Scanning Electron Microscopy of Nerve Fibers in the Dog Cochlea

The nerve fiber arrangement inside the organ of Corti in the dog was studied. Thick sections were cut serially from celloidin-embedded cochleas and observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The nerve fibers in the organ of Corti were clearly exposed in sections cut in the horizontal plane. The arrangement of nerve fibers in the dog showed considerable difference from that of other species. The tunnel basilar fibers in the dog curved basalward, and took a long longitudinal course to form a broad bundle in the center of the tunnel floor. This bundle has not been found in adult animals of other species. Two distinct types of tunnel radial fibers, upper tunnel radial fibers and underpassing radial fibers, were recognized. The latter type of radial fibers ran beneath the bundle of basilar fibers, and seemed to be characteristic of the dog cochlea. From the morphological characteristics, these underpassing radial fibers were thought to be efferent in nature

Scanning Electron Microscopy of the Celloidin-Embedded Inner Ear Sections

The nerve fibers running inside the organ of Corti were studied in cats by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The fixed temporal bones were decalcified and embedded in celloidin according to the conventional method. Thick serial sections (100-150 μm) were cut parallel to the basilar membrane. After removing the celloidin, the sections were freeze-dried in t-butyl alcohol. Though some outer hair cells had been deformed, the nerve fibers were well preserved for analysis. Some new findings were observed in the present SEM study. The tunnel spiral bundle in a kitten took an atypical course on the floor of Corti\u27s tunnel apart from the previously reported site. In the barely-patent tunnels of Corti in kittens, nerve fibers were stuck together into thick bundles and took different courses compared to those in the mature cochleas. Filiform projections of nerve fibers were climbing around the first row of the outer hair cells in the immature cochlea. These were thought to be growing ends of efferent nerves which would later grow into nerve endings

Scanning Electron Microscopic Study of the Postnatal Development of the Rabbit Cochlea, with an Emphasis on Innervation

The development of nerve fiber arrangements of the organ of Corti was studied in rabbits 1, 3, 5, 7 and 12-days-old using thick sections from celloidin-embedded cochleas which were examined under a scanning electron microscope. The arrangements of nerve fibers varied with developmental age. The tunnel spiral bundle was thick and loosely collected in the immature cochlea. The outer spiral fibers were recognized even in the narrow space of Nuel in the one-day-old cochlea. As Nuel\u27s space is extending, the fibers course along the medial side of Deiters\u27 cells. The arrangement of the outer spiral fibers was irregular and sparse in the five-day-old cochlea, in contrast to the regular parallel pattern of the adult cochlea. Adult-like parallel arrangement of the outer spiral fibers was seen in the twelve-day-old cochlea. In the three-day-old cochlea, irregularly running nerve fibers were seen along the outer spiral fibers. They may be efferent axons which develop afterwards. Club-like immature nerve endings were recognized at the base of the outer hair cells in the seven-day-old cochlea. Some fibers climbed high up along the medial wall of the outer hair cells. A nearly mature pattern was seen in the twelve-day-old cochlea. This study confirms previous reports on the development of cochlear innervation

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Age-Related Changes in the C57BL/6J Mouse Cochlea

Hair cells and nerve fibers inside the organ of Corti of the C57BL/6J mouse, which is known as the precocious presbycusis model, were studied using the scanning electron microscope. For this study, we used thick serial sections cut from celloidin blocks. In the 5-week-old mice, hair cell loss was not seen. The upper tunnel radial fibers crossed the upper part of the tunnel of Corti and entered the Nuel\u27s space between the outer pillar cells. The fibers varied in diameter and showed many varicosities. The basilar fibers emerged into the tunnel of Corti beneath the upper tunnel radial fibers and crossed the floor of tunnel slightly curving basalward. The outer spiral fibers ran along the lateral wall of the Nuel\u27s spaces, sometimes buried in the cytoplasm of Deiters\u27 cells. The nerve endings were clearly seen on the modiolar sides of the outer hair cell bases in the basal turn. In the 30-, 42- and 60-week-old mice, hair cell degeneration was seen both at the basal and apical portions, more pronounced in the former. The outer hair cells were affected more than the inner hair cells. In the basal turn where most of outer hair cells had degenerated, the upper tunnel radial fibers disappeared while the basilar fibers remained. These results suggest that degeneration of the efferent fibers occur earlier than those of the afferent to the outer hair cells

