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The damage induced by volcanic ash attack in thermal barrier coating (TBC) has been widely reported. This study focuses on actual volcanic ashes that were collected from an active volcano. The fusion properties and penetration characteristics into the TBC are discussed. Volcanic ash collected at Mt. Aso and Mt. Sakurajima was exposed by an electric furnace. It was revealed that the melting temperature of ash varies because of a difference in the chemical composition between different active volcanoes. The TBC sample with pellet-shaped volcanic ash was exposed at a temperature of 1413 K. From the SEM and EDS analysis results, it was clear that the molten volcanic ash is penetrated into the ceramic layer in TBC and a dense microstructure is formed by the penetration. It was also found that volcanic ash deposition leads to vertical and horizontal cracks in the ceramic layer. The finite element analysis results revealed that vertical cracks were initiated by thermal stress during the heating process. Horizontal cracks were initiated and propagated along the interface by a higher concentration of stress around the interface between the penetration area and the original area in the ceramic coating layer.

CMAS attack is known to occur owing to the deposition of volcanic ash onto thermal barrier coating (TBC) surface at a high-temperature environment. The serious problem is TBC spallation resulting from the infiltration of molten volcanic ash into the porous microstructure of TBC. The infiltration induces inner stress and phase transformation, which directly results in those serious problems. In this study, the diffusional equation for expressing the infiltrating process of the molten ash into the porous structure of TBC and the associated constitutive equation considered regarding phase transformation are formulated. The equations are installed into commercial finite element (FE) code (MARC) using the user subroutine. The numerical simulation results are compared with the cross-sectional SEM observation for the volcanic-ash-deposited TBC sample exposed at a high-temperature to confirm verification of the model proposed herein.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a muscle disorder caused by DMD mutations and is characterized by neurobehavioural comorbidities due to dystrophin deficiency in the brain. The lack of Dp140, a dystrophin short isoform, is clinically associated with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), but its postnatal functional role is not well understood. To investigate synaptic function in the presence or absence of brain Dp140, we utilized two DMD mouse models, mdx23 and mdx52 mice, in which Dp140 is preserved or lacking, respectively. ASD-like behaviours were observed in pups and 8-week-old mdx52 mice lacking Dp140. Paired-pulse ratio of excitatory postsynaptic currents, glutamatergic vesicle number in basolateral amygdala neurons, and glutamatergic transmission in medial prefrontal cortex-basolateral amygdala projections were significantly reduced in mdx52 mice compared to those in wild-type and mdx23 mice. ASD-like behaviour and electrophysiological findings in mdx52 mice were ameliorated by restoration of Dp140 following intra-cerebroventricular injection of antisense oligonucleotide drug-induced exon 53 skipping or intra-basolateral amygdala administration of Dp140 mRNA-based drug. Our results implicate Dp140 in ASD-like behaviour via altered glutamatergic transmission in the basolateral amygdala of mdx52 mice.

Endometriosis is characterized by inflammation and fibrotic changes. Our previous study using a mouse model showed that proinflammatory factors present in peritoneal hemorrhage exacerbated inflammation in endometriosis-like grafts, at least in part through the activation of prostaglandin (PG) E2 receptor and protease-activated receptor (PAR). In addition, menstruation-related factors, PGE2 and thrombin (P/T), a PAR1 agonist induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of endometrial cells under hypoxia. However, the molecular mechanisms by which P/T induce development of endometriosis have not been fully characterized. To investigate the effects of P/T, RNA extracted from endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) treated with P/T were subjected to RNA sequence analysis, and identified activin A, FOS, and GATA2 as upregulated genes. Activin A increased the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and mesenchymal marker genes in ESCs. CTGF induced the expression of fibrosis marker type I collagen, fibronectin, and α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA), indicating fibroblast to myofibroblast transdifferentiation (FMT) of ESCs. In addition, activin A, FOS, GATA2, CTGF, and αSMA were localized in endometriosis lesions. Taken together, our data show that P/T induces changes resembling EMT and FMT in ectopic ESCs derived from retrograde menstruation, and that these are associated with fibrotic changes in the lesions. Pharmacological means that block P/T-induced activin A and CTGF signaling may be strategies to inhibit fibrosis in endometriotic lesions.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) is a glycoprotein that has been shown to protect tissues from proteolytic damage under various inflammatory conditions. Several studies show that A1AT may be associated with pre-eclampsia. However, the role of A1AT expression in placental physiology is not fully understood. In the present study, we aim to characterize the expression and function of placental A1AT. A1AT knockdown is found to reduce the expression of the serine protease HTRA1 in a trophoblast cell line. In addition, A1AT overexpression (A1AT-OE) increases the expression of HTRA1, IL6, CXCL8, and several markers of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Treatment with tunicamycin or thapsigargin, which induces ER stress, increases HTRA1 expression. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry reveals that HTRA1 is expressed in trophoblasts and the endometrial decidual cells of human placentas. An invasion assay shows that A1AT and HTRA1 stimulate cell invasion, but treatment with the ER stress inhibitors reduces the expression of HTRA1 and ER stress markers and prevents cell invasion in A1AT-OE trophoblasts. These results suggest that endogenous A1AT regulates inflammatory cytokine expression and HTRA1-induced trophoblast invasion via the induction of ER stress. It is concluded that an imbalance in the functional link between A1AT and ER stress at the maternal–fetal interface might cause abnormal placental development.

