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An easy method to evaluate a remote place’s snowpack depth has been discussed for helping later-stage elderly persons’ life. The method of using a smartphone camera and an augmented reality marker (AR marker) has been investigated. The general smartphone with a high image resolution camera was used to observe snowpack depth in remote places and remote control the robot via Bluetooth device. And image processing using artificially integrated technology (AI technology) was adapted for detecting the AR markers and for evaluating the snowpack depth.

Several studies have been conducted on the fatigue behavior of copper and 7-3, and 6-4 brasses. However, there have been fewer studies on the fatigue behavior and fatigue crack growth (FCG) properties of free-cutting brass, primarily because emphasis has been placed on the development of lead-free free-cutting brass. In this study, fatigue experiments were performed in the atmosphere at room temperature using three types of free-cutting, two types of bismuth (Bi)-based (with different grain sizes), and lead (Pb)-based brasses. It was found that lead-free Bi-based free-cutting brass had approximately the same fatigue performance as that of Pb-based free-cutting brass. It was also clarified that the addition of Bi or Pb initiated fatigue cracks, and that the crack growth period occupied most of the fatigue life. Differences in the FCG behavior of the three free-cutting brasses were observed in the low ΔK range. The modified linear fracture mechanics parameter M was used to quantitatively analyze the fatigue life and FCG behavior (short surface cracks). A comparison between the calculated and experimental results showed that M was useful.

Fatigue crack growth (FCG) experiments were performed using a low-temperature extruded magnesium alloy AZ31 with texture. Under a constant maximum stress intensity factor (Kmax), the stress ratio R was changed from 0.1 to −1 during the fatigue crack growth process, and the FCG behavior before and after the R change was investigated. As a result, tensile twins were generated owing to the fatigue load on the compression side of R = −1, and the FCG velocity was accelerated. In addition, when the maximum compressive stress at R = −1 (|(σmin)R = −1|) exceeded the compressive yield strength of the material (σcy), the FCG velocity after R fluctuation greatly accelerated. On the other hand, under the condition |(σmin)R = −1| < σcy, the degree of acceleration of the FCG velocity due to R fluctuation was small. In either case, the degree of acceleration in the FCG increased as the Kmax value increased. The above FCG acceleration mechanism due to the R fluctuation was considered based on the observation of the deformation and twinning states of the fatigue crack tip, the fatigue crack closure behavior, and the cyclic stress–strain curve of the fatigue process. The FCG acceleration mechanism was as follows: First, the driving force of the FCG increased owing to the increase in crack opening displacement due to the generation of tensile twins. Second, the coalescence of the main crack and a plurality of microcracks were generated at the twin interface. The elasto-plastic FCG behavior after the stress ratio fluctuations is defined by the effective J-integral range ΔJeff.

Background The prognosis of unresectable gastric cancer is poor. Chemotherapy occasionally converts an initially unresectable gastric cancer to a resectable cancer. Methods The responses of noncurative factors to initial chemotherapy and the outcomes of additional (conversion) surgery were retrospectively evaluated in 151 patients with unresectable gastric cancer receiving combination chemotherapy with S-1 plus cisplatin or paclitaxel from February 2003 to December 2013. Results Forty (26 %) of 151 patients underwent conversion surgery. After chemotherapy, R0 resection was accomplished in 32 patients (80 %). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate among the 40 patients who underwent conversion surgery was 43 % (median survival time, 53 months). The 5-year OS rate in the 111 patients treated with chemotherapy alone was 1 % (median survival time, 14 months). Patients who underwent conversion surgery had significantly longer OS times than patients who underwent chemotherapy alone ( P  < 0.01). The 5-year OS rate among patients who underwent R0 resection was 49 % (median survival time, 62 months). Patients who underwent R0 resection had significantly longer OS times than those who underwent R1 and R2 resection ( P  = 0.03). Among patients who underwent conversion surgery, multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that one noncurative factor (odds ratio 0.49; 95 % confidence interval 0.28–0.88; P  = 0.02) and R0 resection (odds ratio 0.52; 95 % confidence interval 0.28–0.95; P  = 0.03) were significant independent predictors for favorable OS. Conclusions Patients with unresectable gastric cancer initially exhibiting one noncurative factor may obtain a survival benefit from chemotherapy and subsequent curative surgery.

The derivation of kidney tissues from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and its application for replacement therapy in end-stage renal disease have been widely discussed. Here we report that consecutive transfections of two sets of synthetic mRNAs encoding transcription factors can induce rapid and efficient differentiation of hPSCs into kidney tissues, termed induced nephron-like organoids (iNephLOs). The first set - FIGLA, PITX2, ASCL1 and TFAP2C, differentiated hPSCs into SIX2 + SALL1 + nephron progenitor cells with 92% efficiency within 2 days. Subsequently, the second set - HNF1A, GATA3, GATA1 and EMX2, differentiated these cells into PAX8 + LHX1 + pretubular aggregates in another 2 days. Further culture in both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional conditions produced iNephLOs containing cells characterized as podocytes, proximal tubules, and distal tubules in an additional 10 days. Global gene expression profiles showed similarities between iNephLOs and the human adult kidney, suggesting possible uses of iNephLOs as in vitro models for kidneys.

