Seeing sound: a new way to illustrate auditory objects and their neural correlates

This thesis develops a new method for time-frequency signal processing and examines the relevance of the new representation in studies of neural coding in songbirds. The method groups together associated regions of the time-frequency plane into objects defined by time-frequency contours. By combining information about structurally stable contour shapes over multiple time-scales and angles, a signal decomposition is produced that distributes resolution adaptively. As a result, distinct signal components are represented in their own most parsimonious forms.  Next, through neural recordings in singing birds, it was found that activity in song premotor cortex is significantly correlated with the objects defined by this new representation of sound. In this process, an automated way of finding sub-syllable acoustic transitions in birdsongs was first developed, and then increased spiking probability was found at the boundaries of these acoustic transitions. Finally, a new approach to study auditory cortical sequence processing more generally is proposed. In this approach, songbirds were trained to discriminate Morse-code-like sequences of clicks, and the neural correlates of this behavior were examined in primary and secondary auditory cortex. It was found that a distinct transformation of auditory responses to the sequences of clicks exists as information transferred from primary to secondary auditory areas. Neurons in secondary auditory areas respond asynchronously and selectively -- in a manner that depends on the temporal context of the click. This transformation from a temporal to a spatial representation of sound provides a possible basis for the songbird's natural ability to discriminate complex temporal sequences

KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE WOMEN’S JAVELIN THROW AT THE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, DAEGU 2011

The purpose of this study was to analyze the kinematic variables for the women's javelin throw at the IAAF World Championships, Daegu 2011. Three-dimensional motion analyses of the eight players who qualified for the final round were carried out to obtain the data. The results showed that average release, attitude, and attack angles were 38.0±2.0°, 40.4±4.3°, and 3.7±1.1°, respectively. At the release, the average inclination angle of the trunk, upper arm, forearm were 60.8±8.3°, 47.3±10.1°, and 62.6±10.6°, respectively. Moreover, the release velocity and the release height results averaged 25.60±1.16 m/s and 1.86±0.05 m. The crossover phase and delivery phase had average distances of 1.88±0.31 m and 1.53±0.21 m. After release, the average distance between the landing foot and the foul line was 1.72±0.63 m

Neuroprotective Effects of Cuscutae Semen in a Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative movement disorder that is characterized by the progressive degeneration of the dopaminergic (DA) pathway. 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) causes damage to the DA neurons, and 1-4-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) causes cell death in differentiated PC12 cells that is similar to the degeneration that occurs in PD. Moreover, MPTP treatment increases the activity of the brain’s immune cells, reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) generating processes, and glutathione peroxidase. We recently reported that Cuscutae Semen (CS), a widely used traditional herbal medicine, increases cell viability in a yeast model of PD. In the present study, we examined the inhibitory effect of CS on the neurotoxicity of MPTP in mice and on the MPP+-induced cell death in differentiated PC12 cells. The MPTP-induced loss of nigral DA neurons was partly inhibited by CS-mediated decreases in ROS generation. The activation of microglia was slightly inhibited by CS, although this effect did not reach statistical significance. Furthermore, CS may reduce the MPP+ toxicity in PC12 cells by suppressing glutathione peroxidase activation. These results suggest that CS may be beneficial for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as PD

Efficacy and Tolerability of Aripiprazole: A 26-Week Switching Study from Oral Antipsychotics

