Effects of Ketone Bodies on Brain Metabolism and Function in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Under normal physiological conditions the brain primarily utilizes glucose for ATP generation. However, in situations where glucose is sparse, e.g., during prolonged fasting, ketone bodies become an important energy source for the brain. The brain’s utilization of ketones seems to depend mainly on the concentration in the blood, thus many dietary approaches such as ketogenic diets, ingestion of ketogenic medium-chain fatty acids or exogenous ketones, facilitate significant changes in the brain’s metabolism. Therefore, these approaches may ameliorate the energy crisis in neurodegenerative diseases, which are characterized by a deterioration of the brain’s glucose metabolism, providing a therapeutic advantage in these diseases. Most clinical studies examining the neuroprotective role of ketone bodies have been conducted in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, where brain imaging studies support the notion of enhancing brain energy metabolism with ketones. Likewise, a few studies show modest functional improvements in patients with Parkinson’s disease and cognitive benefits in patients with—or at risk of—Alzheimer’s disease after ketogenic interventions. Here, we summarize current knowledge on how ketogenic interventions support brain metabolism and discuss the therapeutic role of ketones in neurodegenerative disease, emphasizing clinical data.     

Animations showing Lego manipulative tasks: Three potential moderators of effectiveness

Evidence suggests that transient visual information, such as animations, may be more challenging to learn than static visualizations. However, when a procedural-manipulative task is involved, our evolved embodied cognition seems to reverse this transitory challenge. Hence, for object manipulative tasks, instructional animations may be more suitable than statics. We investigated this argument further by comparing animations with statics using a Lego task shown to university students, by examining three potential moderators of effectiveness: (a) the environment of manipulation (virtual or physical), (b) the quality of visual information (focused or unfocused), and (c) the presence of hands (no hands or with hands). In Experiment 1 we found an advantage of animation over statics, and no differences among the environments. In Experiment 2, we again observed an animation advantage, a small advantage of focused static information compared to unfocused static information, and a positive effect of not showing the hands.     

波动方程数值模拟的隐式差分法

在有限差分波动方程数值模拟中,通常采用高阶差分方法来提高空间导数的数值逼近精度,以实现降低数值频散,提高数值模拟精度的目的。首先对差分频散进行了理论分析;然后讨论了估计一阶空间导数的隐式差分格式,并与通常采用的高阶精度显式差分格式进行了对比分析,结果表明,隐式差分格式能够在更宽的波数范围使差分频散控制在可接受的水平,如8阶精度的显式差分格式所适应的波数带宽约为O．55kmax,而隐式差分格式所适应的波数带宽约为0．7kmax;最后通过模型试算,对隐式差分格式的有效性进行了验证。模拟结果表明,用隐式差分格式在一定程度上降低了差分频散,提高了模拟精度。     

Implicit Motor Learning in Parkinson's Disease.

Objective: This study examined whether disruption of performance is moderated in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients who acquire their motor behaviors in an implicit manner. Method: Twenty-seven patients with PD learned a hammering task in errorless (implicit) or errorful (explicit) conditions and were tested for robustness of motor performance under a secondary task load, which required them to continuously count backward as they performed the hammering task. Results: Patients in the errorless (implicit) motor learning condition exhibited robustness to secondary task loading, whereas patients in the errorful (explicit) motor learning condition did not. Conclusions: Implicit motor learning techniques should be considered by PD rehabilitation specialists in cases in which existing disruption to movements is exacerbated by conscious control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Overlapping Schwarz and Spectral Element Methods for Linear Elasticity and Elastic Waves

The classical overlapping Schwarz algorithm is here extended to the spectral element discretization of linear elastic problems, for both homogeneous and heterogeneous compressible materials. The algorithm solves iteratively the resulting preconditioned system of linear equations by the conjugate gradient or GMRES methods. The overlapping Schwarz preconditioned technique is then applied to the numerical approximation of elastic waves with spectral elements methods in space and implicit Newmark time advancing schemes. The results of several numerical experiments, for both elastostatic and elastodynamic problems, show that the convergence rate of the proposed preconditioning algorithm is independent of the number of spectral elements (scalability), is independent of the spectral degree in case of generous overlap, otherwise it depends inversely on the overlap size. Some results on the convergence properties of the spectral element approximation combined with Newmark schemes for elastic waves are also presented.     

证券组合的快车道问题研究

本文建立了新的证券组合最优控制模型，分析了证券市场长期投资过程中证券组合的快车道问题；提出了隐式规划的模拟退火方法，进行了快车道的仿真，这对于证券市场长期稳定运行和投资具有实际意义。     

Comment on Greenwood (2007): Solving the puzzle of structure/function relations in the aging brain?

Neuroimaging experiments have shown that prefrontal regions of the brain, which have the most age-related volume loss, are also the regions most likely to be more active in older adults than in younger adults. In an attempt to solve this puzzle, P. M. Greenwood (see record 2007-15625-001) has proposed a cascade that flows from age-related atrophy in the brain to changed processing strategies that result in plastic changes in regions adjacent and contralateral to the atrophic areas, culminating in greater functional activity. This hypothesis should stimulate research into these mechanisms and hopefully will ultimately inform researchers' ability to rehabilitate cognitive disorders in the elderly. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Exceptions that prove the rule--Using a theory of motivated social cognition to account for ideological incongruities and political anomalies: Reply to Greenberg and Jonas (2003).

A meta-analysis by J. T. Jost, J. Glaser, A. W. Kruglanski, and F. J. Sulloway (2003) concluded that political conservatism is partially motivated by the management of uncertainty and threat. In this reply to J. Greenberg and E. Jonas (2003), conceptual issues are clarified, numerous political anomalies are explained, and alleged counterexamples are incorporated with a dynamic model that takes into account differences between "young" and "old" movements. Studies directly pitting the rigidity-of-the-right hypothesis against the ideological extremity hypothesis demonstrate strong support for the former. Medium to large effect sizes describe relations between political conservatism and dogmatism and intolerance of ambiguity; lack of openness to experience; uncertainty avoidance; personal needs for order, structure, and closure; fear of death; and system threat. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Visual thinking in arts education: Homage to Rudolf Arnheim.

The influence of Arnheim's work on the author's research began with an experiment on the perception of visual balance. Two later research projects emerged from the profound influence of Arnheim's stance toward creation in the visual arts as a serious, cognitive endeavor. A series of meta-analyses were first conducted to test the claim that learning in the arts transfers to nonarts cognitive domains, but little evidence was found. Past research on the transfer hypothesis was found to be lacking because of its failure to assess learning in the parent domain. Therefore, a new research project was carried out to identify kinds of learning in the parent domain of visual arts. We identified eight thinking dispositions developed in serious visual arts classes, setting the stage for more plausible transfer studies. This study demonstrates that the visual arts inculcate basic skills in perception and cognition that exist both in the arts and sciences. All of the skills the authors describe can, with some modification, be transferred to the science laboratory. As Rudolf Arnheim has taught us, visual thinking is everywhere. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)