Abstract: An adhesion-preventing material having a high adhesion-preventing effect has been demanded. An adhesion-preventing material including a sterilized biocompatible sponge-like laminate, wherein the sponge-like laminate comprises a sponge-like first layer and a sponge-like second layer each of which is at least partially crosslinked with a curing agent and comprises a low-endotoxin alginic acid monovalent metal salt, the alginic acid monovalent metal salt in the first layer has a weight average molecular weight of 10,000 to 2,000,000, the alginic acid monovalent metal salt in the second layer has a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 to 1,000,000, the weight average molecular weights are measured by a GPC-MALS method after a decrosslinking treatment, and the weight average molecular weight of the alginic acid monovalent metal salt in the first layer is higher than that in the second layer.

Abstract: In a Fourier-transform spectroscopy apparatus, a scanning mirror is arranged on a light path of scanning light. The scanning mirror delays or advances the scanning light with respect to reference light according to the rotational angle of the scanning mirror from its initial position. A spectroscopic spectrum generating unit generates an interferogram based on the intensity of the detection target light obtained from the detection target, and Fourier transforms the interferogram thus generated. The spectroscopic spectrum generating unit corrects the nonlinearity of the group delay between an envelope of the reference light and an envelope of the scanning light, and corrects the nonlinearity of the phase shift between the respective envelopes.

Abstract: The invention provides for systems, methods, and compositions for altering expression of target gene sequences and related gene products. Provided are structural information on the Cas protein of the CRISPR-Cas system, use of this information in generating modified components of the CRISPR complex, vectors and vector systems which encode one or more components or modified components of a CRISPR complex, as well as methods for the design and use of such vectors and components. Also provided are methods of directing CRISPR complex formation in eukaryotic cells and methods for utilizing the CRISPR-Cas system. In particular the present invention comprehends optimized functional CRISPR-Cas enzyme systems.

Abstract: Provided herein are compositions and methods for the induction and/or proliferation of CD8+ T-cells. The disclosure also provides methods of treatment of diseases that can be treated by the induction and/or proliferation of CD8+ T-cells.

Abstract: The invention provides for systems, methods, and compositions for targeting nucleic acids. In particular, the invention provides non-naturally occurring or engineered DNA or RNA-targeting systems comprising a novel DNA or RNA-targeting CRISPR effector protein and at least one targeting nucleic acid component like a guide RNA.

Abstract: [Problem] To develop novel therapeutic agents for viral diseases such as coronavirus infections. [Solution] The present invention provides a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for viral diseases containing a compound with inhibitory activity against the function of Pin1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A first object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a cyclic imide compound with high yield and high purity. A second object of the present invention is to provide a composition that can be used in the method for producing a cyclic imide compound with high yield and high purity. A third object of the present invention is to provide an intermediate compound that can be used in the method for producing a cyclic imide compound with high yield and high purity. The method for producing a cyclic imide compound according to the present invention includes reacting a compound represented by formula (1) below with at least one amine compound to obtain a compound represented by formula (2) below.

Abstract: Provided is a method of fixing a sufficient amount of carbon dioxide contained in a carbon dioxide-containing gas (e.g., a plant exhaust gas) simply, at low cost, and efficiently. The method of fixing carbon dioxide includes a contact step of bringing a carbon dioxide-containing gas into contact with powdery or grainy particles, which are each formed of a cementitious hardened body and each have a particle size of 40 mm or less, at a temperature of from 75° C. to 110° C. to fix carbon dioxide contained in the carbon dioxide-containing gas to the powdery or grainy particles, wherein the relative humidity of the carbon dioxide-containing gas is adjusted in accordance with the particle size of the powdery or grainy particles and the state of adjustment of moisture content of the powdery or grainy particles before the contact step.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a method, or the like, for estimating the convergence of dimensional changes in a molded article over time, by utilizing the polarization intensity of terahertz waves. The present invention provides a method for estimating the convergence of changes in the dimensions of a molded article over time, the method comprising: irradiating a molded article with terahertz waves at multiple positions thereon, wherein the molded article is irradiated with the terahertz waves at each position thereon in multiple orientations about the optical axis; measuring polarization intensities of the terahertz waves transmitted through or reflected from the molded article; and determining whether the polarization intensities at the multiple positions are in a given relationship with each other.

