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At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Cleft uvula: prevalence and genetics.

The prevalence of cleft uvula (CU) was determined among 70,359 school children 6-18 years of age; 90 children having the condition were chosen as probands for a family study. Prevalence of CU was 0.44 per cent with no sex differences. The Non-Ashkenazi group had a higher prevalence than the other population groups. The prevalence of CU in parents and siblings was 7.7 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively. The findings from the family study support the hypothesis of a polygenic mode of inheritance for CU. The prevalence of cleft palate and agenesis of upper lateral incisors in the families studied did not differ from that expected in the general population.

Adolescent↗

[Carcinoma of the soft palate and uvula. An analysis of the results and the reasons for failures. A study of 76 cases].

The treatment of carcinomas of the soft palate most often involves radiotherapy. In order to assess the value of irradiation, notably in the treatment of limited T1 or T2 tumours, a retrospective study was carried out of 76 case records suitable for analysis of patients treated in our hospital for this type of tumour between 1974 and 1987. There were 70 men and 6 women. The mean age was 54 years. Fifty-four patients had limited T1 or T2 tumours (including 40 without lymphadenopathy). Treatment methods varied but 48/76 were treated by radiotherapy only (transcutaneous irradiation and/or local interstitial implant). Local tumour control was obtained in 87% of patients with T1 tumours, in 77% with T2 and in 50% with T3 tumours. Lymph node control was obtained in 68% of patients. None of the patients initially classified NO showed any subsequent lymph node involvement. The actuarial five-year survival rate was 67% for T1, 38% for T2 and 22% for T3. Lymph node involvement was the only other prognostic factor. Fourteen patients developed distant metastases and 13% had at least one other tumour site. Radiotherapy as tumour treatment is thus felt to be the method most widely used apart from tumours strictly limited to the uvula, where surgery is preferred. Cervical lymph nodes are treated surgically when there is a palpable lymphadenopathy and by radiotherapy for N0 patients. Induction chemotherapy before radiotherapy is used in addition at stages T3 and T4.

Adult↗

[Squamous-cell carcinoma of the uvula and the soft palate. Analysis of a series of 71 cases seen at the Fondation Bergonié from 1971 to 1978 (author's transl)].

From January 1971 through december 1978, 71 patients with a squamous-cell carcinoma of the uvula and the soft palate have been seen at the Fondation Bergonié : 56 have been treated and followed. The primary tumor is often controlled by external radiation-therapy and/or interstitial therapy among the 12 failure observed, 5 were salvaged by a surgical procedure. The systematic irradiation of cervical lymph nodes areas allowed 94% of control, above the clavicles. However these good results in the loco-regional control are altered by a high rate of second primary and intercurrent death.

Adult↗

Effect of nonionizing radiation on the Purkinje cells of the uvula in squirrel monkey cerebellum.

Pregnant squirrel monkeys were exposed to 2450-MHz (CW) microwaves at an equivalent power density of 10 mW/cm2 (SAR 3.4 mW/g) for three hours daily in a cavity-cage module. The exposure began when pregnancy was determined by a hormonal method, and continued through of offspring's first 9.5 months. After irradiation, the brain of the offspring were fixed with formaldehyde, and the inferior vermis of each cerebella was removed and processed for histologic observations. Purkinje cell density in the uvula was determined in sagittal serial section. There was no significant difference between control and experimental animals in the number of Purkinje cells per mm of Purkinje cell line (linear density), as well as in the density of Purkinje cells in the Purkinje cell layer.

Animals↗

Zonal organization of the vestibulocerebellum in pigeons (Columba livia): III. Projections of the translation zones of the ventral uvula and nodulus.

Previous electrophysiological studies in pigeons have shown that the complex spike activity of Purkinje cells in the medial vestibulocerebellum (nodulus and ventral uvula) is modulated by patterns of optic flow that result from self-translation along a particular axis in three-dimensional space. There are four response types based on the axis of preferred translational optic flow. By using a three axis system, where +X, +Y, and +Z represent rightward, upward, and forward self-motion, respectively, the four cell types are t(+Y), t(-Y), t(-X-Z), and t(-X+Z), with the assumption of recording from the left side of the head. These response types are organized into parasagittal zones. In this study, we injected the anterograde tracer biotinylated dextran amine into physiologically identified zones. The t(-X-Z) zone projected dorsally within the vestibulocerebellar process (pcv) on the border with the medial cerebellar nucleus (CbM), and labeling was found in the CbM itself. The t(-X+Z) zone also projected to the pcv and CbM, but to areas ventral to the projection sites of the t(-X-Z) zone. The t(-Y) zone also projected to the pcv, but more ventrally on the border with the superior vestibular nucleus (VeS). Some labeling was also found in the dorsal VeS and the dorsolateral margin of the caudal descending vestibular nucleus, and a small amount of labeling was found laterally in the caudal margin of the medial vestibular nucleus. The data set was insufficient to draw conclusions about the projection of the t(+Y) zone. These results are contrasted with the projections of the flocculus, compared with the primary vestibular projection, and implications for collimotor function are discussed.

Action Potentials↗

Responses of Purkinje cells in rabbit nodulus and uvula to natural vestibular and visual stimuli.

1. The responses of Purkinje cells and presumed mossy fibers to natural stimulation of the horizontal semicircular canals were recorded in the nodulus and uvula of rabbit vestibulocerebellum. Units responding to vestibular stimulation were also studied with visual stimulation. 2. The responses of presumed mossy fibers were of the Type I and Type II varieties and were characterized by a low threshold for angular acceleration and high sensitivity. 3. Purkinje cell responses were divided into two groups: The first group showed only modulation of simple spike activity during rotation. According to the directionality of their responses to rotation, Purkinje cells of the first group could be further subdivided into Types I, II or III; Type II was the most frequently encountered. The second group showed modulation of both simple spike and climbing fiber activity. The simple spike response most frequently encountered was of Type II while the climbing fiber activity in the same Purkinje cells responded in the Type I mode. In another population of Purkinje cells of this group, simple spike activity was modulated by rotation in one direction only. All Purkinje cell responses had relatively high thresholds and low sensitivities. 4. Some Purkinje cells responding to rotation showed direction-selective modulation of climbing fiber discharge in response to slowly moving visual patterns.

Animals↗

Neuronal localization of pseudocholinesterase in the rat cerebellum: sagittal bands of Purkinje cells in the nodulus and uvula.

The histochemical distribution of pseudocholinesterase was studied in the rat cerebellum using Koelle's copper-thiocholine method. Throughout the cerebellum, pseudocholinesterase is uniformly localized in the endothelial cells of blood vessels and in the cell bodies and processes of the Bergmann glia. In addition, we demonstrate that exclusively in the ventral uvula and in the nodulus (lobules IXc and X of Larsell) pseudocholinesterase is localized in a small subpopulation of Purkinje cells. The cell bodies and dendrites of these labeled Purkinje cells form at least 4 distinct parallel bands extending along the sagittal plane of each of the lobules. Two broad bands on either side of the midline, approximately 800-900 microns wide and composed of 15-20 Purkinje cells have been designated as A bands. Two narrower bands, approximately 160-300 microns wide and composed of 5-7 Purkinje cells, on the lateral aspects of the lobules have been designated as B bands. The unique distribution of pseudocholinesterase in a small and anatomically restricted population of neurons suggests that in the cerebellum this enzyme may play a role in the metabolism of neuroactive substances.

Animals↗

Development of cholinesterase histochemical staining in cerebellar cortex: transient expression of "nonspecific" cholinesterase in Purkinje cells of the nodulus and uvula.

Patterns of "nonspecific" cholinesterase (ChE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were studied in developing rat cerebellar cortex by enzyme histochemistry and light and electron microscopy. Three types of ChE histochemical reaction product were observed in cerebellar cortex: (i) ChE is found in capillary endothelium throughout the cerebellum. Capillary ChE staining is present by the time of birth and continues into adulthood. (ii) ChE is found in radial glial fibers and their parent cell bodies, the Golgi epithelial cells. Radial glial fiber staining is mot intense during the first 3 weeks of postnatal life. (iii) ChE is found in Purkinje cells of the nodulus and ventral uvula. No ChE staining of Purkinje cells was seen in other parts of the cerebellum. ChE staining of Purkinje cells appears to be transient, first appearing at Postnatal Day 2 (P2), reaching peak intensity at P7-9, and decreasing to adult levels by P16. AChE activity displays a pattern markedly different from ChE, with staining in deep cerebellar nuclei, in putative mossy fiber terminals, and in Golgi neurons of cerebellar cortex. No evidence was found for transient AChE staining in Purkinje cells in any part of the cerebellum. The function of transiently expressed ChE activity in developing Purkinje neurons is unknown, but may be related to reorganization of cerebellar cortical circuitry associated with growth of mossy fiber afferents.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

A double label retrograde tracing study of the olivocerebellar projection to the pyramis and uvula in the rat.

Microinjections of fluorescent tracers (Nuclear Yellow and Fast Blue) were used to study the organization of olivary cells in nucleus beta which give rise to climbing fibers to the medial zone of the uvula and the intermediate zone of the pyramis. It was determined that most cells in nucleus beta project to one or the other of these cortical sites. A third, smaller, population of cells were double labeled and, therefore, have climbing fiber axon collaterals which innervate these two cortical regions. There was no discernable segregation of these three populations of cells within nucleus beta.

Amidines↗

Upper airway collapsibility, and contractile and metabolic characteristics of musculus uvulae.

Physiologic, metabolic, and histochemical characteristics of one upper airway (UA) dilator muscle (musculus uvulae; MU) differ between sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) and nonapneic snorers. We hypothesized that these differences in MU characteristics could result from the cumulative effects of the diurnal and nocturnal intermittent contractions of UA muscles in order to compensate for a permanent increase in UA collapsibility. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of UA collapsibility on MU characteristics. Seventeen SAHS and three nonapneic snorers, who underwent an uvulo-palato-pharyngoplasty as a treatment for snoring or SAHS, participated in the study. Awake and sleeping UA critical pressure (Pcrit) was measured during continuous positive or negative airway pressure trials by analysis of the relationship between maximal inspiratory flow and the upstream pressure of flow-limited breathing cycles. Maximum isometric twitch (Pt) and tetanic tension (Po), fatigability measurements, activities of marker enzymes for anaerobic and aerobic-oxidative profile, and fiber type proportions and areas of MU were determined. There was a significant positive relationship between Pt, Po, and Pcrit measured during wakefulness and sleep. The fatigability index was negatively correlated with awake Pcrit values (r = -0.79). Activity level of the anaerobic enzymes as well as the percentage of surface occupied by type I and type IIA muscle fibers as correlated witb awake Pcrit. We conclude that the differences in awake UA collapsibility help to determine the contractile properties and metabolic and histochemical characteristics of MU.

Airway Obstruction↗

Complex spike activity of Purkinje cells in the ventral uvula and nodulus of pigeons in response to translational optic flow.

The complex spike (CS) activity of Purkinje cells in the ventral uvula and nodulus of the vestibulocerebellum was recorded from anesthetized pigeons in response to translational optic flow. Translational optic flow was produced using a "translator" projector: a mechanical device that projected a translational optic flowfield onto the walls, ceiling, and floor of the room and encompassed the entire binocular visual field. CS activity was broadly tuned but maximally modulated in response to translational optic flow along a "best" axis. Each neuron was assigned a vector representing the direction in which the animal would need to translate to produce the optic flowfield that resulted in maximal excitation. The vector is described with reference to a standard right-handed coordinate system, where the vectors, +x, +y, and +z represent, rightward, upward, and forward translation of the animal, respectively. Neurons could be grouped into four response types based on the vector of maximal excitation. +y neurons were modulated maximally in response to a translational optic flowfield that results from self-motion upward along the vertical (y) axis. -y neurons also responded best to translational optic flow along the vertical axis but showed the opposite direction preference. The two remaining groups responded best to translational optic flow along horizontal axes: -x + z neurons and -x-z neurons. In summary, our results suggest that the olivocerebellar system dedicated to the analysis of translational optic flow is organized according to a reference frame consisting of three approximately orthogonal axes: the vertical axis, and two horizontal axes oriented 45 degrees to either side the midline. Previous research has shown that the rotational optic flow system, the eye muscles, the vestibular semicircular canals and the postural control system all share a similar spatial frame of reference.

Animals↗