Pharmacological modulation of spinal somatosensory processing following peripheral nerve injury in the rat.

Chronic neuropathic pain state which arises from injury to the nervous system remains a significant problem. There have been few studies on the electrophysiological changes which take place in the spinal cord following peripheral nerve injury. I employed in vivo electrophysiological techniques to investigate the effect of nerve injury on the responses of spinal dorsal horn neurones in a rat model of neuropathy (Kim and Chung 1992). Following surgery for spinal nerve ligation, behavioural tests were carried out postoperatively in spinal nerve ligated (SNL) and sham operated rats. SNL rats displayed signs of mechanical and cold allodynia on the ipsilateral hindpaw which was maintained for 2 weeks. Sham operated rats displayed no changes in mechanical / cooling sensitivity on either hindpaw. Electrophysiological studies were conducted at PO 1 or 2 weeks (Dickenson and Sullivan 1986) and extracellular recordings of dorsal horn neurones were made under halothane anesthesia to characterise the responses of spinal neurones to electrical and natural stimuli. Following nerve injury, the C-fibre and mechanical evoked responses (von Frey filaments, prod) were significantly reduced compared to sham controls. In contrast, the acetone-evoked response and the receptive field size of spinal neurones to low-intensity mechanical stimuli were significantly increased in SNL rats. Additionally, a greater proportion of neurons exhibited high levels of spontaneous activities in SNL rats. Another objective was to study the effect of neuropathy on several pharmacological systems (opioid, N-methyl-D-aspartate and adenosine) through the use of selective agonists or antagonists. Overall, NMDA antagonists (ketamine, MK-801, memantine) produced greater inhibitions of the neuronal responses (wind-up, postdischarge, mechanical and thermal evoked responses) in SNL rats. Similarly, the adenosine agonist (CPA) and the adenosine kinase inhibitor (A200702.21) reduced the neuronal responses in both animal groups (input, wind-up, C-fibre and natural evoked responses). In sham operated rats, however, CPA produced a marked facilitation of the A?-fibre evoked response, however, this was absent after nerve injury. Interestingly, intrathecal morphine produced strong inhibitions of the neuronal responses and the reductions tended to be greater as compared to sham operated or naive rats. Systemic morphine produced smaller reductions of the neuronal responses as compared to the intrathecal route. The altered somatosensory processing of the pain transmitter systems may reflect the spinal neuronal plasticity which takes place following nerve injury. Agents which target these systems may prove to be have possible therapeutic roles for the treatment of neuropathic pain states

Physical Accessibility and Health Care Use for Women with Physical Disabilities: A Case Study

Cancer burden lies heavily on women with physical disabilities (WPD) because WPD are much less likely to receive preventive care. This disparity of use of cancer screening is directly linked to the inaccessibility of health care clinics, which often arises from obstacles in the physical environment. The purpose of study was to gain information regarding physical accessibility of a health care clinic for WPD. The study was set up as a two-part case study of a single outpatient health care clinic. The first part of the study utilized two checklists which were used to manually measure the accessibility of the clinic by a trained research assistant. These checklists included the Outpatient Health Care Usability Profile and the Kentucky Cabinet Survey. The clinic was found to be usable for WPD in all areas except parking, signage, controls, telephones, counters, and exam rooms. The second part of the study included interviews of two WPD who were the patients at the measured clinic to gain perspective on personally experienced barriers within the clinic. They identified the use human resources as means to overcome obstacles in the clinic. Implications for this study include the removal of barriers found to impede accessibility in the clinic and training of staff to assist WPD with transfers

Nonexistence of exceptional imprimitive Q-polynomial association schemes with six classes

Suzuki (1998) showed that an imprimitive Q-polynomial association scheme with first multiplicity at least three is either Q-bipartite, Q-antipodal, or with four or six classes. The exceptional case with four classes has recently been ruled out by Cerzo and Suzuki (2009). In this paper, we show the nonexistence of the last case with six classes. Hence Suzuki's theorem now exactly mirrors its well-known counterpart for imprimitive distance-regular graphs.Comment: 7 page

eyeless/Pax6 controls the production of glial cells in the visual center of Drosophila melanogaster

AbstractPax6 is known as a neurogenic factor in the development of the central nervous system and regulates proliferation of neuronal progenitor cells and promotes neuronal differentiation. In addition to neurogenesis, Pax6 is also involved in the specification and maturation of glial cells. Here, we show that Eyeless (Ey), Drosophila homolog of Pax6, regulates the production of glial cells in the brain. In the developing fly visual center, the production of neurons and glial cells are controlled by the temporal transcription factors that are sequentially expressed in neuroblasts (NBs). Among them, NBs of the last temporal window produce astrocyte-like glial cells. Ey is strongly expressed in the middle aged NBs, whose temporal window is earlier compared with glia producing older NBs. Weak Ey expression is also detected in the glia producing NBs. Our results suggest that Ey expression in the middle aged NBs indirectly control gliogenesis from the oldest NBs by regulating other temporal transcription factors. Additionally, weak Ey expression in the NBs of last temporal window may directly control gliogenesis. Ey is also expressed in neurons produced from the NBs of Ey-positive temporal window. Interestingly, neuron-specific overexpression of Ey causes significant increase in glial cells suggesting that neuronal expression of Ey may also contribute to gliogenesis. Thus, Pax6-dependent regulation of astrocyte-like glial development is conserved throughout the animal kingdom

