Long-term synaptic plasticity in deep layer-originated associational projections to superficial layers of rat entorhinal cortex.

Superficial layers of the entorhinal cortex (EC) relay the majority of cortical input projections to the hippocampus, whereas deep layers of the EC mediate a large portion of hippocampal output projections back to other cortical areas, suggesting a functional segregation between superficial and deep layers of the EC as input and output structures of the hippocampus, respectively. However, deep layers of the EC send associational projections to superficial layers, suggesting a potential interaction between neocortical input and hippocampus-processed output in superficial layers. This possibility was investigated by examining whether deep to superficial EC projections support long-term synaptic plasticity, and whether they interact with other pathways in superficial layers in rat medial EC slice preparations.

Regulation of the dual specificity protein phosphatase, DsPTP1, through interactions with calmodulin.

Reversible phosphorylation is a key mechanism for the control of intercellular events in eukaryotic cells. In animal cells, Ca2+/CaM-dependent protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation are implicated in the regulation of a number of cellular processes. However, little is known on the functions of Ca2+/CaM-dependent protein kinases and phosphatases in Ca2+ signaling in plants.

The dose effect of ephedrine on the onset time of vecuronium.

Unlabelled: A small dose of ephedrine decreases the onset time of rocuronium and cisatracurium; however, ephedrine might be associated with adverse hemodynamic effects. The appropriate dose of ephedrine has not been determined. We, therefore, studied 120 patients anesthetized with fentanyl 2 microg/kg and propofol 2-2.

Residual paralysis induced by either vecuronium or rocuronium after reversal with pyridostigmine.

Unlabelled: We investigated postoperative residual curarization after administration of either vecuronium or rocuronium with reversal by pyridostigmine in 602 consecutive patients without perioperative neuromuscular monitoring. On arrival in the recovery room, neuromuscular function was assessed both by acceleromyography in a train-of-four (TOF) pattern and also clinically by the ability to sustain a head-lift for >5 s and the tongue-depressor test. Postoperative residual curarization was defined as a TOF ratio <0.

Induction of homosynaptic long-term depression in entorhinal cortex.

Prolonged low frequency stimulation (1 Hz, 15 min) induced significant long-term depression (LTD) in hippocampal CA1 region and superficial, but not deep, layers of rat medial entorhinal cortex (EC) in vitro. In the presence of D-AP5, significant LTD was induced in EC superficial layers, but not in CA1 or EC deep layers. These results show differences in characteristics of LTD induction across CA1, EC superficial layers, and EC deep layers.

Ephedrine reduces the pain from propofol injection.

Unlabelled: One hundred seventy-six patients (ASA physical status I or II) presenting for elective surgery were randomly allocated into six study groups to compare the incidence of propofol-induced pain after pretreatment with different doses of ephedrine as compared with lidocaine. Patients in Group P (n = 30) received saline placebo; patients in Group L (n = 30) received 2% lidocaine 40 mg; patients received ephedrine 30 microg/kg (Group E30, n = 28), 70 microg/kg (Group E70, n = 30), 110 microg/kg (Group E110, n = 30), and 150 microg/kg (Group E150, n = 28), respectively, followed 30 s later by propofol 2.5 mg/kg.

Association between fetal nuchal translucency thickness in first trimester and subsequent gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

Increased fetal nuchal translucency (NT) in the first trimester is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Whether the increased NT is also associated with an increased frequency of pregnancy-associated hypertension (PAH) is not known. Seven hundred and seventy-nine pregnant women who received NT-based Down syndrome screening and delivered their babies at our hospital by September 2000 were enrolled into this study.

Early development and degeneration of vestibular hair cells in bronx waltzer mutant mice.

In bronx waltzer mouse mutants, inner hair cells die at an early stage in their development, from around 17.5 days of gestation onwards. In contrast, outer hair cells appear to develop normally.

Corneal toxicity secondary to inadvertent use of benzalkonium chloride preserved viscoelastic material in cataract surgery.

Aims: To study the long term toxic effects of intraocular benzalkonium chloride (BAC).

Methods: 19 patients exposed to intraocular BAC preserved viscoelastic during cataract surgery in February 1999 developed severe striate keratopathy immediately postoperatively. 16 patients, including two who underwent penetrating keratoplasty, were studied in the period April to June 2000.

Cholinergic modulation of synaptic physiology in deep layer entorhinal cortex of the rat.

We have recently shown that cholinergic effects on synaptic transmission and plasticity in the superficial (II/III) layers of the rat medial entorhinal cortex (EC) are similar, but not identical, to those in the hippocampus (Yun et al. [2000] Neuroscience 97:671-676). Because the superficial and deep layers of the EC preferentially convey afferent and efferent hippocampal projections, respectively, it is of interest to compare cholinergic effects between the two regions.

Inhibitory effects of ethaverine, a homologue of papaverine, on monoamine oxidase activity in mouse brain.

The effects of benzylisoquinoline compounds such as ethaverine, laudanosine, and tetrahydropapaverine on monoamine oxidase (MAO, EC 1.4.3.

The susceptibility of muscle cells to oxidative stress is independent of nitric oxide synthase expression.

The free radical, nitric oxide (NO.), has been implicated in the pathogenesis of muscular dystrophies because the enzyme, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which produces NO., binds to the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC).

Ginsenoside Rb1 and Rg1 improve spatial learning and increase hippocampal synaptophysin level in mice.

We investigated the cognition enhancing effects of ginsenoside Rb1 and Rg1. Mice were trained in a Morris water maze following injection (i.p.

Cholinergic modulation of synaptic transmission and plasticity in entorhinal cortex and hippocampus of the rat.

Effects of cholinergic agents on synaptic transmission and plasticity were examined in entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. Bath application of carbachol (0.25-0.

Paroxysmal tachycardia and hypertension with or without ventricular fibrillation during laparoscopic adrenalectomy: two case reports in patients with noncatecholamine-secreting adrenocortical adenomas.

We present two cases of sudden unanticipated cardiovascular complications in patients with noncatecholamine-secreting adrenocortical adenomas during laparoscopic adrenalectomy. In the first case, the patient developed paroxysmal tachycardia and hypertension followed by ventricular fibrillation shortly after clipping of the adrenal vein. In the second case, the patient suffered hypertension and bigeminy during manipulation of the adrenal gland just around the adrenal vein.

Heterogeneity among muscle precursor cells in adult skeletal muscles with differing regenerative capacities.

Skeletal muscle has a remarkable capacity to regenerate after injury, although studies of muscle regeneration have heretofore been limited almost exclusively to limb musculature. Muscle precursor cells in skeletal muscle are responsible for the repair of damaged muscle. Heterogeneity exists in the growth and differentiation properties of muscle precursor cell (myoblast) populations throughout limb development but whether the muscle precursor cells differ among adult skeletal muscles is unknown.

Modification of short peptides using epsilon-aminocaproic acid for improved coating efficiency in indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).

The hydrophobicity of short synthetic peptides of 5-10 residues was enhanced for high coating efficiency as antigens in indirect ELISA. To obtain enhanced hydrophobicity, coupling of epsilon-aminocaproic acids to the synthetic peptides was carried out during solid phase peptide synthesis. As a short peptide model, three analogues of a streptavidin binding peptide consisting of 5 amino acid residues were prepared with four epsilon-aminocaproic acid residues.

T lymphocytes affect smooth muscle cell phenotype and proliferation.

The effects of rabbit T lymphocytes on rabbit aortic smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotype and proliferation were investigated in vitro. SMCs seeded at confluent density in primary culture had a volume fraction of myofilaments (Vvmyo) of 49.8 +/- 2.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus sequence variants in South-East Asia.

The nature and distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypic variants present in south-east Asia have not been extensively investigated. We analysed HCV RNA obtained from 67 clinical serum samples from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and South Korea. All samples were amplified by semi-nested RT-PCR and the nucleotide sequence determined for four regions within the E1, E2/NS1, NS4 and NS5 genes.

Effect of recent antibacterial agents against bacteria causing diarrhoea.

The susceptibility of 424 bacterial isolates causing diarrhoea were tested by agar dilution technique on Mueller-Hinton Agar against amoxicillin, ampicillin, ceftriaxone, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, norfloxacin and ofloxacin. The bacterial species included were Aeromonas hydrophila, Edwardsiella tarda, Pleisomonas shigelloides, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp.

Consequences of diarrhoeal disease on the pharmacokinetics of norfloxacin.

The pharmacokinetics of 400 mg norfloxacin administered orally were studied in 19 patients both during the acute phase of bacterial gastroenteritis and during convalescence, after normalization of bowel movements. The peak serum concentrations, total area under the serum concentration curve, rate of elimination and serum half-life in the beta-phase were all similar during the acute phase of the disease as well as after normalization of the intestinal function. The only difference was that the time to peak concentrations was longer (p less than 0.