“Purpose of review

The purpose of this review i


“Purpose of review

The purpose of this review is to examine the appropriateness of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for the patient with ischemic cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure.

Recent findings

CABG is the gold standard therapy for patients with advanced multivessel and left main coronary artery disease. A critical analysis of the Surgical Treatment of Ischemic Heart Failure (STICH) trial confirms the benefit of CABG for patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Summary

CABG can be safely applied to patients with heart failure and provides benefit for appropriately selleck selected patients.”
“OBJECTIVE:

To estimate mortality ratios for all reported pregnancy deaths in the United States, 1999-2005, and to estimate the effect of the

1999 implementation of International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) and adoption of the U.S. Standard Certificate of Death, 2003 Revision, on the ascertainment of deaths resulting from pregnancy.

METHODS: We combined information on pregnancy deaths from the National Vital Statistics System and the Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System to estimate maternal (during or within 42 days of pregnancy) and pregnancy-related (during or within 1 year of pregnancy) mortality ratios (deaths per 100,000 live births). Data for 1995-1997, 1999-2002, and 2003-2005 were compared in order to estimate the effects of the change to ICD-10 and the inclusion of a pregnancy checkbox on the death YM155 certificate.

RESULTS: The maternal mortality ratio increased significantly from 11.6 in 1995-1997 to 13.1 for

1999-2002 and 15.3 in 2003-2005; the pregnancy-related mortality ratio increased significantly from 12.6 to 14.7 and 18.1 during the same periods. Vital statistics identified significantly more indirect maternal deaths in Birinapant chemical structure 2002-2005 than in 1999-2002. Between 2002 and 2005, mortality ratios increased significantly among 19 states using the revised death certificate with a pregnancy checkbox; ratios did not increase in states without a checkbox.

CONCLUSION: Changes in ICD-10 and the 2003 revision of the death certificate increased ascertainment of pregnancy deaths. The changes may also have contributed to misclassification of some deaths as maternal in the vital statistics system. Combining data from both systems estimates higher pregnancy mortality ratios than from either system individually. (Obstet Gynecol 2011;118:104-10) DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e31821fd49d”
“Purpose To study the effects of topical administration of 1% morphine on corneal analgesia in rabbits submitted to lamellar keratectomy and to assess the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1, metalloproteinase-2, metalloproteinase-9 (MMPs), type IV collagen, and interleukin-10 (IL-10) during the treatment. Methods Morphine group (MG) received 50 mu L of topical 1% morphine four times daily, while the control group received saline instead.

Urethral samples were obtained using a swab inserted 3-4 cm into

Urethral samples were obtained using a swab inserted 3-4 cm into the urethral meatus. Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis were detected by the kit Mycofast R evolution 3 Elitech Selleckchem PI3K inhibitor Microbiology (Elitech Microbiology, Signes, France). Ureaplasma urealyticum was detected in 15.6% of the cases and Mycoplasma hominis in 3.6%. One patients had a co-infection with both pathogens. About 41% of the infertile patients with mycoplasma infection had urogenital symptoms. A lower number of patients with mycoplasma infection had normal sperm parameters compared

with non-infected infertile men, but this frequency showed only a trend compared to non-infected patients (Chi-square=3.61; P=0.057), and a significantly higher percentage of patients with oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia (Chi-square=127.3; P<0.0001), or asthenozoospermia alone (Chi-square=5.74; P<0.05) compared to non-infected infertile patients. In conclusion, this study showed an elevated prevalence of ureaplasma urealyticum and mycoplasma hominis infection in unselected men attending an infertility outpatient clinic and that the AZD8931 nmr presence

of these microorganisms is associated with a higher percentage of patients with abnormal sperm parameters.”
“In cells, anthocyanin pigments are synthesized at the cytoplasmic surface of the endoplasmic reticulum, and are then transported and finally accumulated inside the vacuole. In Vitis vinifera (grapevine), two kinds of molecular actors are putatively learn more associated with the vacuolar sequestration of anthocyanins: a glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and two MATE-type transporters, named anthoMATEs. However, the sequence of events by which anthocyanins

