Memory for expectation-violating concepts:The effects of agents and cultural familiarity

Previous research has shown that ideas which violate our expectations, such as schema-inconsistent concepts, enjoy privileged status in terms of memorability. In our study, memory for concepts that violate cultural (cultural schema-level) expectations (e.g., "illiterate teacher", "wooden bottle", or "thorny grass") versus domain-level (ontological) expectations (e.g., "speaking cat", "jumping maple", or "melting teacher") was examined. Concepts that violate cultural expectations, or counter-schematic, were remembered to a greater extent compared with concepts that violate ontological expectations and with intuitive concepts (e.g., "galloping pony", "drying orchid", or "convertible car"), in both immediate recall, and delayed recognition tests. Importantly, concepts related to agents showed a memory advantage over concepts not pertaining to agents, but this was true only for expectation-violating concepts. Our results imply that intuitive, everyday concepts are equally attractive and memorable regardless of the presence or absence of agents. However, concepts that violate our expectations (cultural-schema or domain-level) are more memorable when pertaining to agents (humans and animals) than to non-agents (plants or objects/artifacts). We conclude that due to their evolutionary salience, cultural ideas which combine expectancy violations and the involvement of an agent are especially memorable and thus have an enhanced probability of being successfully propagated. © 2014 Porubanova et al

High-dose oral vitamin D3 supplementation in rheumatology patients with severe vitamin D3 deficiency

OBJECTIVES: Recent large trials indicate that adherence associated with a daily regimen of vitamin D is low and limits anti-fracture efficacy with vitamin D supplementation. The aim of this report is to describe changes of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) serum concentrations achieved with a single oral dose of 300000 IU vitamin D3. METHODS: Over a course of 4 months, we identified 33 elderly with severe vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D<25 nmol/l) on admission to acute care. Patients were admitted for musculoskeletal pain, bone disease, or gait abnormalities. The mean age was 80.5 years (SD+/-6.1). All patients were treated with a single oral dose of 300000 IU D3 in combination with 500-1000 mg calcium supplements per day depending on their dietary calcium intake. RESULTS: Baseline mean 25(OH)D serum concentrations were 15 nmol/l (SD+/-5.5). Mean 25(OH)D serum concentrations increased to 81.4 nmol/l (SD+/-29.7) at 3 months (29 patients) and were still 69.0 nmol/l (SD+/-17.9) at 6 months (26 patients). Mean serum calcium levels were 2.24 mmol/l (SD+/-0.11) at baseline, 2.28 mmol/l (SD+/-0.18) at 3 months, and 2.28 mmol/l (SD+/-0.13) at 6 months. Two patients with mild hypercalcemia (2.69 mmol/l) at 3 months had normal values at 6 months. CONCLUSION: Based on our observations, a single oral dose of 300000 IU vitamin D3 raises mean 25(OH)D serum concentrations to the target mean of above 75 nmol/l at 3 months and a mean level of 69 nmol/l at 6 months. As calcium absorption is enhanced with higher 25(OH)D serum concentrations, calcium supplementation may need downward adjustment with this regimen to avoid mild hypercalcemia