BACKGROUND : Bone marrow–derived MSCs (BMMSCs) are limited by availability, donor variability, and age-related decline, highlighting the need for alternative MSC sources. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer a scalable solution. This study introduces a novel three-dimensional culture platform based on fibronectin (FN)-coated microparticles to efficiently derive and expand human iPSC-derived MSCs (iMSCs). METHODS : The...

Marine mammal Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs) can result in the escape of target fish species. In the present study, a modified single-layer codend configuration developed from previous studies was evaluated using BRDs with guide net angles of 30° and 45°. Catch was collected separately from the codend and the BRD cover to estimate catch loss rates and characteristics. For caught species, catch loss rates based on the number...

Microplastics are pervasive contaminants in marine environments and are increasingly recognized as a risk to marine ecosystems and to human health. Because ships take up and discharge large volumes of seawater, ballast water has been identified as a pathway for the transport of microplastics across regions. However, quantitative evidence for microplastic capture by commercially relevant ballast water management systems (BWMSs)...