Hypothalamic and mesencephalic regions involved in the control of laryngeal activity and subglottic pressure in spontaneously breathing anaesthetized rats

Changes of laryngeal caliber allow changes in airflow which are necessary for the vibration of the vocal folds and emission of voice. It is known that stimulation of the Periaqueductal Gray matter (PAG) and nucleus retroambiguus (nRA) produces vocalization, and lesions in PAG cause mutism in animals and humans. The nRA is the perfect target to turn passive into active expiration modifying the activity of laryngeal motoneurons located in the nucleus ambiguous (Paton and Nolan, 2000). We have shown that rostral and ventral pontine structures are involved in changes of laryngeal caliber (Lara et al., 2002). It has been also demonstrated a high expression of FOXP2 protein (transcription factor related to vocalization) at mesencephalic and pontine regions (PAG, Parabrachial complex and A5 Region) involved in cardiorespiratory control. The aim of this study was to characterize the relations between hypothalamic and mesencephalic regions involved in cardiorespiratory control and their possible role in modulating laryngeal activity. Experimental studies were carried out with non-inbred male rats (n=7), SPF, Sprague-Dawley (250-300 g) housed under standard conditions. Animals were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbitone (60 mg/kg i.p., initial dose, supplemented 2 mg/kg, i.v., as necessary). A double tracheal cannulation to develop the classical technique of the “glottis isolated in situ” and for the recording of respiratory airflow was carried out. DMH-PeF, dlPAG, and CnF stimulations evoked a significant decrease of laryngeal resistance (subglottal pressure) (p<0.01) accompanied with an inspiratory facilitatory response consisted of an increase in respiratory rate, together with a pressor and tachycardic response. The results of our study contribute with new data on the role of the hypothalamic-mesencephalic neuronal circuits in the control mechanisms of subglottic pressure and laryngeal activity.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

El juez español y la interpretación de normas

The central subject of this reflective article is the role of constitutional judges in contemporary States that have included constitutional control in their constitutions. It also analyses the consolidation of constitutional jurisdiction and the scope of its interpretation facing the traditional role of parliament. The text addresses an analysis of the techniques of constitutional interpretation and the conventional norm, establishing an argumentative analysis, based on the authorized constitutional doctrine. Such analysis is linked to the powers of interpretation of the constitutional judge, who holds the authority of interpretation in constitutional democracies such as Spain.El papel de los jueces constitucionales en los Estados contemporáneos que han incluido un control de constitucionalidad en sus constituciones es el tema central que desarrolla el presente artículo de reflexión, en donde se realiza un análisis de la consolidación de la jurisdicción constitucional y los alcances de su interpretación frente al papel tradicional del parlamento. El texto aborda un análisis de las técnicas de interpretación constitucional y la norma convencional, estableciendo un análisis argumentativo, fundamentado en la doctrina constitucional autorizada. Tal análisis lo liga a los poderes de interpretación del juez constitucional, quien ostenta la autoridad de interpretación en las democracias constitucionales como la española

La crisi i els drets socials en les polítiques públiques de la Generalitat (CA-ES-EN)

L’examen de les polítiques socials de la Generalitat depèn de dues variables: els efectes de la crisi financera i els problemes estructurals del sistema de distribució de competències establert per la Constitució i l’Estatut. La garantia efectiva dels drets socials davant dels efectes de la crisi ha estat condicionada per les limitacions financeres i, especialment, pel procés centralitzador d’absorció de competències executives per part de l’Estat, sobretot en serveis socials, formació professional o educació

Recensiones

RESEÑA de: Alain. "El ciudadano contra los poderes". Est. prel. y notas de Eloy García, traducción de Joaquín Ibáñez. Madrid: Tecnos, 2016.; RESEÑA de: Alonso Sanz, Lucía. "El estatuto constitucional del menor inmigrante". Madrid: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales, 2016

Laryngeal effects of stimulation of the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus and perifornical area in spontaneously breathing anaesthetized rats

Background: Stimulation of the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus and perifornical area (DMH-PeF) in rats evokes a cardiorespiratory response characterised by an increase in blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory frequency. In previous studies (Díaz-Casares et al., 2012; López-González et al., 2018) we have shown a functional interaction between DMH-PeF and pontine structures (A5 region and Parabrachial Complex). We have also shown that rostral and ventral pontine structures are involved in the changes of laryngeal caliber (Lara et al., 2002). The aim of this study was to characterize the relations between hypothalamic and pontine neuronal circuits involved in laryngeal activity and its effect on vocalization. Methods: Experimental studies were carried out with non-inbred male rats (n=7). Animals were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbitone (60 mg/kg i.p., initial dose, supplemented 2 mg/ kg, i.v., as necessary). A double tracheal cannulation (upwards in direction of the glottis for the “glottis isolated in situ” technique) was done. Subglottic pressure was recorded with an aneroid transducer by passing a stream of humidified medical air upwards through the larynx at a constant rate of 30-70 ml/min with a thermal mass digital air flow meter controller. Electrical stimulation of the DMH-PeF using concentric bipolar electrodes (1 ms pulses, 20-40 µA, 100 Hz for 5 s) was performed. Respiratory flow, pleural pressure, blood pressure, heart rate and ECG activity were also recorded. Results: DMH-PeF stimulation evoked a decrease of laryngeal resistance (subglottal pressure) (p<0,001) accompanied with an inspiratory facilitatory response consisted of an increase in respiratory rate (p<0,001), together with a pressor (p<0,001) and a tachycardic response (p<0,001). Conclusions: The results of our study contribute with new data on the role of the DMH-PeF in the mechanisms controlling subglottic pressure and laryngeal activity.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Design and implementation of a method to study laryngeal resistance during the stimulation of dorsolateral periaqueductal grey (dlpag) in spontaneously breathing anaesthetized rats

Stimulation of the dorsolateral periaqueductal gray matter (dl-PAG) in rats evokes a cardiorespiratory response characterised by an increase of blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory frequency. In previous studies we have demonstrated a functional interaction between dlPAG and the pontine A5 region (Peinado-Aragonés C.A., 2016). A5 region modulates the cardiorespiratory response evoked from the dlPAG and it is also involved in the changes of laryngeal caliber (Lara et al., 2002). The aim of this study was to characterise the relationship between mesencephalic-pontine neuronal circuits to understand their role in laryngeal control and its effect on vocalization. Experimental studies were carried out with non-inbred male rats (n=7), Animals were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbitone (60 mg/kg i.p., initial dose, supplemented 2 mg/ kg, i.v., as necessary). A double tracheal cannulation (upwards in direction of the glottis for the “glottis isolated in situ” technique) was performed. Subglottic pressure was recorded with an aneroid transducer by passing a stream of humidified medical air upwards through the larynx at a constant rate of 30-70 ml/min with a thermal mass digital air flow meter controller. Electrical stimulation of the dlPAG using concentric bipolar electrodes (1 ms pulses, 20-40 µA, 100 Hz for 5 s) was performed. dlPAG stimulation evoked a decrease of laryngeal resistance (subglottal pressure) (p<0,001) accompanied with an inspiratory facilitatory response consisted of an increase in respiratory rate (p<0,001), together with a pressor (p<0,001) and a tachycardic response (p<0,001). Our variation of the classical technique for the recording of the“isolated glottis in situ”in rats shows good dynamic responses and can be perfectly used as an index of subglottic pressure and laryngeal activity, thus our results contribute with new data on the role of the dlPAG in the control mechanisms of subglottic pressure and laryngeal activityUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Cuneiform nucleus stimulation modifies laryngeal activity and subglottic pressure in rats

The Cuneiform nucleus (CnF) of the mesencephalon has afferent and efferent connections with different regions of the CNS involved in cardiorespiratory control, i.e. dorsolateral part of the Periaqueductal Gray matter (dlPAG) and Parabrachial complex (PBc). In recent studies (López-González et al., 2018, 2020), we have characterized functional interactions between all these hypothalamic (DMH-PeF), mesencephalic (dlPAG) and pontine regions (PBc, A5 region) that are also involved in changes of laryngeal caliber (Lara et al., 2002), due to the abduction and adduction of the vocal folds controlled by motoneurons located in the caudal portion of the nucleus Ambiguus (Amb). The aim of this study was to test the possible role of the CnF in laryngeal control and its effect on vocalization. Experimental studies were carried out with non-inbred male rats (n=14), SPF, Sprague-Dawley (250-300 g) housed under standard conditions. Animals were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbitone (60 mg/kg i.p., initial dose, supplemented 2 mg/kg, i.v., as necessary). A double up and down tracheal cannulation was performed to measure subglottic pressure and airflow. Subglottic pressure was recorded with an aneroid transducer (Hugo Sachs Elektronik D-7801, ±0,1 psi) by passing a stream of humidified warm medical air upwards with a thermal mass digital air flow meter controller (Bronkhorst Hi-Tec F-201CV-AGD-22-V). Microinjections of PBS-Evans Blue (250 nl, pH 7.4 ± 0.1, 5-s duration) or glutamate (0,25M, 250 nl) were performed. PBS-Evans Blue microinjections within CnF did not produce any significant changes in any of the cardiorespiratory variables recorded. However, glutamate microinjections within the CnF evoked a decrease of laryngeal resistance (subglottal pressure) (p<0,001) accompanied with an inspiratory facilitatory response consisted of an increase in respiratory rate (p<0,001), together with a pressor (p<0,01) and tachycardic response (p<0,001).Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech