Nonoperative treatment of Hirschsprung's disease: a new approach

The approach of the combined traditional Chinese and modern medicinal treatment of Hirschsprung's disease has been applied in 90 cases. Long-term follow-up showed satisfactory results. Of these, 55 cases with a typical history, plus a positive ACHE and x-ray were selected for analysis and discussion, making an over all rate of 78.18%. This treatment is particularly useful for those babies under 1 year of age with a short narrow segment of the rectum. In addition, it would be a good trial procedure for those babies over 1 year old with mild symptoms and the narrow segment just beyond the sigmoidorectal junction.

Systemic penicillin as an experimental model of epilepsy

Systemic use of high-dose penicillin was studied in rats and cats to establish an experimental model of epilepsy. In rats, intraperitoneal injection of 2.5 to 5.0 million units/kg (MU/kg) penicillin was effective to induce spikes in 45.7 +/- 31.0 min (means +/- SD) and seizure in 71.5 +/- 38.4 min. In cats, intravenous administration of penicillin at 0.5 to 1.0 MU/kg induced spikes in 10.4 +/- 7.8 min and seizure in 32.2 +/- 19.8 min. Intraperitoneal use of penicillin at 1.0 to 2.0 MU/kg caused spikes in 24.0 +/- 18.4 min and seizure in 71.2 +/- 38.3 min. Pretreatment with intravenous isoniazid at 16.3 +/- 10.3 mg/kg significantly delayed the appearance of intravenous penicillin-induced spikes to 63.1 +/- 49.8 min or prevented the appearance of spikes and abolished the occurrence of seizures. Acupuncture at various points increased the penicillin-induced spikes and seizures.

The flushing response to alcohol use among Koreans and Taiwanese

Alcohol use, the existence of a flushing response to alcohol and the amount of alcohol required to evoke flushing were studied by questionnaire in 87 homeland Korean and 101 Taiwan Chinese families. SFs (slow flushers--flush after two or more drinks) and FFs (fast flushers--flush after one drink or less) were compared. Despite the similarity in the proportions of subjects who reported flushing, Koreans reported very heavy and Taiwanese very light alcohol use. The two groups differed substantially in the proportions of SFs and FFs. Five ethnic groups in Hawaii were compared with the Koreans and Taiwanese. It appears that fast flushing, but not slow flushing, leads to substantial decreases in alcohol use among all seven groups. The association of flushing type with the extent and duration of flushing and with the frequency of other alcohol-related symptoms may be dose-dependent. For both Koreans and Taiwanese, family resemblances in flushing are substantial but not supportive of the belief that flushing is dominant and results from the influence of a single autosomal gene pair. Of the large groups of subjects from whom data were obtained (Caucasians, Chinese, Filipinos, Hawaiians or part Hawaiians, and Japanese in Hawaii; homeland Koreans; and Taiwan Chinese), the Koreans and Taiwanese differ the most from one another in alcohol consumption. In summary, there is substantial diversity among groups frequently lumped together as "Mongoloid."

Acupuncture on experimental epilepsies

The therapeutic effect of acupuncture on epilepsies was evaluated in 4 experimental models. 24 acupuncture points were tried. In electroconvulsive threshold model, square wave electrical stimulus of 0.2 msec and 6 Hz was applied through a pair of cotton electrodes at the cornea of mice for 3 sec. The stimulus intensity to induce stun reaction of the mouse was compared. In 86 control animals, the stimulus threshold was 0.70 +/- 0.22 mA. In the acupuncture treated group (N = 80), the threshold was 0.75 +/- 0.14 mA. In maximal electroshock model, the stimulus parameters were 60 Hz, 0.4 sec and 75 mA. The tonic extensor response of the hindlimbs of the mice was observed. 75.7% of the 115 control mice and 77.5% of the 80 acupuncture treated mice were observed to have tonic extensor response. In the focal cortical penicillin model, penicillin was applied at the subpial space over the exposed cortex of 24 cats. After the appearance of repeated spikes in ECoG, acupuncture was performed. In 175 trials the interictal spikes were decreased in 16 times, increased in 82 times. In 99 trials during seizures, the ictal activity was decreased in 4 times, increased in 79 times. In the intravenous penicillin model, high dose penicillin (1,000,000-1,500,000 U/kg) was given to 20 cats. It induced repetitive spikes and frequently even seizure discharges in EEG. Acupuncture was then tried. In 192 instances, acupuncture reduced the spikes in 13, increased the spikes in 103 times. In 74 trials during seizures, the ictal activity was suppressed in 4 times and aggravated in 66 times.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The primate locus coeruleus and effects of clonidine on opiate withdrawal

