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Lipids exhibit functional bioactivities based on their polar and acyl chain properties; humans obtain lipids from dietary plant product intake. Therefore, the identification of different molecular species facilitates the evaluation of biological functions and nutrition levels and new phenotype-modulating lipid structures. As a rapid screening strategy, we performed untargeted lipidomics for 155 agricultural products in 58 species from 23 plant families, wherein product-specific lipid diversities were shown using computational mass spectrometry. We characterized 716 lipid species, for which the profiles revealed the National Center for Biotechnology Information-established organismal classification and unique plant tissue metabotypes. Moreover, we annotated unreported subclasses in plant lipidology; e.g., triacylglycerol estolide (TG-EST) was detected in rice seeds (Oryza sativa) and several plant species. TG-EST is known as the precursor molecule producing the fatty acid ester of hydroxy fatty acid, which lowers ambient glycemia and improves glucose tolerance. Hence, our method can identify agricultural plant products containing valuable lipid ingredients.

The hydrophobic cuticle is the first line of defense between aerial portions of a plant and the external environment. On maize silks, the cuticular cutin matrix is infused with cuticular lipids, consisting of a homologous series of very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs), aldehydes, and hydrocarbons that serve as precursors, intermediates, and end-products of the elongation, reduction, and decarbonylation reactions of the hydrocarbon-producing pathway. To deconvolute the potentially confounding impacts of the silk microenvironment and silk development on the hydrocarbon-producing pathway, spatio-temporal cuticular lipid profiling was conducted on the agronomically important inbreds B73 and Mo17, and their reciprocal hybrids. Statistical interrogation via multivariate analyses of the metabolite abundances of the hydrocarbon-producing pathway demonstrate that the cellular VLCFA pool is positively correlated with the cuticular lipid metabolome, and this metabolome is primarily affected by the silk microenvironment and the plant genotype. Moreover, genotype has a major effect on the pathway, with increased cuticular hydrocarbon and concomitant reduction of cuticular VLCFA accumulation on B73 silks, suggesting that conversion of VLCFAs to hydrocarbons is more effective in B73 than Mo17. Statistical modeling of the ratios between cuticular hydrocarbons and cuticular VLCFAs reveals the complexity of the product-precursor ratio relationship, demonstrating a significant role of precursor chain length. Longer-chain VLCFAs are preferentially utilized as precursors for hydrocarbon biosynthesis. Collectively, these findings demonstrate maize silks as an effective and novel system for dissection of the complex dynamics of cuticular lipid accumulation in plants.One-sentence SummaryThe product-precursor ratios in the cuticular hydrocarbon-producing pathway are impacted by fatty acid precursor chain length, plant genotype and the spatio-temporal dynamic gradients of maize silks.

Nervous cell functions are known to be physiologically regulated by mechanical factors in the brain. However, it remains unclear whether mechanical interventions can modulate the pathophysiological processes underlying brain-related disorders and modify their consequences. Here we show that passive head motion of hypertensive rats, which reproduces mechanical accelerations generated at their heads during treadmill running at a moderate velocity, decreases the expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) in astrocytes in their rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). This decrease results in lowering their blood pressure. Passive head motion generates interstitial fluid movement that is estimated to exert shear stress with average magnitude of a few Pa on cells in rats’ brainstem. Fluid shear stress of a relevant magnitude decreases AT1R expression in cultured astrocytes, but not in neuronal cells. Furthermore, in hypertensive rats, inhibition of movement of interstitial fluid by its gelation with reactive polyethylene glycol injected into the RVLM eliminates the ability of passive head motion to decrease their blood pressure and AT1R expression in RVLM astrocytes. Consistent with these results from animal experiments, vertically oscillating chair riding of hypertensive adult humans, which reproduces mechanical accelerations generated at their heads during light jogging or fast walking, lowers their blood pressure. Our findings indicate that moderate mechanical impact on the head has an antihypertensive effect by modulating the function of RVLM astrocytes through interstitial fluid shear stress. We anticipate mechanical regulation to underlie a variety of positive effects of physical exercise on human health, particularly those related to brain functions.

