Robotic rehabilitation training with a newly developed upper limb single-joint Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL-SJ) for elbow flexor reconstruction after brachial plexus injury: A report of two cases

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of using the upper limb single-joint Hybrid Assistive Limb (upper limb HAL-SJ) during elbow flexion training following elbow flexor reconstruction for brachial plexus injury (BPI). We present the cases of two patients in whom the upper limb HAL-SJ was implemented 5 and 7 months postoperatively following elbow flexor reconstruction for BPI. They underwent elbow flexor reconstruction with intercostal nerve crossing-to-musculocutaneous nerve (ICN-MCN crossing) after BPI. Postoperative training using the upper limb HAL-SJ was started from the Medical Research Council (MRC) grade 1 elbow flexion power to MRC grade 3 once every week or every 2 weeks. Both patients could implement elbow training using the upper limb HAL-SJ even in MRC grade 1 of their elbow flexion power. Training with the upper limb HAL-SJ was performed safely and effectively in two patients with elbow flexor reconstruction with ICN crossing after BPI

Discrimination of Stem Cell Status after Subjecting Cynomolgus Monkey Pluripotent Stem Cells to Naïve Conversion

Experimental animal models have played an indispensable role in the development of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) research. The derivation of high-quality (so-called “true naïve state”) iPSCs of non-human primates enhances their application and safety for human regenerative medicine. Although several attempts have been made to convert human and non-human primate PSCs into a truly naïve state, it is unclear which evaluation methods can discriminate them as being truly naïve. Here we attempted to derive naïve cynomolgus monkey (Cm) (Macaca fascicularis) embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and iPSCs. Several characteristics of naïve Cm ESCs including colony morphology, appearance of naïve-related mRNAs and proteins, leukaemia inhibitory factor dependency, and mitochondrial respiration were confirmed. Next, we generated Cm iPSCs and converted them to a naïve state. Transcriptomic comparison of PSCs with early Cm embryos elucidated the partial achievement (termed naïve-like) of their conversion. When these were subjected to in vitro neural differentiation, enhanced differentiating capacities were observed after naïve-like conversion, but some lines exhibited heterogeneity. The difficulty of achieving contribution to chimeric mouse embryos was also demonstrated. These results suggest that Cm PSCs could ameliorate their in vitro neural differentiation potential even though they could not display true naïve characteristics

Age Influences Male's Mating Preferences for Multiparous and Nulliparous Females in the Laboratory-bred Macaca Fascicularis

Most studies of partner choice and preferences in nonhuman primates have been concerned with male social rank. Females select high-ranking males, and high-ranking females can more readily gain access to males. Although researchers have mentioned males’ choices and their preferences for females, papers that focus on male preferences have been few. Past studies suggested that male primates prefer older females. We analyzed data collected by the every-other-day mating system in which a male alternately lived with each of two females. This allowed us to compare the biological and/or physical characteristics of pregnant females with those of nonpregnant females and to minimize social factors. Multiparous and/or older females were more frequently pregnant. In the nulliparous group, females that became pregnant for the first time tended to be younger than the other nonpregnant females paired in the mating set. While males generally prefer parous females, males prefer to mate with younger females among females that have never been pregnant. A female that gets pregnant at a young age could become pregnant again later in life. Such a mating preference would guarantee higher reproductive success for females in the wild as well

Age Influences Male's Mating Preferences for Multiparous and Nulliparous Females in the Laboratory-bred Macaca Fascicularis

Most studies of partner choice and preferences in nonhuman primates have been concerned with male social rank. Females select high-ranking males, and high-ranking females can more readily gain access to males. Although researchers have mentioned males’ choices and their preferences for females, papers that focus on male preferences have been few. Past studies suggested that male primates prefer older females. We analyzed data collected by the every-other-day mating system in which a male alternately lived with each of two females. This allowed us to compare the biological and/or physical characteristics of pregnant females with those of nonpregnant females and to minimize social factors. Multiparous and/or older females were more frequently pregnant. In the nulliparous group, females that became pregnant for the first time tended to be younger than the other nonpregnant females paired in the mating set. While males generally prefer parous females, males prefer to mate with younger females among females that have never been pregnant. A female that gets pregnant at a young age could become pregnant again later in life. Such a mating preference would guarantee higher reproductive success for females in the wild as well