Studies of nonhuman primates suggested that the noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) may be involved as part of the neural substrate for a brain alarm function which includes attentiveness, arousal, anxiety, fear, terror, and the physiological correlates of these states. The studies compared the effects of electrical activation of tiny electrodes in the locus coeruleus with the effects of other agents and conditions which increased or decreased LC activity. The results suggested that the activation of the LC system is prevented by endogenous morphine-like substances and by opiates and that the opiate withdrawal syndrome is due to activation of this LC-noradrenergic system. Clonidine, which in low doses suppressed noradrenergic and LC activity, was therefore postulated to suppress opiate withdrawal signs and symptoms. The confirmation of this hypothesis in rats, monkeys and human subjects has added to the understanding of the mechanisms of opiate action and withdrawal.

D-Amphetamine at low doses suppresses noradrenergic functions

This study examined the effects of d-amphetamine on the firing rate of hippocampal cells which had been shown to have an inhibitory, noradrenergic input from the nucleus locus coeruleus (LC). d-Amphetamine at low doses of 0.1 mg/kg i.v. or 0.5 mg/kg i.p. increased the firing rates of these cells. With higher doses of d-amphetamine, both increases and decreases in the firing rates of hippocampal cells were observed. These differential effects on the firing rate of hippocampal cells were statistically significant (x2 = 13.32, d.f. = 3, P less than 0.01). The increased firing rate of hippocampal cells produced by the low doses of d-amphetamine was blocked by a prior destruction of the LC indicating that the drug effect was mediated by LC neurons. d-Amphetamine also significantly attenuated the decrement in the firing rates of hippocampal cells produced by LC stimulation (P less than 0.01). These results suggest that low doses of d-amphetamine suppress rather than enhance the actions os norepinephrine.

The time course of noradrenergic pre- and postsynaptic activity during chronic desipramine treatment

The firing of hippocampal cells was studied in rats treated with desipramine 10 mg/kg per day i.p. for various periods of time. These cells were neurophysiologically identified to be noradrenergic postsynaptic by their decreased firing during stimulation of the locus coeruleus (LC). While desipramine given for 1 day produced no change, the drug given for 7, 14, and 21 days produced a 20%, 38% and 89% increase, respectively; only the last increase reached a statistical significance. This time course closely resembles that of the therapeutic action of the drug in depressed patients. Desipramine also altered the firing of norepinephrine-containing cells in the LC. While desipramine given for 1 day produced no change, the drug given for 7, 14 and 21 days produced a 12%, 29% and 34% decrease, respectively; only the last two decrements reached a statistical significance. This time course resembles that of the change in firing of hippocampal cells. Based on this and other data it is suggested that the decrease in the firing of LC cells plays a major role in the increased firing of hippocampal cells obtained after desipramine treatment.

Reported lactose tolerance of members of various racial/ethnic groups in Hawaii and Asia

Subjects from various racial/ethnic groups in Hawaii and homeland Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans reported on their milk drinking in childhood and adulthood, as well as on whether or not milk drinking produced symptoms of intolerance. Intolerance was comparatively infrequent in all groups, although significant differences existed between groups in the frequency with which they manifested symptoms and in discomfort scores. Differences between Hawaiian subjects of Asian ancestry and homeland Asians in the frequency of reported symptoms, in mean discomfort scores, and in amount of milk needed to produce symptoms, as well as the high proportion of symptomatology among Hapa-Haoles (persons of Caucasian and Oriental ancestry) and other data reported herein, are not supportive of the usual genetic explanation of lactose tolerance and are supportive of the belief that dietary practice influences tolerance.

Stimulation of the dorsal noradrenergic dundle and field potentials in the locus coeruleus

Field potentials were recorded from the locus coeruleus following electrical stimulation of the rat midbrain. Activation of a discrete area situated ventrolateral to the central gray evoked long-latency potentials in the locus coeruleus while stimulation of other midbrain sites did not. Damage to this discrete area resulted in a depletion of norepinephrine in the cerebral cortex suggesting that it is a segment of the dorsal noradrenergic bundle arising from the locus coeruleus.

Unit activities in the hypothalamus and midbrain during stimulation of hypothalamic attack sites

Unit activity in the hypothalamus and midbrain of unanesthetized cats was studied during electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus at sites that induced attack and at other comparable sites from which attack was not induced. The changes in the firing of units at distances from 0.7 to 1.9 mm from the site of stimulation were similar to those of units at distances from 2.0 to 5.2 mm. Although stimulation in general affected a majority of units, resulting in increases rather than in decreases of firing rates, and produced similar patterns of unit activity, stimulation at sites that induced attack affected more units, produced a greater change in unit activity and markedly increased firing rates in the lateral hypothalamus and the dorsal part of the midbrain.