Multiple time axes for representation of echo delays in the auditory cortex of the mustached bat

The properties of the orientation sound (pulse) of the Jamaican mustached bat, Pteronotus parnellii parnellii is the same as the Panamanian mustached bat, P.p. rubiginosus. It consists of four harmonics, each containing a long constant-frequency (CF) component followed by a short frequency-modulated (FM) component. Thus, there are eight components in total: CF1-4 and FM1-4. The combination-sensitive area of the auditory cortex in P.p. parnellii consists of two major divisions (FM-FM and CF/CF areas) as in P.p. rubiginosus. The FM-FM area projects to the dorsal fringe (DF) and other areas. Response latencies of neurons in the DF area are longer than those in the FM-FM area. The distribution of latencies is unimodal for the FM-FM area, but bimodal for the DF area. In this electrophysiological study of the response properties of neurons in the DF and FM-FM areas, our aim was to find out how signal processing might be different between the two areas. Both the FM-FM and DF areas consist of three types of FM-FM combination-sensitive neurons: FM1-FM2, FM1-FM3, and FM1-FM4. They do not respond or respond poorly to pulse alone, echo alone, single CF tones or single FM sounds. But they show strong facilitation of response to the echo when it is delivered with particular delays from the pulse. The essential elements in the pulse-echo pair for facilitation are the FM1 of the pulse and FM2 or FM3 or FM4 of the echo. In both the FM-FM and DF areas, the great majority of neurons show short-lasting facilitation, and other neurons show long-lasting facilitation. FM-FM neurons are tuned to particular echo delays, i.e., target ranges. In both the FM-FM and DF areas, the width of a delay-tuning curve is linearly related to the value of a best delay. There is no sign that processing of range information is more specialized in the DF area than the FM-FM area. In both the FM-FM and DF areas, three types of FM-FM neurons form independent clusters. Along the major axis of each cluster, best delays for facilitative responses of neurons systematically change according to the loci of the neurons. The more posterior the location, the longer the best delay is. Therefore, there are six time (i.e., range) axes in total. The time axis in the DF area is shorter than that in the FM-FM area.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Computational studies on acquisition and adaptation of ocular following responses based on cerebellar synaptic plasticity

To investigate how cerebellar synaptic plasticity guides the acquisition and adaptation of ocular following response (OFR), a large-scale network model was developed. The model includes the cerebral medial superior temporal area (MST), Purkinje cells (P cells) of the ventral paraflocculus, the accessory optic and climbing fiber systems, the brain stem oculomotor network, and the oculomotor plant. The model reconstructed temporal profiles of both firing patterns of MST neurons and P cells and eye movements. Model MST neurons (n = 1,080) were set to be driven by retinal error and exhibited 12 preferred directions, 30 preferred velocities, and 3 firing waveforms. Correspondingly, each model P cell contained 1,080 excitatory synapses from granule cell axons (GCA) and 1,080 inhibitory synapses. P cells (n = 40) were classified into four groups by their laterality (hemisphere) and by preferred directions of their climbing fiber inputs (CF) (contralateral or upward). The brain stem neural circuit and the oculomotor plant were modeled on the work of Yamamoto et al. The initial synaptic weights on the P cells were set randomly. At the beginning, P cell simple spikes were not well modulated by visual motion, and the eye was moved only slightly by the accessory optic system. The synaptic weights were updated according to integral-differential equation models of physiologically demonstrated synaptic plasticity: long-term depression and long-term potentiation for GCA synapses and rebound potentiation for inhibitory synapses. We assumed that maximum plasticity was induced when GCA inputs preceded CF inputs by 200 ms. After more than 10,000 presentations of ramp-step visual motion, the strengths of both the excitatory and inhibitory synapses were modified. Subsequently, the simple spike responses became well developed, and ordinary OFRs were acquired. The preferred directions of simple spikes became the opposite of those of CFs. Although the model MST neurons were set to possess a wide variety of firing characteristics, the model P cells acquired only downward or ipsilateral preferred directions, high preferred velocities and stereotypical firing waveforms. Therefore the drastic transition of the neural representation from the population codes in the MST to the firing-rate codes of simple spikes were learned at the GCA-P cell synapses and inhibitory cells-P cell synapses. Furthermore, the model successfully reproduced the gain- and directional-adaptation of OFR, which was demonstrated by manipulating the velocity and direction of visual motion, respectively. When we assumed that synaptic plasticity could only occur if CF inputs preceded GCA inputs, the ordinary OFR were acquired but neither the gain-adaptation nor the directional adaptation could be reproduced.     

