Tracing the source of difficult to settle fine particles which cause turbidity in the Hitotsuse Reservoir, Japan.

A unique method to trace the source of "difficult-to-settle fine particles," which are a causative factor of long-term turbidity in reservoirs was developed. This method is characterized by cluster analysis of XRD (X-ray diffraction) data and homology comparison of major component compositions between "difficult-to-settle fine particles" contained in landslide soil samples taken from the upstream of a dam, and suspended "long-term turbid water particles" in the reservoir, which is subject to long-term turbidity. The experiment carried out to validate the proposed method, demonstrated a high possibility of being able to make an almost identical match between "difficult-to-settle fine particles" taken from landslide soils at specific locations and "long-term turbid water particles" taken from a reservoir.

Effects of neck muscle activities during rhythmic jaw movements by stimulation of the medial vestibular nucleus in rats.

This study first examines whether there is rhythmic activity of the neck muscles during cortically induced rhythmic jaw movements in rats anesthetized by urethane. Rhythmic jaw movements were induced by repetitive electrical stimulation of the orofacial motor cortex. An electromyogram in the splenius muscles (spEMG) showed rhythmic bursts during the jaw-opening phase, or during the transition from the jaw-opening phase to the jaw-closing phase.

Modulation of cortically induced rhythmic jaw movements in rats by stimulation of the vestibular nuclear complex.

We study whether stimulation of the vestibular nuclear (VN) complex can modulate rhythmic jaw movements in rats anesthetized by urethane. Rhythmic jaw movements were induced by repetitive electrical stimulation of the orofacial motor cortex. Stimulation of the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) during the jaw-closing phase increased the amplitude of the jaw-closing movement.

Multi-source inputs converge on the superior salivatory nucleus neurons in anaesthetized rats.

Activation of parasympathetic nerves innervating salivary glands evokes not only salivation but also vascular responses. These parasympathetic nerves may have cardiac and/or respiratory-related activity as well as the cardiovascular sympathetic nerves that control vascular bed of salivary glands. Therefore, we investigated whether preganglionic superior salivatory nucleus (SSN) neurons projecting to the submandibular and intra-lingual ganglia exhibit pulse-related and/or respiratory-related activity, and whether they can be excited by electrical stimulation of the lingual nerve.

Modulation of the masseteric monosynaptic reflex by stimulation of the vestibular nuclear complex in rats.

The effect of stimulation of the vestibular nuclear complex (VN) on the masseteric monosynaptic reflex (MMR) was studied in anesthetized rats. The MMR was evoked by electrical stimulation of the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus and was recorded, bilaterally, as the electromyographic responses of the masseter muscles. Conditioning electrical stimulation of the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) facilitated the MMR bilaterally, as did microinjection of monosodium glutamate into the MVN.

Modulation of the jaw-opening reflex by stimulation of the vestibular nuclear complex in rats.

The effect of stimulation of the vestibular nuclear complex (VN) on the jaw-opening reflex (JOR) was studied in anesthetized rats. The JOR was evoked by electrical stimulation of the inferior alveolar nerve, and was recorded as the electromyographic responses of the anterior belly of the digastric muscle, bilaterally. Conditioning electrical stimulation of the medial (MVN), lateral (LVN) and superior (SVN) vestibular nuclei facilitated the JOR bilaterally.

Non-NMDA and NMDA receptor agonists induced excitation and their differential effect in activation of superior salivatory nucleus neurons in anaesthetized rats.

We investigated the effects of the ionophoretic application of ionotropic non-NMDA receptor agonist (AMPA) and NMDA receptor agonist (NMDA) on extracellularly recorded and antidromically identified superior salivatory nucleus (SSN) neurons. A great majority (93%) of SSN neurons was induced to fire by ionophoretic application of AMPA, and they were classified into high firing rate (more than 6 spikes/s), and low firing rate (less than 3 spikes/s) neurons. No clear differences were found between high firing rate and low firing rate neurons according their fibre type and histological locations.

Changes in cortically induced rhythmic jaw movements after lesioning of the red nucleus in rats.

We study whether the red nucleus (RN) lesion can modify rhythmic jaw movements. Rhythmic jaw movements were induced by repetitive electrical stimulation of the two cortical masticatory areas (area A: the orofacial motor cortex; area P: the insular cortex). Lesions made by applied electric current in the RN were found to influence the rhythmic jaw movements induced by stimulation of A-area.

Effect of orofacial motor cortex stimulation on neuronal activity in the red nucleus.

We studied modulation of the activities of the red nucleus (RN) neurons under to electrical stimulation of the orofacial motor cortex (OfM) in urethane-anesthetized rats. Of 57 neurons studied, 30 (53%) neurons modulated the firing patterns. The firing patterns of the RN neurons were classified into four types: an excitation (E) type (n=4), a long inhibition (LI) type (n=4), a short inhibition (SI) type (n=22), and a no-effect type (n=27).

Rostral parvicellular reticular formation neurons projecting to rostral ventrolateral medulla receive cardiac inputs in anesthetized rats.

The rostral parvicellular reticular formation (rRFp) was explored electrophysiologically in urethane-chloralose anesthetized rats. Spontaneously-active neurons that exhibited a pulse-related activity were recorded and tested for their projections to the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). About one-third (10/29) of the rRFp neurons that exhibited a pulse-related activity were antidromically activated by RVLM stimulation with conduction velocities between 0.

Modulation of cortically induced rhythmical jaw movements by stimulation of the red nucleus in the rat.

We study whether stimulation of the red nucleus (RN) can modulate rhythmical jaw movements in rats anesthetized by urethane. Rhythmical jaw movements were induced by repetitive electrical stimulation of the two cortical masticatory areas (area A: the orofacial motor cortex; area P: the insular cortex). Stimuli applied to the RN did influence rhythmical jaw movements induced by stimulation of the A-area.

Role of the parvicellular reticular formation in facilitating the jaw-opening reflex in rats by stimulation of the red nucleus.

In a previous study, we have shown that electrical and chemical stimulation of the red nucleus (RN) facilitates the jaw-opening reflex (JOR). The RN sends projection fibers bilaterally, with contralateral dominance, to the part of the parvicellular reticular formation (RFp) containing premotor neurons projecting to the trigeminal motor nucleus. This implies that RN-induced facilitation of the JOR might be mediated via last-order neurons in the RFp.

Ionotropic NMDA receptor evokes an excitatory response in superior salivatory nucleus neurons in anaesthetized rats.

Extracellular recordings were taken from preganglionic superior salivatory nucleus (SSN) neurons projecting to submandibular and intra-lingual ganglia, in order to study the action of SSN neurons resulting from ionophoretic application of ionotropic NMDA receptor agonist in urethane-chloralose anaesthetized rats. Single SSN neurons were identified by their antidromic spike responses following stimulation of the chorda-lingual nerve (CLN), chorda tympani branches (CTBs) and the lingual nerve (LN). About one-third (33%, 10/30) of the identified SSN neurons were induced to fire by ionophoretic application of the NMDA receptor agonists used, dl-homocysteic acid (DLH) and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA).

Facilitation of the jaw reflexes by stimulation of the red nucleus in the rat.

The effects of the red nucleus (RN) stimulation on the jaw-opening reflex (JOR) and the masseteric monosynaptic reflex (MMR) were studied in anesthetized rats. The JOR was evoked by electrical stimulation of the inferior alveolar nerve. The MMR was evoked by electrical stimulation of the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus.