Lifeboat Foundation

In a new study published in Science, researchers have used single-nucleus sequencing (sNuc-Seq) to characterize the cell populations of the axolotl forebrain, an aquatic salamander that can regenerate brain tissue post-injury.

Axolotls – a translational model

The brain is a complex organ, comprising billions of cells and neuronal connections that form intricate networks. Understanding which cells are actively engaged in neurological processes – and which genes underpin this activity – can help us to decipher this complexity. It is only recently that advances in single-cell sequencing have made such research possible, providing insights on the molecular signatures of thousands of individual cells.

Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) were first developed, greatly enhancing the quality of new vision synthesis. It was first suggested as a way to rebuild a static picture using a series of posed photographs. However, it has been swiftly expanded to include dynamic and uncalibrated scenarios. With the assistance of sizable controlled datasets, recent work additionally concentrate on animating these human radiance field models, thereby broadening the application domain of radiance-field-based modeling to provide augmented reality experiences. In this study, They are focused on the case when just one video is given. They aim to rebuild the human and static scene models and enable unique posture rendering of the person without the need for pricey multi-camera setups or manual annotations.

Neural Actor can create inventive human poses, but it needs several films. Even with the most recent improvements in NeRF techniques, this is far from a simple task. The NeRF models must be trained using many cameras, constant lighting and exposure, transparent backgrounds, and precise human geometry. According to the table below, HyperNeRF cannot be controlled by human postures but instead creates a dynamic scene based on a single video. ST-NeRF uses many cameras to rebuild each person using a time-dependent NeRF model, although the editing is only done to change the bounding box. HumanNeRF creates a human model from a single video with masks that have been carefully annotated; however, it does not demonstrate generalization to novel postures.

With a model trained on a single video, Vid2Actor can produce new human poses, but it cannot model the surroundings. They solve these issues by proposing NeuMan, a system that can create unique human stances and novel viewpoints while reconstructing the person and the scene from a single in-the-wild video. Figure 1’s high-quality pose-driven rendering is made possible by NeuMan, a cutting-edge framework for training NeRF models for both the human and the scene. They first estimate the camera poses, the sparse scene model, the depth maps, the human stance, the human form, and the human masks from a moving camera’s video.

Cedars-Sinai investigators have developed an investigational therapy using support cells and a protective protein that can be delivered past the blood-brain barrier. This combined stem cell and gene therapy can potentially protect diseased motor neurons in the spinal cord of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a fatal neurological disorder known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

In the first trial of its kind, the Cedars-Sinai team showed that delivery of this combined treatment is safe in humans. The findings were reported today in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Medicine.

“Using stem cells is a powerful way to deliver important proteins to the brain or spinal cord that can’t otherwise get through the blood-brain barrier,” said senior and corresponding author Clive Svendsen, Ph.D., professor of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine and executive director of the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute. “We were able to show that the engineered stem cell product can be safely transplanted in the human spinal cord. And after a one-time treatment, these cells can survive and produce an important protein for over three years that is known to protect motor neurons that die in ALS.”

A study finds that deep brain stimulation to areas of the brain associated with reward and motivation could be used as a potential treatment for depression.

According to researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, deep brain stimulation (DBS) to the superolateral branch of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB), which is linked to motivation and reward, revealed metabolic brain changes over a 12-month period following DBS implantation. This makes it a potent potential therapy for treatment-resistant depression.

The study’s findings, which included 10 patients, were published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

The latest study focused on serotonin receptors in the brain, crucial for memory, fear, and attentiveness.

Scientists have discovered a new type of synapse hiding in the brains of mice. Researchers at HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus.

“This special synapse represents a way to change what is being transcribed or made in the nucleus, and that changes whole programs,” said David Clapham, Janelia’s senior group leader.

Continue reading “New discovery: Synapse hiding in the mice brain may advance our understanding of neuronal communication” »

When our eyes move during REM sleep, we’re looking at things in the dream world our brains have created, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The findings shed light not only on how we dream, but also on how our imaginations work.

REM sleep, which is named for the rapid eye movements associated with it, has been known since the 1950s to be the phase of sleep when dreams occur. But the purpose of the eye movements has remained a matter of much mystery and debate.

REM sleep first occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep. Your eyes rapidly move from side to side behind closed eyelids. Mixed frequency brain wave activity becomes closer to that seen in wakefulness. Your breathing becomes faster and irregular, and your heart rate and blood pressure increase to near waking levels. Although some can also occur in non-REM sleep, most of your dreaming occurs during REM sleep. Your arm and leg muscles become temporarily paralyzed, which prevents you from acting out your dreams. You sleep less of your time in REM sleep as you age.

Unnecessary Playing with nature.

The stem-cell-derived embryos could shed new light on the earliest stages of human pregnancy.

Summary: A new mouse study provides clues as to how the brain processes sensory information from internal organs, revealing feedback from organs activates different clusters of neurons in the brain stem.

Source: Harvard.

Most of us think little of why we feel pleasantly full after eating a big holiday meal, why we start to cough after accidentally inhaling campfire smoke, or why we are hit with sudden nausea after ingesting something toxic. However, such sensations are crucial for survival: they tell us what our bodies need at any given moment so that we can quickly adjust our behavior.

The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is an aquatic salamander renowned for its ability to regenerate its spinal cord, heart and limbs. These amphibians also readily make new neurons throughout their lives. In 1964, researchers observed that adult axolotls could regenerate parts of their brains, even if a large section was completely removed. But one study found that axolotl brain regeneration has a limited ability to rebuild original tissue structure.

So how perfectly can axolotl’s regenerate their brains after injury?

Continue reading “Axolotls can regenerate their brains, revealing secrets of brain evolution and regeneration” »