are imported into the vacuole remains unclear. We used MYBA1 transformed hairy roots as a grapevine model tissue producing anthocyanins, and took advantage of the unique autofluorescence of anthocyanins to study their cellular trafficking. In these tissues, anthocyanins were not only visible in the largest vacuoles, but were also present at higher concentrations in several vesicles of different sizes. In the cell, small vesicles actively moved alongside the tonoplast, suggesting a vesicular trafficking to the vacuole. Subcellular localization assays revealed that anthoMATE transporters were closely related with these small vesicles, whereas GST was localized in the cytoplasm around the nucleus, suggesting an association with the endoplasmic reticulum. Furthermore, cells in hairy roots expressing anthoMATE antisense did not display small vesicles filled with anthocyanins, whereas in hairy roots expressing GST antisense, anthocyanins were accumulated in vesicles but not in the vacuole. This suggests that in grapevine, anthoMATE transporters and GST are involved in different anthocyanin transport mechanisms.

001); however, no significant difference was seen between HLA-A31

001); however, no significant difference was seen between HLA-A31-positive PLX3397 subjects and HLA-A31-negative subjects in either group. These findings suggest that HLA-A31 is strongly associated with CBZ-induced ADR in the Japanese, but does not determine CBZ-induced lymphocyte proliferation.”
“The occlusion effect of vascular targeted photodynamic therapy (V-PDT) for malformed vessels in port wine stains (PWS) often last for some time after the treatment. A relatively longer period after V-PDT is needed to accurately assess the final response of

PWS microcirculation to the treatment. In this study, we intended to use laser speckle imaging (LSI) to assess the tissue perfusion changes of PWS at follow-up after V-PDT and preliminarily analyze the relationship between perfusion change and color bleaching. Seventeen patients with 40 PWS lesions were scanned by LSI before and 3-6 months after they received V-PDT. The speckle flow indices of PWS lesions and normal skin before and at follow-up after V-PDT were recorded. We also performed analyses on the correlation between perfusion changes and color bleaching.

Before V-PDT, the 40 PWS lesions showed higher perfusion than the normal skin (1,421 +/- 463 and 1,115 +/- 386 perfusion unit (PU), respectively, P < 0.01). The PWS lesions scanned at follow-up showed decreased perfusion level compared to the preoperative values (1,282 +/- 460 and 1,421 +/- 463 PU, respectively, SRT1720 purchase P < 0.01). After V-PDT, the perfusion change rates Poziotinib price coincide well with the color bleaching rates (correlation coefficient, 0.73). In conclusion, the LSI system is capable of imaging PWS perfusion precisely, and it has shown promising results in assessing the changes of tissue perfusion of V-PDT for PWS, with objective and quantitative data, real-time images, and a shorter detection time. It may also provide an effectiveness assessment method for the treatment of PWS.”
“Objective: To evaluate vascular activity in ears with otosclerosis by intraoperative measurement of blood flow using laser Doppler flowmetry

and to compare the data with densitometry on computed tomography (CT).

Design: Retrospective case series.

Setting: University hospital.

Patients: Thirty-nine ears from 33 patients who underwent surgery for otosclerosis.

Intervention: The subjects were divided into fenestral (29 ears) and retrofenestral (10 ears) groups based on CT findings. Ratios of bone density in the area anterior to the oval window (AOW) or the promontory (PT) near the round window niche to that of the basis labyrinthine otic capsule were calculated on CT images. Measurements of blood flow were performed with a laser Doppler flowmeter at the 2 corresponding areas evaluated by CT.

Main Outcome Measures: Imaging and blood flow values.

Results: In both groups, relatively young subjects with high blood flow values in the AOW or PT had rather low ratios of bone density in the corresponding areas.

In this short review, we have revised some of the interactions in

In this short review, we have revised some of the interactions involving tau, both inside or outside of the cell. Different regions of tau are involved in these interactions and some of them are more conserved throughout evolution than others.”
“Optic Entospletinib clinical trial neuritis (ON) is a rare association of Q fever. We report the first case of ON associated with Q fever in Australia and review all previously reported cases in the medical literature. The impact of therapy with antibiotics and steroids on outcome is discussed. Q

fever should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with apparent acute idiopathic ON. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases.”
“PURPOSE: To examine the psychometric properties of the Visual Activities Questionnaire (VAQ) and each of its subscales in a modern cataract population using Rasch analysis and if flawed, to revise the VAQ and create a valid measure that maximizes its measurement properties.

SETTING: Flinders Eye Centre, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, Australia.

METHODS: Patients with cataract in 1 or both eyes drawn from the surgical waiting list were mailed the 33-item VAQ for self-administration. The following were examined for the entire questionnaire and each subscale: whether items measured a single construct (unidimensionality), the behavior of response categories, the

RSL 3 ability to differentiate between patients’ visual abilities (person separation), matching of item difficulty to participant ability (targeting), and whether items function similarly across subgroups of participants (differential item functioning [DIF]).

RESULTS: The

VAQ was completed by 561 patients. Response categories were used as intended. The VAQ discriminated the visual ability of the population (person separation, 4.88) but had suboptimum targeting, misfitting items, significant multidimensionality, DIF, and 4 dysfunctional subscales. Elimination of items causing multidimensionality resulted in a reduced 13-item VAQ that met all validity criteria for satisfactory instrument performance. Only 1 valid subscale (peripheral vision) could 3-deazaneplanocin A price be preserved in the 13-item VAQ.

CONCLUSIONS: The VAQ in its native form was multidimensional and contained subscales with poor psychometric properties. The revised unidimensional 13-item VAQ was more appropriate for application in cataract outcomes assessment. Ideally, more items should be included to improve the targeting of item difficulty to more able cataract patients. J Cataract Refract Surg 2009; 35:1961-1969 (C) 2009 ASCRS and ESCRS”
“Heat shock proteins are members of a large family that function normally in nascent protein folding and the removal of damaged proteins and are able to respond to cellular stresses such as thermal insult to prevent catastrophic protein aggregation.

(C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc J Appl Polym Sci 121: 2168-2186,

(C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 121: 2168-2186, 2011″
“Purpose: To investigate the clinical outcome in patients with a diagnosis of appendicitis

at computed tomography (CT) in whom treatment is deemed unnecessary after clinical evaluation.

Materials and Methods: After institutional review board approval, Protease Inhibitor Library 2283 patients (856 men, 1427 women; mean age, 46 years; age range, 18-99 years) who underwent CT because they were suspected of having appendicitis between 2002 and 2007 were retrospectively identified. CT reports were reviewed, and the likelihood of appendicitis was assigned a score on a five-point scale: score 1, definitely absent; score 2, nonvisualized appendix with no secondary signs of inflammation; score 3, equivocal; score 4, probable; and score 5, definitely present. Diagnosis https://www.selleckchem.com/products/SP600125.html of appendicitis at CT was considered a false-positive result if the CT report was classified as probable or definite appendicitis but the patient was not treated within 4 days. Cases with false-positive results were reviewed by two readers blinded to patient outcome, supporting clinical data, and prospective scan interpretation, and a grade was assigned by using the same scale. Medical records were reviewed to determine outcomes. Descriptional statistics were used.

Results: Overall, 516 (23%) of 2283 patients had CT findings of probable

or definite appendicitis. Thirteen (3%) of 516 patients did not receive immediate treatment for appendicitis. buy Vorinostat Of these, five (38%; 95% confidence interval: 18%, 65%)

underwent later appendectomy with proved appendicitis after a mean interval of 118 days (range, 5-443 days). Seven (54%) of 13 patients never developed appendicitis across a mean follow-up of 583 days (range, 14-1460 days). One (8%) of 13 had a normal appendix at eventual surgery.

Conclusion: Five of 13 patients with CT findings of appendicitis and reassuring clinical evaluation results in whom immediate treatment was deferred ultimately returned with appendicitis. In patients with CT results positive for appendicitis and benign or atypical clinical findings, a diagnosis of chronic or recurrent appendicitis may be considered. (C) RSNA, 2010″
“Broiler chicken is gaining popularity among the consumers of India. Since poultry is recognised as a leading food vehicle for Salmonella contamination, the prevalence and distribution of Salmonella serotypes in broiler chickens and processing environments of retail outlets has been studied. In the present study 214 samples of broiler chicken and 311 environmental samples from cage were analysed for the presence of Salmonella. Of the various body parts of live chicken analysed prevalence varied from 1.4% in cloacca to 6.9% in crop region. Environmental samples from the cage showed higher prevalence of Salmonella ranging from 0 to 16.67%.

