Bilinguals have different hemispheric lateralization in visual word processing from monolinguals

Open URL: http://csjarchive.cogsci.rpi.edu/Proceedings/2011/Previous studies showed reduced hemispheric asymmetry (HA) in visual tasks like face perception in bilinguals compared with monolinguals, suggesting experience in reading one or two languages could be a modulating factor. We examined whether HA differences in visual tasks can also be observed in bilinguals with different language backgrounds. We compared the behavior of three groups in a tachistoscopic English word sequential matching task: English monolinguals (alphabetic monolinguals, A-Ms), bilinguals with an alphabetic-L1 and English-L2 (alphabetic-alphabetic bilinguals, AA-Bs), and bilinguals with Chinese-L1 and English-L2 (logographic-alphabetic bilinguals, LA-Bs). The results showed AA-Bs had a stronger left hemispheric lateralization than A-Ms and LA-Bs, suggesting different language learning experiences can influence visual words processing. Our computational model could explain this effect, based on a perceptual HA theory; the modeling data suggested this difference may be due to the differences in both participants’ vocabulary size and word-to-sound mapping between alphabetic and logographic languages.postprin

Bilingual Experience Modulates Hemispheric Lateralization in Visual Word Processing

Previous studies showed reduced hemispheric asymmetry in face perception in bilinguals compared with monolinguals, suggesting that hemispheric asymmetry in visual stimulus processing may be modulated by language reading experience. Here we examined whether this phenomenon can also be observed in bilinguals with different language backgrounds. We compared English monolinguals, European–English bilinguals (who know two alphabetic languages), and Chinese–English bilinguals (who have mastered a logographic and an alphabetic language) in an English word sequential matching task. We showed that European–English bilinguals had a stronger right visual field/left hemispheric advantage than the other two groups, suggesting that different language experiences can influence how visual words are processed in the brain. In addition, by using a computational model that implements a theory of hemispheric asymmetry in perception, we showed that this lateralization difference could be accounted for by the difference in participants’ vocabulary size and the difference in word-to-sound mapping between alphabetic and logographic languages.published_or_final_versio

White adipose tissue mitochondrial metabolism in health and in obesity

White adipose tissue is one of the largest organs of the body. It plays a key role in whole-body energy status and metabolism; it not only stores excess energy but also secretes various hormones and metabolites to regulate body energy balance. Healthy adipose tissue capable of expanding is needed for metabolic well-being and to prevent accumulation of triglycerides to other organs. Mitochondria govern several important functions in the adipose tissue. We review the derangements of mitochondrial function in white adipose tissue in the obese state. Downregulation of mitochondrial function or biogenesis in the white adipose tissue is a central driver for obesity-associated metabolic diseases. Mitochondrial functions compromised in obesity include oxidative functions and renewal and enlargement of the adipose tissue through recruitment and differentiation of adipocyte progenitor cells. These changes adversely affect whole-body metabolic health. Dysfunction of the white adipose tissue mitochondria in obesity has long-term consequences for the metabolism of adipose tissue and the whole body. Understanding the pathways behind mitochondrial dysfunction may help reveal targets for pharmacological or nutritional interventions that enhance mitochondrial biogenesis or function in adipose tissue.Peer reviewe

Testing the theory of immune selection in cancers that break the rules of transplantation

Modification of cancer cells likely to reduce their immunogenicity, including loss or down-regulation of MHC molecules, is now well documented and has become the main support for the concept of immune surveillance. The evidence that these modifications, in fact, result from selection by the immune system is less clear, since the possibility that they may result from reorganized metabolism associated with proliferation or from cell de-differentiation remains. Here, we (a) survey old and new transplantation experiments that test the possibility of selection and (b) survey how transmissible tumours of dogs and Tasmanian devils provide naturally evolved tests of immune surveillance

Reconsidering the Barefoot Doctor Programme

This paper examines the widely acclaimed Barefoot Doctor campaign in China. The Barefoot Doctor Campaign has come to symbolize the success of Chinese health care to the extent that it has become a model for WHO public health strategy. Yet little has been done to understand how or whether it worked on the ground and what difficulties and contradictions emerged in its implementation. Using previously unexplored party archives as well as newly collected oral interviews, this paper moves away from a narrow focus on party politics and policy formulation by examining the reality of health care at the local level and the challenges faced by local authorities and individuals as the campaigns evolved

Skin and soft tissue infections in hospitalized and critically ill patients: a nationwide population-based study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The proportional distributions of various skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) with/without intensive care are unclear. Among SSTI patients, the prevalence and significance of complicating factors, such as comorbidities and infections other than skin/soft tissue (non-SST infections), remain poorly understood. We conducted this population-based study to characterize hospitalized SSTI patients with/without intensive care and to identify factors associated with patient outcome.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We analyzed first-episode SSTIs between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007 from the hospitalized claims data of a nationally representative sample of 1,000,000 people, about 5% of the population, enrolled in the Taiwan National Health Insurance program. We classified 18 groups of SSTIs into three major categories: 1) superficial; 2) deeper or healthcare-associated; and 3) gangrenous or necrotizing infections. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to identify factors associated with intensive care unit (ICU) admission and hospital mortality.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 146,686 patients ever hospitalized during the 3-year study period, we identified 11,390 (7.7%) patients having 12,030 SSTIs. Among these SSTI patients, 1,033 (9.1%) had ICU admission and 306 (2.7%) died at hospital discharge. The most common categories of SSTIs in ICU and non-ICU patients were "deeper or healthcare-associated" (62%) and "superficial" (60%) infections, respectively. Of all SSTI patients, 45.3% had comorbidities and 31.3% had non-SST infections. In the multivariate analyses adjusting for demographics and hospital levels, the presence of several comorbid conditions was associated with ICU admission or hospital mortality, but the results were inconsistent across most common SSTIs. In the same analyses, the presence of non-SST infections was consistently associated with increased risk of ICU admission (adjusted odds ratios [OR] 3.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.91-3.83) and hospital mortality (adjusted OR 5.93, 95% CI 4.57-7.71).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The proportional distributions of various SSTIs differed between ICU and non-ICU patients. Nearly one-third of hospitalized SSTI patients had non-SST infections, and the presence of which predicted ICU admission and hospital mortality.</p

