bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Memory training effects in old age as markers of plasticity: A	meta-analysis
Authors: Zehnder Franzisca , Martin Mike , Altgassen Mareike , Clare Linda 
Published: December 2019

In most studies on plasticity using behavioural data, cognitive plasticity has been studied in the context of short-term interventions such as memory training. In order to systematically review the literature on memory training and summarize its effects for old healthy people and people with mild cognitive impairment on multiple functional domains, we conducted a meta-analysis of all published randomized controlled trials (RCT) between 1970 and 2007. Overall, 24 studies examining memory training effects in healthy and in mildly cognitively impaired old adults were identified and included in the analysis. Only memory trainings (e.g. memory skills training, imagery, method of loci) with cognitive outcome measures, duration of intervention with up to one year with at least a baseline and a post-intervention assessment reported, were included. Results demonstrate significant training effects for paired associate learning and immediate and delayed recall in healthy old adults and for immediate recall in mildly cognitively impaired old adults. However, training effects were no larger than those found for active control conditions. Our results suggest that evidence on the effectiveness and specificity of training interventions is scarce. We discuss limitations of existing knowledge about the efficacy of memory training interventions and implications for future research to improve knowledge regarding effective cognitive interventions.
Training of the executive component of working memory: Subcortical	areas mediate transfer effects
Authors: Dahlin Erika , Bäckman Lars , Neely Anna Stigsdotter , Nyberg Lars 
Published: December 2019

Purpose: Several recent studies show that training can improve working memory (WM) performance. In this review, many issues related to WM training, such as neural basis, transfer effects, and age-related changes are addressed. Method: We focus on our own studies investigating training on tasks taxing the executive updating function and discuss our findings in relation to results from other studies investigating training of the executive component of WM. Results: The review confirms positive behavioral effects of training on working memory. The most common neural pattern following training is fronto-parietal activity decreases. Increases in sub-cortical areas are also frequently reported after training, and we suggest that such increases indicate changes in the underlying skill following training. Transfer effects are in general difficult to demonstrate. Some studies show that older adults increase their performance after WM training. However, transfer effects are small or nonexistent in old age. Conclusions: The main finding in this review is that sub-cortical areas seem to have a critical role in mediating transfer effects to untrained tasks after at least some forms of working memory training (such as updating).
Flexible and adaptive socio-emotional problem solving in adult	development and aging
Authors: Blanchard-Fields Fredda 
Published: December 2019

Purpose: Despite decline in basic cognitive mechanisms, aging adults may also possess abilities that allow them to function quite effectively, particularly when cognition is examined in a socio-emotional context. In this article, I highlight the importance of the functional dynamics or the ability to effectively adapt to the demands and opportunities that individuals are confronted with on an everyday basis. Methods: This overview takes into consideration how life experiences, social interactions, beliefs, and emotions influence motivational goals for processing information in daily life. I present an integrative representation of my empirical work and theorizing on the impact of socio-emotional contextual factors in older adulthood by identifying developmental mechanisms and contexts that determine when older adults' everyday problem solving and emotion regulation is optimal or adaptive and when it is not. Results: Older adults display flexibility in problem solving and emotion regulation strategy use as well as a decrease in the amount of resources necessary to maintain or regain emotional well-being, while performing well at other tasks. Conclusions: We suggest that growing older has the adaptive potential to effectively solve problems, regulate emotions, and reduce the cognitive costs of emotion regulation, further corroborating findings of a positive and flexible developmental trajectory for emotional control with increasing age.
Human embryonic stem cells which express hrGFP in the	undifferentiated state and during dopaminergic differentiation
Authors: Chen Jia , Tsai Shang-Yi , Vazin Tandis , Coggiano Mark , Freed William J. 
Published: December 2019

Purpose: human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) which express a reporter gene consistently during all phases of differentiation would be valuable for basic research on cell transplantation. In this study, we describe karyotypically-abnormal variant hESCs, BGO1V2-EFG, which express hrGFP driven by the EF1 promoter. Methods: BGO1V2-EFG cells were analyzed by using immunocytochemistry, single cell-based confocal image, and in vitro differentiation, including dopaminergic differentiation. Results: Undifferentiated BGO1V2-EFG cells expressed pluripotent ESC markers and retained the ability to differentiate into cell types of all three germ layers. BGO1V2-EFG cells maintained stable and robust hrGFP expression in vitro in the undifferentiated state and during differentiation. The EF1 promoter retained activity during dopaminergic differentiation, as 76% of tyrosine hydroxlase (TH)-positive cells co-expressed hrGFP by confocal analysis. Treated with sodium butyrate (0.02 mM to 2.0 mM), an inhibitor of histone deacetylase (HDAC), during differentiation did not affect hrGFP expression, although TH expression was reduced by higher concentrations of sodium butyrate. Conclusion: BGO1V2-EFG cells maintain stable and robust hrGFP expression in the undifferentiated state and during neural differentiation. Especially, the EF1 promoter was effective in driving hrGFP expression during dopaminergic differentiation. BGO1V2-EFG cells may be useful for transplantation studies in Parkinson disease animal models.
A case of pathological excitability located with navigated-TMS:	Presurgical evaluation of focal neocortical epilepsy
Authors: Schmidt Sein , Holst Eric , Irlbacher Kerstin , Oltmanns Frank , Merschhemke Martin , Brandt Stephan A. 
Published: December 2019

Purpose: The quality of presurgical evaluation in focal extratemporal epilepsy surgery is highly dependent on precise structural and functional identification of the epileptic focus. Navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) is a tool that combines the spatial information of high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the functionality of non-invasive cortical stimulation. The non-invasive character of nTMS suggests that it could be a promising tool for presurgical evaluation of cortical excitability. Methods: Presurgical nTMS evaluation was performed on an 8-year-old boy with left-sided intractable focal epilepsy, somatosensory auras and epilepsia partialis continua. In line with standardized procedures, motor evoked potentials were sought in both hemispheres over perirolandic cortex during simultaneous belly-tendon surface recordings of the first dorsal interosseus muscles. Results: One singular motor-evoked potential (MEP) could be elicited in the unaffected hemisphere. In contrast, in the affected hemisphere MEPs could be elicited over a large area of the cortex even after the stimulation strength was reduced by at least 44%. Latency stratification in the affected hemisphere differentiated a motor from a sensory region of interest. Stimulation over the sensory region induced a sensory aura. The sensory site was concordant with a previous transient diffusion restriction found in an MRI two years prior to nTMS. Conclusions: NTMS can locate pathological excitability with high spatial precision. Future studies should compare nTMS with direct cortex stimulation, as well as the combination of nTMS with electroencephalography (EEG) in a larger patient-collective.
Noninvasive brain stimulation and motor recovery after	stroke
Authors: Nowak Dennis A. , Bösl Kathrin , Podubeckà Jitka , Carey James R. 
Published: December 2019

Purpose: Upper limb function is the best predictor of long-term disability after stroke. Despite extensive rehabilitation, recovery of upper limb motor function is frequently incomplete after stroke. Methods: We review the pertinent literature on functional reorganization within the cerebral motor network after stroke and noninvasive techniques to modulate brain function towards beneficial plasticity. Results: Direct current stimulation and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation are powerful tools to (i) modulate cortical excitability, (ii) induce remote changes within the cortical motor system and (iii) thereby improve upper limb motor function after stroke. Today no relevant side effects have been reported. Conclusions: Neuromodulation, by means of noninvasive brain stimulation techniques, has been shown to be a safe, feasible and effective method to promote recovery of motor function after stroke. However, several methodological and theoretical issues remain to be addressed in future work.
Effect of slow repetitive TMS of the motor cortex on ipsilateral	sequential simple finger movements and motor skill learning
Authors: Kobayashi Masahito 
Published: December 2019

Background: Disruption of a cortical region can paradoxically improve behavior. After unilateral damage to the primary motor cortex (M1), increased excitability of the unaffected M1 has been shown. The M1 plays a critical role in motor performance and also early aspects of motor skill learning. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of one motor cortex can lead a temporary reduction in cortical excitability. We hypothesize that unilateral suppression of one M1 by rTMS may increase excitability of the unaffected motor cortex and thus improve motor performance and motor skill learning with the ipsilateral hand by releasing the contralateral motor cortex from transcallosal inhibition. Methods: Forty healthy volunteers participated in our study; 16 for the experiment I and 24 for the experiment II. In the experiment I, after practicing a sequential simple key-pressing task with the index finger, their motor performance was monitored before and after slow-frequency (1Hz) rTMS, applied on the M1 ipsilateral or contralateral to the hand, ipsilateral premotor area or vertex (Cz). In the experiment II, participants were randomly divided into three stimulation groups: i) ipsilateral M1; ii) contralateral M1; and iii) Cz. rTMS was applied before the initiation of practice and learning of a simple motor skill. Mean execution time and error rate were recorded in 4 sessions distributed over 2 days. Results: In experiment I: rTMS of M1 shortened execution time of the motor task with the ipsilateral hand, without affecting performance with the contralateral hand. This effect outlasted rTMS by at least 10 min, and was most prominent for M1 stimulation. In experiment II, disruption of M1 with rTMS slowed down skill acquisition with the contralateral hand, but paradoxically accelerated learning with the ipsilateral hand. This effect was evident during the first of 2 days of practice in the group with rTMS over the ipsilateral M1 compared to the other two groups (Cz and contralateral M1). Conclusions: Our results support the notion of an interhemispheric competition, and demonstrate the utility of rTMS to explore the functional facilitation of the un-stimulated counterpart M1 with effects on motor execution and learning, which may have implications for neurorehabilitation.
Neuroprotective effects of progesterone and allopregnanolone on	long-term cognitive outcome after global cerebral ischemia
Authors: Moralí Gabriela , Montes Pedro , Hernández-Morales Lucía , Monfil Tomás , Espinosa-García Claudia , Cervantes Miguel 
Published: December 2019