After carotid artery stenting(CAS)in a tortuous artery, the geometrics and elongation of the carotid artery sometimes change. It is not clear whether these changes induce post stent re-stenosis. We report a case of re-stenosis that occurred two years after CAS in a tortuous artery that required carotid endarterectomy with removal of the stent.CAS was performed on a 78-year-old male who presented with symptoms of severe stenosis of a tortuous internal carotid artery. Eighteen months after stenting, the echogram revealed moderate stenosis at the distal end of the stent. Six months later, this developed into severe stenosis. Carotid angiography showed that the end of the stent was touching the wall of the internal carotid artery, and blood was passing through the stent wall. A re-CAS was difficult to perform;hence carotid endarterectomy with removal of the stent was performed successfully. He was discharged without any new neurological deficits.CAS on a tortuous carotid artery sometimes results in changes to the geometry and elongation of the artery. Potentially, this can lead to changes in the positional relationship between the stent and the artery, alteration of the wall shear stress and re-stenosis. Careful follow-up is needed after CAS on a tortuous artery.

Under heat stress, polyunsaturated acyl groups, such as α-linolenate (18:3) and hexadecatrienoate (16:3), are removed from chloroplastic glycerolipids in various plant species. Here, we showed that a lipase designated HEAT INDUCIBLE LIPASE1 (HIL1) induces the catabolism of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) under heat stress in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves. Using thermotolerance tests, a T-DNA insertion mutant with disrupted HIL1 was shown to have a heat stress-sensitive phenotype. Lipidomic analysis indicated that the decrease of 34:6-MGDG under heat stress was partially impaired in the hil1 mutant. Concomitantly, the heat-induced increment of 54:9-triacylglycerol in the hil1 mutant was 18% lower than that in the wild-type plants. Recombinant HIL1 protein digested MGDG to produce 18:3-free fatty acid (18:3-FFA), but not 18:0- and 16:0-FFAs. A transient assay using fluorescent fusion proteins confirmed chloroplastic localization of HIL1. Transcriptome coexpression network analysis using public databases demonstrated that the HIL1 homolog expression levels in various terrestrial plants are tightly associated with chloroplastic heat stress responses. Thus, HIL1 encodes a chloroplastic MGDG lipase that releases 18:3-FFA in the first committed step of 34:6 (18:3/16:3)-containing galactolipid turnover, suggesting that HIL1 has an important role in the lipid remodeling process induced by heat stress in plants.

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) enable communication with others and allow machines or computers to be controlled in the absence of motor activity. Clinical studies evaluating neural prostheses in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients have been performed; however, to date, no study has reported that ALS patients who progressed from locked-in syndrome (LIS), which has very limited voluntary movement, to a completely locked-in state (CLIS), characterized by complete loss of voluntary movements, were able to continue controlling neural prostheses. To clarify this, we used a BCI system to evaluate three late-stage ALS patients over 27 months. We employed steady-state visual evoked brain potentials elicited by flickering green and blue light-emitting diodes to control the BCI system. All participants reliably controlled the system throughout the entire period (median accuracy: 83.3%). One patient who progressed to CLIS was able to continue operating the system with high accuracy. Furthermore, this patient successfully used the system to respond to yes/no questions. Thus, this CLIS patient was able to operate a neuroprosthetic device, suggesting that the BCI system confers advantages for patients with severe paralysis, including those exhibiting complete loss of muscle movement.

