Robust Long-Term Vehicle Trajectory Prediction Using Link Projection and a Situation-Aware Transformer.

The trajectory prediction of a vehicle emerges as a pivotal component in Intelligent Transportation Systems. On urban roads where external factors such as intersections and traffic control devices significantly affect driving patterns along with the driver's intrinsic habits, the prediction task becomes much more challenging. Furthermore, long-term forecasting of trajectories accumulates prediction errors, leading to substantially inaccurate predictions that may deviate from the actual road. As a solution to these challenges, we propose a long-term vehicle trajectory prediction method that is robust to error accumulation and prevents off-road predictions. In this study, the Transformer model is utilized to analyze and forecast vehicle trajectories. In addition, we propose an extra encoding network to precisely capture the effect of the external factors on the driving pattern by producing an abstract representation of the situation nearby the driver. To avoid off-road predictions, we propose a post-processing method, called link projection, which projects predictions onto the road geometry. Moreover, to overcome the limitations of Euclidean distance-based evaluation metrics in evaluating the accuracy of the entire trajectory, we propose a new metric called area-between-curves (ABC). It measures the similarity between two trajectories, and thus the accordance between the two can be effectively evaluated. Extensive evaluations are conducted using real-world datasets against widely-used methods to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The results show that the proposed approach outperforms the conventional deep learning models by up to 65.74% (RMSE), 60.13% (MAE) and 91.45% (ABC).

Exercise before pregnancy exerts protective effect on prenatal stress-induced impairment of memory, neurogenesis, and mitochondrial function in offspring.

Stress during pregnancy has a negative effect on the fetus. However, maternal exercise has a positive effect on the cognitive function of the fetus and alleviates the negative effects of stress. This study aimed to demonstrate whether exercise before pregnancy has a protective effect on prenatal stress-induced impairment of memory, neurogenesis and mitochondrial function in mice offspring. In this experiment, immunohistochemistry, Western blot, measurement of mitochondria oxygen respiration, and behavior tests were performed. Spatial memory and short-term memory of the offspring from the prenatal stress with exercise were increased compared to the offspring from the prenatal stress. The numbers of doublecortin-positive and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine-positive cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of the offspring from the prenatal stress with exercise were higher compared to the offspring from the prenatal stress. The expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, postsynaptic density 95 kDa, and synaptophysin in the hippocampus of the offspring from the prenatal stress with exercise were enhanced compared to the offspring from the prenatal stress. Oxygen consumption of the offspring from the prenatal stress with exercise were higher compared to the offspring from the prenatal stress. Exercise before pregnancy alleviated prenatal stress-induced impairment of memory, neurogenesis, and mitochondrial function. Therefore, exercise before pregnancy may have a protective effect against prenatal stress of the offspring.

A Survey on Heterogeneity Taxonomy, Security and Privacy Preservation in the Integration of IoT, Wireless Sensor Networks and Federated Learning.

Federated learning (FL) is a machine learning (ML) technique that enables collaborative model training without sharing raw data, making it ideal for Internet of Things (IoT) applications where data are distributed across devices and privacy is a concern. Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) play a crucial role in IoT systems by collecting data from the physical environment. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of the integration of FL, IoT, and WSNs. It covers FL basics, strategies, and types and discusses the integration of FL, IoT, and WSNs in various domains. The paper addresses challenges related to heterogeneity in FL and summarizes state-of-the-art research in this area. It also explores security and privacy considerations and performance evaluation methodologies. The paper outlines the latest achievements and potential research directions in FL, IoT, and WSNs and emphasizes the significance of the surveyed topics within the context of current technological advancements.

Whole genome sequences of Lactococcus lactis KCKM 0851 isolated from green onion kimchi.

Lactococcus lactis KCKM 0851 isolated from green onion kimchi is a probiotic candidate and can be used as a starter culture for kimchi and dairy products. The whole-genome data of this strain will help us understand its genetics and metabolic characteristics.

Draft genome sequence of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KCKM 0106, isolated from mustard leaf kimchi.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KCKM 0106, isolated from mustard leaf kimchi, demonstrates probiotic properties, such as acid tolerance and adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells. We present the draft genome sequence of L. plantarum KCKM 0106, comprising 3,328,662 bp and 44.4% GC content.

