Diminished cardiac vagal activity and higher heart rate predict a high mortality of chronic failure (CHF) after myocardial infarction. We investigated the effects electrical stimulation vagus nerve on remodeling long-term survival in an animal model CHF large infarction.Two weeks ligation left coronary artery, surviving rats were randomized to vagal- sham-stimulated groups. Using implantable miniature radio-controlled stimulator, we stimulated right for 6 weeks. The intensity was adjusted...

Background— Myocardial ischemia (MI) leads to derangements in cellular electrical stability and the generation of lethal arrhythmias. Vagal nerve stimulation has been postulated contribute antifibrillatory effect. Here, we suggest a novel mechanism for antiarrhythmogenic properties vagal during acute MI. Methods Results— Under anesthesia, Wistar rats underwent 30 minutes left coronary artery (LCA) ligation with (MI-VS group, n=11) sham (MI-SS n=12). Eight 12 MI-SS group had ventricular...

We studied the responses to visual stimuli of neurons in area TE inferior temporal (IT) cortex four awake monkeys (Macaca mulatta) trained perform behavioral tasks. While monkey looked at a fixation point order detect its dimming, another stimulus, such as spot light or sine- square-wave grating, usually produced only slight neurons. However, response stimulus was more vigorous if task changed so blinked off before came on while maintained gaze. Responses during this blink were seen 199 288...

Electrical stimulation of the vagal efferent nerve improves survival myocardial infarcted rats. However, mechanism for this beneficial effect is unclear. We investigated acetylcholine (ACh) on hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF)‐1α using rat cardiomyocytes under normoxia and hypoxia. ACh posttranslationally regulated HIF‐1α increased its protein level normoxia. Akt phosphorylation, wortmannin or atropine blocked effect. Hypoxia‐induced caspase‐3 activation mitochondrial membrane potential...

Our recent studies have shown that, as indicated by vagal stimulation, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil, anti‐Alzheimer’s disease drug, prevents progression of heart failure in rats with myocardial infarction, and activates a common cell survival signal shared acetylcholine (ACh) vitro . On the basis this evidence that innervation is extremely poor left ventricle, we assessed hypothesis ACh produced cardiomyocytes, which promotes its synthesis via positive feedback mechanism. Rat...

To investigate the fine anatomical organization of cortical inputs to visual association area TE, 2-3 small injections retrograde tracers were made in macaque monkeys. Injections as a terminal procedure, after optical imaging and electrophysiological recording, targeted patches physiologically identified object-selective. Retrogradely labeled neurons occurred several unimodal areas, superior temporal sulcus, intraparietal sulcus (IPS), prefrontal cortex (PFC), consistent with previous...

There are two dominant models for the functional organization of brain regions underlying object recognition. One model postulates category-specific modules while other proposes a distributed representation objects with generic visual features. Functional imaging techniques relying on metabolic signals, such as fMRI and optical intrinsic signal (OISI), have been used to support both models, but due indirect nature measurements in these techniques, existing data one cannot be model. Here, we...

In open surgery procedures, after temporarily dimming the lights in operation theatre, Photo Dynamic Eye (PDE) fluorescence camera has, amongst others, been used for fluorescence-guided sentinel node (SN) biopsy procedures. To improve clinical utility and logistics of surgery, we developed evaluated a prototype modified PDE (m-PDE) system.The m-PDE works under ambient light conditions includes white mode pseudo-green-colored (including gray-scaled anatomical background). Twenty-seven...

Abstract Horizontal connections in anterior inferior temporal cortex (ITC) are thought to play an important role object recognition by integrating information across spatially separated functional columns, but their organization remains unclear. Using a combination of optical imaging, electrophysiological recording, and anatomical tracing, we investigated the relationship between stimulus-response maps patterns horizontal axon terminals macaque ITC. In contrast “like-to-like” connectivity...

We developed new methods for isolating in situ baroreceptor regions of carotid sinus and aortic depressor nerves halothane-anesthetized rats. After ligation the root external artery, internal pterygopalatine arteries were embolized with two ball bearings 0.8 mm diameter. Bilateral pressures changed between 60 180 mmHg 20-mmHg steps lasting 1 min each. The sigmoidal steady-state relationship 11 rats indicated maximum gain baroreflex to be −2.99 ± 0.75 at 120 5 mmHg. An isolation area right...

1. Previous results have shown that spatially directed attention enhances the stimulus-elicited responses of neurons in some areas brain. In inferior temporal (IT) cortex, however, directing toward a stimulus mildly inhibits neurons. Inferior cortex is involved pattern discrimination, but not spatial localization. If enhancement signifies neuron participating function for which part responsible, then attention, should enhance IT The influence discrimination behavior on was therefore compared...

1. Extracellular discharges were recorded from neurons in the inferior temporal cortex (area TE) of three macaque monkeys while they performed visual fixation and pattern discrimination tasks. For task, monkey was trained to release lever quickly at onset one two stimuli dimming other pattern. During this neutral light stimulus (light bar) which not required respond presented once a trial either prior discriminandum or during presentation that dimmed later. The neuronal activities evoked by...

Convergent extension (CE) movement of cells is one the fundamental processes that control organized morphogenesis tissues and organs. The molecular events connecting noncanonical Wnt pathway CE movement, however, are not well understood. We show subcellular localization Daam1, an essential component signaling, changes dynamically during notochord formation. In early phases, Daam1 complexes with EphB receptors Disheveled 2. This complex incorporated into endocytic vesicles in a...

The object selectivity of nearby cells in inferior temporal (IT) cortex is often different. To elucidate the relationship between columnar organization IT and variability among neurons with respect to selectivity, we used optical imaging technique locate regions (activity spots) systematically compared individual within across spots. a given cell spot was similar that averaged cellular activity spot. However, there not such similarity different spots (>600 μm apart). We suggest each...

The acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil hydrochloride improves cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Given acetylcholine's important actions on the heart, we undertook a retrospective cohort investigation to assess whether usage affects cardiovascular mortality. In treated donepezil, hazard ratios for total mortality were 0.68 (P = 0.045, 95% confidence interval 0.46–0.99) 0.54 0.042, 0.30–0.98), respectively. apparent survival benefit...

Zebrafish Csrp1 is a member of the cysteine- and glycine-rich protein (CSRP) family expressed in mesendoderm its derivatives. interacts with Dishevelled 2 (Dvl2) Diversin (Div), which control cell morphology other dynamic behaviors via noncanonical Wnt JNK pathways. When csrp1 message knocked down, abnormal convergent extension movement induced, resulting severe deformities midline structures. In addition, cardiac bifida induced as consequence defects mesoderm migration. Our data highlight...

To study prospectively influences of donepezil, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor against Alzheimer disease, on cardiovascular system, we evaluated changes occurring during new initialized treatment with donepezil in 49 dementia patients over 6 months. No patient suffered from events. In clinical between baseline and the first evaluation after treatment, heart rate plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels as a marker for failure did not change (BNP: 59.62 ± 62.71 pg/mL at to 53.18 42.34...

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is the key regulator of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. CRF neurons cannot be distinguished morphologically from other neuroendocrine in paraventricular nucleus hypothalamus (PVH) without immunostaining. Thus, we generated a knock-in mouse that expresses modified yellow fluorescent protein (Venus) (CRF-Venus), and yet its expression driven by promoter responds to changes interior milieu. In CRF-Venus, Venus-expressing were distributed brain regions...