Ribosome biogenesis is vital for sustaining stem cell properties, yet its regulatory mechanisms are obscure. Herein, we show unique properties of zebrafish meioc mutants in which spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) do not differentiate or upregulate rRNAs. Meioc colocalized with Piwil1 in perinuclear germ granules, but Meioc depletion resulted in Piwil1 accumulation in nucleoli. Nucleolar Piwil1 interacted with 45S pre-rRNA. piwil1 +/- spermatogonia with reduced Piwil1 upregulated rRNAs, and piwil1 +/- ;meioc -/- spermatogonia recovered differentiation later than those in meioc -/- . Further, Piwil1 interacted with Setdb1 and HP1α, and meioc -/- spermatogonia exhibited high levels of H3K9me3 and methylated CpG in the 45S-rDNA region. These results indicate that zebrafish SSCs maintain low levels of rRNA transcription with repressive marks similar to Drosophila piRNA targets of RNA polymerase II, and that Meioc has a unique function on preventing localization of Piwil1 in nucleoli to upregulate rRNA transcripts and to promote SSC differentiation.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to persistent functional deficits due to loss of neurons and glia and to limited axonal regeneration after injury. Here we report that transplantation of human dental pulp stem cells into the completely transected adult rat spinal cord resulted in marked recovery of hind limb locomotor functions. Transplantation of human bone marrow stromal cells or skin-derived fibroblasts led to substantially less recovery of locomotor function. The human dental pulp stem cells exhibited three major neuroregenerative activities. First, they inhibited the SCI-induced apoptosis of neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, which improved the preservation of neuronal filaments and myelin sheaths. Second, they promoted the regeneration of transected axons by directly inhibiting multiple axon growth inhibitors, including chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan and myelin-associated glycoprotein, via paracrine mechanisms. Last, they replaced lost cells by differentiating into mature oligodendrocytes under the extreme conditions of SCI. Our data demonstrate that tooth-derived stem cells may provide therapeutic benefits for treating SCI through both cell-autonomous and paracrine neuroregenerative activities.

We compared the efficacy of romosozumab and denosumab in elderly women with primary osteoporosis and knee osteoarthritis in a randomized controlled trial. A total of 112 participants aged 75–90 years were randomized equally into the romosozumab and denosumab groups. Among these, 49 and 52 participants, respectively, who received their initial dose were included in the analysis. The primary outcome was change in lumbar spine (LS)-bone mineral density (BMD) at 12 months in the romosozumab group versus the denosumab group. Secondary outcomes were changes in knee osteophyte development, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and the incidence of serious adverse events. Mean age of participants was 80.9 years. There was no difference in baseline LS-BMD between the two groups, with a T-score of -2.6. The mean percentage change in LS-BMD at 12 months was significantly higher in the romosozumab group (13.7%) than in the denosumab group (8.5%; p  = 0.0035). No significant differences were observed in knee osteophyte development and PROs between the two groups. Serious adverse events included a case of mitral regurgitation in the romosozumab group. These findings emphasize the need for refined treatment strategies in high-risk populations, highlighting romosozumab’s benefits and the need to monitor cardiovascular risks.

Mouse zinc finger and SCAN domain containing 4 (Zscan4) proteins, which are encoded by multiple copies of Zscan4 genes, are expressed specifically in preimplantation embryos in vivo and embryonic stem (ES) cells in vitro. However, the expression patterns of mouse Zscan4 in vivo have been largely elusive. Here, we show that Zscan4 proteins are expressed in adult ovaries and testes. In ovaries, Zscan4 proteins were detected in germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes in antral follicles, indicating that Zscan4 genes are activated during the diplotene/dictyate stage in meiotic prophase I. Remarkably, Zscan4 showed different spatial localization patterns between two distinct GV oocytes, which can be distinguished by global chromatin organization—surrounded nucleolus (SN) and non-surrounded nucleolus (NSN). These spatiotemporal differences in Zscan4 localizations correlated with the transition of RNA polymerase II-mediated transcriptional status during GV oocyte maturation. In testes, Zscan4 proteins were detected in spermatocytes at late pachytene/diplotene stages and in Sertoli cells. These results suggest that Zscan4 may play critical roles during late meiotic prophase in both males and females.

Mouse Zinc finger and SCAN domain containing 4 (Zscan4) is encoded in multiple copies of Zscan4 genes, which are expressed in late two-cell stage preimplantation embryos and in 1–5% of the embryonic stem (ES) cell population at a given time. Due to the highly identical nucleotide sequences of multiple copies of Zscan4 paralogs and pseudogenes in the mouse Zscan4 genomic cluster, previous analyses have been done using exogenous transgenes under the regulation of Zscan4c promoter. In this manuscript, we generated knock-in mouse ES cell lines and mouse lines, in which the expression of endogenous Zscan4c, one of the Zscan4 genes, can be specifically monitored with a green fluorescent protein variant, Emerald. Interestingly, we found that only ∼30% of Zscan4-immunopositive ES cells were Emerald positive, suggesting that even when the Zscan4 locus is active, not all Zscan4 genes are expressed synchronously. We also carried out mass spectrometry of protein complexes associated with endogenous Zscan4 proteins. Taken together, our genetic engineering at an endogenous Zscan4c gene provides the first clue for the expression and function of each gene copy of Zscan4 locus in a physiological context.