Sh3bp2 Gain-Of-Function Mutation Ameliorates Lupus Phenotypes in B6.MRL-Faslpr Mice

SH3 domain-binding protein 2 (SH3BP2) is an adaptor protein that is predominantly expressed in immune cells, and it regulates intracellular signaling. We had previously reported that a gain-of-function mutation in SH3BP2 exacerbates inflammation and bone loss in murine arthritis models. Here, we explored the involvement of SH3BP2 in a lupus model. Sh3bp2 gain-of-function (P416R knock-in; Sh3bp2KI/+) mice and lupus-prone B6.MRL-Faslpr mice were crossed to yield double-mutant (Sh3bp2KI/+Faslpr/lpr) mice. We monitored survival rates and proteinuria up to 48 weeks of age and assessed renal damage and serum anti-double-stranded DNA antibody levels. Additionally, we analyzed B and T cell subsets in lymphoid tissues by flow cytometry and determined the expression of apoptosis-related molecules in lymph nodes. Sh3bp2 gain-of-function mutation alleviated the poor survival rate, proteinuria, and glomerulosclerosis and significantly reduced serum anti-dsDNA antibody levels in Sh3bp2KI/+Faslpr/lpr mice. Additionally, B220+CD4-CD8- T cell population in lymph nodes was decreased in Sh3bp2KI/+Faslpr/lpr mice, which is possibly associated with the observed increase in cleaved caspase-3 and tumor necrosis factor levels. Sh3bp2 gain-of-function mutation ameliorated clinical and immunological phenotypes in lupus-prone mice. Our findings offer better insight into the unique immunopathological roles of SH3BP2 in autoimmune diseases

Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with Acute Thoracolumbar Spinal Cord Injury

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major complication in patients with acute spinal cord injury. There are few reports of VTE with acute thoracolumbar spinal cord injury (TLSCI). We assessed the incidence of VTE with acute TLSCI using color Doppler ultrasonography. We retrospectively assessed 75 patients with acute TLSCI (T1 to L1). All patients were surgically treated. VTE of the lower extremity and pelvis was assessed using color Doppler ultrasound regardless of whether symptoms were present. This retrospective study included patients who were assessed between 6 and 10 days (mean 8.1 days) after injury. VTE was detected in 27 of the 75 patients (35.7%) with or without paralysis. Of the 13 patients who had complete motor paralysis, 8 (62%) had VTE; of the 31 patients with incomplete motor paralysis, 10 (32%) had VTE, and of the 31 patients without motor paralysis, 9 (29%) had VTE. Among the patients with TLSCI, those with VTE had a significantly higher mean age than those without. The incidence of VTE in TLSCI patients is not related to the severity of paralysis in a Japanese population. The incidence appears to be related primarily to age

Predisposition for borderline personality disorder with comorbid major depression is associated with that for polycystic ovary syndrome in female Japanese population

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common lifestyle-related endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age and is associated with several mental health problems. We examined the genotypic distributions of IRS-1 Gly972Arg and CYP11B2 -344T/C, which were previously described as influencing PCOS, and assayed the serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), in a set of female patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) with comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) (n = 50) and age-matched control subjects (n = 100), to investigate the predisposition for BPD with MDD. The results showed that the patients were more frequently IRS-1 972Arg variant allele carriers (P = 0.013; OR 6.68; 95% CI = 1.30–34.43) and homozygous for the CYP11B2 −344C variant allele (P = 0.022; OR = 3.32; 95% CI = 1.18–9.35) than the control subjects. The IL-6 level was significantly higher in the patients than in the controls (P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in the serum TNF-α level between patients with BPD with MDD and the healthy comparison group (P = 0.5273). In conclusion, the predisposition for BPD with MDD is associated with that for PCOS, in the female Japanese population. An elevated serum IL-6 level is considered to be a possible biomarker of BPD with MDD

