS cells into chondrocytes or neural crest cells in a short time.

Abstract: Provided is a method for inducing CD4?CD8+ T cells having an antigen specific cytotoxic activity from pluripotent stem cells, comprising the steps of: (1) differentiating pluripotent stem cells to give a cell culture comprising CD4?CD8? T cells and CD4+CD8+ T cells, (2) removing CD4?CD8? cells from the cell culture obtained in step (1), and (3) differentiating the CD4+CD8+ cells in the cell culture into CD4?CD8+ T cells.

Abstract: Provided is a method for determining a first N×K matrix S and second K×M matrix P, using factor number K, so that their product SP approximates to an N×M data matrix X obtained by analyzing a sample containing an unknown number of components. Multiple candidates of regularization parameter ?r and one sparsity-inducing regularization function R(S,P) are prepared. For each regularization-parameter candidate ?r, a candidate Sr of matrix S and candidate Pr of matrix P which minimize a loss function L(S,P)=D(X|SP)+?rR(S,P) are determined, where D(X|SP) is a distance function expressing the degree of difference between X and SP. For each combination of matrix element Xnm in X and corresponding matrix element (SrPr)nm in SrPr, a transformed value ynm=Fnm(Xnm(SrPr)nm) is determined using function Fnm which performs variable transform from probability distribution Pnm corresponding to D(Xnm|(SP)nm) into common probability distribution Pcommon, and goodness of fit between ynm and Pcommon is calculated.

Abstract: In order to appropriately set MSm analysis conditions, an MSm-1 analysis executer (51) makes a mass spectrometer (20) perform an MSm-1 analysis (where m is an integer from 2 to n) to acquire three-dimensional data showing an intensity for each of the N m/z values and each of the M retention times (where N and M are natural numbers). Based on the three-dimensional data, a data matrix creator (41) creates data matrix X in which intensity data are arranged in N rows which differ from each other in m/z value and M columns which differ from each other in retention-time value. A matrix factorization executer (42) determines an N×K spectrum matrix S and K×M profile matrix P (where K is a natural number) by matrix factorization based on data matrix X so that this matrix X is approximated by product SP of the matrices S and P. An m/z detector (43) detects m/z of a precursor ion originating from a sample component from the values of the matrix elements in each column of matrix S.

Abstract: Composite particles, each of which is obtained by forming, on the surface of a gadolinium oxide-containing particle, a cover film that contains a polymer obtained by polymerizing a monomer component containing a monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated bond; a macrophage imaging agent which contains the composite particles; and a method for producing composite particles, wherein a monomer component containing a monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated bond and gadolinium oxide-containing particles are mixed with each other, and after emulsifying the thus-obtained monomer component-containing mixture in water in the presence of a surfactant and a polymerization initiator in water, the monomer component is polymerized, thereby forming cover films on the surfaces of the gadolinium oxide-containing particles.

Abstract: Disclosed is an organ sucking and grasping tool capable of reducing the height of the sucking and grasping tool, capable of reserving a viewing field for an endoscope, capable of reserving space for operations, and including a suction cup responsive to the deformation of an organ and unlikely to be detached. An organ sucking and grasping tool includes a suction tube body and a plurality of suction cups for organ suction provided at a front end portion of the suction tube body. The organ sucking and grasping tool sucks, elevates, and grasps an organ using suction force generated by the suction cups. The suction cups are held by a ring-shaped holder provided at the front end portion of the tube body, and an annular flange is provided at an open end portion of each of the suction cups.

Abstract: A novel pharmaceutical composition and method that enable the treatment, amelioration, prevention, and/or suppression of progression of Alzheimer's disease are provided. Provided is a pharmaceutical composition for preventing, treating, suppressing the progression of, and/or ameliorating Alzheimer's disease, the pharmaceutical composition containing, as an active ingredient, a compound that is capable of suppressing the activation or growth of virus in the brain as one of factors that cause the onset or progression of Alzheimer's disease. Also provided is a method for preventing, treating, suppressing the progression of, and/or ameliorating Alzheimer's disease, the method including administering an effective amount of the compound to a subject.

Abstract: Provided are: a polymer gel for a medium, and a medium in which the stiffness of the polymer gel can be easily and reversibly changed and the shape of cells can be controlled according to the stiffness of the gel; and a method for culturing cells using the medium. The polymer gel for a medium contains a solvent and a crosslinked structure that is crosslinked by reversible bonds. The stiffness of the polymer gel for a medium can be easily and reversibly changed. Accordingly, when the polymer gel for a medium according to the present invention is used, cell morphology and function can be reversibly controlled according to the stiffness of the gel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a culture method of cells and/or tissues including culturing cells and/or tissues in a suspended state by using a medium composition wherein indeterminate structures are formed in a liquid medium, the structures are uniformly dispersed in the solution and substantially retain the cells and/or tissues without substantially increasing the viscosity of the solution, thus affording an effect of preventing sedimentation thereof, and the like.

Abstract: Peptides, salts thereof, peptide conjugates, and salts thereof having 5 to 15 amino acids and having an amino acid sequence comprising at least 5 consecutive amino acids from the amino acid sequence LSSTQAQQSX1 (SEQ ID NO:34).

Abstract: This invention provides a method for stably producing type II alveolar epithelial cells from pluripotent stem cells. Specifically, the invention relates to a method for producing type II alveolar epithelial cells from pluripotent stem cells comprising steps of: (1) culturing pluripotent stem cells in a medium containing activin A and a GSK3? inhibitor; (2) culturing the cells obtained in Step (1) in a medium containing a BMP inhibitor and a TGF? inhibitor; (3) culturing the cells obtained in Step (2) in a medium containing BMP4, retinoic acid, and a GSK3? inhibitor; (4) culturing the ventral anterior foregut cells obtained in Step (3) in a medium containing a GSK3? inhibitor, FGF10, KGF, and a NOTCH signal inhibitor; and (5) subjecting the alveolar epithelial progenitor cells obtained in Step (4) to three-dimensional culture in a medium containing a steroid drug, a cAMP derivative, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, and KGF.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a structure evaluation system according to an embodiment includes a plurality of sensors, a position locator, a corrector, and an evaluator. The plurality of sensors detect elastic waves generated from a structure. The position locator locates the position of a generation sources of a plurality of elastic waves on the basis of the plurality of elastic waves detected by the plurality of sensors. The corrector corrects information based on the position locating performed by the position locator using a correction value set in correspondence with an impact. The evaluator evaluates a deterioration state of the structure on the basis of the corrected information.

Abstract: Provided is reproducible means that enables the production of an active nucleus pulposus cell phenotype from desired cells such as terminally differentiated cells or pluripotent or multipotent stem cells. Provided is a differentiation inducer containing an effective amount of a gene of at least two transcription factors selected from the group consisting of Brachyury (T), SRY-box6 (SOX6), C and Forkhead Box Q1 (FOXQ1), or homologs thereof (nucleus pulposus cell master regulator transcription factor), or a product thereof.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing myocardial cells from pluripotent stem cells. The myocardial cell production method provided by the present invention includes supplying an artificially produced synthetic peptide to a cell culture that contains pluripotent stem cells. The synthetic peptide is a peptide that contains a myocardial cell differentiation-inducing peptide sequence that induces pluripotent stem cells into myocardial cells. The myocardial cell differentiation-inducing peptide sequence is an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of (i) an amino acid sequence constituting the signal peptide of any protein belonging to the amyloid precursor protein (APP) family, (ii) a partial amino acid sequence of the amino acid sequence according to (i), and (iii) a modified amino acid sequence from the amino acid sequence according to (i) or (ii).