Endometriosis is characterised by inflammation and fibrotic changes. Our previous study using a mouse model showed that proinflammatory factors present in peritoneal haemorrhage exacerbated inflammation in endometriosis-like grafts, at least in part through the activation of prostaglandin (PG) E2 receptor and protease-activated receptor (PAR). In addition, hypoxia is a well-known inducer of fibrosis that may be associated with epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the complex molecular interactions between hypoxia and proinflammatory menstruation-related factors, PGE2 and thrombin, a PAR1 agonist, on EMT in endometriosis have not been fully characterised. To explore the effects of hypoxia and proinflammatory factors on EMT-like changes in endometrial cells, we determined the effects of PGE2 and thrombin (P/T) on EMT marker expression and cell migration in three dimensional cultured human endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) and endometrial stromal cells (ESCs). Treatment of EECs with P/T under hypoxia stimulated cell migration, increased the expression of mesenchymal N-cadherin, vimentin and C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4), and reduced the expression of epithelial E-cadherin. Furthermore, treatment with C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12), a ligand for CXCR4, increased EMT marker expression and cell migration. In ESCs, P/T or oestrogen treatment under hypoxic conditions increased the expression and secretion of CXCL12. Taken together, our data show that hypoxic and proinflammatory stimuli induce EMT, cell migration and inflammation in EECs, which was increased by CXCL12 derived from ESCs. These data imply that inflammatory mediators in retrograde menstrual fluid contribute to ectopic endometrial EMT and migration in the presence of peritoneal hypoxia.

We report on high-resolution transmission electron microscopy observations of bulk nanograined silicon processed by severe plastic deformation through high-pressure torsion (HPT). Single crystalline Si(100) was subjected to HPT processing under a nominal pressure of 24 GPa at room temperature. The HPT-processed samples contained lattice defects such as dislocations and nanotwins in diamond-cubic Si-I, and metastable phases such as body-centered-cubic Si-III and hexagonal-diamond Si-IV. The grain size ranged from several nanometers up to several tens of nanometers. Subsequent annealing at 873 K led to the phase transformation to Si-I. No appreciable grain coarsening occurred after annealing while dislocations and nanotwins remained in the Si-I nanograins. The Si-I nanograin structure was retained even after annealing for 12 h.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming an attractive alternative to gasoline vehicles owing to the increase of greenhouse gas emissions and gasoline prices. EVs are also expected to function as battery storages for stabilizing large fluctuations in the power grid through the vehicle-to-grid power system, which requires smart charge and discharge scheduling algorithms. In this paper, we develop a linear programming based heuristic algorithm on a time–space network model for charge and discharge scheduling of EVs. We also develop an improved two-stage heuristic algorithm to cope with uncertain demands and departure times of EVs, and evaluate the effect of the smart charge and discharge scheduling of EVs on a peak load reduction in a building energy management system.

