Sodium butyrate prevents radiation-induced cognitive impairment by restoring pCREB/BDNF expression

Sodium butyrate is a histone deacetylase inhibitor that affects various types of brain damages. To investigate the effects of sodium butyrate on hippocampal dysfunction that occurs after whole-brain irradiation in animal models and the effect of sodium butyrate on radiation exposure-induced cognitive impairments,adult C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally treated with 0.6 g/kg sodium butyrate before exposure to 10 Gy cranial irradiation. Cognitive impairment in adult C57BL/6 mice was evaluated via an object recognition test 30 days after irradiation. We also detected the expression levels of neurogenic cell markers(doublecortin)and phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein/brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Radiation-exposed mice had decreased cognitive function and hippocampal doublecortin and phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein/brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression. Sodium butyrate pretreatment reversed these changes. These findings suggest that sodium butyrate can improve radiation-induced cognitive dysfunction through inhibiting the decrease in hippocampal phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein/brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression. The study procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Korea Institute of Radiological Medical Sciences(approval No. KIRAMS16-0002) on December 30, 2016.     

Priming sentence comprehension in aphasia: effects of lexically independent and specific structural priming

Background & Aims: Impaired message-structure mapping results in deficits in both sentence production and comprehension in aphasia. Structural priming has been shown to facilitate syntactic production for persons with aphasia (PWA). However, it remains unknown if structural priming is also effective in sentence comprehension. We examined if PWA show preserved and lasting structural priming effects during interpretation of syntactically ambiguous sentences and if the priming effects occur independently of or in conjunction with lexical (verb) information.

Methods & Procedures: Eighteen PWA and 20 healthy older adults (HOA) completed a written sentence-picture matching task involving the interpretation of prepositional phrases (PP; the chef is poking the solider with an umbrella) that were ambiguous between high (verb modifier) and low attachment (object noun modifier). Only one interpretation was possible for prime sentences, while both interpretations were possible for target sentences. In Experiment 1, the target was presented immediately after the prime (0-lag). In Experiment 2, two filler items intervened between the prime and the target (2-lag). Within each experiment, the verb was repeated for half of the prime-target pairs, while different verbs were used for the other half. Participants’ off-line picture matching choices and response times were measured.

Results: After reading a prime sentence with a particular interpretation, HOA and PWA tended to interpret an ambiguous PP in a target sentence in the same way and with faster response times. Importantly, both groups continued to show this priming effect over a lag (Experiment 2), although the effect was not as reliable in response times. However, neither group showed lexical (verb-specific) boost on priming, deviating from robust lexical boost seen in the young adults of prior studies.

Conclusions: PWA demonstrate abstract (lexically-independent) structural priming in the absence of a lexically-specific boost. Abstract priming is preserved in aphasia, effectively facilitating not only immediate but also longer-lasting structure-message mapping during sentence comprehension.     

Multidimensionality of the PROMIS self-efficacy measure for managing chronic conditions

Quality of Life Research - This study investigated the PROMIS Self-Efficacy Measure for Managing Chronic Conditions (PROMIS-SE) domain distributions and examined the factor structure of the...     

