Home About us Contact | |||
Lobe
Kinds of Lobe Terms modified by Lobe Selected AbstractsDevelopment of an Improved Technique for the Perfusion of the Isolated Caudal Lobe of Sheep LiverEXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 5 2000A. M. Ali The study was designed to develop an improved technique for perfusing the isolated caudal lobe of sheep liver. Twenty caudal lobes were perfused for 3-4 h, in a non-recirculating mode, with Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer. The perfusion system was designed to give a constant flow. The hepatic viability and functional normality of the perfused lobe were assessed by measuring the perfusion flow rate, pH, K+ efflux, O2 uptake, substrate uptake, gluconeogenesis from propionate and amino acids, and ureagenesis from ammonia and amino acids. Liver tissue was sampled for histological examination, as well as for the determination of liver glycogen and wet: dry weight ratio. The perfusion flow rate and pH were both stable throughout the perfusion. The potassium concentration in the effluent perfusate did not increase during the perfusion, suggesting that there was no loss of viability or hypoxia. The perfused lobe extracted more than 50% of the O2 supply. The rate of oxygen consumption was comparable to the rate reported in vivo. The initial glycogen content was reduced by about 40% after 4 h perfusion. The wet: dry weight ratio was 3.6, consistent with the absence of tissue oedema. Urea production was stimulated when NH4Cl (0.3 mM) was added to the medium but there was no significant increase in urea release when alanine (0.15 mM), glutamine (0.2 mM) or lysine (0.2 mM) was added. Urea production, however, increased by about 171% when a physiological mixture of amino acids was added. Propionate (0.5 mM), alanine and glutamine stimulated glucose production but not lysine or the complete amino acid mixture. Glutamine release was lower than that reported in the rat liver. Changing the direction of flow also revealed an apparent difference between livers from sheep and rats in their metabolism of ammonia. The improved technique offers a simple practical and inexpensive approach to many problems in ruminant physiology and nutritional biochemistry. [source] Feasibility of Left Lobe Living Donor Liver Transplantation Between Adults: An 8-Year, Single-Center Experience of 107 CasesAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 5p1 2006Y. Soejima Operative mortality for a right lobe (RL) donor in adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is estimated to be as high as 0.5,1%. To minimize the risk to the donor, left lobe (LL)-LDLT might be an ideal option in adult LDLT. The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of LL-LDLT between adults based on a single-center experience of 107 LL-LDLTs performed over 8 years. The mean graft weight of LL grafts was 452 g, which amounted to 40.5% of the estimated standard liver volume of the recipients. The overall 1-, 3- and 5-year patient survival rates in LL-LDLT were 81.4, 76.9 and 74.7%, respectively, which were comparable to those of RL-LDLT. Twenty-six grafts (24.3%) were lost for various reasons with three losses directly attributable to small-for-size graft syndrome. Post-operative liver function and hospital stay in LL donors were significantly better and shorter than that in RL donors, while the incidence of donor morbidity was comparable between LL and RL donors. In conclusion, LL-LDLT was found to be a feasible option in adult-to-adult LDLT. Further utilization of LL grafts should be undertaken to keep the chance of donor morbidity and mortality minimal. [source] Origin of Pleistocene outwash plains in various topographic settings, southern PolandBOREAS, Issue 2 2009TOMASZ SALAMON The style of Pleistocene outwash sedimentation in the foreland of the central European Mountains (the Carpathians and Sudetes) was controlled to a large extent by the topography. The deposits of three outwash plains formed in various morphological situations in front of the Upper Odra Lobe during the Odranian glaciation (older Saalian) are described here to show the conditions of their development and to reveal the relation between outwash plain sedimentology and proglacial topography. One outwash plain was formed between the mountain front and the ice-sheet margin, which advanced into the zone of fore-mountain alluvial fans. This outwash, deposited parallel to the ice margin, was under the considerable influence of extraglacial rivers flowing from the mountains. The second outwash was deposited in a small valley dipping away from the ice sheet and successively buried by glaciofluvial sediments. It evolved from a narrow valley sandur to an unconfined outwash plain. The third one was formed in a relatively broad, dammed valley dipping towards the ice sheet, where proglacial lake base level controlled the pattern of outwash channels as well as the character of the sedimentation. The studied outwash plains have different sedimentary successions. Their sedimentary profiles differ from each other even in the neighbouring valleys, indicating that distinct depositional conditions existed at the same time in closely spaced areas. It is suggested that the glaciomarginal deposition was controlled mostly by the orientation of the valleys and the inter-valley areas relative to the ice-sheet front. Size and morphology of valleys and interfluves were also important. Depending on their orientation, the outwash plains were fed by meltwaters in various ways; the dip of their surfaces was markedly different and the dynamics of the proglacial river systems were diverse. [source] Modeling the deglaciation of the Green Bay Lobe of the southern Laurentide Ice SheetBOREAS, Issue 1 2004CORNELIA WINGUTH We use a time-dependent two-dimensional ice-flow model to explore the development of the Green Bay Lobe, an outlet glacier of the southern Laurentide Ice Sheet, leading up to the time of maximum ice extent and during subsequent deglaciation (c. 30 to 8 cal. ka BP). We focus on conditions at the ice-bed interface in order to evaluate their possible impact on glacial landscape evolution. Air temperatures for model input have been reconstructed