In previous research, we have developed a high-dorsiflexion assistive robotic technology aiming for gait rehabilitation targeting on ankle dorsiflexion movement. A McKibben-type artificial muscle is applied to provide large dorsiflexion force while adding little weight to the device. This ensures the foot clearance before initial stance phase in gait. Meanwhile, a tension spring is deployed in series with the artificial muscle to support heel rocker function in loading response phase. Suitable spring coefficient for each individual differs according to ankle’s dorsiflexion torque in loading response. An unsuitable spring would lead to knee deviation in this phase. In this study, we derived an identification equation to determine a suitable spring coefficient for individuals based on estimation of dorsiflexion torque required to support. An evaluation test on healthy objects was conducted, which shows no negative effects on participants’ knee angles with the identified spring coefficient.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition that can cause impaired motor function or full paralysis. In the days to weeks following the initial mechanical injury to the spinal cord, inflammation and apoptosis can cause additional damage to the injured tissues. This secondary injury impairs recovery. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is a secreted protein that has been shown to improve a variety of neurological conditions, including SCI, by promoting neuron survival and synaptic plasticity. This study treated a mouse model of contusion SCI using a single dose of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA nanomicelles prepared with polyethylene glycol polyamino acid block copolymer directly injected into the injured tissue. BDNF levels in the injured spinal cord tissue were approximately doubled by mRNA treatment. Motor function was monitored using the Basso Mouse Scale and Noldus CatWalk Automated Gait Analysis System for 6 weeks post-injury. BDNF-treated mice showed improved motor function recovery, demonstrating the feasibility of mRNA delivery to treat SCI.

Ischemic neuronal death causes serious lifelong neurological deficits; however, there is no proven effective treatment that can prevent neuronal death after the ischemia. We investigated the feasibility of mRNA therapeutics for preventing the neuronal death in a rat model of transient global ischemia (TGI). By intraventricular administration of mRNA encoding brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) using a polymer-based carrier, polyplex nanomicelle, the mRNA significantly increased the survival rate of hippocampal neurons after TGI, with a rapid rise of BDNF in the hippocampus. Interestingly, mRNA administration on Day 2 after TGI provided significantly better survival rate than the administration immediately after TGI. Eventually, dosing twice on Day 2 and 5 exerted long-term therapeutic effects, which were confirmed by a Y-maze behavioral test demonstrating improved spatial memory compared with untreated rats on Day 20. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that astrocytes were chief targets of the BDNF mRNA-loaded nanomicelles, suggesting that the augmented BDNF secretion from astrocytes creates a supportive microenvironment for the neurons to tolerate changes caused by ischemic stresses, and terminate the process of progressive neuronal death after the ischemic attack. Overall, the unique mechanism of action of mRNA therapeutics provide a promising approach for preventing ischemic neuronal death.

The radiative defect centers in thermally-grown SiO2/4H-SiC structures with high-temperature post-oxidation annealing (POA) in various ambient gas, i.e. Ar, H2, and NOx, were examined using cathodoluminescence (CL) measurement. It was found that radiative centers with an extremely high luminescent efficiency were remained at the SiO2/SiC interfaces after Ar-POA and FGA. Thus, these defect centers are very stable against high-temperature annealing and reducing ambient. In contrast, NOx-POA significantly reduced amounts of the radiative defects that might be related to channel mobility improvement in SiC-MOSFETs.

Active ankle dorsiflexion in swing phase to ensure foot clearance, and resistive dorsiflexion for heel rocker function to prevent foot slap are important for a normal human gait. Stroke patients with hemiplegia have motor deficiency in their paralyzed side, and thus could not voluntarily generate enough dorsiflexion force. In this paper, we present our design of a light-weighted high dorsiflexion supportive robotic technology. It supports swing phase dorsiflexion with a McKibben-type artificial muscle, and supports heel rocker function with a tension spring. A pilot clinical trial shows the immediate improvement of dorsiflexion in swing phase by supporting high dorsiflexion angle in intervention, and the other pilot clinical trial shows the effects of heel rocker function support with lessened angular velocity of ankle plantarflexion and knee flexion.

Background Although chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) has a good prognosis after classical minimally-invasive drainage surgery, severe complications still occur at a substantial rate. Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome (CHS), which is a common severe complication after carotid endarterectomy or carotid artery stenting for cervical carotid artery stenosis, is rare after drainage surgery for a CSDH. Case Description We describe the case of an 82-year-old woman who presented with ipsilesional symptoms including contralateral hemiparesis and dysarthria, progressively worsening consciousness, and status epilepticus after a burr hole drainage surgery for CSDH. Magnetic resonance fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging showed diffuse subcortical low intensity in the ipsilesional hemisphere almost simultaneously with the appearance of the symptoms. Arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance perfusion imaging showed the abnormal increase of cerebral blood flow in the hemisphere. Continuous propofol administration and blood pressure management improved the symptoms. Conclusions CHS can cause severe postoperative complications after drainage surgery for CSDH. Subcortical low-intensity fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging is a useful investigation for early detection of CHS in CSDH, and arterial spin labeling imaging is an effective minimally-invasive modality for confirming the diagnosis.