Objective To determine if the maintenance effectiveness and tolerability of aripiprazole demonstrated in a 12-week study were maintained in an extension phase (up to 26 weeks). Methods This study was the extension of our switching study from other antipsychotics to aripiprazole in symptomatically stable patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. All the patients were randomly assigned to the aripiprazole group or the non-aripiprazole group. The effectiveness analysis consisted of the comparison of the upper bound of the 95% confidence interval (CI) of the mean Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) score to 4 (no change) at the end of the study. Results At the baseline, the aripiprazole group (n=135) and the non-aripiprazole group (n=31) were comparable with respect to their mean ages, gender distribution, baseline Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores, and Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scores. The study showed that the mean CGI-I score was 2.92 (95% CI: 2.72-3.12) in the aripiprazole group and 2.81 (95% CI: 2.35-3.26) in the non-aripiprazole group at 26 weeks. In the aripiprazole group, the remission rates at 12 and 26 weeks were 74.8% and 72.6%, respectively, and 80.2% of the patients with remission at 12 weeks maintained their remission state until the end of the study. About one-fourth of the patients in the aripiprazole group reported one or more spontaneous treatment-emergent adverse events, such as insomnia, headache, and nausea. Conclusion This study suggested that most clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia maintain their remission states after being switched to aripiprazole, without serious symptom aggravation and adverse events over a course of 26 weeks. Psychiatry Investig 2010;7:189-195This study was supported by Korea Otsuka Pharmaceuticals (KOP 010402).Kim CY, 2009, INT CLIN PSYCHOPHARM, V24, P181, DOI 10.1097/YIC.0b013e32832c25d7Kolotkin RL, 2008, EUR PSYCHIAT, V23, P561, DOI 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2008.01.1421Findling RL, 2008, AM J PSYCHIAT, V165, P1432, DOI 10.1176/appi.ajp.2008.07061035Tandon R, 2008, SCHIZOPHR RES, V100, P20, DOI 10.1016/j.schres.2007.11.033Wolf J, 2007, CURR MED RES OPIN, V23, P2313, DOI 10.1185/030079907X225448Moeller KE, 2006, J CLIN PSYCHIAT, V67, P1942Chrzanowski WK, 2006, PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, V189, P259, DOI 10.1007/s00213-006-0564-3Tandon R, 2006, SCHIZOPHR RES, V84, P77, DOI 10.1016/j.schres.2005.12.857Lieberman JA, 2005, NEW ENGL J MED, V353, P1209Kim CY, 2005, J CLIN PSYCHIAT, V66, P887Kasper S, 2003, INT J NEUROPSYCHOPH, V6, P325, DOI 10.1017/S1461145703003651Pigott TA, 2003, J CLIN PSYCHIAT, V64, P1048Potkin SG, 2003, ARCH GEN PSYCHIAT, V60, P681Marder SR, 2003, SCHIZOPHR RES, V61, P123, DOI 10.1016/S0920-9964(03)00050-1Kane JM, 2002, J CLIN PSYCHIAT, V63, P763WEIDEN PJ, 1995, SCHIZOPHRENIA BULL, V21, P419

Effects of Combined Therapy with Ezetimibe Plus Simvastatin After Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation in a Porcine Coronary Restenosis Model

The aim of this study was to examine the anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of ezetimibe/simvastatin (E/S) after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in a porcine coronary restenosis model. Pigs were randomized into two groups in which the coronary arteries (23 pigs) had DES. Stents were deployed with oversizing (stent/artery ratio 1.3:1) in porcine coronary arteries. Fifteen pigs were taken 10/20 mg of E/S and eight pigs were not taken E/S. Histopathologic analysis was assessed at 28 days after stenting. In neointima, most inflammatory cells were lymphohistiocytes. Lymphohistiocyte count was not different between two groups (337±227 vs. 443±366 cells, P=0.292), but neointima area was significantly smaller (1.00±0.49 mm2 vs. 1.69±0.98 mm2, P=0.021) and percent area stenosis was significantly lower (23.3±10% vs. 39±19%, P=0.007) in E/S group compared with control group. There were no significant differences in fibrin score (1.99±0.79 vs. 1.81±0.88, P=0.49), endothelial score (1.75±0.66 vs. 1.80±0.59, P=0.79), and the percent of endothelium covered lumen (43±21% vs. 45±21%, P=0.84) between E/S group and control group. Combined therapy with ezetimibe and simvastatin inhibits neointimal hyperplasia, but does not inhibit inflammatory infiltration and arterial healing after DES implantation in a porcine coronary restenosis model

Comparison of Monthly Ibandronate Versus Weekly Risedronate in Preference, Convenience, and Bone Turnover Markers in Korean Postmenopausal Osteoporotic Women

Patient preferences, convenience, and bone turnover markers were evaluated for the monthly ibandronate over the weekly risedronate regimen in Korean postmenopausal osteoporotic women. This was a 6-month, prospective, randomized, open-label, multicenter study with a two-period and two-sequence crossover treatment design. After a 30-day screening period, eligible participants with postmenopausal osteoporosis were randomized to receive either monthly oral ibandronate 150 mg for 3 months followed by weekly oral risedronate 35 mg for 12 weeks (sequence A) or the same regimen in reverse order (sequence B). Patient preference and convenience were evaluated by questionnaire. The changes in serum C-telopeptide after 3 months of treatment were analyzed. A total of 365 patients were enrolled in this study (sequence A 182, sequence B 183). Of patients expressing a preference (83.4%), 74.8% preferred the monthly ibandronate regimen over the weekly regimen (25.2%). More women stated that the monthly ibandronate regimen was more convenient (84.2%) than the weekly regimen (15.8%). There was no significant difference in the change in bone turnover marker between the two treatments. The two regimens were similarly tolerable. There were fewer adverse events in the monthly ibandronate group compared to the weekly risedronate group in terms of gastrointestinal side effects (nausea and abdominal distension). This study revealed a strong preference and convenience for monthly ibandronate over weekly risedronate in Korean postmenopausal osteoporotic women. There was no significant difference in change of bone turnover marker and safety profile between the two regimens