using the GRIP ,8O record calibrated to speleothem records from Missouri that cover the time periods of c. 65 to 30 cal. ka BP and 13.25 to 12.4 cal. ka BP. Using that input, the known ice extents during maximum glaciation and early deglaciation can be reproduced reasonably well. The model fails, however, to reproduce short-term ice margin retreat and readvance events during later stages of deglaciation. Model results indicate that the area exposed after the retreat of the Green Bay Lobe was characterized by permafrost until at least 14 cal. ka BP. The extensive drumlin zones that formed behind the ice margins of the outermost Johnstown phase and the later Green Lake phase are associated with modeled ice margins that were stable for at least 1000 years, high basal shear stresses (c. 100 kPa) and permafrost depths of 80,200 m. During deglaciation, basal meltwater and sliding became more important. [source] A Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study of Metabolites in the Occipital Lobes in EpilepsyEPILEPSIA, Issue 4 2003Robert J. Simister Summary: ,Purpose: ,-Amino butyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, respectively the principal inhibitory and excitatory neurochemicals in the brain, are visible to proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). We report a study of GABA+ (GABA plus homocarnosine) and GLX (glutamate plus glutamine) concentrations in the occipital lobes in patients with idiopathic generalised epilepsy (IGE) and in patients with occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE). Methods: Fifteen patients with IGE, 15 patients with OLE, and 15 healthy volunteers were studied. A single voxel was prescribed in the occipital lobes for each subject. PRESS localised short-echo-time MRS was performed to measure GLX by using LCModel. A double quantum GABA filter was used to measure GABA+. Segmented T1 -weighted images gave the tissue composition of the prescribed voxel. Results: Grey-matter proportion, GLX, and GABA+ were all elevated in IGE. However, analysis using grey-matter proportion as a covariable showed no significant group differences. No correlation was observed between GABA+ concentration and either seizure frequency or time since last seizure. Conclusions: GLX and GABA+ were elevated in IGE. Elevated grey-matter content in the IGE group despite normal MRI appearance can be expected to account for some or all of this observed elevation of GLX and GABA+. GABA+ concentration did not correlate with seizure control or duration since most recent seizure. [source] The Geologic Basis for a Reconstruction of a Grounded Ice Sheet in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, at the Last Glacial MaximumGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES A: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Issue 2-3 2000George H. Denton A grounded ice sheet fed from the Ross Embayment filled McMurdo Sound at the last glacial maximum (LGM). This sheet deposited the little-weathered Ross Sea drift sheet, with far-traveled Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) erratics, on lower slopes of volcanic islands and peninsulas in the Sound, as well as on coastal forelands along the TAM front. The mapped upper limit of this drift, commonly marked by a distinctive moraine ridge, shows that the ice-sheet surface sloped landward across McMurdo Sound from 710 m elevation at Cape Crozier to 250 m in the eastern foothills of the Royal Society Range. Ice from the Ross Embayment flowed westward into the sound from both north and south of Ross Island. The northern flowlines were dominant, deflecting the southern flowlines toward the foothills of the southern Royal Society Range. Ice of the northern flowlines distributed distinctive kenyte erratics, derived from western Ross Island, in Ross Sea drift along the TAM front between Taylor and Miers Valleys. Lobes from grounded ice in McMurdo Sound blocked the mouths of TAM ice-free valleys, damming extensive proglacial lakes. A floating ice cover on each lake formed a conveyor that transported glacial debris from the grounded ice lobes deep into the valleys to deposit a unique glaciolacustrine facies of Ross Sea drift. The ice sheet in McMurdo Sound became grounded after 26,860 14C yr bp. It remained near its LGM position between 23,800 14C yr bp and 12,700 14C yr bp. Recession was then slow until sometime after 10,794 14C yr bp. Grounded ice lingered in New Harbor in the mouth of Taylor Valley until 8340 14C yr bp. The southward-retreating ice-sheet grounding line had penetrated deep into McMurdo Sound by 6500 14C yr bp. The existence of a thick ice sheet in McMurdo Sound is strong evidence for widespread grounding across the Ross Embayment at the LGM. Otherwise, the ice-sheet surface would not have sloped landward, nor could TAM erratics have been glacially transported westward into McMurdo Sound from farther offshore in the Ross Embayment. [source] Attenuated endothelin-1 mRNA expression with endothelin-1 receptor blockade during hypoxaemia and reoxygenation in newborn pigletsACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 6 2000S Medbø We investigated the cause of decreased plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) during hypoxaemia and reoxygenation in newborn piglets subjected to simultaneous blocking of the ET-1 receptors. Changes in plasma ET-1 and prepro-ET-1 mRNA expression in the main pulmonary artery and the left lower lobe in the lung were studied in 1-2-d-old piglets. Ten minutes prior to hypoxaemia, the hypoxaemia group (n = 10) was given saline, two groups (both n = 9) were given 1 and 5 mg/kg i.v. SB 217242 (an ET-1 receptor antagonist). Two groups served as normoxic controls, with and without SB 217242 5 mg/kg i.v. Hypoxaemia was induced by ventilating with 8% O2 until base excess was 20mmol/l or mean arterial blood pressure was < 20mmHg. Reoxygenation was performed for 2h with room air. During hypoxaemia, plasma ET-1 decreased in the hypoxaemia group, remained unchanged in the 1-mg group and increased in the 5-mg group. At the end of reoxygenation, plasma ET-1 was above baseline in the 1-mg and 5-mg groups. In the pulmonary artery, the hypoxaemia group showed 2- to 