Total sleep deprivation elevates blood pressure through arterial baroreflex resetting: a study with microneurographic technique

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Sleep deprivation has a profound effect on cardiovascular regulation through the autonomic nervous system. This study examined the effect of 24-hour total sleep deprivation on muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), which is a direct measurement of the postganglionic sympathetic efferent innervating the vascular bed in the skeletal muscle and other circulatory structures. DESIGN: The study was performed on 6 young healthy men. The factors exerting influence on MSNA, such as aging, obesity, body posture, activity, intensity of illumination, and food and beverage consumption were strictly controlled. Burst rate and burst incidence were used as parameters of MSNA. The burst rate, burst incidence, heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured after total sleep deprivation and control sleep. To perform a linear regression analysis of arterial baroreflex (ABR), the incidence of MSNA bursts corresponding to a given diastolic blood pressure (%MSNA) was examined. MEASUREMENT AND RESULTS: The diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher after total sleep deprivation than after control sleep (66.5 +/- 1.7 vs 57.4 +/- 3.3 mm Hg). The burst rate (9.6 +/- 1.8 vs 13.3 +/- 2.7 bursts/min) and burst incidence (21.6 +/- 4.5 vs 30.3 +/- 8.9 bursts/100 heart beats) of MSNA were significantly lower after total sleep deprivation than after control sleep (P < .05). Analysis of the ABR disclosed a significant linear regressive relation between %MSNA and diastolic blood pressure in every subject after both total sleep deprivation and control sleep. This result implies that the ABR regulates the occurrence of MSNA bursts under different diastolic blood pressure conditions. The threshold (X-axis intercept) of the blood pressure regression line (ie, an indicator of the ABR set point) shifted by 12 +/- 4.3 mm Hg toward a higher blood pressure level after total sleep deprivation (P < .05). The ABR sensitivity, or the slope of the regression line, tended to be less steep after total sleep deprivation than after control sleep, although it was not statistically significant (P = .09). CONCLUSIONS: The diastolic blood pressure increased and both burst rate and burst incidence of MSNA decreased after total sleep deprivation. The results show that resetting of the ABR toward a higher blood pressure level occurred after total sleep deprivation. This ABR resetting probably brings about an increase in arterial blood pressure after total sleep deprivation.     

A new superselective balloon catheter--all-silicone catheter with a floppy tip

We have introduced concept of "chemical" embolization and have tried to develop a new agent which would enable us to embolize the lesion with one-shot injection. Such an agent must be able to occlude diffusely the lesion distal to the catheter. This has made it mandatory to develop a new catheter which can be introduced into the vessel as close to the lesion as possible with fewer risks of clot formation and/or vessel damage. A new superselective balloon catheter for angiography and infusion of liquid embolizing materials has been developed. This catheter consists of a proximal relatively stiff silicone catheter, a short distal thin-walled flexible silicone catheter and silicone balloon. These three silicone components are connected by silicone adhesives. The distal catheter allows us to catheterize fine arteries such as lenticulostriates, while the proximal catheter assures easy manipulation. This balloon catheter can be used for superselective angiography and infusion of liquid embolizing materials. It has been used on nine patients; one with a dural arterio-venous malformation (AVM), four with meningiomas, and four with brain and spinal cord AVMs. In the case of dural AVM and meningiomas, it was possible to easily introduce into the middle meningeal artery distal to the foramen spinosum. In addition, in one of the cases of meningioma, we were able to catheterize one of the main feeding pedicles beyond the pterion. Chemical embolization was carried out in 5 cases with good results. In the case of brain and spinal cord AVM, useful information was obtained from the superselective angiography.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Acute Low-Intensity Treadmill Running Upregulates the Expression of Intestinal Glucose Transporters via GLP-2 in Mice

The effects of exercise on nutrient digestion and absorption in the intestinal tract are not well understood. A few studies have reported that exercise training increases the expression of molecules involved in carbohydrate digestion and absorption. Exercise was also shown to increase the blood concentration of glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2), which regulates carbohydrate digestion and absorption in the small intestine. Therefore, we investigated the effects of exercise on the expression of molecules involved in intestinal digestion and absorption, including GLP-2. Six-week-old male mice were divided into a sedentary (SED) and low-intensity exercise (LEx) group. LEx mice were required to run on a treadmill (12.5 m/min, 1 h), whereas SED mice rested. All mice were euthanized 1 h after exercise or rest, and plasma, jejunum, ileum, and colon samples were collected, followed by analysis via IHC, EIA, and immunoblotting. The levels of plasma GLP-2 and the jejunum expression of the GLP-2 receptor, sucrase-isomaltase (SI), and glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) were higher in LEx mice. Thus, we showed that acute low-intensity exercise affects the expression of molecules involved in intestinal carbohydrate digestion and absorption via GLP-2. Our results suggest that exercise might be beneficial for small intestine function in individuals with intestinal frailty.     

Diagnostic impact of monitoring transcranial motor-evoked potentials to prevent ischemic complications during endovascular treatment for intracranial aneurysms

Neurosurgical Review - The present study aimed to determine the incidence of intraprocedural motor-evoked potential (MEP) changes and to correlate them with intraprocedural ischemic complications...     

