Claustrum neurons projecting to the anterior cingulate restrict engagement during sleep and behavior.

The claustrum has been linked to attention and sleep. We hypothesized that this reflects a shared function, determining responsiveness to stimuli, which spans the axis of engagement. To test this hypothesis, we recorded claustrum population dynamics from male mice during both sleep and an attentional task ('ENGAGE').

Automatic Segmentation of the Dorsal Claustrum in Humans Using in vivo High-Resolution MRI.

The claustrum is a thin sheet of neurons enclosed by white matter and situated between the insula and the putamen. It is highly interconnected with sensory, frontal, and subcortical regions. The deep location of the claustrum, with its fine structure, has limited the degree to which it could be studied in vivo.

The Claustrum Supports Resilience to Distraction.

A barrage of information constantly assaults our senses, of which only a fraction is relevant at any given point in time. However, the neural circuitry supporting the suppression of irrelevant sensory distractors is not completely understood. The claustrum, a circuit hub with vast cortical connectivity, is an intriguing brain structure, whose restrictive anatomy, thin and elongated, has precluded functional investigation.

Impact of pH on Urine Chemistry Assayed on Roche Analyzers.

Background: The pH may impact the concentration of certain urinary parameters, making urine pre-treatment questionable.

Methods: 1) Determining the impact of pH in vitro on the urinary concentration of chemistry parameters assayed on Roche Modular analyzers. 2) Evaluating whether concentrations depended on pH in non-pretreated urines from patients.

Mapping synaptic cortico-claustral connectivity in the mouse.

The claustrum is an intriguing brain structure, featuring the highest connectivity per regional volume in the brain. It is a thin and elongated structure enclosed between the striatum and the insular cortex, with widespread reciprocal connections with the sensory modalities and prefrontal cortices. Retinotopic and somatotopic organizations have been described in the claustrum, and anatomical studies in cats, monkeys, and rats have demonstrated topographic organization of cortico-claustral connections.

Attention: the claustrum.

The claustrum is a mysterious thin sheet of neurons lying between the insular cortex and the striatum. It is reciprocally connected with almost all cortical areas, including motor, somatosensory, visual, auditory, limbic, associative, and prefrontal cortices. In addition, it receives neuromodulatory input from subcortical structures.

Hemolysis indexes for biochemical tests and immunoassays on Roche analyzers: determination of allowable interference limits according to different calculation methods.

Objectives: To determine the hemolysis interference on biochemical tests and immunoassays performed on Roche Diagnostics analyzers, according to different maximum allowable limits.

Design And Methods: Heparinized plasma and serum pools, free of interferences, were overloaded by increasing amounts of a hemoglobin-titrated hemolysate. This interference was evaluated for 45 analytes using Modular(®) and Cobas(®) analyzers.

[Prognostic value of S-100B protein plasma measurement after cardiac arrest].

S-100B protein is selectively synthesized by glial cells, and is released in biological fluids after acute brain damage. We analyzed initial levels and evolution of plasma S-100B protein concentrations after resuscitated cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA). S-100B levels were determined in 27 subjects at the time of CPA (H0) then 12, 24 and 48 h after resuscitation.

Interface between bone and nacre implants in sheep.

We have investigated the interface between bone and chronic implants of nacre in sheep. There was no foreign body reaction over the period of 10 months and the implants were not broken down. Light microscopy indicated activity within an osteoprogenitor cellular layer lining the implant, resulting in a complete sequence of new bone formation.

Pulmonary function in sickle cell disease with or without acute chest syndrome.

Recurrent acute chest syndrome (ACS) has been suggested as a risk factor for chronic lung dysfunction in sickle cell disease. To investigate this hypothesis, lung function tests were performed in 49 sickle cell disease outpatients whose condition was stable, including 23 patients with a history of two to four episodes of ACS (ACS+) and 26 with no history of ACS (ACS-). The two groups were comparable regarding the sex ratio, body mass index, smoking history, physical characteristics, clinical history and usual lung function tests.

Pharmacological and molecular characterisation of beta-adrenoceptors in adult rat diaphragm muscle.

Using pharmacological and molecular approaches to investigate beta-adrenoceptor (beta-AR) subtype expression in adult rat diaphragm, we found that adenylyl cyclase (AC) was potently stimulated by the beta2-AR-selective agonist fenoterol, weakly stimulated by the beta1-AR-selective agonist prenalterol and unaffected by the beta3-AR agonist CGP12177. AC activity in response to a submaximal isoproterenol concentration was potently inhibited by the beta2-AR-selective antagonist ICI118551, whereas the beta1-AR-selective antagonist CGP20712A was effective only in very high concentrations. (-)-[125I]-cyanopindolol ([125I]-CYP) saturation binding experiments indicated a single affinity component (dissociation constant (Kd) = 22 +/- 2 pM) for beta-AR sites (maximal beta -AR density (Bmax) = 14 +/- 2 fmol/ mg).

Cervical chrondrocutaneous branchial remnants.