幼儿不同跑步着地方式的生物力学特征

文题释义：跑：跑是双脚交替接触地面的周期性运动，但跑有一个双脚都离开地面的腾空期。幼儿在 1 岁多开始学习跑步，最初是走跑结合的移动方式，由于身体发育不完善，下肢力量弱，平衡能力差，容易摔倒；到 2.5岁，幼儿跑步的腾空阶段明显；到 6岁，早期跑步的特点基本消失。 着地方式：指的是人体在跑步着地阶段足部接触地面的方式，一般分为3种方式：分别为足跟着地(fore foot strike)，跟骨先接触地面；全足着地(mid foot strike)，全脚掌着地，即足跟与前足同时接触地面；前足着地(rear foot strike)：前足部首先接触地面。 背景：成年人跑步着地方式一直是国内外学者研究的重点，而幼儿跑步的着地方式也是不容忽视的内容。 目的：运用生物力学方法探究幼儿在跑步过程中，不同着地方式下的运动学和动力学指标的差异，为幼儿正确的跑步着地方式提供科学依据。 方法：在北京市海淀区某公立幼儿园中随机抽取幼儿74名，按年龄分为3岁组、4岁组、5岁组，采用BTS红外动作捕捉系统、Kistler三维测力台和VIXTA录像解析系统同步采集幼儿跑步过程中不同着地方式下的运动学、动力学数据；运用Anybody 5.2仿真建模软件计算下肢肌肉力量指标。试验前向受试者父母详细解释并签署知情同意书，试验方案符合北京师范大学的相关伦理要求。 结果与结论：①3岁组全足着地的比例最高，足跟着地的比例最低，5岁组全足着地的比例最低，足跟着地的比例最高；前足着地者的蹬伸时间大于足跟着地(P < 0.01)和全足着地(P < 0.05)；②着地时刻，踝屈曲角度足跟着地者大于前足着地(P < 0.01)和全足着地者(P < 0.05)，全足着地者大于前足着地(P < 0.05)；前足着地者髋内收-外展角度、最大髋内收-外展角、髋内-收外展的关节变化量及最大膝内收-外展角速度大于足跟着地(P < 0.01)和全足着地者(P < 0.05)；前足着地者的踝屈伸最小值大于足跟着地者(P < 0.05)，而最大髋内收-外展角速度小于足跟着地者(P < 0.05)；③足跟着地和全足着地者的腓骨短肌、腓骨长肌、第三腓骨肌的肌力大于前足着地者(P < 0.05)，前足着地者的股中间肌、股外侧肌下束、股外侧肌上束、股内侧肌下束、股内侧肌上束、股内侧肌中束肌力均大于足跟着地(P < 0.01)和全足着地者(P < 0.05)；④结果提示：在3-6岁阶段，幼儿多采用足跟或全足着地模式进行奔跑，以满足自己在跑步过程的稳定性，随着年龄的增长，逐渐出现前足着地方式的跑步模式；前足着地能够动用更多髋关节和膝关节额状面的运动来维持人体运动中的稳定，足跟着地和全足着地能够动用更多的小腿前侧和后侧的肌力，而前足着地动用更多的大腿前侧肌力。 ORCID: 0000-0002-8337-3931(赵盼超) 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：组织构建；骨细胞；软骨细胞；细胞培养；成纤维细胞；血管内皮细胞；骨质疏松；组织工程     

Steep Decrease of Gender Difference in DSM-IV Alcohol Use Disorder: A Comparison of Two Nation-wide Surveys Conducted 10 Years Apart in Korea

While decreasing trend in gender differences in alcohol use disorders was reported in Western countries, the change in Asian countries is unknown. This study aims to explore the shifts in gender difference in alcohol abuse (AA) and dependence (AD) in Korea. We compared the data from two nation-wide community surveys to evaluate gender differences in lifetime AA and AD by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Face-to-face interviews using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) were applied to all subjects in 2001 (n=6,220) and 2011 (n=6,022). Male-to-female ratio of odds was decreased from 6.41 (95% CI, 4.81-8.54) to 4.37 (95% CI, 3.35-5.71) for AA and from 3.75 (95% CI, 2.96-4.75) to 2.40 (95% CI, 1.80-3.19) for AD. Among those aged 18-29, gender gap even became statistically insignificant for AA (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 0.97-2.63) and AD (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.80-2.41) in 2011. Men generally showed decreased odds for AD (0.55; 95% CI, 0.45-0.67) and women aged 30-39 showed increased odds for AA (2.13; 95% CI 1.18-3.84) in 2011 compared to 2001. Decreased AD in men and increased AA in women seem to contribute to the decrease of gender gap. Increased risk for AA in young women suggests needs for interventions.     

Association Between Patient and Physician Sex and Physician-Estimated Stroke and Bleeding Risks in Atrial Fibrillation

Background

Physicians treating nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) assess stroke and bleeding risks when deciding on anticoagulation. The agreement between empirical and physician-estimated risks is unclear. Furthermore, the association between patient and physician sex and anticoagulation decision-making is uncertain.