Abstract: An object of the present disclosure is to enable behavior of a linear structure in water to be estimated. The present disclosure is an apparatus that: expresses at least one parameter in a plurality of discrete values, and forecasts behavior of a linear structure by using each of the discrete values; acquires behavior of the linear structure detected using an optical fiber; calculates a likelihood between the forecasted behavior of the linear structure and the acquired behavior of the linear structure; updates at least one of the plurality of discrete values on the basis of the likelihood; and calculates behavior of the linear structure by using the updated plurality of discrete values.

Abstract: The invention relates to automatic discovery and evaluation of a motion by treating motion recognition as an optimization problem by considering a series of basic motions obtained by segmenting a subject motion. The method comprises segmenting time series data defining a motion of a subject into a plurality of segments, classifying each segment into a class for a basic motion by using time series data of the segment, and converting the motion of the subject to a sequence of high rank symbols in which each high rank symbol is formed from a series of the basic motions, wherein a function that calculates a score based on a set of a high rank symbol and a sequence of basic motions is provided and the motion of the subject is converted to the sequence of the high rank symbols by an optimization calculation using dynamic programming.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nucleic acid having excellent cell membrane permeability.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antibody to a fibrosis-related molecule and medical application thereof. The antibody of the present invention is an antibody that binds to CHL1 protein and an antibody that neutralizes the binding of the CHL1 protein to a fibroblast.

Abstract: Any one or both of an optical system with a structured lighting pattern and a structured detecting system having a plurality of regions with different optical characteristics are used. In addition, optical signals from an object to be observed through one or a small number of pixel detectors are detected while changing relative positions between the object to be observed and any one of the optical system and the detecting system, time series signal information of the optical signals are obtained, and an image associated with an object to be observed from the time series signal information is reconstructed.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a determination unit configured to determine a type of autophagy induced in a cell, based on information indicative of autophagic activity in the cell present in a cell image in which the cell is image captured and based on information indicative of congestion of molecules in the cell present in the cell image.

Abstract: Species of human-derived bacteria belonging to the Clostridia class have been shown to induce accumulation of regulatory T cells (Treg cells) in the colon and suppress immune functions. Pharmaceutical compositions containing these bacteria can be used to prevent and treat immune-mediated diseases such as autoimmune diseases.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing a somatic chimera by using a pluripotent cell genetically engineered not to differentiate into a predetermined type of cell. The present invention particularly provides a method for preventing a pluripotent cell from contributing to the brain and gonad in a somatic chimera animal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel combination of (1) a substance that suppresses or inhibits the function of extracellular TCTP (translationally controlled tumor protein), especially released from tumor cells, and (2) a cancer immunotherapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer. Preferably, such a cancer immunotherapeutic agent is an immune checkpoint inhibitor. The substance that suppresses or inhibits the function of extracellular TCTP functions as an activator or enhancer of anti-tumor immune cells including T cells and natural killer (NK) cells and/or an antagonist of immunosuppressive cells, such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). The combination according to the present invention is useful for treating or preventing cancer. The combination according to the present invention is also useful for alleviating, reverting, or preventing immune suppression in the tumor immune microenvironment.

Abstract: The present invention has found that chimeric animals suffer from noticeable inflammation after birth, though neither immune response nor inflammation in the fetal period of these animals has been reported hitherto. This is an unexpected finding since chimeric animals in the fetal period were exclusively analyzed in prior studies and thus it is deemed that immunotolerance has been theoretically established therein. The present invention provides a composition for suppressing immune response or inflammation in the fetal period of a born chimeric animal.

Abstract: An analysis device includes an analysis unit configured to receive scattered light, transmitted light, fluorescence, or electromagnetic waves from an observed object located in a light irradiation region light-irradiated from a light source and analyze the observed object on the basis of a signal extracted on the basis of a time axis of an electrical signal output from a light-receiving unit configured to convert the received light or electromagnetic waves into the electrical signal.