Similar in appearance to preauricular tags but located in the lateral neck, cervical chondrocutaneous branchial remnants are a rather less common and less well known congenital lesion. A retrospective review of admissions at Sainte-Justine Hospital between 1980 and 1993 produced 20 cases of cervical tags, of which 17 were true cervical chrondrocutaneous branchial remnants and 3 were skin tags associated with a thyroglossal duct. Of the 17 true cervical chrondrocutaneous branchial remnants, 15 were operated on in our institution.

Reconstruction of human maxillary defects with nacre powder: histological evidence for bone regeneration.

The defective areas in the premolar-molar region of maxillary alveolar bone of eight patients were reconstructed using powdered nacre from the giant oyster Pinctada maxima. Histological, microradiographic and polarized light studies of drill biopsies taken 6 months postoperatively showed that nacre was tightly bound to newly-formed bone. The nacre was gradually and centripetally biodissolved and replaced with immature and then mature lamellar bone.

Correction of valvular obstruction through a dorsonasal approach.

Since 1975, 210 patients have been operated for nasal valvular obstruction. A dorsonasal approach was chosen, allowing direct control of the correction with peroperative patient cooperation. The analysis of the results shows a complete relief of the airflow impairment and a very acceptable scar in nearly three-quarters of the patients.

Pulmonary clearance and lung function: influence of acute tobacco intoxication and of vitamin E.

Cigarette smoking increases the alveolar epithelial permeability to small solutes, as assessed by the pulmonary clearance of aerosolized 99mTc-labeled diethylenetriaminepentaacetate. The involvement of lipid peroxidation in this increased clearance was tested in eight asymptomatic young smokers by investigating the effects of a 3-wk supplementation with oral vitamin E (1,000 IU/day) on pulmonary clearance according to a protocol designed as a single-blind crossover study. Indexes of acute tobacco intoxication (exhaled CO, carboxyhemoglobin, and urinary cotinine) and lung function parameters [including Krogh factor (KCO)] were also studied.

cAMP-dependent modulation of L-type calcium currents in mouse diaphragmatic cells.

The regulation of calcium channels by cAMP-dependent phosphorylation was investigated in the diaphragm muscle. Experiments were performed on dissociated costal diaphragmatic cells from 16- to 17-day-old fetal mice. The ionic current through calcium channels was measured using the whole cell clamp technique with barium as the charge carrier.

Rat diaphragm during postnatal development. II. Resistance to low- and high-frequency fatigue.

The effects on the rat diaphragm of fatigue induced by low- and high-frequency stimulation (at 5 Hz for 1.5 min and 75 Hz for 1 min) were examined during postnatal development. Experiments were performed on isolated costal diaphragm strips.

Rat diaphragm during postnatal development. I. Changes in distribution of muscle fibre type and in oxidative potential.

The changes occurring in the histochemical characteristics of the rat diaphragm during the postnatal period were examined. Fibre-type distribution, fibre oxidative capacity, i.e.

Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis in the forearm arterial bed of patients with advanced cirrhosis.

Increased vascular production of nitric oxide (NO) may contribute to the peripheral vasodilation and hyperdynamic state complicating advanced liver cirrhosis. In this study, we examined the effect on forearm blood flow of local brachial artery infusion of noradrenaline (NA) and NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), an inhibitor of NO-synthase, in 10 alcoholic ascitic cirrhotic patients (patients with decompensated alcohol-induced liver disease: DALD group) and 10 patients with well-compensated alcohol-induced liver disease (CALD group). Forearm blood flow was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy minimally impairs postoperative cardiorespiratory and muscle performance.

Surgery elicits a subjective feeling of postoperative fatigue, at least partly related to an impairment in cardiorespiratory function and muscle performance. Laparoscopic surgery is reported to impair the patient's condition minimally. The aim of this study was to assess exercise performance in patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Vitamin E does not prevent exercise-induced increase in pulmonary clearance.

It has been observed that sustained exercise results in a prolonged increase in alveolar epithelial permeability, as assessed by the pulmonary clearance rate of aerosolized 99mTc-labeled diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (Lorino et al. J. Appl.

Bicoronal incision for nasal bone grafting.

The use of bicoronal incisions has been sufficiently described in neurosurgery and craniofacial surgery including osteotomies and injuries. This approach provides excellent surgical access for nasal reconstruction with a very low rate of morbidity. A series of 11 patients, together with three case reports, illustrates the advantages and possible complications of this type of incision.

Effects of obesity on respiratory resistance.

To assess the effects of obesity on pulmonary function, 46 healthy subjects exhibiting various degrees of obesity underwent lung function tests. Subjects were divided into three groups according to body mass index (BMI): 13 had minimal obesity (BMI, 25 to 29 kg/m2, group 1); 24 had a BMI in the 30 to 40 range (group 2); and 9 displayed to morbid obesity (BMI > 40, group 3). Respiratory resistance was estimated by the forced random noise oscillation technique and airway resistance was determined by body plethysmography.

Assessment of the respiratory compliance in awake subjects using pressure support.

Pressure support (PS), a new mode of ventilatory assistance, is known to induce respiratory muscle relaxation. It was used to obtain reliable measurements of the compliance of the respiratory system (Crs) in awake subjects. PS was applied, through a mouthpiece, at four successive levels (0, 0.