All-in-One Silk Fibroin Sponge as the Vitrification Cryodevice of Rat Pancreatic Islets and the VEGF-Embedded Scaffold for Subrenal Transplantation

Islet transplantation is a promising option for the clinical treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes, but a reliable islet cryopreservation/transplantation protocol should be established to overcome the donor shortage. The current study reports that a silk fibroin (SF) sponge disk can be used as a cryodevice for vitrification of large quantity pancreatic islets and the scaffold for subsequent subrenal transplantation in a rat model. The marginal islet mass (550 islet equivalents [IEQs]) on an SF sponge disk was vitrified-warmed and transplanted beneath the kidney capsule of a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat with or without vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Subrenal transplantation (no scaffold) of 550 IEQ fresh islets and post-warm islets vitrified on a nylon mesh device resulted in achieving euglycemia of recipient rats at 60% and 0%, respectively. Transplantation of 550 IEQ islets vitrified-warmed on an SF sponge disk failed to achieve euglycemia of recipient rats (0%), but the VEGF inclusion in the SF sponge disk contributed to acquiring the euglycemic recipients (33%). All cured recipient rats regained hyperglycemia after nephrectomy, and the histopathologic analysis exhibited a well-developing blood vessel network into the islet engrafts. Thus, an SF sponge disc was successively available as the cryodevice for islet vitrification, the transporter of the angiogenic VEGF, and the scaffold for subrenal transplantation in the rat model.     

Modulation of responses and frequency tuning of thalamic and collicular neurons by cortical activation in mustached bats

In the Jamaican mustached bat, Pteronotus parnellii parnellii, one of the subdivisions of the primary auditory cortex is disproportionately large and over-represents sound at approximately 61 kHz. This area, called the Doppler-shifted constant frequency (DSCF) processing area, consists of neurons extremely sharply tuned to a sound at approximately 61 kHz. We found that a focal activation of the DSCF area evokes highly specific corticofugal modulation in the inferior colliculus and medial geniculate body. Namely a focal activation of cortical DSCF neurons tuned to, say, 61. 2 kHz with 0.2-ms-long, 100-nA electric pulses drastically increases the excitatory responses of thalamic and collicular neurons tuned to 61.2 kHz without shifting their best frequencies (BFs). However, it decreases the excitatory responses of subcortical neurons tuned to frequencies slightly higher or lower than 61.2 kHz and shifts their BFs away from 61.2 kHz. The BF shifts are symmetrical and centrifugal around 61.2 kHz. These corticofugal effects are larger on thalamic neurons than on collicular neurons. The cortical electrical stimulation sharpens the frequency-tuning curves of subcortical neurons. These corticofugal effects named "egocentric selection" last 相似文献   

Vasculitis and Pyrexia Associated with Superficial Spreading Gastric Carcinoma

A case of low grade fever developing about a month before the discovery of gastric carcinoma is reported. No findings of infection or collagen disease were revealed. The fever continued for about 3 months, but promptly disappeared after surgical removal of the tumor. A superficial spreading mucosal carcinoma with minimal invasion to the sub-mucosa was seen in the antrum, showing the features of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. In addition, unique venous inflammation was recognized beneath and around the neoplasm. Arteries and lymph vessels did not exhibit any inflammatory changes. It was presumed that the gastric carcinoma had induced phlebitis, which subsequently brought about the fever. As to the pathogenetic mechanism, it was suggested that a substance produced by the carcinoma cells flowed into nearby veins to induce the phlebitis. Acta Pathol Jpn 42 : 293-297, 1992.     

Influence of histamine depletion on learning and memory recollection in rats

To clarify the role of endogenous histamine in learning and memory, the effect of -fluoromethylhistidine on active avoidance response in rats was studied. -Fluoromethylhistidine (20–100 mg/kg or 10–50 µg) significantly (P<0.05 orP<0.01) prolonged the response latency in active avoidance response when administered by either intraperitoneal or intracerebroventricular injection. These effects were dose-related and long lasting. A prolongation of the response latency induced by an intraperitoneal injection of -fluoromethylhistidine (100 mg/kg) was antagonized by intracerebroventricular injection of histamine (10 and 20 ng) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the acquisition of this response was retarded by a consecutive intracerebroventricular injection of -fluoromethylhistidine (50 µg), whereas histamine (100 ng) facilitated the response acquisition when administered by the same route. Both intraperitoneal (100 mg/kg) and intracerebroventricular injection of -fluoromethylhistidine (50 µg) significantly (P<0.05 orP<0.01) decreased the brain histamine content, especially in the hippocampus and hypothalamus. When -fluoromethylhistidine (50 µg) was injected intracerebroventricularly, there is a high correlation between a prolongation of the response latency and a decrease in histamine content of these brain areas. Based on these findings, it was concluded that an intimate relation may exist between a prolongation of response latency in the active avoidance response and a decrease in the brain histamine content; endogenous histamine may play an important role in learning and memory recollection in rats.