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Biomedical subjects

D Henderson

Publications and source records attributed to D Henderson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Auditory nerve activity and cochlear morphology after noise exposure.

Four chinchillas were exposed for 5 days to an octave band of noise centered at 4 kHz and having an SPL of 86 dB. After a recovery period of approximately 6 months, behavioral audiograms were obtained and auditory nerve fiber activity was recorded. The animals were killed and the cochleas embedded in plastic to obtain a surface preparation and 1 mu radial sections of the organ of Corti. Behavioral threshold shifts ranged from 5 to 20 dB at frequencies between 4 and 11 kHz. Auditory nerve fiber thresholds were elevated up to 70 dB for units with characteristic frequencies between 4 and 14 kHz. Units with higher and lower characteristic frequencies had normal thresholds. Cochleagrams showed narrow lesions of inner and/or outer hair cells over approximately a 1 mm distance. A comparison of the three realms of data revealed the following: (1) The greatest threshold shifts from the noise exposure were seen in the single nerve fiber thresholds while the smallest shifts were seen in the behavioral thresholds, (2) the greatest behavioral and neural threshold shifts and greatest cochlear damage occurred 1 octave above the center frequency of the noise exposure, and (3) based on the frequency-place map of the chinchilla cochlea, the range of fibers with elevated thresholds exceeded the extent of the OHC lesion. A number of anatomical changes were seen that effectively increased the extent of the damage found in the chochleagram. These changes included: distortions in the surface topography of the organ of Corti affecting the orientation of IHC; missing pillar cells in the presence of normal OHC and/or IHC and protrusion of the IHC cuticular plate into the subtectorial space.

Animals

The use of proplast in oral and maxillo-facial surgery.

The use of Proplast in the restoration of contour defects and for reconstruction of alveolar ridges is described. An evaluation of the results of treatment suggests it is a useful material for the restoration of facial contour, but that there is a significant risk of infection when the intra-oral approach is adopted.

Alveoloplasty

Hearing loss from simulated work-week exposure to impulse noise.

Six monaural chinchillas were exposed to a repetitive, reverberant, impulse noise for a total of five days, 8 h per day. The average peak overpressure within the holding cage was 113 dB. The reverberation time (pressure fluctuation envelope within 20 dB of peak) was 160 ms. Auditory thresholds were measured at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 kHz before and after each day's exposure using either the average-evoked response technique or shock avoidance conditioning. After the last exposure, recovery was monitored for five successive days. Final thresholds were obtained starting at 30 days postexposure after which the animals were sacrificed for cochlear histology. The high frequencies (4, 8 kHz) showed a daily median shift of 40 dB and a 27 dB recovery before the following day's exposure. The low frequencies (0.25, 0.5 kHz) were shifted 35 dB after each day's exposure with a 15 dB recovery overnight. Final median audiograms showed little permanent threshold shift. The cochleagrams for two test animals were found to be normal while the remaining four displayed 10%--40% losses in hair cells at specific cochlear sites.

Animals

Distribution of the crossed olivocochlear bundle in the chinchilla's cochlea.

The efferent crossed olivocochlear bundle (COCB) was transected in the brain stem of the chinchilla, and the animals sacrificed 7 to 96 days later. Electron microscopy revealed that all the large efferent nerve endings on outer hair cells in the basalmost 2 mm (round window region) of the cochlea had degenerated, 87.5% in the remainder of the first turn, 70% in the second turn and 43% in the third turn. Only a few degenerating nerve fibers were seen in the medial spiral tract (inner spiral and tunnel bundles) of the experimental animals. Nerve fibers were counted in the medial spiral tracts of the cochleas of control animals as well as in those animals whose COCB had been transected. There were considerable individual variations in the fiber numbers, and statistical analysis showed no significant difference between the numbers of nerve fibers in normal and experimental animals. The cochlear microphonics (CM) and nerve action potentials (AP) of acute animals were assessed before and after COCB section. The CM and AP of the chronic experimental animals were compared with responses from normals. Overall, no changes in a physiological response of the anesthetized chinchilla could be attributed to complete section of the COCB.

Acetylcholinesterase

Discharge patterns in the cochlear nucleus of the chinchilla following noise induced asymptotic threshold shift.

Chinchillas were exposed to an 86 dB SPL octave band of noise centered at 4.0 kHz for 3.5--5 days. The noise elevated the hearing thresholds between 4.0 and 16.0 kHz to between 60 and 75 dB SPL. Measurements from single neurons in the cochlear nucleus revealed abnormalities in the response properties of neurons with characteristic frequencies (CF) above 2.0 kHz. Units above 2.0 kHz had elevated thresholds (between 50 and 90 dB SPL) and broad tuning curves due to a greater loss in sensitivity near CF than at lower frequencies. The tuning curve Q10dB values for high frequency neurons were generally less than 3.0 and approached the Q10dB values for basilar membrane displacement. Spontaneous activity rates in units above 2.0 kHz were also low. In a few units, the threshold for single tone inhibition was significantly lower than that for excitation; the best inhibitory frequencies were always below 2.0 kHz. Two-tone inhibition was present in both low and high threshold neurons, but its strength was not assessed. Cochleagrams obtained 12 hours postexposure revealed discrete hair cell lesions in the basal third of the cochlea. The locations of the lesions were consistent with the frequencies of maximum hearing loss. The behavioral thresholds and the thresholds at CF of the most sensitive units were within 10--15 dB of each other. The results indicate that intense sounds reduce the sensitivity, frequency selectivity and spontaneous activity of units in the cochlear nucleus. The findings are similar to those obtained in auditory nerve fibers with ototoxic drugs and hypoxia.

Acoustic Stimulation

Three-dimensional electron microscopical visualization of the cytoskeleton of animal cells: immunoferritin identification of actin- and tubulin-containing structures.

Cytoskeletons prepared by Triton X-100 treatment of tissue culture cells appear in stereo electron microscopy as a highly organized and interconnected three-dimensional matrix of different fibrous elements. Microfilament bundles and also tonofilament-like bundles are readily discerned when present in the cell type. In addition thinner fibers, some of which branch (smallest diameter 30--40 A), as well as fibers of larger diameter, some of which correspond to microtubules, can be seen. Since such cytoskeletons are an open, membrane-free system, individual fibrous organizations can be identified by specific antibodies. An indirect immunoferritin procedure using antibodies to tubulin or actin visualizes microtubules or actin-containing structures. Stereo electron microscopy of cytoskeletons decorated with actin antibody reveals, in addition to the F-actin-containing microfilament bundles, an extended fine actin lattice. This actin net is displayed throughout the cytoplasm not only between the microfilament bundles but also in those regions of the cytoskeleton that in the intact cell correspond to the submembraneous regions. Thus all actin-containing fibrous cytoplasmic structures may be interconnected in the living cell.

Actins

Asymptotic threshold shift in chinchillas exposed to impulse noise.

Five monaural chinchillas were exposed to a repetitive, reverberant, impulse noise for ten days. The impulse-noise source was a mechanized hammer hitting a steel plate at a rate of 1/s. The average, peak over pressure within the holding cage was 113 dB SPL. Auditory thresholds were determined before and after exposure at 0.5, 1, 1.4 2, 2.8, 4, 8, and 16 kHz utilizing shock-avoidance conditioning. During exposure thresholds were monitored on a daily basis at 0.5 and 8 kHz. Within one hour from the start of the exposure, threshold shift at 8 kHz had reached an asymptotic level, while threshold shift at 0.5 kHz leveled off after 24 h of exposure. Asymptotic threshold shift (ATS) levels of both frequencies varied between 30 and 50 dB across animals. Median threshold shift for both frequencies recovered to within 10 dB of normal after 40 days of recovery. Maximum permanent threshold shift (PTS) was at 2 and 2.8 KHZ with median PTS of 17 and 13 dB, respectively. After final thresholds were obtained (50-70 days), the cochleas were examined histologically using the surface preparation technique. A comparison is made between impulse-noise-induced ATS and ATS produced by continuous-noise sources.

Acoustic Stimulation