Ceftriaxone rescues hippocampal neurons from excitotoxicity and enhances memory retrieval in chronic hypobaric hypoxia

Exposure to high altitude is known to cause impairment in cognitive functions in sojourners. The molecular events leading to this behavioral manifestation, however, still remain an enigma. The present study aims at exploring the nature of memory impairment occurring on chronic exposure to hypobaric hypoxia and the possible role of glutamate in mediating it. Increased ionotropic receptor stimulation by glutamate under hypobaric hypoxic conditions could lead to calcium mediated excitotoxic cell death resulting in impaired cognitive functions. Since glutamate is cleared from the synapse by the Glial Glutamate Transporter, upregulation of the transporter can be a good strategy in preventing excitotoxic cell death. Considering previous reports on upregulation of the expression of Glial Glutamate Transporter on ceftriaxone administration, the therapeutic potential of ceftriaxone in ameliorating hypobaric hypoxia induced memory impairment was investigated in male Sprague Dawley rats. Exposure to hypobaric hypoxia equivalent to an altitude of 7600 m for 14 days lead to oxidative stress, chromatin condensation and neuronal degeneration in the hippocampus. This was accompanied by delayed memory retrieval as evident from increased latency and pathlength in Morris Water Maze. Administration of ceftriaxone at a dose of 200 mg/kg for 7 days and 14 days during the exposure on the other hand improved the performance of rats in the water maze along with decreased oxidative stress and enhanced neuronal survival when compared to hypoxic group without drug administration. An increased expression of Glial Glutamate Transporter was also observed following drug administration indicating faster clearance of glutamate from the synapse. The present study not only brings to light the effect of longer duration of exposure to hypobaric hypoxia on the memory functions, but also indicates the pivotal role played by glutamate in mediating excitotoxic neuronal degeneration at high altitude. The therapeutic potential of ceftriaxone in providing neuroprotection in excitotoxic conditions by increasing Glial Glutamate Transporter expression and thereby enhancing glutamate uptake from the synapse has also been explored.     

全球帝国主义与重构的后现代主义

现代文化和政治已经导致了全球帝国主义,即一种通过一个国家来创建一个无所不包的帝国的尝试。为了战胜这种全球帝国主义,需要从现代世界秩序转向一种后现代世界秩序,其中,以主权为基础的民族国家的无政府秩序将被全球民主所取代。怀特海式的重构的后现代主义为后现代政治的双重任务(抵抗全球帝国主义和建立全球民主)提供了各种文化资源。     

Taking Cognitive-Behavior Therapy to School: A School-Based Mental Health Approach

This paper offers an overview using cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) within a school system. In addition to providing services to individual students, this article provides an overview of implementing CBT into a system of school-wide mental health services. Interventions are discussed at three levels—universal school-wide interventions, target interventions with at-risk students, and intensive interventions with students in need. Examples of specific programs or intervention are given for each level.     

The Blood Brotherhoods

The Jungian concept of archetypes when aligned with a developmental perspective provides an important analytical tool. It allows many terrorist acts to be read as capture by the archetype of the Terrible Father as a rebellion against the anima archetype of civilization.     

Integrating external deduction tools with ACL2

We present an interface connecting the ACL2 theorem prover with external deduction tools. The ACL2 logic contains several mechanisms for proof structuring, which are important to the construction of industrial-scale proofs. The complexity induced by these mechanisms makes the design of the interface challenging. We discuss some of the challenges, and develop a precise specification of the requirements on the external tools for a sound connection with ACL2. We also develop constructs within ACL2 to enable the developers of external tools to satisfy our specifications. The interface is available with the ACL2 theorem prover starting from Version 3.2, and we describe several applications of the interface.     

无意识元认知调控下的策略转换

通过两位数乘法算式答案判别任务研究无意识元认知调控下策略转换的的认知加工特征。整个算式答案判别任务分为两种策略使用情境：一种为只可以使用尾数策略的任务情境;另一种为既可以使用尾数策略,又可以使用奇偶策略的任务情境。实验结果表明：1）无意识元认知具有高选择性、高效性和高潜力,能在策略使用情境转变之后,快速察觉并选择使用更为简单、高效的奇偶策略;2）尾数策略使用的强大思维定势阻止奇偶策略的意识化,致使绝大多数被试未能发现任务情境的变化而在内隐状态下使用了奇偶策略;3）策略在内隐或外显状态下使用具有同等效力,策略内隐使用具有高效性和高潜力。     

学习困难儿童的元记忆监测与控制特点

以有无意义联系的两种中文词对为材料,采用2×3×2混合实验设计,对小学三到五年级学习困难儿童的元记忆监测、控制水平与学优儿童之间的差异及其发展特点进行研究。结果表明：1．学习困难儿童在三种元记忆监测判断等级上均显著低于学优儿童。2．学习困难儿童具有元记忆控制能力,但其控制水平相对低于学优儿童。3．学习困难儿童的元记忆监测判断和学习时间分配之间存在交互影响。4．学习困难儿童的元记忆监测和控制水平存在较为复杂的发展特点。据此得出结论认为,学习困难儿童的元记忆监测与控制能力都比学优儿童差,同时也表现出一定的发展趋势。