Abstract: The present invention provides a compound represented by formula (I), a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or a solvate thereof. (In the formula, each of A and Z independently represents CO, SO or SO2; each of X and Y independently represents S or O; each of R1-R4 independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group or a halogen group; each R5 independently represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group or a halogen group; and n represents an integer of 0-4.) This compound is capable of specifically binding to an AMPA receptor, and shows extremely high brain uptake.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method for detecting, with high sensitivity and specificity, ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma, which is highly malignant, among benign and malignant ovarian tumors having various tissue types, and a reagent that can be used for the method. The present invention provides NT-TFPI2, which is a novel processed tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 polypeptide, as a new detection marker for ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma. The detection of ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma is carried out by measuring the amount of NT-TFPI2, or the total amount of NT-TFPI2 and intact TFPI2. The reagent for detecting ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma contains an antibody that specifically recognizes NT-TFPI2 and intact TFPI2.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver in spite of the alcohol intake history of a level that a liver disease is not caused. The inventors found that glutathione has an effect of preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver, which is not caused by alcohol, and completed the present invention. Among nonalcoholic fat diseases, the present invention is particularly effective in an early stage of the treatment or in a case where treatment for another disease is not performed.

Abstract: An atmospheric pressure ionization method uses: a gas flow passage control unit (26) and a gas outlet nozzle (24) configured to jet argon gas to an atmospheric atmosphere; a needle electrode (19) arranged between an outlet port of the gas outlet nozzle (24) and an introduction port of an ion introduction pipe (6) that includes a tip end portion formed into a two-sheeted hyperboloid of revolution having a radius of curvature of 1 ?m or more and less than 30 ?m; a needle electrode support mechanism (20); and an electric power generation unit (22) configured to apply a voltage to the needle electrode (19). The atmospheric pressure ionization method includes: applying a voltage of 1.8 kV or more to the needle electrode (19) from the voltage generation unit (22) to generate a dark discharge; exciting the argon gas with the dark current; and causing the excited argon gas and the sample to react with each other, to thereby ionize the sample.

Abstract: Novel means capable of detecting an arteriosclerotic lesion in a body by a less invasive, simple method is disclosed. The method for detecting arteriosclerosis according to the present invention comprises measuring the myosin heavy chain 11 level in a blood sample isolated from a subject. A myosin heavy chain 11 level higher than that of a healthy individual is indicative of the presence of arteriosclerosis in the subject. Since the present invention enables detection of arteriosclerosis by a blood test, a less invasive, simple test can be carried out. Unlike methods for testing only particular regions such as carotid artery ultrasonography, the present invention is expected to reflect the conditions of blood vessels in the whole body.

Abstract: A revised technique for preparing human tissues and organs aiming at application to medical use is provided. With this technique, function per cell is greatly improved and great reduction in production cost is realized. A method of preparing an organ bud, comprising culturing vascular endothelial cells, mesenchymal cells and a tissue or organ cell in vitro in the presence of blood cells. Also provided are an organ bud prepared by the above method and a method of preparing a tissue or an organ using the organ bud. Using the same organ bud, there are provided a method of transplanting an organ bud, a method of regeneration or function recovery of a tissue or an organ, a method of preparing a non-human chimeric animal, and a method of evaluating a drug.

Abstract: Disclosed is a means whereby the efficacy of a pharmacotherapy drug for kidney cancer can be easily determined by a blood test. A method of assisting the evaluation of the effect of a drug therapy for the treatment of kidney cancer according to the present invention comprises measuring the PARK7 level in a blood sample taken from a patient with kidney cancer who receives the drug therapy for the treatment of kidney cancer. An increased PARK7 level indicates that the drug therapy is not effective. Moreover, by using the blood PARK7 level as an indicator, the efficacy of a candidate substance for a therapeutic agent for kidney cancer can also be determined.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing chondrocytes which enable construction of a cartilage tissue, the method being capable of solving the problems with conventional methods. A method for preparing chondrocytes, comprising co-culturing chondrogenic cells with vascular cells. A composition for cartilage regenerative therapy, comprising chondrocytes prepared by the above-described method. A method of screening for drugs effective as pharmaceuticals, comprising using chondrocytes prepared by the above-described method, a cartilage tissue formed from the chondrocytes and/or cells derived from the cartilage tissue. A method for preparing a matrix produced by chondrocytes, comprising using chondrocytes prepared by the above-described method, a cartilage tissue formed from the chondrocytes and/or cells derived from the cartilage tissue. A method for cartilage regeneration, comprising transplanting chondrocytes prepared by the above-described method into an organism to form a cartilage tissue.

