An Olfactory Cilia Pattern in the Mammalian Nose Ensures High Sensitivity to Odors.

In many sensory organs, specialized receptors are strategically arranged to enhance detection sensitivity and acuity. It is unclear whether the olfactory system utilizes a similar organizational scheme to facilitate odor detection. Curiously, olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in the mouse nose are differentially stimulated depending on the cell location.

G protein-coupled odorant receptors underlie mechanosensitivity in mammalian olfactory sensory neurons.

Mechanosensitive cells are essential for organisms to sense the external and internal environments, and a variety of molecules have been implicated as mechanical sensors. Here we report that odorant receptors (ORs), a large family of G protein-coupled receptors, underlie the responses to both chemical and mechanical stimuli in mouse olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). Genetic ablation of key signaling proteins in odor transduction or disruption of OR-G protein coupling eliminates mechanical responses.

Spontaneous and sensory-evoked activity in mouse olfactory sensory neurons with defined odorant receptors.

Sensory systems need to tease out stimulation-evoked activity against a noisy background. In the olfactory system, the odor response profile of an olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) is dependent on the type of odorant receptor it expresses. OSNs also exhibit spontaneous activity, which plays a role in establishing proper synaptic connections and may also increase the sensitivity of the cells.

Crucial role of copper in detection of metal-coordinating odorants.

Odorant receptors (ORs) in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) mediate detection of volatile odorants. Divalent sulfur compounds, such as thiols and thioethers, are extremely potent odorants. We identify a mouse OR, MOR244-3, robustly responding to (methylthio)methanethiol (MeSCH(2)SH; MTMT) in heterologous cells.

A form of synaptically induced metabotropic glutamate receptor-dependent long-term depression that does not require postsynaptic calcium.

The calcium control hypothesis posits that postsynaptic calcium increases are required to trigger synaptic plasticity, with large increases inducing LTP and small increases inducing LTD. In CA1 of the hippocampus, however, LTD induced by chemical activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors (agonist-LTD) is independent of increases in postsynaptic calcium. Here we tested whether LTD induced by pairing of presynaptic stimulation with postsynaptic depolarization (synaptic-LTD) is similarly calcium-independent.

Distinct mechanisms contribute to agonist and synaptically induced metabotropic glutamate receptor long-term depression.

Metabotropic glutamate receptor mediated long-term depression (mGlu receptor LTD) is evoked in hippocampal area CA1 chemically by the agonist 3,5-Dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG, agonist LTD) and synaptically by paired-pulse low frequency stimulation (PP-LFS, synaptic LTD). We tested the hypothesis that different expression mechanisms regulate mGlu receptor LTD in 15-21 day old rats through neurophysiologic recordings in CA1. Several findings, in fact, suggest that agonist and synaptic mGlu receptor LTD are expressed through different mechanisms.

A multicenter experience with the Talent endovascular graft for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Objective: The Talent endovascular graft has been used in the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in more than 13,000 patients worldwide. However, information regarding the results of its use has been limited. This report describes the experience with 368 patients with AAAs who underwent treatment at four medical centers as part of an investigator-sponsored investigational device exemption trial.

An in situ adjustable endovascular graft for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Twenty-nine patients underwent placement of the Teramed Ariba Endovascular Graft System (Maple Grove, Minn) as part of a European Feasibility study (14 patients) and a US phase I trial (15 patients). Salient features of this modular endograft system include a crimped seamless polyester bifurcation graft supplied in three diameters and three iliac limb lengths, three types of nitinol stents including a suprarenal stent with aortic barbs, a flexible delivery system capable of controlled incremental sheath retraction, a flexible tapered lead balloon, and a telescoping technique for adjusting the length of graft coverage during surgery over a range of 3 cm. Twenty-eight of the 29 patients met the primary objective of this evaluation, which was to confirm the safety of the system, defined as the absence of major device-related adverse events and type I, III, or IV endoleaks within 1 month of implantation.