Optimal Resource Provisioning and Task Offloading for Network-Aware and Federated Edge Computing.

Compared to cloud computing, mobile edge computing (MEC) is a promising solution for delay-sensitive applications due to its proximity to end users. Because of its ability to offload resource-intensive tasks to nearby edge servers, MEC allows a diverse range of compute- and storage-intensive applications to operate on resource-constrained devices. The optimal utilization of MEC can lead to enhanced responsiveness and quality of service, but it requires careful design from the perspective of user-base station association, virtualized resource provisioning, and task distribution. Also, considering the limited exploration of the federation concept in the existing literature, its impacts on the allocation and management of resources still remain not widely recognized. In this paper, we study the network and MEC resource scheduling problem, where some edge servers are federated, limiting resource expansion within the same federations. The integration of network and MEC is crucial, emphasizing the necessity of a joint approach. In this work, we present NAFEOS, a proposed solution formulated as a two-stage algorithm that can effectively integrate association optimization with vertical and horizontal scaling. The Stage-1 problem optimizes the user-base station association and federation assignment so that the edge servers can be utilized in a balanced manner. The following Stage-2 dynamically schedules both vertical and horizontal scaling so that the fluctuating task-offloading demands from users are fulfilled. The extensive evaluations and comparison results show that the proposed approach can effectively achieve optimal resource utilization.

Alteration of Neural Network and Hippocampal Slice Activation through Exosomes Derived from 5XFAD Nasal Lavage Fluid.

Exosomes, key mediators of intercellular transmission of pathogenic proteins, such as amyloid-beta and tau, significantly influence the progression and exacerbation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Present in a variety of biological fluids, including cerebrospinal fluid, blood, saliva, and nasal lavage fluid (NLF), exosomes underscore their potential as integral mediators of AD pathology. By serving as vehicles for disease-specific molecules, exosomes could unveil valuable insights into disease identification and progression. This study emphasizes the imperative to investigate the impacts of exosomes on neural networks to enhance our comprehension of intracerebral neuronal communication and its implications for neurological disorders like AD. After harvesting exosomes derived from NLF of 5XFAD mice, we utilized a high-density multielectrode array (HD-MEA) system, the novel technology enabling concurrent recordings from thousands of neurons in primary cortical neuron cultures and organotypic hippocampal slices. The ensuing results revealed a surge in neuronal firing rates and disoriented neural connectivity, reflecting the effects provoked by pathological amyloid-beta oligomer treatment. The local field potentials in the exosome-treated hippocampal brain slices also exhibited aberrant rhythmicity, along with an elevated level of current source density. While this research is an initial exploration, it highlights the potential of exosomes in modulating neural networks under AD conditions and endorses the HD-MEA as an efficacious tool for exosome studies.

Effect of Physical Exercise on Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Purkinje Cell Survival in the Cerebellum of 3xTg-AD Mice.

BACKGROUND: The cerebellum is an area of the brain that is prone to damage in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). As a non-pharmacological intervention for AD, exercise training has shown an ameliorating effect on AD pathology; however, the target regions have mostly been the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. The main aim of this study was to explore the influence of 12 weeks of treadmill running on the accumulation of AD-related proteins, dysfunction of mitochondria, and subsequent neuronal cell death in the cerebellum of triple transgenic (3xTg-AD) mice. METHODS: Four-month-old 3xTg-AD mice were allocated into two groups: an AD control group (AD, n = 10) and an AD exercise group (AD-Exe, n = 10). The AD-Exe mice underwent training on a motorized animal treadmill 5 days a week for 12 weeks. After sacrifice, the cerebellum was collected and biochemically analyzed. RESULTS: The AD-Exe mice expressed reduced levels of extracellular ß-amyloid plaques and phosphorylated tau (p-tau), and showed improved Purkinje cell survival and mitochondrial function compared with AD mice. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that engaging in exercise training can offer protection against the progression of AD in the cerebellum by enhancing mitochondrial function and promoting cell survival.

Influence of Isolation Temperature on Isolating Diverse Lactic Acid Bacteria from Kimchi and Cultural Characteristics of Psychrotrophs.

Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented vegetable that is stored and fermented at low temperatures. However, kimchi lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are typically isolated under mesophilic conditions, which may be inappropriate for isolating the diverse LAB. Therefore, this study investigated the suitable conditions for isolating various LAB from kimchi. Here, LAB were isolated from four kimchi samples using MRS, PES, and LBS media and varying isolation temperatures (30, 20, 10, and 5°C). Then, MRS was selected as the suitable medium for LAB isolation. A comparison of culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches indicated that 5°C was not a suitable isolation temperature. Thus, the number and diversity of LAB were determined at 30, 20, and 10°C using 12 additional kimchi samples to elucidate the effect of isolation temperature. With the exception of two samples, most samples did not substantially differ in LAB number. However, Leuconostoc gelidum, Leuconostoc gasicomitatum, Leuconostoc inhae, Dellaglioa algida, Companilactobacillus kimchiensis, Leuconostoc miyukkimchii, Leuconostoc holzapfelii, and Leuconostoc carnosum were isolated only at 10 and 20°C. The growth curves of these isolates, except Leu. holzapfelii and Leu. carnosum, showed poor growth at 30°C. This confirmed their psychrotrophic characteristics. In Weissella koreensis, which was isolated at all isolation temperatures, there was a difference in the fatty acid composition of membranes between strains that could grow well at 30°C and those that could not. These findings can contribute to the isolation of more diverse psychrotrophic strains that were not well isolated under mesophilic temperatures.

Fabrication of Gold Nanoparticles and Cinnamaldehyde-Functionalized Paper-Based Films and Their Antimicrobial Activities against White Film-Forming Yeasts.

During storage and fermentation of kimchi, white film-forming yeasts (WFY) are generated on the surface of kimchi under various conditions. These yeasts include Candida sake, Pichia kudriavzevii, Kazachstania servazzii, Debaryomyces hansenii, and Hanseniaspora uvarum. Because of the off-odor and texture-softening properties of WFY that degrade the quality of kimchi, a method to prevent WFY is required. In this study, cinnamaldehyde (CIN) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with a large surface area were grafted on a paper surface, which was termed the "Paper_AuNPs_CIN" film. CIN is an antimicrobial agent that is approved for use in food applications. In the as-fabricated Paper_AuNPs_CIN film, antimicrobial CIN molecules were physically adsorbed to the surface of AuNPs and simultaneously chemically synthesized on the paper surface via the imine reaction. The Paper_AuNPs_CIN film exhibited greater antimicrobial activity against the three WFY strains than a Paper_CIN film (which contains only CIN molecules). Since more CIN molecules were adsorbed to the large surface area of the paper-reduced AuNPs, the Paper_AuNPs_CIN film exhibited a higher antimicrobial activity. Using AuNPs and CIN simultaneously to inhibit the growth of WFY is a novel approach that has not yet been reported. The morphology and elemental mapping of the functionalized films were examined via scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy, elemental composition was analyzed via inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and chemical bonding and optical properties were investigated via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Additionally, agar-well diffusion assays were used to determine the antimicrobial activity against three representative WFY strains: C. sake, P. kudriavzevii, and K. servazzii.

Treadmill exercise ameliorates chemotherapy-induced memory impairment through Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used chemotherapy drug for various cancers and it is known to induce cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of treadmill exercise on chemotherapy-induced memory impairment. We assessed whether DOX affects inflammation, mitochondrial Ca2+ retention capacity, and Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control group, exercise group, DOX-injection group, and DOX-injection and exercise group. To create a DOX-induced memory impairment model, animals were injected intraperitoneally with DOX (2 mg/kg) dissolved in saline solution once a week for 4 weeks. Treadmill exercise was performed once a day, 5 days a week, for 8 consecutive weeks. Short-term memory was determined using the step-down avoidance test. Western blot was performed for the proinflammatory cytokines, Wnt/ß-catenin signaling, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) in the hippocampus. Mitochondrial Ca2+ retention capacity in the hippocampus was also measured. DOX-injection rats showed deterioration of short-term memory along with decreased expression of BDNF and TrkB in the hippocampus. Levels of the proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6, were increased in the DOX-injection rats. Wnt/ß-catenin signaling was activated and mitochondrial Ca2+ retention capacity was decreased in the DOX-injection rats. However, treadmill exercise alleviated short-term memory impairment, decreased proinflammatory cytokines, increased BDNF and TrkB expression, and enhanced mitochondrial Ca2+ retention capacity. Treadmill exercise restorated Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. This study demonstrated that treadmill exercise can be used for patients undergoing chemotherapy with DOX.