Abstract: Novel means useful for definitive diagnosis of a neurological disease accompanied by at least one of inflammation and demyelination, such as multiple sclerosis or neuromyelitis optica, is disclosed. The method for detecting a neurological disease (excluding cerebral infarction) accompanied by at least one of inflammation and demyelination provided by the present invention comprises measuring Crtac1B protein in a sample separated from a subject. The presence of the neurological disease is detected based on a low value of the Crtac1B protein level.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compound represented by formula (I), a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or a solvate thereof. (In the formula, each of A and Z independently represents CO, SO or SO2; each of X and Y independently represents S or O; each of R1-R4 independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group or a halogen group; each R5 independently represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group or a halogen group; and n represents an integer of 0-4.) This compound is capable of specifically binding to an AMPA receptor, and shows extremely high brain uptake.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for efficiently aggregating a polymer such as ECM together with cells. A method for preparing a polymer-loaded cell or cell aggregate, comprising adding a solution containing a polymer and at least one cell to a medium containing a swellable material to thereby aggregate the polymer together with the cell. A method for controlling the property and/or the function of a cell or a cell aggregate, comprising culturing the polymer-loaded cell or cell aggregate prepared by the above-described method. A method for culturing a cell or a cell aggregate, comprising: preparing a polymer capsule filled with a cell or a cell aggregate by adding a solution containing a polymer and at least one cell to a medium containing a swellable material to thereby aggregate the polymer together with the cell; and culturing the cell or cell aggregate within the capsule. For constructing 3D cell tissues, a method using U-bottom 96-well plates or the hanging-drop method is conventionally used.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver in spite of the alcohol intake history of a level that a liver disease is not caused. The inventors found that glutathione has an effect of preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver, which is not caused by alcohol, and completed the present invention. Among nonalcoholic fat diseases, the present invention is particularly effective in an early stage of the treatment or in a case where treatment for another disease is not performed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique that serves as a platform for inducing human organ cells at a low cost, stably and in a large quantity. A cell inducible after differentiating pluripotent stem cells and then passaging the resultant cells at least once or more times, which is negative for undifferentiated (pluripotent) cell markers NANOG, OCT4, MYC and LIN28A, negative for endoderm cell markers CXCR4, CER1, HHEX and GATA4, positive for intestinal endoderm cell markers CDX2 and HOXB9, negative for a mesenchymal cell marker brachyury (T), negative for a pancreatic cell marker PDX1, and capable of differentiating into at least a hepatocyte, a pancreatic cell and an intestinal cell. Also provided are methods of preparing and amplifying the above cells; a method of preparing organ cells using the above cells; and a method of constructing a working cell bank for preparing organ cells, comprising cryopreserving the above cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods in the context of Kawasaki disease including measuring the level of at least one of lipopolysaccharide binding protein, leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein, angiotensinogen and retinol binding protein 4 in a sample derived from a subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique which enables organization of bone marrow cells by a simple method in a short period of time. A method for preparing a bone marrow cell aggregate, comprising adding a liquid containing a bone marrow cell population to a medium containing a swellable material and culturing the bone marrow cell population in the presence of the swellable material. A method for reassembling a bone marrow tissue, comprising adding a liquid containing a bone marrow cell population to a medium containing a swellable material and culturing the bone marrow cell population in the presence of the swellable material. According to common knowledge in the art, it has been considered difficult to reorganize once disintegrated bone marrow tissue without changing the cell composition (that is, without adding any adherent cell or extracellular matrix which will work as a “connecting material (binder)”). Indeed, it was impossible to aggregate bone marrow cells by conventional methods.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method for detecting, with high sensitivity and specificity, ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma, which is highly malignant, among benign and malignant ovarian tumors having various tissue types, and a reagent that can be used for the method. The present invention provides NT-TFPI2, which is a novel processed tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 polypeptide, as a new detection marker for ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma. The detection of ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma is carried out by measuring the amount of NT-TFPI2, or the total amount of NT-TFPI2 and intact TFPI2. The reagent for detecting ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma contains an antibody that specifically recognizes NT-TFPI2 and intact TFPI2.

Abstract: An operation isolator forms an aseptic space. An incubator is connected to the operation isolator, in which cells are stored and cultured. A storage chamber stores articles used in the operation isolator. In order to carry articles from the outside into the storage chamber, a decontamination pass-box is provided. The storage chamber and the operation isolator are directly or indirectly connected to each other.

Abstract: It is intended to develop a technique that can reproduce a microenvironment of cancer tissue and to construct a novel drug discovery screening system of high precision. It is also intended to provide a method for reconstituting human cancer tissue using primary human cancer cells that retain the properties of human tumor. The present invention provides a reconstituted cancer organoid reproducing a cancer microenvironment. The present invention also provides a method for preparing a cancer organoid from cancer tissue, a xenograft prepared from the cancer organoid, a method for preparing the xenograft, a method for evaluating treatment resistance of cancer, a method for evaluating invasion or metastasis of cancer, a method for evaluating recurrence of cancer, and a method for conducting prognostic prediction of cancer.

Abstract: Means which enables preparation of a thick cell aggregate by a simple process without an operation of detaching and stacking of cells is disclosed. The method for preparing a three-dimensional cell aggregate by the present invention comprises: a cell encasing step of placing a cell suspension in a cell container; and a pressure application step of applying pressure to cells in the container. The cell encasing step and the pressure application step may be carried out a plurality of times. By the present invention, a thick, robust cell aggregate can be obtained by a simple operation of applying pressure to a cell suspension or a medium containing cells. Since the method does not require an operation of stacking a plurality of cell sheets, the cells are hardly damaged, and the conditions of the cells can be favorably maintained, so that the cells can be advantageously used as a tissue piece for transplantation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a culture method for culturing, in recesses (10), a population including two or more cells including a cell derived from a stem cell and a mesenchymal cell. The cell derived from a stem cell is a cell obtained by differentiating a stem cell in vitro. The cell is a cell of one or more types selected from the group consisting of an endodermal cell, an ectodermal cell, and a mesodermal cell. The population is cultured in the recesses (10) together with a vascular cell or a secretor factor. Each recess (10) includes a space in which cells are movable. When a volume of the space is represented by V mm3 and the number of mesenchymal cells seeded in the space is represented by N, V is 400 or less and N/V is in a range from 35 to 3000.