A brain-computer interface (BCI) or brain-machine interface is a technology that enables the control of a computer and other external devices using signals from the brain. This technology has been tested in paralysed patients, such as those with cervical spinal cord injuries or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but it has not been tested systematically in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), which is a severe type of muscular dystrophy due to the loss of dystrophin and is often accompanied by progressive muscle weakness and wasting. Here, we investigated the efficacy of a P300-based BCI for patients with DMD. Eight bedridden patients with DMD and eight age- and gender-matched able-bodied controls were instructed to input hiragana characters. We used a region-based, two-step P300-based BCI with green/blue flicker stimuli. EEG data were recorded, and a linear discriminant analysis distinguished the target from other non-targets. The mean online accuracy of inputted characters (accuracy for the two-step procedure) was 71.6% for patients with DMD and 80.6% for controls, with no significant difference between the patients and controls. The P300-based BCI was operated successfully by individuals with DMD in an advanced stage and these findings suggest that this technology may be beneficial for patients with this disease.

Understanding how we consciously experience our bodies is a fundamental issue in cognitive neuroscience. Two fundamental components of this are the sense of body ownership (the experience of the body as one's own) and the sense of agency (the feeling of control over one's bodily actions). These constructs have been used to investigate the incorporation of prostheses. To date, however, no evidence has been provided showing whether representations of ownership and agency in amputees are altered when operating a robotic prosthesis. Here we investigated a robotic arm using myoelectric control, for which the user varied the joint position continuously, in a rubber hand illusion task. Fifteen able-bodied participants and three trans-radial amputees were instructed to contract their wrist flexors/extensors alternately, and to watch the robotic arm move. The sense of ownership in both groups was extended to the robotic arm when the wrists of the real and robotic arm were flexed/extended synchronously, with the effect being smaller when they moved in opposite directions. Both groups also experienced a sense of agency over the robotic arm. These results suggest that these experimental settings induced successful incorporation of the prosthesis, at least for the amputees who took part in the present study.

Understanding how we consciously experience our bodies is a fundamental issue in both psychology and neuroscience. To date, the incorporation of nonbody objects into the body representation has been investigated extensively, and the incorporation of prosthetic arms in amputees has been demonstrated using the rubber hand illusion. In this study, we investigated the incorporation of prosthetic arms in amputees using the crossed hands illusion, in which successive somatosensory stimuli are delivered, one to each arm, at intervals of 300ms or less, and where arm crossing often causes inversion of perceived tactile temporal order. The induced reversal illusion was greater with a prosthetic limb than without in three amputees. With a shorter prosthetic arm (i.e., one that did not reach the contralateral limb), the illusion induced by vision of the short prosthetic arm was significantly reduced as compared to that seen when the long prosthetic arm crossed over the other arm. These results therefore suggest that the somatosensory signals were referred to the spatial location of the tips of the prosthetic arm, which was incorporated into the body representation by the amputees.

Understanding how we consciously experience our bodies is a fundamental issue in both psychology and neuroscience. To date, the incorporation of nonbody objects into the body representation has been investigated extensively, and the incorporation of prosthetic arms in amputees has been demonstrated using the rubber hand illusion. In this study, we investigated the incorporation of prosthetic arms in amputees using the crossed hands illusion, in which successive somatosensory stimuli are delivered, one to each arm, at intervals of 300. ms or less, and where arm crossing often causes inversion of perceived tactile temporal order. The induced reversal illusion was greater with a prosthetic limb than without in three amputees. With a shorter prosthetic arm (i.e., one that did not reach the contralateral limb), the illusion induced by vision of the short prosthetic arm was significantly reduced as compared to that seen when the long prosthetic arm crossed over the other arm. These results therefore suggest that the somatosensory signals were referred to the spatial location of the tips of the prosthetic arm, which was incorporated into the body representation by the amputees.

