Early detection of students' mental health issues from a traditional daily health observation scheme in Japanese schools and its digitalization.

Objective: The implementation of school-based mental health screening offers promise for early detection of mental health issues in children; however, various barriers hinder its widespread adoption. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of digital data obtained from an established daily health observation scheme in Japanese schools to identify later mental health issues in children.

Methods: Data for the analysis were obtained from 2,433 students enrolled in five public schools.

Mental health status of children who use foreign languages at home in Japan.

Aim: Little is known about the mental health status of children in Japan whose roots are in foreign countries. The differences in language that are used every day may be a factor that makes adaptation difficult for these children. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to examine the mental health status of children who use foreign languages at home via a cross-sectional survey in a large cohort.

Expression of RNautophagy/DNautophagy-related genes is regulated under control of an innate immune receptor.

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is a molecular pattern uniquely produced in cells infected with various viruses as a product or byproduct of replication. Cells detect such molecules, which indicate non-self invasion, and induce diverse immune responses to eliminate them. The degradation of virus-derived molecules can also play a role in the removal of pathogens and suppression of their replication.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide deficient mice show length abnormalities of the axon initial segment.

We previously found that pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP)-deficient (PACAP) mice exhibit dendritic spine morphology impairment and neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD)-like behaviors such as hyperactivity, increased novelty-seeking behavior, and deficient pre-pulse inhibition. Recent studies have indicated that rodent models of NDDs (e.g.

Altered actin dynamics is possibly implicated in the inhibition of mechanical stimulation-induced dermal fibroblast differentiation into myofibroblasts.

The formation of hypertrophic scars and keloids is strongly associated with mechanical stimulation, and myofibroblasts are known to play a major role in abnormal scar formation. Wounds in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) become inconspicuous and lack the tendency to form abnormal scars. We hypothesized that there would be a unique response to mechanical stimulation and subsequent scar formation in NF1.

Association between Genetic Variation in the Bitter Taste Receptor and Propylthiouracil Bitter Taste Thresholds among Adults Living in Japan Using the Modified 2AFC Procedure with the Quest Method.

Individual taste sensitivity influences food preferences, nutritional control, and health, and differs greatly between individuals. The purpose of this study was to establish a method of measuring and quantifying an individual's taste sensitivity and to evaluate the relationship between taste variation and genetic polymorphisms in humans using agonist specificities of the bitter taste receptor gene, , with the bitter compound 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). We precisely detected the threshold of PROP bitter perception by conducting the modified two-alternative forced-choice (2AFC) procedure with the Bayesian staircase procedure of the QUEST method and examined genetic variation in in a Japanese population.

TMEM67 is required for the gating function of the transition zone that controls entry of membrane-associated proteins ARL13B and INPP5E into primary cilia.

Primary cilia transduce signals via transmembrane and membrane-associated proteins localized to the ciliary membrane in vertebrate cells. In humans, transmembrane protein 67 (TMEM67), a component of the multiprotein complex functioning as a gatekeeper at the transition zone (TZ) of primary cilia, is mutated in patients suffering from cilia-related pleiotropic diseases, collectively referred to as ciliopathies. The requirement of TMEM67 for the gating function of the TZ that delivers membrane proteins into the ciliary compartment has not been determined.

Length impairments of the axon initial segment in rodent models of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder.

The axon initial segment (AIS) is a structural neuronal compartment of the proximal axon that plays key roles in sodium channel clustering, action potential initiation, and signal propagation of neuronal outputs. Mutations in constitutive genes of the AIS, such as ANK3, have been identified in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders. Nevertheless, morphological changes in the AIS in neurodevelopmental disorders have not been characterized.

Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder Without Expertise: A Pilot Study of 5- to 17-Year-Old Individuals Using Gazefinder.

Atypical eye gaze is an established clinical sign in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We propose a computerized diagnostic algorithm for ASD, applicable to children and adolescents aged between 5 and 17 years using Gazefinder, a system where a set of devices to capture eye gaze patterns and stimulus movie clips are equipped in a personal computer with a monitor. We enrolled 222 individuals aged 5-17 years at seven research facilities in Japan.

SCYL1 arginine methylation by PRMT1 is essential for neurite outgrowth via Golgi morphogenesis.

Arginine methylation is a common posttranslational modification that modulates protein function. SCY1-like pseudokinase 1 (SCYL1) is crucial for neuronal functions and interacts with γ-COP to form coat protein complex I (COPI) vesicles that regulate Golgi morphology. However, the molecular mechanism by which SCYL1 is regulated remains unclear.

Measuring School Climate among Japanese Students-Development of the Japan School Climate Inventory (JaSC).