The conventional wireless sensor networks are designed to gather information from sensors, and pervasive computing systems involve such wireless sensor networks that consist of a number of tiny-/micro-sensors to sense the real-world objects and phenomena. In addition, they also need to conduct training tasks for highly-intelligent processing like pattern recognition and anomaly detection, but doing such tasks in cloud servers may often be impossible or expensive due to lack of communication facility, data transfer overhead, privacy concerns and so on. In this paper, we propose a unique approach to carry out deep learning (both training/testing) among wireless sensors nodes for in-situ, edge-heavy processing. The idea is to appropriately assign neurons of CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) to wireless nodes, each of which has limited processing capability but can have some power when they are united. For this purpose, we have designed a distributed, restricted version of CNNs. We conducted two experiments using real data; one is for anomaly detection of temperature in an over-1,400m^2 lounge space using 50 temperature sensors to confirm the learning capability as well as communication overhead, and another is for activity recognition using a 6x6 array of thin-, energy-efficient film-type infra-red sensors with micro-processors to demonstrate our concept.

Novel mesoporous TiO2 films with regularly aligned slit-like nanovoids are prepared through structural transformation from a mesostructured TiO2 film with honeycomb-packed aligned cylindrical micelles by pyrolytic removal of the micelle template. The transformation takes place through interconnection of the TiO2 walls of the framework in the thickness direction by a heat-induced shrinkage and eventual collapse of the original channel structure. For the formation of this new structure, the preparation of a mesostructured titania film with cylindrical micelles aligned entirely in the plane of the film over the whole thickness is indispensable. This is achieved by coating a substrate, on which a rubbing-treated polyimide layer is formed, with a precursor solution containing two nonionic surfactants, Brij56 and P123. In the mixed surfactant system, Brij56 works as an alignment-controlling agent through selective and directional adsorption on the anisotropic polymer surface. On the other hand, P123 suppresses the formation of a surface layer without controlled in-plane alignment, which has been inevitable when Brij56 is used alone. This is caused by the retarded condensation of the TiO2 precursors due to increased coordination of oxyethylene moieties on titanium. P123 also increases the wall thickness of the framework, which also contributes to the formation of this mesoporous TiO2 film with oriented regular slit-like voids. The structural transformation takes place in a relatively low temperature range lower than 300 °C, which shows that the driving force is not crystallization. The mesoporous TiO2 films with aligned slit-like voids show optical anisotropy, birefringence, with a Δn value of ∼0.023 reflecting the structural anisotropy of the film. Calcination of the aligned mesostructured TiO2 film at 450 °C induces crystallization of TiO2, which deteriorates the meso-scale structural regularity by interconnection of the TiO2 walls. However, the partial retention of the regular structure is confirmed in the vicinity of the surface, which allows the retention of the optical anisotropy. The novel mesoporous TiO2 films in this paper have potential for optical applications by combining their unique anisotropic mesostructure, which enhances the accessibility to the inner surface, with various properties of TiO2 such as high refractive index and photocatalytic activity.

In the previous work, we developed a dorsiflexion support robotic technology (RT) to help with gait rehabilitation for hemiplegic patients. The RT actively supports dorsiflexion force during swing phase with an artificial muscle. Because of the insufficient support of heel rocker, we consider using a spring for assisting resistive dorsiflexion force during loading response phase. The spring can be changed easily on our developed RT, which contributes to advantage of choosing spring with suitable spring constant. Thus, the ultimate goal for us is to find a way to determine the appropriate spring constant for corresponding individual gait to support full heel rocker in loading response phase. Support amount of dorsiflexion torque is needed for determining the spring constant. Therefore, our aim in this paper is to find out the correlation between ankle torque and individual gait factors, such as walking speed and step length. After selecting these factors, we collected gait data for 9 healthy volunteers and derive the formula to estimate dorsiflexion torque using multiple linear regression analysis. An accuracy evaluation test was also done to prove the availability of derived estimation formula.