Objective The P300-based brain–computer interface (BCI) is designed to help patients with motor disabilities to control their environment, and it has been used successfully in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, some ALS patients were unable to use the visual P300-BCI with the conventional row/column presentation. In this study, we evaluated the effect of a newly developed region-based two-step P300 speller, which has a larger flashing area than the conventional visual array. Methods Seven ALS patients and seven age- and sex-matched able-bodied control subjects were required to input hiragana characters using our P300 BCI system. We prepared two types of input procedures, the conventional row/column (RC) speller and the two-step speller, and evaluated their online performance. Results The mean online accuracy of the ALS patients was 24% for the RC condition and 55% for the two-step condition. The accuracy of the control subjects was 71% and 83% for the RC and two-step condition, respectively. Accuracy in ALS patients was significantly lower than that in the control subjects, and the new visual stimuli significantly increased accuracy of ALS patients. Using the new speller, two ALS patients showed an initial accuracy sufficient for practical use (>70%). The other two ALS patients, who performed better in the first trial using the new speller, continued to experience the BCI system, and their mean accuracy increased to 92%. Conclusions The two-step procedure for the visual P300 BCI system provided significantly increased accuracy for ALS patients compared with a conventional RC speller. Significance The new region-based two-step P300 speller was effective in ALS patients, and the system may be beneficial to expand their range of activities.

Lipid remodeling in soybean under phosphorus (P)-limitation stress was investigated via lipidomic analysis. Principle component analysis of lipidome data from plants with 4 unfolded trifoliate leaves revealed that each leaf responded to P-limitation stress differently. Upon P limitation, a substantial decrease in phospholipids was observed particularly in the 1st and 2nd trifoliate leaves, while 3rd, and especially 4th, trifoliate leaves showed lipid profiles similar to those from control plants grown under P sufficiency. Under P-limited conditions, non-phosphorus glycoglycerolipid, glucuronosyldiacylglycerol (GlcADG), significantly increased in the 1st and 2nd trifoliate leaves. The levels of some other non-phosphorus glycoglycerolipids, including monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol, and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG), were elevated under P-limited growth conditions, while there were only slight changes in the total levels of these lipid classes upon P limitation. These results indicate that the lipid metabolic pathway in tissues of soybean plants does not uniformly respond to P-limitation stress, where lipid remodeling is very active in older leaves and phosphate appears to be preferentially remobilized to the younger tissues under P-limited conditions.

We clarify internal phase correction mechanisms affecting timing control in a synchronization tapping task. Synchronization error (SE) was directly controlled within 450-1800 ms of the inter stimulusonset interval (ISI) with our experimental method. Two types of internal phase correction mechanism became evident. The first showed a strong negative correlation between SE change and change in inter taponset interval (ITI), suggesting a simple negative feedback mechanism. This correlation was observed under all ISI conditions. The second type showed a larger response with a low negative correlation and was observed only with long (1200-1800 ms) ISIs. Only the second mechanism was inhibited in a dual task condition. These results suggest that there are two types of internal phase correction mechanism.

The ownership of one's body parts represents a fundamental aspect of self-consciousness. Accumulating empirical evidence supports the existence of this concept in humans and nonhuman primates, but it is unclear whether nonprimate mammals experience similar feelings. Therefore, the present study used rubber tails to investigate body ownership in rodents. When the real tails and rubber tails were synchronously stroked, the mice responded as if their own tails were touched when the rubber tails were grasped. In contrast, when the stimuli were delivered asynchronously, there was a significantly lower mean response rate when the rubber tail was grasped. These findings suggest that mice may experience body ownership of their tails, suggestive of the rubber hand illusion in humans.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTTo explore the manner in which the ownership of body parts is experienced, this study specifically used the rubber hand illusion (RHI), in which self-consciousness can be extended out of one's own body. Accumulating empirical evidence supports the existence of this concept in humans and nonhuman primates, but it remains unclear whether nonprimate mammals experience similar feelings. This study demonstrated for the first time that mice may experience body ownership of their tails, which is suggestive of the RHI in humans and provides evidence that may highlight how humans experience the ownership of body parts.