School climate is a significant determinant of students' behavioral problems and academic achievement. In this study, we developed the Japan School Climate Inventory (JaSC) to see whether it measures school climate properly. To do so, we investigated whether or not the measurement with JaSC varies across sub-groups of varying grade and of gender and examined the relationship between the perception of school climate and the psychological and behavioral traits at individual levels in a sample of Japanese elementary and junior high school students (n = 1399; grade 4-9).

Developmental changes in attention to social information from childhood to adolescence in autism spectrum disorders: a comparative study.

Background: Elucidating developmental changes in the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is important to support individuals with ASD. However, no report has clarified the developmental changes in attention to social information for a broad age range. The aim of this study was to investigate the developmental changes in attention to social information from early childhood to adolescence in individuals with ASD and typically developed (TD) children.

Novel Method for Rapid Assessment of Cognitive Impairment Using High-Performance Eye-Tracking Technology.

A rapid increase in the number of patients with dementia has emerged as a global health challenge. Accumulating evidence suggests that early diagnosis and timely intervention can delay cognitive decline. The diagnosis of dementia is commonly performed using neuropsychological tests, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), administered by trained examiners.

TULP3 is required for localization of membrane-associated proteins ARL13B and INPP5E to primary cilia.

The primary cilia are known as biosensors that transduce signals through the ciliary membrane proteins in vertebrate cells. The ciliary membrane contains transmembrane proteins and membrane-associated proteins. Tubby-like protein 3 (TULP3), a member of the tubby family, has been shown to interact with the intraflagellar transport-A complex (IFT-A) and to be involved in the ciliary localization of transmembrane proteins, although its role in the ciliary entry of membrane-associated proteins has remained unclear.

Aberrant Cerebellar-Cerebral Functional Connectivity in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The cerebellum, which forms widespread functional networks with many areas in the cerebral cortices and subcortical structures, is one of the brain regions most consistently reported to exhibit neuropathological features in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, cerebellar functional connectivity (FC) studies in patients with ASD have been very sparse. Using resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) analysis, we investigated the FC of the hemispheric/vermal subregions and the dentate nucleus of the cerebellum with the cerebral regions in 36 children and adolescents [16 participants with ASD, 20 typically developing (TD) participants, age: 6-15 years].

SUMO1 impact on Alzheimer disease pathology in an amyloid-depositing mouse model.

Small ubiquitin-related modifiers (SUMOs) conjugated or bound to target proteins can affect protein trafficking, processing and solubility. SUMOylation has been suggested to play a role in the amyloid plaque and neurofibrillary tangle pathology of Alzheimer disease (AD) and related neurodegenerative diseases. The current study examines the impact of SUMO1 on processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) leading to the production and deposition of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide.

Endothelial cell-derived endothelin-1 is involved in abnormal scar formation by dermal fibroblasts through RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway.

Hypertrophic scars and keloids are characterized by excessive dermal deposition of extracellular matrix due to fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is primarily produced by vascular endothelial cells and plays multiple roles in the wound-healing response and organ fibrogenesis. In this study, we investigated the pathophysiological significance of ET-1 and involvement of RhoA, a member of the Rho GTPases, in hypertrophic scar/keloid formation.

Gazefinder as a clinical supplementary tool for discriminating between autism spectrum disorder and typical development in male adolescents and adults.

Background: Gaze abnormality is a diagnostic criterion for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, few easy-to-use clinical tools exist to evaluate the unique eye-gaze patterns of ASD. Recently, we developed Gazefinder, an all-in-one eye-tracking system for early detection of ASD in toddlers.

Association between chronic stress-induced structural abnormalities in Ranvier nodes and reduced oligodendrocyte activity in major depression.

Repeated stressful events are associated with the onset of major depressive disorder (MDD). We previously showed oligodendrocyte (OL)-specific activation of the serum/glucocorticoid-regulated kinase (SGK)1 cascade, increased expression of axon-myelin adhesion molecules, and elaboration of the oligodendrocytic arbor in the corpus callosum of chronically stressed mice. In the current study, we demonstrate that the nodes and paranodes of Ranvier in the corpus callosum were narrower in these mice.

SUMO1 Affects Synaptic Function, Spine Density and Memory.

Small ubiquitin-like modifier-1 (SUMO1) plays a number of roles in cellular events and recent evidence has given momentum for its contributions to neuronal development and function. Here, we have generated a SUMO1 transgenic mouse model with exclusive overexpression in neurons in an effort to identify in vivo conjugation targets and the functional consequences of their SUMOylation. A high-expressing line was examined which displayed elevated levels of mono-SUMO1 and increased high molecular weight conjugates in all brain regions.

Physiological ER Stress Mediates the Differentiation of Fibroblasts.

Recently, accumulating reports have suggested the importance of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signaling in the differentiation of several tissues and cells, including myoblasts and osteoblasts. Secretory cells are easily subjected to ER stress during maturation of their secreted proteins. Skin fibroblasts produce and release several proteins, such as collagens, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), and the production of these proteins is increased at wound sites.