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We explored the role that social support plays in the lives of women who have undergone bariatric surgery. We conducted in-depth interviews with 13 women who had had bariatric surgery (M age = 53.0 years) and analyzed the data using constant comparison processes. We found that individuals in participants' lives offered support by acting as role models and providing information, offering empathy and expressions of concern and caring, assisting with everyday responsibilities, and serving as companions. In turn, these forms of support guided participants' behavior, calmed their concerns, enhanced their self-esteem, relieved them of daily responsibilities, and offered them companionship in their bariatric journeys. Consistent with the existing theory, differently situated individuals specialized in offering particular types of support. Although participants appreciated the support received, many indicated a desire for more or "better" support, pointing to a need for resources guiding supporters in how to best offer support to bariatric patients., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) are both activated after traumatic brain injury (TBI), however complex interplay between the two hampers deciphering their functional implications in vivo. We examined the effects of single and combination inhibitors of Akt/mTOR in a mouse controlled cortical impact (CCI) model. Following CCI, phospho-Akt-473 (p-Akt) and -S6 ribosomal protein (p-S6RP), a downstream substrate of mTOR, were increased in cortical and hippocampal brain homogenates (P<0.05 versus sham). At 24 hours, p-S6RP was detected in neurons and was robustly induced in microglia and astrocytes in injured hippocampus. In vivo activity of Akt and mTOR inhibitors administered separately was confirmed by reduced expression of p-GSK3β (P<0.01) or p-S6RP (P<0.05), respectively, after CCI. Importantly, administration of Akt and mTOR inhibitors together (but not of either alone) improved postinjury motor (P=0.02) and cognitive deficits (hidden platform trials, P=0.001; probe trials, P<0.05), decreased propidium iodide-positive cells in CA1 and CA3 (P<0.005), and unexpectedly increased p-GSK3β in hippocampus. Although the roles of Akt and mTOR in the pathogenesis of TBI remain to be fully elucidated, dual inhibition of Akt and mTOR may have therapeutic potential for TBI.

The apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) gene leads to increased brain amyloid beta (Aβ) and poor outcome in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, its role in childhood TBI is controversial. We hypothesized that the transgenic expression of human APOE4 worsens the outcome after controlled cortical impact (CCI) in adult but not immature mice. Adult and immature APOE4 mice had worse motor outcome after CCI (P<0.001 versus wild type (WT)), but the Morris water maze performance was worse only in adult APOE4 mice (P=0.028 at 2 weeks, P=0.019 at 6 months versus WT), because immature APOE4 mice had performance similar to WT for up to 1 year after injury. Brain lesion size was similar in adult APOE4 mice but was decreased (P=0.029 versus WT) in injured immature APOE4 mice. Microgliosis was similar in all groups. Soluble brain Aβ(40) was increased at 48 hours after CCI in adult and immature APOE4 mice and in adult WT (P<0.05), and was dynamically regulated during the chronic period by APOE4 in adults but not immature mice. The data suggest age-dependent effects of APOE4 on cognitive outcome after TBI, and that therapies targeting APOE4 may be more effective in adults versus children with TBI.