5-fold higher prepro-ET-1 mRNA expression compared to all the other groups (p < 0.05). There were trends for higher prepro-ET-1 mRNA expression in pulmonary tissue in the hypoxaemia group compared to the two receptor-blocking groups (p < 0.07). Conclusions: We conclude that hypoxaemia and reoxygenation increase prepro-ET-1 mRNA expression in the pulmonary artery in newborn piglets. These observations suggest that the half-life of ET-1 is decreased during hypoxaemia and reoxygenation in newborn piglets. [source] Cerebral oxygenation decreases but does not impair performance during self-paced, strenuous exerciseACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 4 2010F. Billaut Abstract Aim:, The reduction in cerebral oxygenation (Cox) is associated with the cessation of exercise during constant work rate and incremental tests to exhaustion. Yet in exercises of this nature, ecological validity is limited due to work rate being either fully or partly dictated by the protocol, and it is unknown whether cerebral deoxygenation also occurs during self-paced exercise. Here, we investigated the cerebral haemodynamics during a 5-km running time trial in trained runners. Methods:, Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and surface electromyogram (EMG) of lower limb muscles were recorded every 0.5 km. Changes in Cox (prefrontal lobe) were monitored via near-infrared spectroscopy through concentration changes in oxy- and deoxyhaemoglobin (,[O2Hb], ,[HHb]). Changes in total Hb were calculated (,[THb] = ,[O2Hb] + ,[HHb]) and used as an index of change in regional blood volume. Results:, During the trial, RPE increased from 6.6 ± 0.6 to 19.1 ± 0.7 indicating maximal exertion. Cox rose from baseline to 2.5 km (,,[O2Hb], ,,[HHb], ,,[THb]), remained constant between 2.5 and 4.5 km, and fell from 4.5 to 5 km (,,[O2Hb], ,,[HHb], ,,[THb]). Interestingly, the drop in Cox at the end of the trial coincided with a final end spurt in treadmill speed and concomitant increase in skeletal muscle recruitment (as revealed by higher lower limb EMG). Conclusion:, Results confirm the large tolerance for change in Cox during exercise at sea level, yet further indicate that, in conditions of self-selected work rate, cerebral deoxygenation remains within a range that does not hinder strenuous exercise performance. [source] Structure and function of AMP-activated protein kinaseACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 1 2009J. S. Oakhill Abstract AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates metabolism in response to energy demand and supply. AMPK is activated in response to rises in intracellular AMP or calcium-mediated signalling and is responsible for phosphorylating a wide variety of substrates. Recent structural studies have revealed the architecture of the ,,, subunit interactions as well as the AMP binding pockets on the , subunit. The , catalytic domain (1,280) is autoinhibited by a C-terminal tail (313,335), which is proposed to interact with the small lobe of the catalytic domain by homology modelling with the MARK2 protein structure. Two direct activating drugs have been reported for AMPK, the thienopyridone compound A769662 and PTI, which may activate by distinct mechanisms. [source] Use of a Deep Polypropylene Suture during Earlobe Repair: A Method to Provide Permanent Reinforcement in the Prevention of Recurrent Earlobe Tract ElongationDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 11 2005Joseph F. Greco MD Background. Cosmetic repair of elongated or lacerated earlobe tracts is a commonly encountered dermatologic procedure. For esthetic purposes, patients may choose to repierce the repaired lobe over the original site. Subsequent piercing within a scarred area potentially increases the risk of recurrent tract elongation secondary to the reduced tensile strength of the scar. Objective. To strengthen a damaged earlobe by incorporating a nonabsorbable, dermal polypropylene suture during earlobe repair. Methods. The technique is described within the text. Results. A deep polypropylene suture placed within a repaired earlobe tract provides a permanent barrier above which repiercing can be performed. Conclusion. Permanent reinforcement of the repaired earlobe serves to reduce the possibility of recurrent elongation of the earlobe tract. The technique is relevant when repeat piercing is desired over the original site. JOSEPH F. GRECO, MD, CHRISTINE S. STANKO, MD, AND STEVEN S. GREENBAUM, MD, HAVE INDICATED NO SIGNIFICANT INTEREST WITH COMMERCIAL SUPPORTERS. [source] Differing strategies for forming the arthropod body plan: Lessons from Dpp, Sog and Delta in the fly Drosophila and spider AchaearaneaDEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, Issue 4 2008Hiroki Oda In the insect Drosophila embryo, establishment of maternal transcription factor gradients, rather than cell,cell interactions, is fundamental to patterning the embryonic axes. In contrast, in the chelicerate spider embryo, cell,cell interactions are thought to play a crucial role in the development of the embryonic axes. A grafting experiment by Holm using spider eggs resulted in duplication of the embryonic axes, similar to the Spemann's organizer experiment using amphibian eggs. Recent work using the house spider Achaearanea tepidariorum has demonstrated that the homologs of decapentaplegic (dpp), short gastrulation (sog) and Delta, which encode a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-type ligand, its antagonist and a Notch ligand, respectively, are required in distinct aspects of axis formation. Achaearanea Dpp appears to function as a symmetry-breaking signal, which could account for Holm's results to some extent. Experimental findings concerning Achaearanea sog and Delta have highlighted differences in the mechanisms underlying ventral and posterior development between Drosophila and Achaearanea. Achaearanea ventral patterning essentially depends on sog function, in contrast to the Drosophila patterning mechanism, which is based on the nuclear gradient of Dorsal. Achaearanea posterior (or opisthosomal) patterning relies on the function of the caudal lobe, which develops from cells surrounding the blastopore through