5 +/- 7 9 mm Hg for systolic BP (mean +/- standard deviation, 95%

5 +/- 7.9 mm Hg for systolic BP (mean +/- standard deviation, 95% confidence intervals (CI) -1.9, 2.9, P = NS) and 0.6 +/- 5.5 for diastolic BP (95% CI -1.1, 2.3, P = NS). In conclusion, the Microlife WatchBPO3 device for ABP and HBP monitoring

fulfils the International Protocol validation criteria. Using this device, no clinically important difference between daytime ABP and HBP was detected. These data justify the use of the same diagnostic threshold for both methods. Journal of Human Hypertension (2010) 24, 207-212; doi:10.1038/jhh.2009.60; published online 16 July 2009″
“Dielectric properties of PrAlO3 single crystals were studied under the influence of the magnetic field of 0.8 T. Below 300 K all phase transitions detected previously with AZD0530 mw different experimental methods are observed in epsilon’([001]) (T) and epsilon’([1

(1) over MLN8237 solubility dmso bar0])(T). The phase transition at 152 K is of the first order and under the influence of magnetic field the thermal hysteresis increases. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3511754]“
“Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are modified by polycarbosilane derived SiC to improve the dispersion of MWCNTs in the polymer matrix. Unmodified and modified MWCNTs are dispersed in PEI/hydroxyl terminated PDMS(HTSR) blend by melt mixing. TEM and FESEM images shows better dispersion of SiC coated MWCNTs in the blend matrix when compared with pure MWCNTs. Thermal stability of the SiC coated MWCNTs added nanocomposite improved drastically than that of the pure MWCNTs. Compared with pure PEI/HTSR binary blend and unmodified MWCNTs/PEI/HTSR ternary blend, the storage modulus, tensile modulus, and tensile strength of SiC coated MWCNTs/PEI/HTSR blend increased,

due to the better dispersion of the modified MWCNTs in polymer matrix. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 119: 3574-3581, 2011″
“The relation between critical current, critical field, and thermal stability of domain wall (DW) trapped at step pinning sites was studied using Co/Ni nanowires with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). A sharp step structure was fabricated, which increased the critical field of DW motion, while the critical current was independent of the critical field. Also, the https://www.selleckchem.com/products/azd-1208.html derived thermal stability (Delta E/k(B)T) for the step samples was much more than 60. These results indicate that the DW motion in PMA nanowires has potential for memory devices with both a small driving current and large thermal stability. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3518046]“
“Human angiotensinogen (AGT) gene promoter polymorphisms (G-217A; A-20C; G-6A) influence AGT transcription in vitro and have been implicated in the genetics of essential hypertension. We analysed the association among AGT promoter variants and AGT mRNA levels in human kidney and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in vivo.

Objective: To search for alternative splicing aberrations in PD p

Objective: To search for alternative splicing aberrations in PD patients’ blood leukocytes. Methods: We applied exon microarrays to profile PD patients’ blood leukocyte mRNA. Exon level splicing analysis served as a basis for downstream classification and functional analyses. Results: Patients and carefully matched controls were classified by the selleck inhibitor splicing exon profiles of their leukocyte transcripts. Specifically, many exons were downregulated in PD patients compared to controls. Functional analysis highlighted aberrant

splicing of PD-related transcripts and impaired NF-kappa B cascade and immune response. Conclusion: PD patient’s blood leukocytes exhibit alternative splicing of numerous transcripts. The aberrant alternative splicing in PD patients’ blood cells has potential implications for early diagnosis and future therapeutics. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel”
“The placenta grows rapidly for a short period with high blood flow during pregnancy and has multifaceted functions, such as its barrier function, Metabolism inhibitor nutritional transport, drug metabolizing activity and endocrine action. Consequently, the placenta is a highly susceptible target organ for drug-or chemical-induced adverse

effects, and many placenta-toxic agents have been reported. However, histopathological examination of the placenta is not generally performed, and the placental toxicity index is only the placental weight change in rat reproductive BMN 673 nmr toxicity studies. The placental cells originate from the trophectoderm of the embryo and the endometrium of the dam, proliferate and differentiate into a variety of tissues with interaction each other according to the development sequence, resulting in formation of a placenta. Therefore, drug-or chemical-induced placental lesions show various histopathological features depending on the toxicants and the exposure period, and the pathogenesis of placental toxicity is complicated. Placental weight assessment appears not to be enough to evaluate placental toxicity, and reproductive toxicity studies should pay more attention to histopathological evaluation of placental tissue.