Purpose: To assess the long-term neuroprotective effects of progesterone (P $_{4}$ ) and allopregnanolone (ALLO) on functional and morphological parameters of the integrity of the hippocampus, after global cerebral ischemia. Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a transient severe (20 min) forebrain ischemia (Isch) episode and treated with P $_4$ or ALLO (8 mg/kg i.v.) or its vehicle, at 20 min, 2, 6, 24, 48 and 72 h after ischemia. Rats subjected to Sham procedures, and intact rats were included as non-ischemic controls. Three months after ischemia, both the functional (spatial learning and memory, and reference and working memory), and the morphological integrity (dimensions of the hippocampal formation, thickness of the CA1 subfield, and pyramidal neuron population) of the hippocampus and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were determined. Results: Treatment with P $_4$ or ALLO significantly reduced the impairment in spatial learning and memory, as well as in reference and working memory, and prevented the narrowing of the hippocampus, otherwise induced by ischemia. This better performance of P $_4$ - and ALLO-treated rats than vehicle (Veh) -treated rats, occurred in spite of a loss of pyramidal neurons in the CA1, CA2, CA3 and hilus subfields of the Ammon's horn (remaining neurons: Isch+Veh: 21.0, 35.6, 44.1, and 40.3%; Isch+P $_4$ : 19.9, 32.2, 41.1, and 32.5%; Isch+ALLO: 25.5, 62.0, 73.7, and 56.7%), and non-significant changes in the mPFC, as compared to the Intact group (100%). Conclusions: Performance of P $_4$ - or ALLO-treated rats in learning and memory tests suggests that these steroids promoted neural conditions accounting for adequate functioning long after ischemia, in spite of the loss of hippocampal pyramidal neurons.
Temporal processing as a base for language universals:	Cross-linguistic comparisons on sequencing abilities with some implications for	language therapy
Authors: Szelag Elzbieta , Szymaszek Aneta , Aksamit-Ramotowska Agnieszka , Fink Martina , Ulbrich Pamela , Wittmann Marc , Pöppel Ernst 
Published: December 2019

Purposes: The study sets the stage for temporal information processing as a fundamental basis of human cognition and a novel neurorehabilitation method. We focus on auditory perception of temporal order and address the following questions: (1) do subjects' age, gender, hearing status and cognitive functioning influence temporal ordering abilities; (2) are there any differences between Polish and German subjects on these abilities? Methods: 86 Polish and 82 German subjects aged from 20 to 69 years were classified into 5 age groups. Subjects identified the order of two 1-ms clicks presented monaurally in rapid succession. The temporal order threshold (i.e. the minimum temporal gap required to report the stimulus order at 75% correctness) was assessed for each individual. Results: There were no differences between Polish and German subjects on temporal ordering. In both samples, a significant prolongation of temporal-order threshold was observed in subjects older than 60 years of age. Temporal processing was relatively resistant to subjects' hearing status, but it depended on cognitive competence. Thus, it is not chronological age as such but cognitive competence that may explain age-related decreases of temporal acuity. Furthermore, potential effects of age or gender are robust against the language background as no differences were observed between Polish and German subjects. Conclusions: We propose the existence of a neural mechanism underlying the perception of rapid changes in non-verbal acoustic features which constitute a frame for speech perception in many languages. This finding may be important with respect to future applications of temporal training in speech therapy programs designed for patients with receptive language disorders of different etiologies.
Proliferation, migration and differentiation of ependymal region	neural progenitor cells in the brainstem after hypoglossal nerve avulsion
Authors: Fagerlund Michael , Jaff Nasren , Danilov Alexandre I. , Peredo Inti , Brundin Lou , Svensson Mikael 
Published: December 2019

