Conditioned medium promotes neurite growth from both central and peripheral neurons

Explants or dissociated neurons of spinal cord and other parts from chick embryos and rat fetuses were cultured for 1-4 days. Extensive outgrowth of neurites from the spinal cord was observed in the medium which had been conditioned by skeletal and heart muscle cells. In the fresh medium, the neurites were short and accompanied by the migrating non-neuronal cells. The conditioned medium promoted also the neurite outgrowth from retina, optic tectum, ciliary ganglion, superior cervical ganglion and dorsal root ganglion.

Primary reconstruction of defects in the upper and lower lips following tumor excision

Three cases of basal cell carcinoma and epithelioma in the upper and lower lips are reported. The defects in the upper lip following tumor excision were repaired with an application of Burow's technique. Martin's method, after modification of Bernard cheiloplasty, was used for the repair of the lower lip defect. The methods proved to be quite effective in providing excellent aesthetic results. No disturbance was noted in the activity of the repaired upper lips. The labial function, however, associated with the orbicularis oris was left impaired in the newly formed lower lip.

[Phonocardiographical studies in hypertensive subjects (author's transl)]

Phonocardiographical (PCG) studies were made to evaluate the relation of the PCG to blood pressure, ECG, chest X-ray finding and changes of fundi in hypertensive subjects. One hundred and thirty hypertensive patients and sixty normal adults were examined. Results were as follows: 1) There were abnormal second heart sounds such as, narrow splitting or ringing in most cases of hypertensive subjects with high both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. These phenomena seemed to be delay and accentuation of aortic component. 2) Ejection murmur was found in majority of constantly hypertensive cases. 3) The third and fourth sounds had no definite correlation to blood pressure. However, accentuation of the fourth sound was found only in subjects with severe myocardial changes in ECG. 4). Q-I time in hypertensive group was found to be prolonged as compared to normal. 5) In normal subjects, I-IIA interval was related closely to square root R--R. It was not clear in hypertensive group, and the most cases of this group showed that I-IIA interval was prolonged as compared to square root R--R. Prolonged I-IIA interval was seen in the group with only high voltage and no myocardial abnormality in ECG. In conclusion, characteristic phonocardiographical findings in hypertensive subjects were the prolonged mechanical contraction time involving isovolumic one and this time became shorter when myocardial damage was increased in its severity.

Evidence for cholinergic synapses between dissociated rat sympathetic neurons in cell culture

Sympathetic principal neurons were dissociated from superior cervical ganglia of new-born rats, and grown in cell culture. In electrophysiological experiments two types of excitatory synapses were found. One, which was relatively rare, was shown to operate by electrical transmission. The other, the predominant type, had several characteristics of chemical transmission, and pharmacological evidence indicated it was cholinergic.