Object Meningiomas treated by subtotal or partial resection are associated with significantly shorter recurrence-free survival than those treated by gross-total resection. The Simpson grading system classifies incomplete resections into a single category, namely Simpson Grade IV, with wide variations in the volume and location of residual tumors, making it complicated to evaluate the achievement of surgical goals and predict the prognosis of these tumors. Authors of the present study investigated the factors related to necessity of retreatment and tried to identify any surgical nuances achievable with the aid of modern neurosurgical techniques for meningiomas treated using Simpson Grade IV resection. Methods This retrospective analysis included patients with WHO Grade I meningiomas treated using Simpson Grade IV resection as the initial therapy at the University of Tokyo Hospital between January 1995 and April 2010. Retreatment was defined as reresection or stereotactic radiosurgery due to postoperative tumor growth. Results A total of 38 patients were included in this study. Regrowth of residual tumor was observed in 22 patients with a mean follow-up period of 6.1 years. Retreatment was performed for 20 of these 22 tumors with regrowth. Risk factors related to significantly shorter retreatment-free survival were age younger than 50 years (p = 0.006), postresection tumor volume of 4 cm3 or more (p = 0.016), no dural detachment (p = 0.001), and skull base location (p = 0.016). Multivariate analysis revealed that no dural detachment (hazard ratio [HR] 6.42, 95% CI 1.41–45.0; p = 0.02) and skull base location (HR 11.6, 95% CI 2.18–218; p = 0.002) were independent risk factors for the necessity of early retreatment, whereas postresection tumor volume of 4 cm3 or more was not a statistically significant risk factor. Conclusions Compared with Simpson Grade I, II, and III resections, Simpson Grade IV resection includes highly heterogeneous tumors in terms of resection rate and location of the residual mass. Despite the difficulty in analyzing such diverse data, these results draw attention to the favorable effect of dural detachment (instead of maximizing the resection rate) on long-term tumor control. Surgical strategy with an emphasis on detaching the tumor from the affected dura might be another important option in resection of high-risk meningiomas not amenable to gross-total resection.

To decrease human error during the needle insertion, authors aimed to develop force visualization system. The purpose was to elucidate a method of determining the dynamic friction coefficient and estimating the cutting force. The elastic force was obtained by pressing a test piece with a stick. The needle inserted twice to the test piece. The dynamic friction coefficient and the cutting force were calculated based on the elastic force and the second needle insertion force. The experimental and the theoretical cutting force wave forms were consistent qualitatively. The cutting force could estimate by obtaining the elastic force and the dynamic friction coefficient.

Needles used in percutaneous insertion must be as thin as possible to minimize invasiveness. However, using extra-thin needles with a diameter less than 25G (0.53 mm diameter) can cause needle deflection. Needle deflection can be minimized by insertion with axial rotation along the needle shaft; this rotation is also useful for steering the insertion direction of the needle tip. However, although high rotation speeds may decrease needle deflection, this may increase tissue damage. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to histologically evaluate tissue damage caused by the rotational needle-insertion method, and to verify the needle-tip deflection caused by tissue damage. In this paper, we evaluated tissue damage and needle deflection caused by needle insertion with no rotation, unidirectional rotation, and bidirectional rotation. The results suggest that percutaneous needle insertion under unidirectional rotation is potentially risky in humans, as this causes wound-up tissue and expansion of the area of the hole created by the needle path. In contrast, needle insertion under bidirectional rotation appeared to minimize deflection, and prevented winding of tissue and expansion of the hole created by the needle path.

Background: De novo aneurysm formation after intracranial anastomotic surgery is a relatively rare complication with fewer than 20 reported cases, and the mechanism is still unclear. Case Description: A 63-year-old male treated for symptomatic internal carotid artery occlusion developed de novo aneurysms twice after anastomoses first of the superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery and second of the external carotid artery-radial artery-middle cerebral artery over a 10-year period. The first de novo aneurysm was successfully resected with pathological diagnosis of true aneurysm. The second de novo aneurysm thrombosed naturally after gradual growth. Genetic testing of the patient revealed the c.14576G>A (p.R4859K) variant in ring finger protein 213, which is a susceptibility gene for moyamoya disease. Conclusions: This genetic variant was probably involved in the repeated de novo aneurysm formation, and this case represents a rare phenotype of the genetic variant.

Oculomotor nerve palsy (ONP) due to internal carotid-posterior communicating artery (PcomA) aneurysm generally manifests as partial nerve palsy including pupillary dysfunction. In contrast, infundibular dilatation (ID) of the PcomA has no pathogenic significance, and mechanical compression of the cranial nerve is extremely rare. We describe a 60-year-old woman who presented with progressive ptosis due to mechanical compression of the oculomotor nerve by an ID of the PcomA. Three-dimensional computer graphics (3DCG) accurately visualized the mechanical compression by the ID, and her ptosis was improved after clipping of the ID. ID of the PcomA may cause ONP by mechanical compression and is treatable surgically. 3DCG are effective for the diagnosis and preoperative simulation.