Purpose: Cells in the ependymal region in the adult central nervous system (CNS) have been found to possess neural progenitor cell (NPC) like features including capacity for generating new neurons and glia in response to injury and inflammatory disease. Whether these cells are activated after a peripheral nerve injury has not previously been extensively evaluated. Methods: We investigate the possible activation and effect of NPCs in the ependymal region in the immediate vicinity to the hypoglossal nucleus in the brainstem using two models of injuries, hypoglossal nerve transection and nerve avulsion after which the proliferation, migration and differentiation of ependymal regional NPCs were evaluated. Results: We showed that: (i) immunoreactivity for Sox2 was detected in cells in the ependymal region of the brainstem and that BrdU/Sox2-positive cells were observed after avulsion, but not after transection injury; (ii) avulsion induces re-expression of nestin in the ependymal layer as well as induced NPC migration from the ependymal layer; (iii) the chemokine SDF-1α (a marker for migrating cells) was upregulated ipsilateral to the nerve injury; (iiii) the NPCs migrating differentiated only into GFAP-positive astrocytes in the hypoglossal nucleus. Conclusion: These results suggest that nerve avulsion injury induces in parallel with the retrograde "axon reaction" activation of endogenous NPCs in the ependymal region and further suggest that these cells could be involved in repair and neuroregeneration after injury within the brainstem.
Evaluating the support needs of injured workers in managing	occupational transitions after injury
Authors: Shaw Lynn , MacAhonic Patti , Lindsay Rob , Brake Phil 
Published: December 2019

Background: Historically the supports available to help injured workers transition back to pre-injury jobs focused primarily on the medical treatment of the injury and modifications in the workplace. However, for many injured workers, with chronic disabilities, the need for support extends to learning to live with newly exposed disabilities, managing changes within family and social life as well as meeting new expectations in claims and health management. Supports that many injured workers require to resume employment are not adequately addressed. Objective: A critical social perspective was used to engage a partnership with injured worker group members in the design, implementation and evaluation of injured worker needs to promote social change. This paper reflects a program of research established in partnership with the Canadian Injured Worker Alliance to develop and examine a conceptual framework of supports for use in meeting the transitional needs of injured workers with chronic disabilities. Occupational and educational perspectives were used to develop a conceptual framework comprised of 8 dimensions of support. Method: A regional needs assessment using multi-methods, including surveys, interviews and focus groups, was conducted in British Columbia (BC). Priorities of three stakeholder groups were mapped to the 8 dimensions of support. This conceptual framework was also tested nationally to evaluate the distribution of supports that exist and identify further needs for support to help injured workers manage multiple transitions. Findings: Access to the range of supports that injured workers need in transitioning to and from work is inconsistent and inequitable across Canada. Conclusion: Collaborative approaches and a broader spectrum of resources and supports are needed to help injured workers and their families in resuming meaningful participation in daily, social and productive occupations.
Safety and efficacy of 120w high performance system greenlight	laser vaporization for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Authors: Tao Wei , Yang Dongrong , Shan Yuxi , Xue Boxin , Sun Chuanyang , Zang Yangchen , Zhang Yuanyuan 
Published: December 2019

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the safety and efficacy of 120W potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser vaporization on patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer compared with standard transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TUR-BT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty-eight patients of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer who underwent either 120W potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser vaporization (HPS group, n=74) or transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TUR-BT group, n=84) were analyzed respectively. The preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative clinical data were recorded and compared in two groups. RESULTS: All patients were successfully treated with 120W-KTP laser vaporization or TUR-BT. No significant differences were observed in operative time, perioperative and postoperative serum sodium and hemoglobin levels between two groups. Importantly, HPS had less specific side effects of TURBT, such as obturator nerve reflex, postoperative bladder irrigation and catheterization time, which shows statistic difference significantly (p< 0.05). Recurrence rate was lower in HPS group than those in TUR-BT group. CONCLUSION: The 120W-HPS KTP laser as a safe and feasible procedure provids an alternative for the patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, especially for those on anticoagulation therapy.
Imaging diagnosis and endoscopic treatment for ureteral	fibroepithelial polyp prolapsing into the bladder
Authors: Xu Chuanliang , Zhang Zhensheng , Ye Huamao , Wu Chengyao , Zhang Chao , Zhang Yuanyuan , Wang Yang , Cao Zhi , Wang Huiqing , Xu Weidong , Pan Anyin , Wei Rongchao , Zeng Shuxiong , Sun Yinghao 
Published: December 2019

OBJECTIVE: Fibroepithelial polyps of ureter prolapsing into the bladder are a rare urological condition. We report the imaging findings and our experience with endoscopic treatment for ureteral fibroepithelial polyps prolapsing into the bladder. PATIENTS AND RESULTS: Four patients with frank pain and hematuria were enrolled. Intravenous urography and computed tomography revealed a ureteral mass with filling defects in affected ureter and mild hydronephrosis. Endoscopic examination showed ureteral polyps prolapsing in the bladder. The histopathologic diagnosis on 4 cases was benign fibroepithelial polyps of ureter. The largest polyps (from 4–10 cm in length) were successfully resected and vaporized by Holmium: YAG laser. A double-pigtail ureteral stent at 7F was placed and left for 6 weeks after the procedure. Neither recurrence nor ureter stricture was observed after up to 12 years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Ureteral malignancy must be excluded in cases where a ureteral mass is detected. Endoscopic management is recommended to minimize morbidity and complications in treatment of ureteral fibroepithelial polyps that prolapse into the bladder.