Field immobilisation of southern elephant seals with intravenous tiletamine and zolazepam.

Southern elephant seals (Miroungo leonina) were immobilised with a mixture of tiletamine and zolazepam administered intravenously at a mean (sd) dose rate of 0.46 (0.08) mg/kg.

Anatomical evidence for the posterior boundary of area 2 in the macaque monkey.

This study examined the architectonic organization of the macaque's primary somatosensory cortex near the tip of the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), using myelin and Nissl stains plus immunohistochemical labeling with the SMI-32 antibody. The surface cortex between the IPS and central sulcus (overlapping area 2) was distinguished from surrounding cortex (areas 1 post-central dimple and cortex immediately anterior to the tip of the IPS. Physiological mappings verified that the and 5) by relatively light SMI-32 immunoreactivity.

Tactile attention tasks enhance activation in somatosensory regions of parietal cortex: a positron emission tomography study.

We used positron emission tomography to study cortical regions mediating tactile attention. Cues selectively directed subjects to attend to the roughness or duration of contact with embossed gratings that rubbed against a single fingertip with controlled speed and force. The task required discriminating between paired gratings that differed in tactile features of roughness and/or length.

Port-access coronary artery bypass grafting: technique and comparative results.

Background: Interest in minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) continues to grow, and the techniques evolve. Our study examines the technical strategies of port-access (PA) CABG and compares results between PA CABG and conventional CABG.

Methods: Two hundred and twenty-nine consecutive patients underwent PA CABG from December 1996 through July 1998.

Pharmacokinetics of intravenously administered ketamine in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina).

Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) are large, potentially dangerous animals which must be restrained before study or treatment. However, chemical restraint is unpredictable, possibly because of differences in body composition during fasting ashore, and circulatory adaptations to enable diving. The pharmacokinetics of ketamine (1.

Tracking neuronal fiber pathways in the living human brain.

Functional imaging with positron emission tomography and functional MRI has revolutionized studies of the human brain. Understanding the organization of brain systems, especially those used for cognition, remains limited, however, because no methods currently exist for noninvasive tracking of neuronal connections between functional regions [Crick, F. & Jones, E.

Vibrotactile stimulus order effects in somatosensory cortical areas of rhesus monkeys.

This study demonstrated effects of stimulus order on single-cell responses in the macaque primary and secondary somatosensory and 7b cortical areas. As part of a study of tactile attention, two monkeys (Macaca mulatta) received similar constant amplitude, sinusoidal tactile vibration patterns (125 Hz) at two glabrous skin, hand locations. The stimuli started asynchronously with offsets of 150 or 300 ms.

Molecular population genetics of the southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina.

Southern elephant seals breed on sub-Antarctic islands and have a circumpolar distribution. We assayed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) variation in the three main populations in the south Atlantic, south Indian, and south Pacific oceans, and a smaller continental population in South America. Population structure of mtDNA was strong and not consistent with isolation by distance.

Port-access cardiac surgery protocols and early outcomes.

As a new cardiac surgical procedure, port-access holds promise to significantly impact the surgical approaches for treatment of CAD. Supporting collaborative practice protocols contributes to early extubation, rapid in-hospital recovery, and shortened LOS. Discharge protocols address postoperative concerns.

Effect of high-voltage pulsed current and alternating current on macromolecular leakage in hamster cheek pouch microcirculation.

Background And Purpose: Electrical stimulation (ES) is supposed to affect edema formation by inhibiting macromolecular leakage from microvessels. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of various forms of ES on macromolecular leakage from microvessels.

Subjects: Fifty-three hamsters were randomly assigned to one of seven groups: a control group (histamine only); groups that received histamine with cathodal high-voltage pulsed current (HVPC) at intensities of 90%, 50%, and 10% of visible motor threshold (VMT); groups that received anodal HVPC at intensities of 90% and 50% of VMT; and a group that received alternating current (AC) at 90% of VMT.

Tactile-spatial and cross-modal attention effects in the second somatosensory and 7b cortical areas of rhesus monkeys.

This study analyzed neuronal responses in the second somatosensory (SII) and 7b cortical areas during a selective attention task. Cues directed attention to one of three simultaneous stimuli: vibrotactile stimuli applied to mirror sites on both hands or to a similarly timed auditory tone. Two stimulus patterns appeared with equal probability for the cued stimulus: a constant amplitude sinewave or the latter with a superimposed brief amplitude pulse midway in the trial.

Multiple foci in parietal and frontal cortex activated by rubbing embossed grating patterns across fingerpads: a positron emission tomography study in humans.

Somatosensory representations occupy parietal postcentral gyral (S1) and lateral sulcal-opercular cortex (S2). To address the issue of possible multiple activation foci in these regions and possible differences due to stimulating skin directly or through an imposed tool, we studied changes in cerebral blood flow with positron emission tomography during passive tactile stimulation of one or two fingertips. Restrained fingers were rubbed with embossed gratings using a rotating drum stimulator in 11 subjects.