The detailed histopathological approaches to investigation of the pathogenesis of placental toxicity are considered to provide an important tool for understanding the mechanism of teratogenicity and developmental toxicity with embryo lethality, and could benefit reproductive toxicity studies. (DOI: 10.1293/tox.24.95; Toxicol Pathol 2011; 24: 95-111)”
“Lichen amyloidosis (LA) is a type of primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis characterized by multiple pruritic discrete hyperkeratotic papules with amyloid deposition in the papillary dermis. Two patients with LA had been treated with topical corticosteroids, but with no effect on the eruptions. The present authors then started treating the affected area by superficial ablation using a CO2 surgical laser (LASER 30C, Lumenis Inc., Yokneum, Israel) at a setting of 10-15 watts with a 0.12-second pulse duration, 0.

We assessed dignity-related distress using the Patient Dignity In

We assessed dignity-related distress using the Patient Dignity Inventory. Patients rated the benefits of DT at completion of the intervention and at both follow-ups. We conducted qualitative interviews exploring experiences of DT with patients and with two recipients of generativity documents produced by patients.

Results These patients were experiencing a wide range of major or overwhelming physical and psychosocial problems when they received the intervention, most of which would not be expected to be helped by DT. All felt that DT had helped them and had helped or would help their families;

HSP990 cell line however, patients’ concerns about their current situation made delivering the intervention challenging, and DT-relevant problems returned when a patients’ condition deteriorated.

Conclusions The extent to which DT can help

these patients and their families, either as a stand-alone therapy or as an Entinostat adjunct to other therapies, needs to be determined in studies focussing on distressed patients, particularly those with problems likely to be helped by the therapy.Copyright (c) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.”
“Phenol-pectin interaction was highlighted in plant texture maintenance during thermal processing. However, neither application nor significantly involved phenolic compounds other than ferulic acid have been reported. The aim of this study is to evaluate the contribution of this crosslink in strengthening the texture of guava slices with six phenolic compounds during processing. Results showed that samples treated with phenolics bearing a carboxyl group exhibited significantly higher hardness than control samples. Further pectin fractionation analysis and binding capacity tests

in an artificial model system proved the existence of a higher ratio of hard pectin and greater binding capacity in phenolic treated samples. Sephadex G-75 purification Selleck BIRB 796 and observation through fluorescence microscope and SEM confirmed the existence of phenol-pectin complex. Contribution of binding capacity to strengthen hardness was found highest in gallic acid treated samples, followed by those treated with ferulic acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, cinnamic acid or catechin. FRAP reducing power and DPPH scavenging ability showed the similar tendency. These results indicated that phenolic infiltration might improve the texture and antioxidant capacity of processed guava slices through phenol-pectin interaction. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)/polyamide 6 (PPO/PA6 30/70) blends were impact modified by addition of three kinds of maleated polystyrene-based copolymers, i.e., maleated styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene copolymer (SEBS-g-MA), maleated methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene copolymer (MBS-g-MA), and maleated acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS-g-MA).

However, the schedule to follow and the best dosage have yet to b

However, the schedule to follow and the best dosage have yet to be satisfactorily established.”
“Salinity limits