Zinc-Chelation Contributes to the Anti-Angiogenic Effect of Ellagic Acid on Inhibiting MMP-2 Activity, Cell Migration and Tube Formation

Ellagic acid (EA), a dietary polyphenolic compound, has been demonstrated to exert anti-angiogenic effect but the detailed mechanism is not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the zinc chelating activity of EA contributed to its anti-angiogenic effect.The matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2) activity, a zinc-required reaction, was directly inhibited by EA as examined by gelatin zymography, which was reversed dose-dependently by adding zinc chloride. In addition, EA was demonstrated to inhibit the secretion of MMP-2 from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) as analyzed by Western blot method, which was also reversed by the addition of zinc chloride. Reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK), known to down-regulate the MMP-2 activity, was induced by EA at both the mRNA and protein levels which was correlated well with the inhibition of MMP-2 activity. Interestingly, zinc chloride could also abolish the increase of EA-induced RECK expression. The anti-angiogenic effect of EA was further confirmed to inhibit matrix-induced tube formation of endothelial cells. The migration of endothelial cells as analyzed by transwell filter assay was suppressed markedly by EA dose-dependently as well. Zinc chloride could reverse these two effects of EA also in a dose-dependent manner. Since magnesium chloride or calcium chloride could not reverse the inhibitory effect of EA, zinc was found to be involved in tube formation and migration of vascular endothelial cells.Together these results demonstrated that the zinc chelation of EA is involved in its anti-angiogenic effects by inhibiting MMP-2 activity, tube formation and cell migration of vascular endothelial cells. The role of zinc was confirmed to be important in the process of angiogenesis

Naturally Occurring Genetic Variants in Human Chromogranin A (CHGA) Associated with Hypertension as well as Hypertensive Renal Disease

Chromogranin A (CHGA) plays a fundamental role in the biogenesis of catecholamine secretory granules. Changes in storage and release of CHGA in clinical and experimental hypertension prompted us to study whether genetic variation at the CHGA locus might contribute to alterations in autonomic function, and hence hypertension and its target organ consequences such as hypertensive renal disease (nephrosclerosis). Systematic polymorphism discovery across the human CHGA locus revealed both common and unusual variants in both the open reading frame and such regulatory regions as the proximal promoter and 3′-UTR. In chromaffin cell-transfected CHGA 3′-UTR and promoter/luciferase reporter plasmids, the functional consequences of the regulatory/non-coding allelic variants were documented. Variants in both the proximal promoter and the 3′-UTR displayed statistical associations with hypertension. Genetic variation in the proximal CHGA promoter predicted glomerular filtration rate in healthy twins. However, for hypertensive renal damage, both end-stage renal disease and rate of progression of earlier disease were best predicted by variants in the 3′-UTR. Finally, mechanistic studies were undertaken initiated by the clue that CHGA promoter variation predicted circulating endothelin-1. In cultured endothelial cells, CHGA triggered co-release of not only the vasoconstrictor and pro-fibrotic endothelin-1, but also the pro-coagulant von Willebrand Factor and the pro-angiogenic angiopoietin-2. These findings, coupled with stimulation of endothelin-1 release from glomerular capillary endothelial cells by CHGA, suggest a plausible mechanism whereby genetic variation at the CHGA locus eventuates in alterations in human renal function. These results document the consequences of genetic variation at the CHGA locus for cardiorenal disease and suggest mechanisms whereby such variation achieves functional effects

Segmental correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis by all-screw fixation method in adolescents and young adults. minimum 5 years follow-up with SF-36 questionnaire

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In our institution, the fixation technique in treating idiopathic scoliosis was shifted from hybrid fixation to the all-screw method beginning in 2000. We conducted this study to assess the intermediate -term outcome of all-screw method in treating adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty-nine consecutive patients were retrospectively included with minimum of 5-year follow-up (mean, 6.1; range, 5.1-7.3 years). The average age of surgery was 18.5 ± 5.0 years. We assessed radiographic measurements at preoperative (Preop), postoperative (PO) and final follow-up (FFU) period. Curve correction rate, correction loss rate, complications, accuracy of pedicle screws and SF-36 scores were analyzed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The average major curve was corrected from 58.0 ± 13.0° Preop to 16.0 ± 9.0° PO(<it>p </it>< 0.0001), and increased to 18.4 ± 8.6°(<it>p </it>= 0.12) FFU. This revealed a 72.7% correction rate and a correction loss of 2.4° (3.92%). The thoracic kyphosis decreased little at FFU (22 ± 12° to 20 ± 6°, (<it>p </it>= 0.25)). Apical vertebral rotation decreased from 2.1 ± 0.8 PreOP to 0.8 ± 0.8 at FFU (Nash-Moe grading, <it>p </it>< 0.01). Among total 831 pedicle screws, 56 (6.7%) were found to be malpositioned. Compared with 2069 age-matched Taiwanese, SF-36 scores showed inferior result in 2 variables: physical function and role physical.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Follow-up more than 5 years, the authors suggest that all-screw method is an efficient and safe method.</p