Optimizing Conditions in the Acid Tolerance Test for Potential Probiotics Using Response Surface Methodology.

Acid tolerance is an important feature of probiotic development. It is one of the factors underlying the beneficial effects of probiotics in the intestine. However, the methods used by different researchers to test acid tolerance vary, causing confusion in the interpretation of the results. Therefore, in this study, we determine the optimal conditions for the acid tolerance test using response surface methodology. The factors of pH (2.5 to 3.5), exposure time (1 to 2 h), and pepsin (presence or absence) were used as independent variables, and the survival rates of seven strains (Lacticaseibacillus casei KACC 12413, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KACC 15357, Limosilactobacillus fermentum KACC 11441, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WCFS1, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KCTC 21024, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WiKim 0112) known to have probiotic properties were used as dependent variables. The results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that the pH value and exposure time in acidic environments significantly affected the acid tolerance test model, and their interaction also had an effect (P < 0.05). Using the ANOVA results, the condition of the acid tolerance test was optimized with a target of an 85% survival rate for each strain. The optimized conditions of the acid tolerance test were as follows: pH 2.92, exposure time of 1.73 h, and presence of pepsin and pH 3, exposure time of 1.98 h, and absence of pepsin. These results can optimize strain selection with rigorous acid tolerance without confusion by unifying the conditions for the acid tolerance test. IMPORTANCE The acid tolerance test, which is the first step in selecting probiotics, is not standardized and can often cause confusion in the interpretation of results. Thus, in the present study, we optimized the conditions for the acid tolerance test using response surface methodology. These optimized conditions can be used to screen for strains with acid tolerance.

Physical exercise ameliorates memory impairment in offspring of old mice.

For humans, maternal old age means the age of 35 or older at the time of childbirth. Maternal metabolism not only affects the cognitive function of the offspring, but also affects their physical and neurological development. This study aims to elucidate the effects of exercise training on spatial learning memory, neurogenesis, and apoptosis in the off-spring of old mice. Using mice, the offspring of old mothers showed impaired spatial learning memory, decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor and postsynaptic density protein 95 levels, suppressed neurogenesis, and increased hippocampal apoptotic cell death. In contrast, the offspring of the old mothers had improved spatial learning memory, increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor and postsynaptic density protein 95 levels, increased neurogenesis, and decreased hippocampal apoptotic cell death when they received exercise training. The present results indicate that there is apparent spatial learning memory impairment among the offspring of old mothers, but by contrast, exercise can ameliorate spatial learning memory impairment. Exercise can be an effective countermeasure against memory decline in the offspring of old mothers.

Effects of exercise and microbiota transplant on the memory of obesity-induced mice.

This study attempted to investigate the association between changes in the intestinal environment and the brain using a model that received aerobic exercise and microbiome transplantation. All mice were fed a diet containing 60% fat. For the obesity with nonexercise microbiome transplantation group, feces from donors that did not undergo exercise were administered. For the obesity with exercise microbiome trans-plantation group, feces from donors who underwent exercise were administered. Treadmill exercise started 16 weeks after the intake of the high fat feeding and continued for 24 weeks. The short-term memory and spatial learning memory were determined by step-down avoidance test and Morris water maze task, immunohistochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein, western blot analysis for brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tropomyosin receptor kinase B were performed in the hippocampus. Exercise was the most effective way to reduce obesity, improve memory function, suppress inflammation, and increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression. Intestinal microbiota transplantation was the second most effective after exercise. However, there was no significant difference in the fecal microbiota transplant group according to whether or not exercise was performed.

The effects of exercise and diet on mental status, insulin signaling pathway, and microbiome in obese mice.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise and diet on mental status, insulin signaling pathway, serotonin synthesis, and microbiome in high-fat-induced obesity mice. Before the start of this experiment, obesity groups made obese mice by administering a high-fat diet containing 60% fat for 12 weeks. In the obesity with exercise group, after a high-fat diet for 12 weeks, exercise was performed with high-fat diet for 8 weeks. In the obesity with diet group, a high-fat diet for 12 weeks followed by a normal diet for 8 weeks. Depression and anxiety were determined by open field test and elevated plus maze test. Immunohistochemistry for tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) in the dorsal raphe, western blot analysis for phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-ATK), total AKT (t-AKT), phosphorylated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (p-PI3K), and total PI3K (t-PI3K) in the hippocampus were performed. Analysis of microbiome was also conducted. Obesity-induced depression and anxiety status, suppressed ratio of p-AKT/t-AKT and p-PI3K/t-PI3K, and inhibited TPH synthesis. Exercise and diet improved depression and anxiety status, activated p-AKT/t-AKT and p-PI3K/t-PI3K, and increased TPH synthesis. Exercise and diet improved depression and anxiety status by increasing the insulin signaling pathway and promoting serotonin production. These effects of exercise and diet were almost similar. In addition, exercise and diet regulated the composition of gut microbiota.

Effects of Exercise Training during Advanced Maternal Age on the Cognitive Function of Offspring.

Advanced maternal age (AMA) denotes an age of ≥35 years during the time of delivery. Maternal metabolism affects the offspring's physical and neurological development as well as their cognitive function. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of exercise training among old female animals on the cognitive function, hippocampal neuroplasticity, mitochondrial function, and apoptosis in the offspring. We found that the offspring of mothers with AMA without exercise training had decreased spatial learning and memory, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) protein levels, neurogenesis, and mitochondrial function, as well as hippocampal cell death. Contrastingly, offspring of mothers with AMA with exercise training showed improved spatial learning, memory, hippocampal neuroplasticity, and mitochondrial function. These findings indicate that despite the AMA, increasing fitness through exercise significantly contributes to a positive prenatal environment for fetuses. The maternal exercises augmented the hippocampal levels of BDNF, which prevents decreased cognitive function in the offspring of mothers with AMA.

Exercise with 40-Hz light flicker improves hippocampal insulin signaling in Alzheimer disease mice.

We examined whether exercise is associated with hippocampus-mediated improvement in insulin signaling and cell differentiation in the triple transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer disease (3xTg AD) murine model following exposure to 40-Hz light flickering and exercise. We subjected 12-month-old 3xTg AD mice to exercise and 40-Hz light flickering for 3 months. The exercise session was proceeded for 12 consecutive weeks with gradual increase of intensity. To investigate insulin signaling proteins, western blot was conducted to detect the ratio of phosphorylated insulin receptor ß (p-IRß)/total IRß (t-IRß), phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1 (p-IRS-1)/total IRS-1 (t-IRS-1), phosphorylated phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase (p-PI3K)/total PI3K (t-PI3K), phosphorylated 3-phosphoinositide dependent protein kinase-1 (p-PDK1)/total PDK-1 (t-PDK1), phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt)/total-Akt (t-Akt), and phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (p-GSK3ß)/total GSK3ß (t-GSK3ß). Doublecortin immunohistochemistry was performed for assessing cell differentiation in the hippocampus. Treatments exerted a positive effect. The combination of exercise and 40-Hz light flickering exposure was the most effective treatment enhancing insulin signaling. Increased ratio of p-IRß/t-IRß, p-IRS-1/t-IRS-1, p-PI3K/t-PI3K, p-PDK1/t-PDK1, p-Akt/t-Akt, and p-GSK3ß/t-GSK3ß and enhanced cell differentiation were observed in the 3xTg AD with exercise under 40-Hz light flickering group. Our results indicate that exercise under 40-Hz light flickering most potently improved insulin signaling, thereby promoted cell differentiation.