Glucuronosyldiacylglycerol (GlcADG) is a plant glycolipid that accumulates in Arabidopsis and rice in response to phosphorus (P) starvation. It has been suggested that GlcADG functions to mitigate the stress induced by P depletion. Biosynthesis of GlcADG requires sulfolipid (SQDG) synthase, which is coded for in plant genomes. This indicates the possibility that GlcADG may be a general constituent of membrane lipids in plants. In this study, we investigated the SQDG synthases found in the genomes of higher plants, ferns, mosses, algae and cyanobacteria. In addition, we analyzed GlcADG accumulation, and the expression of SQDG synthase homologs in tomato and soybean plants grown under P-limited conditions. LC-MS analysis of lipids from these plants confirmed that GlcADG accumulated during P deprivation, as previously observed in Arabidopsis and rice. We also observed upregulation of SQDG synthase transcripts in these plants during P deprivation. These data suggest that GlcADG is present not only in model plants, but also in various other plant species, and that this lipid molecule performs an important physiological function as a mitigator of P-deprivation stress in plants.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can result in the locked-in state (LIS), characterized by paralysis, and eventual respiratory failure, compensated by artificial ventilation,1 or the completely LIS (CLIS), with additional total paralysis of eye muscles. Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) have been used to allow paralyzed people to regain basic communication,2 although current EEG-based BCIs have not succeeded with CLIS patients.3 We present Class IV case evidence to establish that communication in the CLIS is possible with a metabolic BCI based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).

Reciprocity plays a key role maintaining cooperation in society. However, little is known about the neural process that underpins human reciprocity during social interactions. Our neuroimaging study manipulated partner identity (computer, human) and strategy (random, tit-for-tat) in repeated prisoner's dilemma games and investigated the neural correlate of reciprocal interaction with humans. Reciprocal cooperation with humans but exploitation of computers by defection was associated with activation in the left amygdala. Amygdala activation was also positively and negatively correlated with a preference change for human partners following tit-for-tat and random strategies, respectively. The correlated activation represented the intensity of positive feeling toward reciprocal and negative feeling toward non-reciprocal partners, and so reflected reciprocity in social interaction. Reciprocity in social interaction, however, might plausibly be misinterpreted and so we also examined the neural coding of insight into the reciprocity of partners. Those with and without insight revealed differential brain activation across the reward-related circuitry (i.e., the right middle dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal caudate) and theory of mind (ToM) regions [i.e., ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) and precuneus]. Among differential activations, activation in the precuneus, which accompanied deactivation of the VMPFC, was specific to those without insight into human partners who were engaged in a tit-for-tat strategy. This asymmetric (de)activation might involve specific contributions of ToM regions to the human search for reciprocity. Consequently, the intensity of emotion attached to human reciprocity was represented in the amygdala, whereas insight into the reciprocity of others was reflected in activation across the reward-related and ToM regions. This suggests the critical role of mentalizing, which was not equated with reward expectation during social interactions.

A brain-machine interface (BMI) is an interface technology that uses neurophysiological signals from the brain to control external machines. Recent invasive BMI technologies have succeeded in the asynchronous control of robot arms for a useful series of actions, such as reaching and grasping. In this study, we developed non-invasive BMI technologies aiming to make such useful movements using the subject's own hands by preparing a BMI-based occupational therapy assist suit (BOTAS). We prepared a pre-recorded series of useful actionsa grasping-a-ball movement and a carrying-the-ball movementand added asynchronous control using steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) signals. A SSVEP signal was used to trigger the grasping-a-ball movement and another SSVEP signal was used to trigger the carrying-the-ball movement. A support vector machine was used to classify EEG signals recorded from the visual cortex (Oz) in real time. Untrained, able-bodied participants (n = 12) operated the system successfully. Classification accuracy and time required for SSVEP detection were approximately 88% and 3 s, respectively. We further recruited three patients with upper cervical spinal cord injuries; they also succeeded in operating the system without training. These data suggest that our BOTAS system is potentially useful in terms of rehabilitation of patients with upper limb disabilities.

A non-invasive brain–machine interface (BMI) or brain–computer interface is a technology for helping individuals with disabilities and utilizes neurophysiological signals from the brain to control external machines or computers without requiring surgery. However, when applying electroencephalography (EEG) methodology, users must place EEG electrodes on the scalp each time, and the development of easy-to-use electrodes for clinical use is required. In this study, we developed a conductive non-adhesive solid-gel electrode for practical non-invasive BMIs. We performed basic material testing, including examining the volume resistivity, viscoelasticity, and moisture-retention properties of the solid-gel. Then, we compared the performance of the solid-gel, a conventional paste, and an in-house metal-pin-based electrode using impedance measurements and P300-BMI testing. The solid-gel was observed to be conductive (volume resistivity 13.2 Ωcm) and soft (complex modulus 105.4 kPa), and it remained wet for a prolonged period (>10 h) in a dry environment. Impedance measurements revealed that the impedance of the solid-gel-based and conventional paste-based electrodes was superior to that of the pin-based electrode. The EEG measurement suggested that the signals obtained with the solid-gel electrode were comparable to those with the conventional paste-based electrode. Moreover, the P300-BMI study suggested that systems using the solid-gel or pin-based electrodes were effective. One of the advantages of the solid-gel is that it does not require cleaning after use, whereas the conventional paste adheres to the hair, which requires washing. Furthermore, the solid-gel electrode was not painful compared with a metal-pin electrode. Taken together, the results suggest that the solid-gel electrode worked well for practical BMIs and could be useful for bedridden patients such as those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective This study evaluates the efficacy of a P300-based brain–computer interface (BCI) with green/blue flicker matrices for individuals with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods Ten individuals with cervical SCI (age 26–53, all male) and 10 age- and sex-matched able-bodied controls (age 27–52, all male) with no prior BCI experience were asked to input hiragana (Japanese alphabet) characters using the P300 BCI with two distinct types of visual stimuli, white/gray and green/blue, in an 8×10 flicker matrix. Both online and offline performance were evaluated. Results The mean online accuracy of the SCI subjects was 88.0% for the white/gray and 90.7% for the green/blue flicker matrices. The accuracy of the control subjects was 77.3% and 86.0% for the white/gray and green/blue, respectively. There was a significant difference in online accuracy between the two types of flicker matrix. SCI subjects performed with greater accuracy than controls, but the main effect was not significant. Conclusions Individuals with cervical SCI successfully controlled the P300 BCI, and the green/blue flicker matrices were associated with significantly higher accuracy than the white/gray matrices. Significance The P300 BCI with the green/blue flicker matrices is effective for use not only in able-bodied subjects, but also in individuals with cervical SCI.

A brain-machine interface (BMI) uses neurophysiological signals from the brain to control external devices, such as robot arms or computer cursors. Combining augmented reality with a BMI, we show that the user's brain signals successfully controlled an agent robot and operated devices in the robot's environment. The user's thoughts became reality through the robot's eyes, enabling the augmentation of real environments outside the anatomy of the human body.

In this research, to clarify the relation between a cognitive process and a timing structure of utterance, the dialogue that consisted of an instruction and a response utterance was analyzed. The results showed that correlation between duration of instruction utterance and that of switching pause was negative and low value, when a change of utterance speed was too small to be aware. However, the correlation between them was positive and high value, when a change of utterance speed was explicitly big. The positive correlation between durations has been reported in some researches, however the negative and low correlation between them have not been reported. These results suggest that there is hierarchical timing structure in human dialog.

Towards developing robots that are capable of communicating in dasianaturalpsila ways with humans, we believe that it is important to study, and note any important interrelation between, both verbal and non-verbal information in human communication. The model of a timing control system was developed based on a previous study that analyzed the utterance and body motions in the context of human-human communication. This paper presents the realization of this timing control system for the purpose of human-robot interaction, implemented on the Wakamaru robot platform.

We investigate the mechanism of predictive timing control in synchronization tapping. This is the synchronization task between tap onset and periodic tone onset. As a result, we classified that subjective sequence between tap onset and tone onset can be modified by controlling the time difference between the two onsets. This suggests that prediction in subjective time is essential.

Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) accumulates betacyanin as natural red pigment mainly in its fruit. It is well known that P. americana cultured cells accumulate betacyanin with their growth. We report the most effective medium to produce betacyanin and the stability of betacyanin from cultured cells.