Meningiomas treated by subtotal or partial resection are associated with significantly shorter recurrence-free survival than those treated by gross-total resection. The Simpson grading system classifies incomplete resections into a single category, namely Simpson Grade IV, with wide variations in the volume and location of residual tumors, making it complicated to evaluate the achievement of surgical goals and predict the prognosis of these tumors. Authors of the present study investigated the factors related to necessity of retreatment and tried to identify any surgical nuances achievable with the aid of modern neurosurgical techniques for meningiomas treated using Simpson Grade IV resection.This retrospective analysis included patients with WHO Grade I meningiomas treated using Simpson Grade IV resection as the initial therapy at the University of Tokyo Hospital between January 1995 and April 2010. Retreatment was defined as reresection or stereotactic radiosurgery due to postoperative tumor growth.A total of 38 patients were included in this study. Regrowth of residual tumor was observed in 22 patients with a mean follow-up period of 6.1 years. Retreatment was performed for 20 of these 22 tumors with regrowth. Risk factors related to significantly shorter retreatment-free survival were age younger than 50 years (p = 0.006), postresection tumor volume of 4 cm(3) or more (p = 0.016), no dural detachment (p = 0.001), and skull base location (p = 0.016). Multivariate analysis revealed that no dural detachment (hazard ratio [HR] 6.42, 95% CI 1.41-45.0; p = 0.02) and skull base location (HR 11.6, 95% CI 2.18-218; p = 0.002) were independent risk factors for the necessity of early retreatment, whereas postresection tumor volume of 4 cm(3) or more was not a statistically significant risk factor.Compared with Simpson Grade I, II, and III resections, Simpson Grade IV resection includes highly heterogeneous tumors in terms of resection rate and location of the residual mass. Despite the difficulty in analyzing such diverse data, these results draw attention to the favorable effect of dural detachment (instead of maximizing the resection rate) on long-term tumor control. Surgical strategy with an emphasis on detaching the tumor from the affected dura might be another important option in resection of high-risk meningiomas not amenable to gross-total resection.

Recent progress in affective neuroscience and social neurobiology has been propelled by neuro-imaging technology and epigenetic approach in neurobiology of animal behaviour. However, quantitative measurements of socio-emotional development remains lacking, though sensory-motor development has been extensively studied in terms of digitised imaging analysis. Here, we developed a method for socio-emotional behaviour measurement that is based on the video recordings under well-defined social context using animal models with variously social sensory interaction during development. The behaviour features digitized from the video recordings were visualised in a multivariate statistic space using principal component analysis. The clustering of the behaviour parameters suggested the existence of species- and stage-specific as well as cross-species behaviour modules. These modules were used to characterise the behaviour of children with or without autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). We found that socio-emotional behaviour is highly dependent on social context and the cross-species behaviour modules may predict neurobiological basis of ASDs.

Attachment formation is the most pivotal factor for humans and animals in the growth and development of social relationships. However, the developmental processes of attachment formation mediated by sensory-motor, emotional and cognitive integration remain obscure. Here we developed an animal model to understand the types of social interactions that lead to peer-social attachment formation. We found that the social interaction in a sensitive period was essential to stabilise or overwrite the initially imprinted peer affiliation state and that synchronised behaviour with others based on common motivations could be a driver of peer social attachment formation. Furthermore, feeding experience with supplementation of ubiquinol conferred peer social attachment formation even after the sensitive period. Surprisingly, the experience of feeding beyond the cage window was also effective to reduce the required amount ubiquinol, suggesting that peri-personal space modulation may affect socio-emotional cognition and there by lead to attachment formation.

Background Late brain metastasis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which is generally considered as metastasis occurring more than 10 years after nephrectomy, often occurs as a solitary lesion, and total resection is recommended to achieve remission. Case Description We describe a rare case of multiple late brain metastases from RCC in a 60-year-old man who presented with 3 brain metastases from RCC 22 years after nephrectomy. Total removal of the 3 lesions achieved remission without adjuvant therapy. Conclusions Total removal of late brain metastasis from RCC, even occurring with multiple lesions, can achieve total remission under specific conditions.