地域生活を送る脊髄損傷者の日常生活に関連する褥瘡発生リスク要因の検討

Study design: Case-control study. Objectives: To identify daily living-related risk factors for pressure ulcer (PU) occurrence in community-living patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). To determine whether seat pressure influences PU occurrence, and how often patients with SCI perform pressure relief activities while living in the community. Setting: Kanagawa Rehabilitation Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan. Methods: Thirty-one patients admitted to this hospital for PU treatment were included in the case (PU) group. Thirty ,outpatients who did not have PUs at the time of the study, and had lived without PUs for at least a year, were included in the control (No PU) group. Patients were interviewed about lifestyle-related PU risk factors and a pressure mapping system was used to measure interface pressure (IP) on their wheelchair seat. The No PU group patients recorded their daily activities and pressure relief maneuvers for 1 week. Results: Eight lifestyle factors and one risk assessment scale significantly differed between groups. Three factors showed significant odds ratios by logistic regression. IP did not significantly differ between groups. The self-counted number of pressure relief maneuvers (median (25th.75th percentile)) performed per hour in the No PU group was 2.5 (0.7-4.3), and including transfer and urination was 3.5 (2.0-5.3). Conclusion: We identified potential PU risk factors related to lifestyle. The scores of one risk assessment scale were also associated with PU risk. Our results did not suggest an IP damage threshold. Patients in the No PU group performed pressure relief maneuvers, including related activities, approximately once every 17 minutes.首都大学東京, 2015-09-30, 博士（理学療法学）, 乙第122号首都大学東

Three-dimensional fluorescence imaging using the transport of intensity equation

We propose a nonscanning three-dimensional (3-D) fluorescence imaging technique using the transport of intensity equation (TIE) and free-space Fresnel propagation. In this imaging technique, a phase distribution corresponding to defocused fluorescence images with a point-light-source-like shape is retrieved by a TIE-based phase retrieval algorithm. From the obtained phase distribution, and its corresponding amplitude distribution, of the defocused fluorescence image, various images at different distances can be reconstructed at the desired plane after Fresnel propagation of the complex wave function. Through the proposed imaging approach, the 3-D fluorescence imaging can be performed in multiple planes. The fluorescence intensity images are captured with the help of an electrically tunable lens; hence, the imaging technique is free from motion artifacts. We present experimental results corresponding to microbeads and a biological sample to demonstrate the proposed 3-D fluorescence imaging technique

Deletion of Mir223 Exacerbates Lupus Nephritis by Targeting S1pr1 in Fas(lpr/lpr) Mice

Objective: The micro RNAs (miRNAs) and their target mRNAs are differentially expressed in various immune-mediated cells. Here, we investigated the role of Mir223 and sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1pr1) in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods: We analyzed miRNA and mRNA profiling data of CD4+ splenic T cells derived from MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/J mice. We performed 3′ untranslated region (UTR) luciferase reporter gene assay using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). We generated the B6-Mir223−/−Faslpr/lpr mice and the lupus phenotypes were analyzed. Results: In CD4+ splenic T cells, we identified upregulation of miR-223-3p and downregulation of the possible target, S1pr1 by RNA sequencing of MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/J mice. The transfection with miR-223-3p mimic significantly suppressed a luciferase activity in HUVEC treated with a Lentivirus vector containing 3′ UTR of S1pr1. The mRNA levels of S1pr1 were significantly decreased after miR-223-3p overexpression. In B6-Mir223−/−Faslpr/lpr mice, the proportion of CD3+ T cells, CD3+CD4-CD8− cells, B cells, plasma cells, and S1PR1+CD4+ T cells in the spleen was significantly increased compared with that in B6-Mir223+/+Faslpr/lpr mice by flow cytometry. B6-Mir223−/−Faslpr/lpr mice demonstrated the elevation of glomerular and renal vascular scores associated with enhanced intraglomerular infiltration of S1PR1+CD4+ T cells. Conclusion: Unexpectedly, the deletion of Mir223 exacerbated the lupus phenotypes associated with increased population of S1PR1+CD4+ T in spleen and the enhanced infiltration of S1PR1+CD4+ T cells in inflamed kidney tissues, suggesting compensatory role of Mir223 in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis