Cell type census in cerebral cortex reveals species-specific brain function and connectivity.

The cerebral cortex contains a diverse array of functional regions that are conserved across species, such as primary somatosensory and primary visual cortex. However, despite this conservation, these regions exhibit different connectivity and functions in various species. It is hypothesized that these differences arise from distinct cell types within the conserved regions.

Prevalence and characteristics of frailty in older adults in Japan: a cross-sectional study using data from the long-term care insurance system.

[Purpose] Owing to rapid population aging, prevention of frailty in older adults and minimizing the burden on the long-term care insurance system are priorities for the Japanese government. However, limited data are available regarding the prevalence and characteristics of frailty among older adults requiring support in Japan. In this study, we investigated the prevalence and characteristics of frailty in older adults requiring support in Japan.

Molecular architecture of primate specific neural circuit formation.

The mammalian cortex is a highly evolved brain region, but we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying primate-specific neural circuits formation. In this study, we employed spatial transcriptomics to assess gene expression dynamics in the marmoset cortex during development, focusing on key regions and time points. Spatial transcriptomics identified genes that are sexually, spatially, and temporally differentially expressed in the developing marmoset cortex.

Molecular cell identities in the mediodorsal thalamus of infant mice and marmoset.

The mediodorsal thalamus (MD) is a higher-order nucleus located within the central thalamus in many mammalian species. Emerging evidence from MD lesions and tracer injections suggests that the MD is reciprocally connected to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and plays an essential role in specific cognitive processes and tasks. MD subdivisions (medial, central, and lateral) are poorly segregated at the molecular level in rodents, leading to a lack of MD subdivision-specific Cre driver mice.

Suppression of DNA Double-Strand Break Formation by DNA Polymerase β in Active DNA Demethylation Is Required for Development of Hippocampal Pyramidal Neurons.

Genome stability is essential for brain development and function, as mutations during neuronal development cause psychiatric disorders. However, the contribution of DNA repair to genome stability in neurons remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that the base excision repair protein DNA polymerase β (Polβ) is involved in hippocampal pyramidal neuron differentiation via a TET-mediated active DNA demethylation during early postnatal stages using β mice of either sex, in which forebrain postmitotic excitatory neurons lack Polβ expression.

Effect of the nanoformulation of siRNA-lipid assemblies on their cellular uptake and immune stimulation.

Two lipid-based nanoformulations have been used to date in clinical studies: lipoplexes and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). In this study, we prepared small interfering RNA (siRNA)-loaded carriers using lipid components of the same composition to form molecular assemblies of differing structures, and evaluated the impact of structure on cellular uptake and immune stimulation. Lipoplexes are electrostatic complexes formed by mixing preformed cationic lipid liposomes with anionic siRNA in an aqueous environment, whereas LNPs are nanoparticles embedding siRNA prepared by mixing an alcoholic lipid solution with an aqueous siRNA solution in one step.

Genome Stability by DNA Polymerase β in Neural Progenitors Contributes to Neuronal Differentiation in Cortical Development.

DNA repair is crucial for genome stability in the developing cortex, as somatic mutations cause neurological disorders. However, how DNA repair contributes to neuronal development is largely unknown. To address this issue, we studied the spatiotemporal roles of DNA polymerase β (Polβ), a key enzyme in DNA base excision repair pathway, in the developing cortex using distinct forebrain-specific conditional knock-out mice, β and β mice.

Tongue motor training support system.

In this paper, we introduce a new tongue-training system that can be used for improvement of the tongue's range of motion and muscle strength after dysphagia. The training process is organized in game-like manner. Initially, we analyzed surface electromyography (EMG) signals of the suprahyoid muscles of five subjects during tongue-training motions.

Study on a practical robotic follower to support home oxygen therapy patients--questionnaire-based concept evaluation by the patients-.

Home oxygen therapy (HOT) is a medical treatment for the patients suffering from severe lung diseases. Although walking outdoors is recommended for the patients to maintain physical strength, the patients always have to carry a portable oxygen supplier which is not sufficiently light weight for this purpose. Our ultimate goal is to develop a mobile robot to carry an oxygen tank and follow a patient in an urban outdoor environment.