Enriched environments (EEs) during development have been shown to influence adult behaviour. Environmental conditions during childhood may contribute to the onset and/or pathology of schizophrenia ; however, it remains unclear whether EE might prevent the development of schizophrenia. Herein, we investigated the effects of EE during adolescence on phencyclidine (PCP)-induced abnormal behaviour, a proposed schizophrenic endophenotype. Male ICR mice (3 wk old) were exposed to an EE for 4 wk and then treated with PCP for 2 wk. The EE potentiated the acute PCP treatment-induced hyperlocomotion in the locomotor test and prevented chronic PCP treatment-induced impairments of social behaviour and recognition memory in the social interaction and novel object recognition tests. It also prevented the PCP-induced decrease of acetylated Lys 9 in histone H3-positive cells and increase of the histone deacetylase (HDAC)5 level in the prefrontal cortex. To investigate whether the histone modification during adolescence might be critical for the effect of EE, 3-wk-old mice were first treated with sodium butyrate (SB ; an HDAC inhibitor) for 4 wk and then treated with PCP for 2 wk. Chronic SB treatment during adolescence mimicked the effects of EE, including potentiation of hyperlocomotion induced by acute PCP treatment and prevention of social and cognitive impairments, decrease of acetylated Lys 9 in histone H3-positive cells and increase of the HDAC5 level in the prefrontal cortex associated with chronic PCP treatment. Our results suggest that EEs prevent PCP-induced abnormal behaviour associated with histone deacetylation. EEs during childhood might prove to be a novel strategy for prophylaxis against schizophrenia.

Three cases of the popliteal vein entrapment syndrome have been encountered during the past 3 years. The third head of the gastrocnemius muscle appeared to be the cause of this rare condition with the vessels in their normal position. Partial resection of the excess muscle was sufficient to relieve symptoms.

We investigated the feasibility of using He buffer gas to moderate the kinetic energy of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) plumes during the growth of Eu x Y2–x O3 phosphor films. The PLD growth of Y2O3 films using a Nd yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser results in expanded lattice parameters compared to those of the bulk crystals, indicating the presence of crystal defects in the Y2O3 films. Ablation plumes with a high kinetic energy are generated by the Nd:YAG laser that operates at high energy densities, leading to defect formation. To moderate the kinetic energy without reducing the film growth rate, He buffer gas was used for the Nd:YAG-PLD growth of Y2O3 films, resulting in the suppression of crystal defect generation. This process was demonstrated to improve the phosphor properties of Eu x Y2–x O3 thin films grown via combinatorial PLD as the He buffer gas-induced reduction in crystal defect density enhances the phosphor properties of the Eu x Y2–x O3 films. Using He buffer gas to moderate the kinetic energy of PLD plumes is expected to be useful in reducing the crystal defect density and improving the film characteristics.

Child maltreatment (CM) is a major risk factor for various psychopathologies but also adversely affects social development. Research on oxytocin (OT) is currently drawing attention as an endocrine basis for social development. In this study, we investigated the relationship between visual attention to social cues and salivary OT levels in children exposed to CM. The results revealed that the CM group had a significantly lower percentage of gaze fixation for the human face eye area and lower salivary OT levels compared to the typical development group. Moreover, a path analysis suggested that gaze fixation for the eye area was a mediator of the relationship between salivary OT levels and social-emotional problems in the CM group. These results suggest that lower endogenous OT levels in maltreated children may lead to atypical development of their visual attention to eyes as a social cue, resulting in social-emotional problems.