Upper airway and abdominal motor output during sneezing: is the in vivo decererate rat an adequate model?

While numerous studies have focused on identifying and characterizing the neural mechanisms mediating upper airway defense reflexes in the anesthetized or decerebrate adult cat, little is known about these behaviors in in vivo rodent models. The current study was undertaken to investigate whether the in vivo decelerate adult rat might serve as an acceptable model for studying these behaviors. To begin to address this possibility, we examined multiple respiratory motor activities in response to mechanical stimulation of the anterior nasal cavity (sufficient to elicit fictive sneezing) in in vivo decerebrate adult rats. We found that the neural activities observed during nasal stimulation were consistent with those previously reported during fictive sneezing in the adult cat model. We suggest that the in vivo decerebrate rat is an acceptable model for studying the sneezing reflex.

Influence of extracellular [K+]o on inspiratory network complexity of phrenic and hypoglossal nerve discharge in arterially-perfused adult rat.

Many in vitro mammalian preparations are used to study multiple aspects of central respiratory control. In these preparations, recordings of respiratory-related outputs that range from individual and population neuronal activities to hypoglossal (XII) nerve output to phrenic (PHR) nerve discharge commonly are used. These reduced preparations typically are supplied with an artificial cerebral spinal fluid (aCSF) containing an extracellular potassium level ([K(+)](o)) elevated above physiological levels in order to increase excitability and maintain a stable respiratory output. To begin to investigate the effects of [K(+)](o) on the relationship between PHR and XII phase components, as well as the complexity underlying their respiratory-related network components, we examined the effects of various [K(+)](o) levels on simultaneously recorded PHR and XII nerve activities in an arterially-perfused adult rat preparation.

Multifunctional laryngeal premotor neurons: their activities during breathing, coughing, sneezing, and swallowing.

To examine whether motor commands of two or more distinct laryngeal motor patterns converge onto a common premotor network, we conducted dual recordings from the laryngeal adductor motoneuron and its premotor neuron within the brainstem respiratory circuitry during fictive breathing, coughing, sneezing, and swallowing in decerebrate paralyzed cats. Expiratory neurons with an augmenting firing pattern (EAUG), whose action potentials evoked monosynaptic IPSPs in the adductor motoneurons, sharply fired during the expulsive phases of fictive coughing and sneezing, during which the adductor motoneurons transiently repolarized. In contrast, these premotor neurons were silent during the swallow-related hyperpolarization in adductor motoneurons. These results show that one class of medullary respiratory neuron, EAUG, is multifunctional and shared among the central pattern generators (CPGs) for breathing, coughing, and sneezing. In addition, although the CPGs underlying these three behaviors and the swallowing CPG do overlap, EAUG neurons are not part of the swallowing CPG and, in contrast to the other three behaviors, are not a source of inhibitory input to adductor motoneurons during swallowing.

A randomized controlled study of immunochemotherapy with OK-432 after curative surgery for gastric cancer.

The effect of adjuvant immunochemotherapy including OK-432 (Picibanil) on survival was assessed in patients who underwent curative resection of gastric cancer. Patients enrolled in this randomized controlled study were randomly assigned to group A or group B. Group A patients received 800 mg/d 5'-DFUR (Furtulon) for 2 years from 2 weeks after the operation. Group B patients received OK-432 plus 5'-DFUR by the same regimen as in group A. This study enrolled 288 patients, and 1 patient with malignant lymphoma was excluded. Among the remaining 287 patients, 143 and 144 were allocated to group A and group B, respectively, and their data were included in statistical analysis. The 5-year survival rates for groups A and B were 62.9% and 63.8%, respectively, showing no significant difference (P = 0.7996).

State of mastication affects quality of life in patients with maxillary sinus cancer.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The quality of life of head and neck cancer patients after treatment is poor compared with a typical population sample. However, little is known about patients with maxillary sinus cancer. The identification of symptoms that are most troublesome for these patients and the development of strategies to minimize these negative sequelae should be matters of high priority. STUDY DESIGN: A restrospective study of patients with maxillary sinus cancer who underwent maxillary bone resection. METHODS: Thirty patients with maxillary sinus squamous cell carcinoma participated in the study. The relationships among the degree of masticatory ability, the extent of the surgically resected area, and quality of life after combined treatment of maxillary cancer were evaluated. RESULTS: Scores of all physical and mental factors as assessed by the Short Form-36 questionnaire decreased as the masticatory ability of patients worsened. In edentulous cases, the masticatory ability was higher in the reduced operation group than in the extensive operation group. CONCLUSION: Maintaining adaptability to a denture is essential to preserve quality of life, particularly in patients with anodontia.

Phospholipase A of Guinea Pig Spermatozoa: Its Preliminary Characterization and Possible Involvement in the Acrosome Reaction: (guinea pig/spermatozoa/acrosome reaction/phospholipase A).

Phospholipase A activity was demonstrated in guinea pig spermatozoa using [U-14 C] phosphatidyl choline as a substrate. The activity had a neutral pH optimum, was stimulated by Ca2+ and low concentrations of detergent, and. was inhibited by EDTA, mepacrine and p-bromophenacyl bromide. Appropriate concentrations of mepacrine and p-bromophenacyl bromide inhibited the acrosome reactions of capacitated spermatozoa without interfering with their motility. These results support the notion that phospholipase A is involved in the acrosome reaction of mammalian spermatozoa.