progressive activation of Delta-Notch signaling. In this review, we describe the differing strategies for forming the arthropod body plan in the fly and spider, and provide a perspective towards understanding the relationship between the arthropod and vertebrate body plans. [source] Turner syndrome: Neuroimaging findings: Structural and functionalDEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESEARCH REVIEW, Issue 4 2009Ronan Mullaney Abstract Neuroimaging studies of Turner syndrome can advance our understanding of the X chromosome in brain development, and the modulatory influence of endocrine factors. There is increasing evidence from neuroimaging studies that TX individuals have significant differences in the anatomy, function, and metabolism of a number of brain regions; including the parietal lobe; cerebellum, amygdala, hippocampus; and basal ganglia; and perhaps differences in "connectivity" between frontal and parieto-occipital regions. Finally, there is preliminary evidence that genomic imprinting, sex hormones and growth hormone have significant modulatory effects on brain maturation in TS. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Dev Disabil Res Rev 2009;15:279,283. [source] Brain dysmorphology in individuals with severe prenatal alcohol exposureDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 3 2001Sarah L Archibald MA Our previous studies revealed abnormalities on structural MRI (sMRI) in small groups of children exposed to alcohol prenatally. Microcephaly, disproportionately reduced basal ganglia volume, and abnormalities of the cerebellar vermis and corpus callosum were demonstrated. The present study used sMRI to examine in detail the regional pattern of brain hypoplasia resulting from prenatal exposure to alcohol using a higher resolution imaging protocol and larger sample sizes than reported previously. Fourteen participants (mean 11.4 years; eight females, six males) with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and 12 participants (mean 14.8 years; four females, eight males) with prenatal exposure to alcohol (PEA) but without the facial features of FAS were compared to a group of 41 control participants (mean 12.8 years, 20 females, 21 males). Findings of significant microcephaly and disproportionately reduced basal ganglia volumes in the FAS group were confirmed. Novel findings were that in FAS participants, white matter volumes were more affected than gray matter volumes in the cerebrum, and parietal lobes were more affected than temporal and occipital lobes. Among subcortical structures, in contrast to the disproportionate effects on caudate nucleus, the hippocampus was relatively preserved in FAS participants. Differences between the PEA group and controls were generally non-significant; however, among a few of the structures most affected in FAS participants, there was some evidence for volume reduction in PEA participants as well, specifically in basal ganglia and the parietal lobe. There were no group differences in cerebral volume asymmetries. Severe prenatal alcohol exposure appears to produce a specific pattern of brain hypoplasia. [source] Phenotypic plasticity in number of glomeruli and sensory innervation of the antennal lobe in leaf-cutting ant workers (A. vollenweideri)DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Christina Kelber Abstract In the leaf-cutting ant Atta vollenweideri, the worker caste exhibits a pronounced size-polymorphism, and division of labor is dependent on worker size (alloethism). Behavior is largely guided by olfaction, and the olfactory system is highly developed. In a recent study, two different phenotypes of the antennal lobe of Atta vollenweideri workers were found: MG- and RG-phenotype (with/without a macroglomerulus). Here we ask whether the glomerular numbers are related to worker size. We found that the antennal lobes of small workers contain ,390 glomeruli (low-number; LN-phenotype), and in large workers we found a substantially higher number of ,440 glomeruli (high-number; HN-phenotype). All LN-phenotype workers and some small HN-phenotype workers do not possess an MG (LN-RG-phenotype and HN-RG-phenotype), and the remaining majority of HN-phenotype workers do possess an MG (HN-MG-phenotype). Using mass-staining of antennal olfactory receptor neurons we found that the sensory tracts divide the antennal lobe into six clusters of glomeruli (T1,T6). In LN-phenotype workers, ,50 glomeruli are missing in the T4-cluster. Selective staining of single sensilla and their associated receptor neurons revealed that T4-glomeruli are innervated by receptor neurons from the main type of olfactory sensilla, the Sensilla trichodea curvata. The other type of olfactory sensilla (Sensilla basiconica) exclusively innervates T6-glomeruli. Quantitative analyses of differently sized workers revealed that the volume of T6 glomeruli scales with the power of 2.54 to the number of Sensilla basiconica. The results suggest that developmental plasticity leading to antennal-lobe phenotypes promotes differences in olfactory-guided behavior and may underlie task specialization within ant colonies. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 70: 222,234, 2010. [source] The L1-CAM, Neuroglian, functions in glial cells for Drosophila antennal lobe developmentDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 8 2008Weitao Chen Abstract Although considerable progress has been made in understanding the roles of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) and projection neurons (PNs) in Drosophila antennal lobe (AL) development, the roles of glia have remained largely mysterious. Here, we show that during Drosophila metamorphosis, a population of midline glial cells in the brain undergoes extensive cellular remodeling and is closely associated with the collateral branches of ORN axons. These glial cells are required for ORN axons to project across the midline and establish the contralateral wiring in the ALs. We find that Neuroglian (Nrg), the Drosophila homolog of the vertebrate cell adhesion molecule, L1, is expressed and functions in the midline glial cells to regulate their proper development. Loss of Nrg causes the disruption in glial morphology and the agenesis of the antennal commissural tract. Our genetic analysis further demonstrates that the functions of Nrg in the midline glia require its ankyrin-binding motif. We propose that Nrg is an important regulator of glial morphogenesis and axon guidance in AL development. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2008. [source] Effects of locomotor stimulation and protein synthesis inhibition on circadian rhythms in size changes of L1 and L2 interneurons in the fly's visual systemDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 11 2007Elzbieta Kula Abstract Axons of monopolar cell interneurons L1 and L2 in the first optic lobe (lamina) of the fly Musca domestica undergo cyclical changes in diameter. These axons swell during the day and shrink during the night. In addition, the axons' size depends on light conditions since they are largest in continuous light (LL), somewhat smaller under day/night (LD) conditions, and smallest under constant darkness (DD). In this study we found that sizes of both cells can further increase in free flying flies under LD conditions, while the visual stimulation alone does not have significant effect on the cross-sectional area of L1 and L2 axons. The stimulation of free flying had no effect on L1 and L2 sizes if it was performed at the beginning of subjective day in LL or DD. Our results indicate that a maximal increase in size of L1 and L2 is observed when stimulation of free flying is synchronized with a fly' daily peak of activity. We also found that protein synthesis is needed to increase size of monopolar cell axons during the day when they normally swell. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2007. [source] The molecular receptive range of an olfactory receptor in vivo (Drosophila melanogaster Or22a)DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 14 2006Daniela Pelz Abstract Understanding how odors are coded within an olfactory system requires knowledge about its input. This is constituted by the molecular receptive ranges (MRR) of olfactory sensory neurons that converge in the glomeruli of the olfactory bulb (vertebrates) or the antennal lobe (AL, insects). Aiming at a comprehensive characterization of MRRs in Drosophila melanogaster we measured odor-evoked calcium responses in olfactory sensory neurons that express the olfactory receptor Or22a. We used an automated stimulus application system to screen [Ca2+] responses to 104 odors both in the antenna (sensory transduction) and in the AL (neuronal transmission). At 10,2 (vol/vol) dilution, 39 odors elicited at least a half-maximal response. For these odorants we established dose-response relationships over their entire dynamic range. We tested 15 additional chemicals that are structurally related to the most efficient odors. Ethyl hexanoate and methyl hexanoate were the best stimuli, eliciting consistent responses at dilutions as low as 10,9. Two substances led to calcium decrease, suggesting that Or22a might be constitutively active, and that these substances might act as inverse agonists, reminiscent of G-protein coupled receptors. There was no difference between the antennal and the AL MRR. Furthermore we show that Or22a has a broad yet selective MRR, and must be functionally described both as a specialist and a generalist. Both these descriptions are ecologically relevant. Given that adult Drosophila use approximately 43 ORs, a complete description of all MRRs appears now in reach. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol, 2006 [source] Structural and functional changes in the olfactory pathway of adult Drosophila take place at a critical ageDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2003Jean-Marc Devaud Abstract The olfactory system of several holometabolous insect species undergoes anatomical changes after eclosion of the imago, following those occurring during metamorphosis. In parallel, odor experience and learning performance also evolve with age. Here, we analyze the case of adult Drosophila females. Synaptogenesis in the antennal lobe (AL) starts in late pupa and continues during the first days of adult life, at the same time as the behavioral response to odors matures. Individual olfactory glomeruli (DM6, DM2, and V) display specific growth patterns between days 1 and 12 of adult life. Experience can modify the olfactory pathway both structurally and functionally as shown by adaptation experiments. The modifications associated with this form of nonassociative learning seem to take place at a critical age. Exposure to benzaldehyde at days 2,5 of adult life, but not at 8,11, causes behavioral adaptation as well as structural changes in DM2 and V glomeruli. Altered levels in intracellular cAMP, caused by dunce and rutabaga mutants, do not affect the normal changes in glomerular size, at least at day 6 of development, but they prevent those elicited by experience, establishing a molecular difference between glomerular changes of intrinsic versus environmental origin. Taken together, these data demonstrate an imprinting-like phenomenon in the olfactory pathway of young Drosophila adults, and illustrate its glomerulus-specific dynamics. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 56: 13,23, 2003 [source] A diffusible signal attracts olfactory sensory axons toward their target in the developing brain of the mothDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2003Lynne A. Oland Abstract The signals that olfactory receptor axons use to navigate to their target in the CNS are still not well understood. In the moth Manduca sexta, the primary olfactory pathway develops postembryonically, and the receptor axons navigate from an experimentally accessible sensory epithelium to the brain along a pathway long enough for detailed study of regions in which axon behavior changes. The current experiments ask whether diffusible factors contribute to receptor axon guidance. Explants were made from the antennal receptor epithelium and co-cultured in a collagen gel matrix with slices of various regions of the brain. Receptor axons were attracted toward the central regions of the brain, including the protocerebrum and antennal lobe. Receptor axons growing into a slice of the most proximal region of the antennal nerve, where axon sorting normally occurs, showed no directional preference. When the antennal lobe was included in the slice, the receptor axons entering the sorting region grew directly toward the antennal lobe. Taken together with the previous in vivo experiments, the current results suggest that an attractive diffusible factor can serve as one cue to direct misrouted olfactory receptor axons toward the medial regions of the brain, where local cues guide them to the antennal lobe. They also suggest that under normal circumstances, in which the receptor axons follow a pre-existing pupal nerve to the antennal lobe, the diffusible factor emanating from the lobe acts in parallel and at short range to maintain the fidelity of the path into the antennal lobe. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 56: 24,40, 2003 [source] Olfactory neurons expressing identified receptor genes project to subsets of glomeruli within the antennal lobe of Drosophila melanogasterDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2003Sheetal Bhalerao Abstract We have used green fluorescent protein to trace the projection patterns of olfactory neurons expressing identified candidate odorant receptors to the brain of Drosophila. At the periphery, receptor expression correlates with specific sense-organ subtype, independent of location on the antennal surface. The majority of neurons expressing a given receptor converge onto one or two major glomeruli as described previously. However, we detected a few additional glomeruli, which are less intensely innervated and also tend to be somewhat variable. This means that functionally similar olfactory neurons connect to small subsets of glomeruli rather than to a single glomerulus as believed previously. This finding has important implications for our understanding of odor coding and the generation of olfactory behavior. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 54: 577,592, 2003 [source] GABAergic modulation of primary gustatory afferent synaptic efficacyDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Andrew A. Sharp Abstract Modulation of synaptic transmission at the primary sensory afferent synapse is well documented for the somatosensory and olfactory systems. The present study was undertaken to test whether GABA impacts on transmission of gustatory information at the primary afferent synapse. In goldfish, the vagal gustatory input terminates in a laminated structure, the vagal lobes, whose sensory layers are homologous to the mammalian nucleus of the solitary tract. We relied on immunoreactivity for the GABA-transporter, GAT-1, to determine the distribution of GABAergic synapses in the vagal lobe. Immunocytochemistry showed dense, punctate GAT-1 immunoreactivity coincident with the layers of termination of primary afferent fibers. The laminar nature and polarized dendritic structure of the vagal lobe make it amenable to an in vitro slice preparation to study early synaptic events in the transmission of gustatory input. Electrical stimulation of the gustatory nerves in vitro produces synaptic field potentials (fEPSPs) predominantly mediated by ionotropic glutamate receptors. Bath application of either the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol or the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen caused a nearly complete suppression of the primary fEPSP. Coapplication of the appropriate GABAA or GABAB receptor antagonist bicuculline or CGP-55845 significantly reversed the effects of the agonists. These data indicate that GABAergic terminals situated in proximity to primary gustatory afferent terminals can modulate primary afferent input via both GABAA and GABAB receptors. The mechanism of action of GABAB receptors suggests a presynaptic locus of action for that receptor. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 52: 133,143, 2002 [source] Developmental profiles for multiple object tracking and spatial memory: typically developing preschoolers and people with Williams syndromeDEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2010Kirsten O'Hearn The ability to track moving objects, a crucial skill for mature performance on everyday spatial tasks, has been hypothesized to require a specialized mechanism that may be available in infancy (i.e. indexes). Consistent with the idea of specialization, our previous work showed that object tracking was more impaired than a matched spatial memory task in individuals with Williams syndrome (WS), a genetic disorder characterized by severe visuo-spatial impairment. We now ask whether this unusual pattern of performance is a reflection of general immaturity or of true abnormality, possibly reflecting the atypical brain development in WS. To examine these two possibilities, we tested typically developing 3- and 4-year-olds and people with WS on multiple object tracking (MOT) and memory for static spatial location. The maximum number of objects that could be correctly tracked or remembered (estimated from the k -statistic) showed similar developmental profiles in typically developing 3- and 4-year-old children, but the WS profile differed from either age group. People with WS could track more objects than 3-year-olds, and the same number as 4-year-olds, but they could remember the locations of more static objects than both 3- and 4-year-olds. Combining these data with those from our previous studies, we found that typically developing children show increases in the number of objects they can track or remember between the ages of 3 and 6, and these increases grow in parallel across the two tasks. In contrast, object tracking in older children and adults with WS remains at the level of 4-year-olds, whereas the ability to remember multiple locations of static objects develops further. As a whole, the evidence suggests that MOT and memory for static location develop in tandem typically, but not in WS. Atypical development of the parietal lobe in people with WS could play a causal role in the abnormal, uneven pattern of performance in WS. This interpretation is consistent with the idea that multiple object tracking engages different mechanisms