Education in the Heiyo-gijuku

Yanagawa Chikudo (1841-1899) established kangaku juku (Heiyo-gijuku: a private academy of Chinese learning) in the west of Sanuki (now in Kagawa Prefecture) after studying at Kangien (a famous private academy). His juku ran from 1870 to 1896. During that time, 478 students studied there, coming from the immediate neighborhood or surrounding areas. They sought knowledge of kanbun (Chinese learning), and became local leaders after studying kanbun in Heiyo-gijuku. The modern public school system was established in the 1870s. The importance of kangaku has been underestimated. However, kanbun remained the language of scholarship, literature and kanshi poetry throughout the 1870s and 1880s. Despite this, few secondary educational institutions taught kanbun. Thus, Heiyo-gijuku aimed to create local leaders by teaching kanbun. Kangien was famous for gettanhyo (a very rigorous system of ranking). Academic rank was reevaluated via regular examinations, and the revised gettanhyo was posted monthly. When Chikudo started Heiyo-gijuku, he introduced the Kangien educational system into his juku. However, in the 1880s, government regulation over private schools was tightened and it was no longer possible to maintain this type of education system. Thus, private schools were replaced by public education systems.本研究はJSPS科研費JP25381029の助成を受けたものです

Education of Kangien in the Meiji era

Kangien was the largest private academy in the Edo era. Before closing in 1897, Kangien had taught about 5,000 students. It was established by a Confucian scholar Hirose Tanso at the town of Hita (Oita prefecture) in 1817, and continued under Kyokuso (Tanso's younger brother) , Seison(the adopted heirs) ,and Ringai (Kyokuso's son) until 1871. Kangien was revived as a gijuku in 1880. In the Meiji era, Kangien went through the following four stages. Murakami Konan (Tanso's student) served as a teacher from 1880 to 1884. Meanwhile, Kangien was called Keirin Gijuku. Keirin Gijuku taught Chinese studies. Hirose Goden (Seison's son) served as a main teacher from 1885 to 1887. He introduced English and mathematics to Kangien. Isayama Syukuson (Tanso's student) served as a main teacher from 1887 to 1892. He aimed to introduce general education to Kangien. However, due to lack of funds, Kangien discontinued its English and math education. Katsuya Meihin (Goden's student) served as a teacher from 1896 to 1897. Kangien taught Chinese studies as it once did.本研究はJSPS科研費JP25381029・JP18H00979の助成を受けたものです

Collection and Management of Books in Kangien

Kangien (a famous private academy in the Edo period) was established by Hirose Tanso in 1817, and continued under Kyokuso (Tanso's younger brother), Seison (the adopted heirs), and Ringai (Kyokuso's son) until 1871. In Kangien, the collection of books expanded to more than 5400 by the end of Edo period, by collecting money every month from students for more than 30 years. The books were divided into two collections, and were kept in the east and west houses of Kangien. The collections were managed by the Zosyokan, who were highachieving students. The Zosyokan constructed the catalog of books and checked the books against it, recording titles and numbers of books. The catalog was revised and enlarged as books were lost and purchased. In Kangien, the books were divided into two parts (Japanese books and Chinese books) ,and Kyokuso's books were added by 1874. Since then the safekeeping of these books has scarcely changed. These books are currently kept in Senkenbunko, in the town of Hita (Oita prefecture).本研究はJSPS科研費JP25381029の助成を受けたものである

A temporal mechanism that produces neuronal diversity in the Drosophila visual center

AbstractThe brain consists of various types of neurons that are generated from neural stem cells; however, the mechanisms underlying neuronal diversity remain uncertain. A recent study demonstrated that the medulla, the largest component of the Drosophila optic lobe, is a suitable model system for brain development because it shares structural features with the mammalian brain and consists of a moderate number and various types of neurons. The concentric zones in the medulla primordium that are characterized by the expression of four transcription factors, including Homothorax (Hth), Brain-specific homeobox (Bsh), Runt (Run) and Drifter (Drf), correspond to types of medulla neurons. Here, we examine the mechanisms that temporally determine the neuronal types in the medulla primordium. For this purpose, we searched for transcription factors that are transiently expressed in a subset of medulla neuroblasts (NBs, neuronal stem cell-like neural precursor cells) and identified five candidates (Hth, Klumpfuss (Klu), Eyeless (Ey), Sloppy paired (Slp) and Dichaete (D)). The results of genetic experiments at least explain the temporal transition of the transcription factor expression in NBs in the order of Ey, Slp and D. Our results also suggest that expression of Hth, Klu and Ey in NBs trigger the production of Hth/Bsh-, Run- and Drf-positive neurons, respectively. These results suggest that medulla neuron types are specified in a birth order-dependent manner by the action of temporal transcription factors that are sequentially expressed in NBs

Thin anterior uterine wall with incomplete uterine rupture in a primigravida detected by palpation and ultrasound: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Uterine rupture is an obstetric complication associated with significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. This disorder usually occurs with a scarred uterus, especially in a uterus with prior Cesarean section. Uterine sacculation or diverticulum may also lead to a thin uterine wall during pregnancy.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 27-year-old Japanese primigravid woman was admitted to our hospital due to weak, irregular uterine contractions in her 38^thweek of gestation. She had no past history of uterine surgery or known diseases. A hard mass was palpable in her abdomen. An ultrasound revealed that the anterior uterine wall was thin and bulging, with a fetal minor part beneath it which corresponded to the palpated mass. A Cesarean section was performed which revealed a thin anterior uterine wall with incomplete uterine rupture. The woman and baby were healthy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although extremely rare, an unscarred primigravid uterus can undergo incomplete rupture even without discernable risk factors or labor pains. Abdominal palpation and ultrasound may be useful in detecting this condition.</p