The cochlear hook region detects harmonics beyond the canonical hearing range.

Ultrasound, or sound at frequencies exceeding the conventional range of human hearing, is not only audible to mice, microbats, and dolphins, but also creates an auditory sensation when delivered through bone conduction in humans. Although ultrasound is utilized for brain activation and in hearing aids, the physiological mechanism of ultrasonic hearing remains unknown. In guinea pigs, we found that ultrasound above the hearing range delivered through ossicles of the middle ear evokes an auditory brainstem response and a mechano-electrical transduction current through hair cells, as shown by the local field potential called the cochlear microphonic potential (CM).

Serotonin therapies for opioid-induced disordered swallow and respiratory depression.

Opioids are well-known to cause respiratory depression, but despite clinical evidence of dysphagia, the effects of opioids on swallow excitability and motor pattern are unknown. We tested the effects of the clinically relevant opioid buprenorphine on pharyngeal swallow and respiratory drive in male and female rats. We also evaluated the utility of 5-HT agonists (8-OH-DPAT and buspirone) to improve swallowing and breathing following buprenorphine administration.

Serotonin therapies for opioid-induced dysphagia and respiratory depression: sex differences in a rat electromyography model.

Opioids are well-known to cause respiratory depression, but despite clinical evidence of dysphagia, the effects of opioids on swallow excitability and motor pattern are unknown. We sought to test the effects of the clinically-relevant opioid buprenorphine on pharyngeal swallow and respiratory drive in male and female rats. We also evaluated utility of serotonin 5-HT1A agonists (8-OH-DPAT and buspirone) to improve swallowing and breathing outcomes following buprenorphine administration.

Enzyme replacement therapy in two patients with classic Fabry disease from the same family tree: Two case reports.

Background: The pathophysiology of Fabry disease (FD)-induced progressive vital organ damage is irreversible. Disease progression can be delayed using enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). In patients with classic FD, sporadic accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (GL-3) in the heart and kidney begins ; however, until childhood, GL-3 accumulation is mild and reversible and can be restored by ERT.

Inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A by okadaic acid induces translocation of nucleocytoplasmic O-GlcNAc transferase.

Post-translational modification (PTM) is crucial for many biological events, such as the modulation of bone metabolism. Phosphorylation and O-GlcNAcylation are two examples of PTMs that can occur at the same site in the protein: serine and threonine residues. This phenomenon may cause crosstalk and possible interactions between the molecules involved.

Arteriovenous Anastomosis in Human Hand Digital Skin.

While a digital arteriovenous anastomosis (Hoyer-Grosser's organ, Masson's glomus) is a well-known structure, photographic evidence of communication between arterial and venous lumens might not be demonstrated in routine histological or immunohistochemical analysis. Abundant clusters of so-called glomera were found in semi-serial sections of the distal aspect of 14 fingers obtained from 7 donated elderly cadavers. Two to six round or oval clusters were observed in each longitudinal section (over 0.

Increase in Blood Pressure by Local Injection of Ketamine into the Amygdala in Rats.

To confirm that an increase in blood pressure induced by ketamine is mediated through the central nervous system, we examined the effect of ketamine, applied directly to the amygdala, on blood pressure. Six male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the study. Under head-restrained and unanesthetized condition, 0.

Fetal development of the human trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles.

At present, there is no photographic evidence of splitting of the trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles (SCMs), which share a common anlage that extends caudally toward the limb bud in the embryo at a length of 9 mm. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to identify which structures divide the caudal end of the common anlage at the first sign of splitting into two muscles. In 11 mm-long specimens, the SCM and trapezius muscles were identified as a single mesenchymal condensation.

Sialometric and Sialochemical Changes in Morbidly Obese Patients before and after Bariatric Surgery.

Aim: To evaluate the sialometric and sialochemical changes in morbidly obese patients before and after bariatric surgery.

Materials And Methods: A total of 74 participants were divided into three groups paired by sex and age: (a) Experimental 1 (E1)-morbid obesity (n = 40)-according to the Fobi-Capella technique, corresponding to the individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 40 kg/m prior to bariatric surgery; (b) Experimental 2 (E2)-the same individuals after surgery; and (c) control (C) (n = 34)-individuals with a BMI of nearly 23 kg/m. The measure of salivary flow was carried out by collecting stimulated saliva.

THE EFFECT OF OBESITY ON DOSE OF DEXMEDETOMIDINE WHEN ADMINISTERED WITH FENTANYL DURING POSTOPERATIVE MECHANICAL VENTILATION--RETROSPECTIVE.

We carried out a retrospective investigation on the effect of obesity on dexmedetomidine (DEX) requirements when administered with fentanyl (FEN) during mechanical ventilation after major surgeries. After Institutional Review Board approval, 14 obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m(2) and the same number of non-obese patients with similar backgrounds to the obese patients were selected from medical records. Doses of DEX in the first 48 h or until the end of sedation or extubation were calculated for comparison.

Wire-grid polarizer sheet in the terahertz region fabricated by nanoimprint technology.

Wire-grid polarizer sheets in the terahertz region have been fabricated on flexible substrates by nanoimprint technology. They show an ideal polarization property in the terahertz frequency region, whereas the cost is very low. Since the wire pitch is far smaller than the wavelength, the effective medium theory agrees well with experimental results.

Measles encephalitis in early pregnancy and after delivery.

We present two cases of measles encephalitis, one in early pregnancy and one after delivery. In case 1, the patient became unconscious 6 days after the appearance of a rash and was treated with glycerol and immunoglobulin. In case 2, the patient became unconscious 6 days after the appearance of a rash and was also treated with glycerol and immunoglobulin.

Sonic hedgehog expression in Gli3 depressed mouse embryo, Pdn/Pdn.

The phenotype of the genetic polydactyly/arhinencephaly mouse (Pdn/Pdn) is similar to Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome (GCPS), which is induced by mutation of GLI3. Suppression of Gli3 gene expression has been observed in Pdn/Pdn. Thus, the gene responsible for Pdn/Pdn has been considered to be Gli3.

Identification of the interleukin 4 receptor alpha gene as a direct target for p73.

p73 has a high degree of structural homology to p53 and can activate transcription of p53-responsive genes. However, analysis of p73-deficient mice revealed a marked divergence in the physiological activities of p53 family genes and distinguishes p73 from p53. Mice deficient for p73 exhibit profound defects, including hippocampal dysgenesis, chronic infection, and inflammation, as well as abnormalities in pheromone sensory pathways.

Cell-to-Cell adhesion via intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 pathway is involved in 1alpha,25(OH)2D3, PTH and IL-1alpha-induced osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption.

Cell-to-cell interaction is required for the differentiation of osteoclast precursors as well as for osteoclast function. The present study was undertaken to determine whether 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D), PTH, IL-1alpha and PGE2 depend on cell-to-cell interactions through the intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1/leukocyte function-associated antigen (LFA)-1 pathway in osteoclast formation and bone resorption. We found that mouse osteoblasts expressed ICAM-1 and that the expression was increased by treatment with PTH, IL-1alpha or 1,25D, but not by PGE2.

The mutual regulation of arginine-vasopressin and PTHrP secretion in dissociated supraoptic neurons.

PTHrP is detected in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) and paraventricular nucleus. We have recently demonstrated that PTHrP(1-34) is involved in AVP release and synthesis in the SON in vivo and in vitro. PTHrP and AVP, which act on blood vessels, may interact by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms in the central nervous system.

Regulation of glucose transporter 1 expression by gliclazide in rat L6 myoblasts.

Sulphonylureas are known to enhance insulin secretion from the pancreas and its sensitivity of the extrapancreatic target organs. In this study, we clarified a direct extrapancreatic effect of the sulphonylureas and of gliclazide, on the glucose transport system in cultured rat L6 myoblasts, which predominantly expressed glucose transporter 1 (GLUT 1). Our results show that gliclazide stimulated 2-deoxy-[3H]-D-glucose (2DG) uptake, 24 h after treatment, in a dose-dependent manner, and it also increased GLUT 1 protein synthesis and mRNA expression; 2DG uptake and GLUT 1 protein synthesis induced by gliclazide were completely blocked by protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitors (H89 and rp-cAMP), and gliclazide increased the intracellular cAMP levels 3 to 24 hr after the treatment.

Identification of the osteopontin gene as a direct target of TP53.

The TP53 tumor suppressor gene regulates a number of genes that are involved in cell-cycle inhibition, apoptosis, and maintaining genetic stability. Recently, two genes that have a role in immunosurveillance were identified as downstream targets of TP53. These genes, TAP1 and fractalkine, may contribute to suppress tumor growth through host immunosurveillance.

The p53 family member genes are involved in the Notch signal pathway.

The p53 tumor suppressor is a transcription factor that regulates cell growth and death in response to environmental stimuli such as DNA damage. p63/p51 and p73 were recently identified as members of the p53 gene family. In contrast to p53 however, p63 and p73 are rarely mutated in human cancers.

Adenovirus-mediated transfer of the p53 family genes, p73 and p51/p63 induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in colorectal cancer cell lines: potential application to gene therapy of colorectal cancer.

p53 gene therapy is being tested clinically for the treatment of human cancer, however, some cancer models (in vivo and in vitro) are resistant to p53. To explore the potential use of two p53 homologues, p73 and p51/p63, in cancer gene therapy, we introduced p53, p73 and p51/p63 into colorectal cancer cell lines via adenoviral vectors, and compared their effects on cell growth. Among 10 cell lines tested, six cell lines displayed a similar response following transduction of p53, p73beta or p51A/p63gamma; two lines underwent cell-cycle arrest, three lines exhibited apoptosis and one line showed no-effect following transduction.

Parathyroid hormone-related peptide producing cholangiocellular carcinoma with a marked psammoma formation.

Humoral hypercalcemia caused by parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP), associated with cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC), has rarely been documented. There have been no reports of CCC associated with extensive calcification of the tumor with psammoma body formation. A 66-year-old man was admitted with a large calcified tumor in the liver detected on an abdominal X-ray.