Combined effects of aerobic exercise and 40-Hz light flicker exposure on early cognitive impairments in Alzheimer's disease of 3×Tg mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive degenerative brain disease and the primary cause of dementia. At an early stage, AD is generally characterized by short-term memory impairment, owing to dysfunctions of the cortex and hippocampus. We previously reported that a combination of exercise and 40-Hz light flickering can protect against AD-related neuroinflammation, gamma oscillations, reduction in Aß, and cognitive decline. Therefore, we sought to extend our previous findings to the 5-mo-old 3×Tg-AD mouse model to examine whether the same favorable effects occur in earlier stages of cognitive dysfunction. We investigated the effects of 12 wk of exercise combined with 40-Hz light flickering on cognitive function by analyzing neuroinflammation, mitochondrial function, and neuroplasticity in the hippocampus in a 3×Tg-AD mouse model. Five-month-old 3×Tg-AD mice performed 12 wk of exercise with 40-Hz light flickering administered independently and in combination. Spatial learning and memory, long-term memory, hippocampal Aß, tau, neuroinflammation, proinflammatory cytokine expression, mitochondrial function, and neuroplasticity were analyzed. Aß and tau proteins levels were significantly reduced in the early stage of AD, resulting in protection against cognitive decline by reducing neuroinflammation and proinflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, mitochondrial function improved, apoptosis was reduced, and synapse-related protein expression increased. Overall, exercise with 40-Hz light flickering was significantly more effective than exercise or 40-Hz light flickering alone, and the improvement was comparable to the levels in the nontransgenic aged-match control group. Our results indicate a synergistic effect of exercise and 40-Hz light flickering on pathological improvements in the hippocampus during early AD-associated cognitive impairment.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Exercising in a 40-Hz light flicker environment was more effective than exercise or 40-Hz light flicker alone. This synergistic effect may prevent cognitive dysfunction by inhibiting Aß, tau pathway, and neuroinflammation and enhancing neuroplasticity and mitochondrial functions in the hippocampus during early Alzheimer's disease.

Development of a Novel Benzimidazole-Based Probe and Portable Fluorimeter for the Detection of Cysteine in Human Urine.

The measurement of cysteine in human urine and live cells is crucial for evaluating biological metabolism, monitoring and maintaining the immune system, preventing tissue/DNA damage caused by free radicals, preventing autoimmune diseases, and diagnosing disorders such as cystinuria and cancer. A method that uses a fluorescence turn-on probe and a portable fluorescence spectrometer device are crucial for highly sensitive, simple, rapid, and inexpensive cysteine detection. Herein, we present the synthesis and application of a benzimidazole-based fluorescent probe (ABIA) along with the design and development of a portable fluorescence spectrometer device (CysDDev) for detecting cysteine in simulated human urine. ABIA showed excellent selectivity and sensitivity in detecting cysteine over homocysteine, glutathione, and other amino acids with the response time of 1 min and demonstrated a detection limit of 16.3 nM using the developed CysDDev. Further, ABIA also demonstrated its utility in detecting intracellular cysteine, making it an excellent probe for bio-imaging assay.

Maternal Swimming Exercise During Pregnancy Improves Memory Through Enhancing Neurogenesis and Suppressing Apoptosis via Wnt/ß-Catenin Pathway in Autistic Mice.

PURPOSE: Wnt pathway is closely related to neurodevelopmental process associated with cognitive function. After administration of valproic acid to the pregnant mice, the effect of swimming exercise of pregnant mice on the memory, neuronal production, and apoptosis of pups was studied in relation with Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. METHODS: On day 12 of pregnancy, mice were injected subcutaneously with 400-mg/kg valproic acid. The pregnant mice in the control with swimming exercise group and in the valproic acid injection with swimming exercise group were allowed for swimming for 30 minutes one time per a day, repeated 5 days per a week, during 3 weeks. Step-through avoidance task and Morris water maze task for memory function, immunohistochemistry for 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-positive cells and western blot for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), Wnt, ß-catenin, Bcl-2 related X protein (Bax), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), cleaved caspase-3 were carried out. RESULTS: Maternal swimming exercise during pregnancy improved memory function, increased BDNF expression, and neuronal proliferation in the valproic acid injected pups. Maternal swimming exercise during pregnancy suppressed Wnt expression and phosphorylation of ß-catenin in the valproic acid injected pups. Maternal swimming exercise inhibited Bax and cleaved caspase-3 expression and increased Bcl-2 expression in the valproic acid injected pups. CONCLUSION: Maternal swimming exercise during pregnancy improved memory function by increasing cell proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis through Wnt/ß-catenin signaling cascade activation in the valproic acid injected pups. Maternal swimming exercise during pregnancy may have a protective effect on factors that induce autism in the fetus.