crop productivity, in part by decreasing shoot concentrations of the growth-promoting and senescence-delaying hormones cytokinins. Since constitutive cytokinin overproduction may have pleiotropic effects on plant development, two approaches Selleck Pexidartinib assessed whether specific root-localized transgenic IPT (a key enzyme for cytokinin biosynthesis) gene expression could substantially improve tomato plant growth and yield under salinity: transient root IPT induction (HSP70::IPT) and grafting wild-type (WT) shoots onto a constitutive IPT-expressing rootstock (WT/35S::IPT). Transient root IPT induction increased root, xylem sap, and leaf bioactive cytokinin concentrations 2- to 3-fold without shoot IPT gene expression. Although IPT induction reduced root biomass (by 15%) in control (non-salinized) plants, in salinized plants (100 mM NaCl for 22 d), increased cytokinin concentrations delayed stomatal closure and leaf senescence and almost doubled shoot growth (compared with WT plants), with concomitant increases in the essential nutrient K(+) (20%) and decreases in the toxic ion Na(+) (by 30%) and abscisic acid (by 20-40%) concentrations in transpiring mature leaves. Similarly, WT/35S::IPT plants (scion/rootstock) grown with 75 mM NaCl for 90 d had higher ML323 in vivo fruit trans-zeatin concentrations (1.5-

to 2-fold) and yielded 30% more than WT/non-transformed BAY 80-6946 mw plants. Enhancing root cytokinin synthesis modified both shoot hormonal and ionic status, thus ameliorating salinity-induced decreases in growth and yield.”
“To go ahead in understanding the nature of rubber reinforcement and evaluate the kinetics of filler clusters destruction during stretching of filled rubber, the styrene-butadiene rubber both unfilled and filled with various contents of silica particles with and without surface treatment was tested under quasistatic loading up to failure. The

Klueppel-Schramm model was used for description of strain softening, evaluation of both the rubber and filler network parameters as the functions of the filler volume content. It was found that an elastic modulus as a function of filler volume content follows Guth-Gold equation, confirming the hydrodynamic nature of the rubber reinforcement; the effectiveness factor depends on filler surface treatment. Hydrodynamic amplification factor increases with increase of filler volume content, its value depends on filler particles surface treatment. The decrease of hydrodynamic amplification factor during stretching correlates with the increase of viscoelastic strain. Taking into account the viscoelastic strain improves the description of the stress-strain response of filled rubber for loading-unloading process with the parameters obtained for active loading. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

For women, none of the productive roles examined in this study we

For women, none of the productive roles examined in this study were found to be independently linked with depressive symptoms. However, engaging in multiple productive roles, in comparison with doing only housework, was related to fewer depressive symptoms. These findings suggest the psychological benefits

of paid and volunteer work for retirement-aged men in Japan, and the need to be attentive to gender differences in the impact of productive roles.”
“The rostral fastigial nucleus (RFN) of the cerebellum is thought to play an important role in postural control, and recent studies in conscious nonhuman primates suggest that this region also participates in the sensory processing required to compute body motion in space. The goal of the present study was to examine the dynamic and spatial responses to sinusoidal rotations in vertical planes of RFN neurons in conscious cats, and determine if they Nirogacestat supplier are similar to responses reported for monkeys. Approximately half of the

RFN neurons examined were classified as graviceptive, since their firing was synchronized with stimulus position and the gain of their responses was relatively unaffected by the frequency of the tilts. The large majority (80%) of graviceptive RFN neurons were activated by pitch rotations. Most of the remaining RFN units exhibited responses to vertical oscillations FHPI clinical trial that encoded stimulus velocity, and approximately 50% of these velocity units had a response vector orientation aligned near the plane of a single vertical semicircular canal. Unlike in primates, few feline RFN neurons had responses to vertical rotations that suggested integration of graviceptive (otolith) and velocity (vertical semicircular canal) signals. These data indicate that the physiological click here role of the RFN may differ between primates and lower mammals. The RFN in rats and cats in known to be involved in adjusting blood pressure and breathing during postural alterations in the transverse (pitch) plane. The relatively simple

responses of many RFN neurons in cats are appropriate for triggering such compensatory autonomic responses. (C) 2008 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Startle responses are attenuated by prepulse inhibition (PPI), which is considered to reflect a sensorimotor gating mechanism and is impaired in patients suffering from schizophrenia. A midbrain circuit that mediates PPI in rats has been proposed and behavioral experiments have indicated an important role of acetylcholine and GABA in inhibiting startle. We here test the hypothesis that activation of the midbrain neurons can inhibit startle signaling through a cholinergic mechanism. We have developed a brain slice that comprises startle mediating giant. pontine neurons as well as midbrain mesopontine neurons required for PPI.