from those involved in memory for static object location, and that the former can be particularly disrupted by atypical development. [source] Diabetes mellitus, hypertension and medial temporal lobe atrophy: the LADIS studyDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 2 2007E. S. C. Korf Abstract Hypothesis, Based on recent findings on the association between vascular risk factors and hippocampal atrophy, we hypothesized that hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM) are associated with medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) in subjects without disability, independent of the severity of white matter hyperintensities. Methods, In the Leukoaraiosis And DISability in the elderly (LADIS) study, we investigated the relationships between DM, hypertension, blood pressure and MTA in 582 subjects, stratified by white matter hyperintensity severity, using multinomial logistic regression. MTA was visually scored for the left and right medial temporal lobe (score 0,4), and meaned. Results, Mean age was 73.5 years (sd 5.1), 54% was female. Of the subjects, 15% had DM, and 70% had a history of hypertension. The likelihood of having MTA score 3 was significantly higher in subjects with DM (OR 2.9; 95% CI: 1.1,7.8) compared with an MTA score of 0 (no atrophy). The odds ratio for MTA score 2 was not significantly increased (OR 1.8; CI: 0.9,4). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and a history of hypertension were not associated with MTA. There was no interaction between DM and hypertension. Stratification on white matter hyperintensities (WMH) did not alter the associations. Conclusion Our study strengthens the observation that MTA is associated with DM, independently of the amount of small vessel disease as reflected by WMH. [source] Angiocentric glioma: A case report and review of the literatureDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2010Ryan T. Mott M.D. Abstract Angiocentric glioma (AG) is a rare central nervous system (CNS) neoplasm that was only recently recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). AG occurs in a broad age range, shows no gender predilection, and arises superficially in the cerebrum, usually resulting in medically intractable seizures. Most cases are cured by surgical excision alone, consistent with a WHO grade I neoplasm. We report a case of an AG in the right frontal lobe of a 57-year-old female, emphasizing the cytologic and immunohistochemical features, including confirmation and comparison with the surgical specimen. To our knowledge, this is the first report detailing the cytology of AG, including demonstration of important diagnostic findings that were only appreciated in the cytologic preparations and not in the smears or the surgical specimen. We also compare and contrast AG to other entities in the differential diagnosis and include a review of the literature. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Aspiration biopsy cytomorphology of primary pulmonary germ cell tumor metastatic to the brainDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 10 2009Haitham Arabi M.D. Abstract Extragonadal germ cell tumors are uncommon and such tumors originating from the lung parenchyma are extremely rare. This is a case of 68-year-old female who was admitted with complaints of right-sided weakness, inability to maintain her balance, right-sided headache, and bloody sputum. Her workup revealed two enhancing brain lesions and large lung mass involving the left lower lobe. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the lung followed by craniotomy was performed and the patient was initially diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma metastatic to the brain based on the cytomorphology of the lung FNA and histology of the brain mass. However, retrospective investigation revealed markedly elevated alpha fetoprotein (AFP) of which the cytopathologist was unaware at the time of diagnosis. A review of the cytology and surgical specimen slides, as well as immunohistochemistry (IHC) on the brain tumor and FNA cell block were preformed. On the basis of the slides review, clinical findings, and immunostaining results, a diagnosis of primary pulmonary mixed germ cell tumor, containing choriocarcinoma and yolk sac elements, with brain metastases, was retrospectively made. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Intracytoplasmic lumina in invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the lungDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 3 2006Naoto Kuroda M.D. Abstract Micropapillary carcinoma of the lung is a rare neoplasm, and several reports on micropapillary carcinoma of the lung have been presented to date. We present a case of micropapillary carcinoma of the lung here. A 75-yr-old Japanese man received the medical checkup and his chest X-ray disclosed the abnormal shadow of the lower lobe of the left lung. The histological examination of resected lung and extirpated lymph node showed the finding of micropapillary carcinoma. Some neoplastic cells of primary site contained intracytoplasmic lumina positive for Alcian blue and PAS stains. Pleural effusion appeared 9-mo after the operation. The cytology of pleural effusion showed cohesive clusters of neoplastic cells consisting of 3,20 cells without fibrovascular core. Additionally, intracytoplasmic lumina were observed in some neoplastic cells. Finally, carcinoma cells with micropapillary morphology may possess the intracytoplasmic lumina in the cytoplasm of metastatic site as well as primary site. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2006;34:224,226. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] On the tail of Errivaspis and the condition of the caudal fin in heterostracansACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 2009Elga Mark-Kurik Abstract Articulated caudal fins of heterostracans are preserved in very rare cases. Their morphology and internal structure are completely unknown for the majority of species. One of the few preserved caudal fins belongs to the Early Devonian pteraspidid Errivaspis waynensis from the Welsh Borderland, UK. There are two different reconstructions of the tail: (1) strongly asymmetric, with a considerably longer ventral lobe, and a rather concave posterior margin (e.g. White 1935); and (2) almost symmetrical with an only slightly longer ventral lobe and a small notch in the posterior margin (e.g. Blieck 1984). A new reconstruction of the Errivaspis caudal fin, based on a detailed study of White's specimens is presented here. The ventral lobe is longer than the dorsal one but not so much as in White's reconstruction, and the notch in the posterior margin of the fin is less deep. The comparatively massive ventral lobe and ,en echelon' arrangement of three digitations, supporting the fin web and branching off from this lobe, indicate the hypocercal condition of the asymmetrical tail. The same internal structure is present in other heterostracans with nearly symmetrical caudal fins (e.g. Doryaspis, Nahanniaspis, Dinaspidella and Athenaegis) where all, or most, of the intermediate digitations branch off from the ventral lobe. [source] Dichotic listening and school performance in dyslexiaDYSLEXIA, Issue 1 2008Turid Helland Abstract This study focused on the relationship between school performance and performance on a dichotic listening (DL) task in dyslexic children. Dyslexia is associated with impaired phonological processing, related to functions in the left temporal lobe. DL is a frequently used task to assess functions of the left temporal lobe. Due to the predominance of the contralateral neuronal pathways, a right ear advantage in the DL task reflects the superior processing capacity for the right ear stimulus in the left hemisphere (Kimura, 1963). Previous studies using DL in dyslexia are, however, inconclusive, and may reflect degree of severity of dyslexia. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate lateralized processing in two sub-groups of dyslexia, differing in symptom severity. Two groups of dyslexic 12-year-old children and an age-matched control group were tested with a consonant,vowel DL task. The two dyslexia groups differed in severity through how they responded to training efforts being made in their schools, while otherwise being matched for age, IQ and diagnosis. The D1 (respondent group) group showed a DL performance pattern similar to the control group, i.e. a right ear advantage, while the D2 (non-respondent) group failed to show a right ear advantage on the DL task. The performance on the DL task by the two dyslexia groups may provide better insight as to the degree of reading and writing impairment in dyslexia. ,Cracking the code' and acquiring automatized literacy skills may seem harder for the D2 group children compared to the D1 children. Also, the present study points to the use of DL as a valid assessment tool in clinical work to improve differential diagnoses, particularly in relation to measures of school performance. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The male postabdomen of Stolotermes inopinus: a termite with unusually well-developed external genitalia (Dictyoptera: Isoptera: Stolotermitinae)ACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 2 2000Klaus-Dieter Klass Abstract Klass, K.-D., Thorne, B. L. and Lenz, M. 2000. The male postabdomen of Stolotermes inopinus: a termite with unusually well-developed external genitalia (Dictyoptera: Isoptera: Stolotermitinae). ,Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 81: 121,130 Stolotermes inopinus has large external male genitalia (phallic lobe), which contrast with the small genital papillae or lack of external genitalia of other Isoptera. As in the genital papilla of Mastotermesdarwiniensis, a ventral sclerite pair is present, the gonopore is located ventroterminally on the phallic lobe, and the genital area is entirely symmetrical , suggesting that this may be the groundplan condition of Isoptera. The relations of the phallic lobe to surrounding components like the subgenital plate, paraprocts, and certain muscles and nerves indicate that the lobe of S. inopinus is homologous with the phallomeres of other Dictyoptera. The bilateral symmetry and simple structure, however, are in strong contrast to the asymmetry and high complexity found in male genitalia of Blattaria and Mantodea. The postabdominal nervous system of S. inopinus resembles that of the cockroach Periplaneta americana. Indications are given that the Stolotermitinae are related to the Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae, and Termitidae rather than to the Termopsinae. [source] Involvement of the thalamocortical network in TLE with and without mesiotemporal sclerosisEPILEPSIA, Issue 8 2010Susanne G. Mueller Summary Purpose:, The thalamus plays an important role in seizure propagation in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). This study investigated how structural abnormalities in the focus, ipsilateral thalamus and extrafocal cortical structures relate to each other in TLE with mesiotemporal sclerosis (TLE-MTS) and without hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-no). Methods:, T1 and high-resolution T2 images were acquired on a 4T magnet in 29 controls, 15 TLE-MTS cases, and 14 TLE-no. Thalamus volumes were obtained by warping a labeled atlas onto each subject's brain. Deformation-based morphometry was used to identify regions of thalamic volume loss and FreeSurfer for cortical thickness measurements. CA1 volumes were obtained from high-resolution T2 images. Multiple regression analysis and correlation analyses for voxel- and vertex-based analyses were performed in SPM2 and FreeSurfer. Results:, TLE-MTS had bilateral volume loss in the anterior thalamus, which was correlated with CA1 volume and cortical thinning in the mesiotemporal lobe. TLE-no had less severe volume loss in the dorsal lateral nucleus, which was correlated with thinning in the mesiotemporal region but not with extratemporal thinning. Discussion:, The findings suggest that seizure propagation from the presumed epileptogenic focus or regions close to it into the thalamus occurs in TLE-MTS and TLE-no and results in circumscribed neuronal loss in the thalamus. However, seizure spread beyond the thalamus seems not to be responsible for the extensive extratemporal cortical abnormalities in TLE. [source] |