Functional MRI in human somatosensory cortex activated by touching textured surfaces.

MRI revealed activation foci in human somatosensory cortex during protocols involving stimulation of the fingertips with a textured surface. A 2D T2*-weighted gradient echo sequence was used to acquire images. The imaging protocol included acquiring images while subjects performed specific tactile stimulation paradigms (activation scans) or rested.

Discrimination of vibrotactile frequencies in a delayed pair comparison task.

This study quantified human short-term-memory decay functions for delayed vibrotactile frequency discriminations. Subjects indicated which of two successive intervals contained the higher or lower frequency of a pair separated by delay periods of 0.5-30 sec.

Use of the respiratory stimulant doxapram in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina).

The use of doxapram to stimulate breathing was examined in southern elephant seals chemically restrained with ketamine and xylazine. Animals which were breathing spontaneously received doxapram (approximately 0.5, 1, 2, or 4 mg/kg) or saline into the extradural intravertebral vein.

Radiotherapy, alkylating agents, and risk of bone cancer after childhood cancer.

Background: Individuals who had cancer in childhood are at higher risk of developing bone cancer than any other type of second primary cancer.

Purpose: Using the population-based National Registry of Childhood Tumours in Britain, we investigated the incidence and etiology of second primary bone cancer after childhood cancer in a cohort study and in a case-control study.

Methods: A cohort study of 13,175 3-year survivors of childhood cancer diagnosed in Britain between 1940 and 1983 revealed 55 subsequent bone cancers.

Chemical restraint of southern elephant seals (Mirounga Leonina); use of medetomidine, ketamine and atipamezole and comparison with other cyclohexamine-based combinations.

A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the alpha-2 agonist medetomidine for sedation of pre-moulting, mature female southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina). Two animals were sedated with a single intramuscular dose of medetomidine (0.013 and 0.

Responses in primary somatosensory cortex of rhesus monkey to controlled application of embossed grating and bar patterns.

Responses of 66 neurons in primary somatosensory cortex (SI) of three anesthetized monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were characterized with grating patterns of 550- to 2900-mm groove width (Gw) and 250-mm ridge width, and/or pairs of 3-mm-wide ridges (bars) spaced 1-20 mm apart. Surfaces were stroked across single fingertips at parametrically varied levels of force (25-150 g) and velocity (25-100 mm/sec). The average firing rates (AFRs) of many cells varied with Gw, but force and velocity altered response functions (e.

A scale for assessing the stage of substance abuse treatment in persons with severe mental illness.

Substance abuse is common among persons with severe mental illness, but few measures exist for clinicians to evaluate treatment progress. The Substance Abuse Treatment Scale (SATS) combines a motivational hierarchy with explicit substance use criteria to form an eight-stage model of the recovery process. Data are presented supporting the reliability and validity of the SATS, based on its use in a community-based sample of persons with dual disorders.

Head direction cell activity monitored in a novel environment and during a cue conflict situation.

1. Recent conceptualizations of the neural systems used during navigation have classified two types of sensory information used by animals: landmark cues and internally based (idiothetic; e.g.

Cortical areas within the lateral sulcus connected to cutaneous representations in areas 3b and 1: a revised interpretation of the second somatosensory area in macaque monkeys.

Cortical connections between various body representations in areas 3b and 1 and lateral parietal cortex were examined in 18 macaque monkeys. We injected tracers (Fast Blue, Diamidino Yellow, Horseradish Peroxidase, and Rhodamine Dextran), alone or in combination, into closely related cutaneous responsive sites, e.g.

Ipsilateral intracortical connections of physiologically defined cutaneous representations in areas 3b and 1 of macaque monkeys: projections in the vicinity of the central sulcus.

This study examined cortical connections of areas 3b and 1 in 17 macaque monkeys in reference to regional somatotopography. The fluorescent retrograde tracers Fast Blue and Diamidino Yellow and the anterograde tracer Rhodamine Dextran were injected into closely related cutaneously responsive sites in primary somatosensory cortex, e.g.

Antagonism of some cyclohexamine-based drug combinations used for chemical restraint of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina).

This study examined the use of 4 antagonists of chemical restraint in mature female southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) that were restrained with ketamine and diazepam, ketamine and xylazine, or tiletamine and zolazepam. The antagonists were: 4-aminopyridine, yohimbine, doxapram and sarmazenil. The effects of the antagonists on the animal's time to first movement forward and recovery, heart rate, respiratory rate and venous blood gas and pH values, and level of chemical restraint were recorded.

High-voltage pulsed current: its influence on diameters of histamine-dilated arterioles in hamster cheek pouches.

Results from five independent studies from our laboratory indicate that cathodal high-voltage pulsed current (HVPC) significantly curbs posttraumatic edema formation in several animal models. Conversely, anodal HVPC did not curb edema formation. The mechanism by which HVPC reduces edema formation is unknown.