Effect of Growth Hormone on Hippocampal Synaptic Function during Sleep Deprivation

Long term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus is considered a cellular basis of learning memory. Sleep deprivation, especially rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation, impairs learning and memory as well as LTP. Since most of the previous LTP studies were conducted in the in vitro condition, the full consequences of sleep deprivation (SD) in the living animal are yet to be found. Thus, I tested hippocampal LTP in living animals after 5 days of REM sleep deprivation to determine the effect of SD in vivo. SD also disrupts growth hormone (GH) release. Recent evidence indicates that GH regulates cognitive and hippocampal synaptic function. However, the relationship between GH and synaptic function during SD is not well established. Since the N-methyl-D- aspartate receptor (NMDAR) has an important role in inducing LTP, I hypothesized that loss of normal GH signals during SD would impair synaptic NMDAR expression and function, and treating SD animals with GH would restore normal NMDAR expression and function. To test my hypothesis, I treated animals with GH during 3 days of SD, and tested NMDAR dependent hippocampal synaptic functions and measured synaptic expression of NMDAR subunits. In addition, I measured corticosterone concentration in control and sleep deprived animals to determine stress levels in each treatment. My results showed that LTP in vivo was impaired after 5 days of SD. NMDAR function was impaired and there was a selective loss of NR2B NMDAR subunits from synaptic membranes. These changes in NMDAR function and expression can explain the LTP impairment caused by SD. In agreement with my hypothesis, the LTP and NMDAR impairments were reversed by GH treatment during SD. Finally, there was no difference in corticosterone concentration between control and SD animals, demonstrating that differences in stress were not responsible for any of the changes I observed during SD

Practical performance considerations for the Andante con moto of Beethoven\u27s Piano Concerto in G Major, Op. 58

The purpose of this monograph is to provide a thorough analysis of the Andante con moto of Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto, focusing on a variety of interpretative options for the performer. The sources of interpretive options will include conventional formal and harmonic analysis, consultation of existing scholarly research on the subject, historical performance practices, and possible musical implications of the application of the Orpheus program as proposed by Owen Jander. The formal and theoretical analysis refers to significant scholarly works and includes a variety of interpretive options, detailing possibilities for phrasing, formal musical structure, and the overall function and purpose of the movement within the context of the concerto. The discussion of historical performance factors includes period instruments, historical performance venues, and the application of the Orpheus program to the movement. The conclusion of this endeavor produces a thorough analysis of the Andante con moto of Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto that raises and discusses issues that should be considered by performers of this staple of the piano repertoire. A recommended interpretation of the movement is presented for consideration

HEALING HEALTHCARE DESIGN FOR ADOLESCENT PATIENTS: PROMOTING HOLISTIC QUALITY OF LIFE

This study examined environmental preferences for adolescent patients in hospital patient rooms and activity rooms to determine age-appropriate healing design elements. The health-related quality of life (HRQOL) concept was adapted to this study as a theoretical framework. In order to develop an age-appropriate healing design, a comprehensive understanding of adolescents‘ cognitive developmental stages and their expectations in hospital settings needs to be recognized. Thirty-two adolescent outpatients aged 15 to 18 participated in the survey. Data collection consisted of three different instruments: Emotional state survey with demographics, Photo analysis with semantic differentials, and environmental preference value survey. Comfort, sadness and stress affected adolescent patients‘ preference responses. Adolescent patients preferred having a home-like environment for their patient rooms due to their needs for comfort and control of privacy. They also preferred having enjoyable and controllable activity rooms that supported peer connection, self-identity, and stress reduction. Environmental values that are important to adolescents were control of privacy, a quiet place to go, a place for activity, and having a controllable outside view

How Does Focus on Form Affect the Revising Processes of ESL Writers?: Two Case Studies

This study considers the ongoing “grammar correction debate” in second language writing by examining how a focus on formal accuracy would affect the revising processes of ESL writers and the students’ written products. A case study approach was used to find out how two ESL students would respond in the two different rewriting situations: (a) when there is no explicit expectation for them to produce grammatically correct text, and (b) when this expectation was clearly present. The protocol analysis and interviews with the participants showed that students’ revision processes had not been affected by the kind of instruction and expectation given. In both tasks, students concentrated on building up their content, rather than attending to grammar and mechanics. The explicit instruction to work on the grammar did not result in a better written product in terms of formal accuracy, either. Based on these findings, this study claims that teaching and attending to grammar may not necessarily inhibit students from developing fluency and that ESL students do need guidance in developing skills in both rhetorical and formal aspects of English composition to be able to produce academically acceptable prose

Korean Scholars’ Use of For-Pay Editors and Perceptions of Ethicality

Many Korean scholars rely on language professionals for preparing English manuscripts. So far, little has been reported on how Korean scholars utilize them and how they perceive various types of help received. This study examines how Korean scholars utilize for-pay editors and translators, and how they perceive various types of textual modifications incurred in the process, based on the data obtained through a survey completed by 88 Korean faculty from three universities. Half of the participants received proofreading help from for-pay editors, and fewer participants received help with translation. They held widely differing views on ethicality concerning scenarios that involved global- and content-level editing; none of the help described was perceived as clearly unethical. This paper argues that as the academic communities benefit from the knowledge and insights created through research conducted by scholars across the world, it is necessary to establish proper boundaries of writing help

Born Again with Trump: The Portrayal of Evangelicals in the Media

Since Trump’s ascendancy in American politics and his subsequent election, a number of articles have surfaced in the media trying to explain evangelical voters’ support of Trump. This paper analyzes common descriptions and conceptions of evangelicals by identifying recurring descriptions of evangelicals in 110 online articles published in a two-and-a-half-year period surrounding Trump’s presidential campaign and election. The results indicate that the answer to the question as to why evangelicals support Trump resides not so much in their theology, but in their aspirations for America and assumptions of what America should be like. This paper argues that it is crucial to recognize and address evangelicals’ prevailing attributes as perceived and portrayed by members of their own society in order to keep evangelicalism from descending into an insular, invalid expression

Empowering English Language Teachers Through History

TESOL training programs typically offer courses in methods and pedagogy, along with other classes to equip future English language teaching (ELT) professionals with essential teaching skills and knowledge. Not as frequently offered or required, however, is a course focusing on critically examining political and philosophical aspects of ELT. This article discusses why I believe it is important for TESOL curriculums to include topics on the diachronic development and synchronic variations of the English language and to engage students in topics that would allow them to critically examine embedded power relations in ELT. By reflecting on my own classroom experience as a TESOL program director, I demonstrate how such knowledge can foster a critical perspective in ELT as well as empower students, thereby aligning ourselves with the Christian principles of bringing justice to our society and empowering God’s people