[Alteration of biogenic amines, serotonin, histamine and polyamines, in cases of diarrhea induced by various cathartics (author's transl)]

Effects of various cathartics on charcoal transport, permeability of blood vessels and biogenic amines (serotonin (5-HT), histamine (His), polyamines) in the small intestine of mice were investigated. Diarrhea was induced in mice by oral administration of magnesium sulfate, mannitol, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DSS), castor oil and pilocarpine. In diarrhea following ingestion of magnesium sulfate and mannitol, vascular permeability in the intestinal membrane accompanied release of His from the small intestine, but such was not so when diarrhea was induced by DSS and castor oil. In diarrhea induced by various cathartics, 5-HT and His were apparently not related to intestinal motility. Thus, alteration in polyamine metabolism in the small intestine may exert an influence on transport of substances in cases of diarrhea in mice.

Endoscopic analysis on the growth of early gastric carcinoma

Earliest endoscopic appearance and its subsequent changes were studied in 41 cases of early gastric carcinoma where gastrocamera photographs were available for detailed analysis over the period from three months up to 10 years. The earliest appearance of polypoid carcinoma was a small area of nodularity, and that of carcinoma with mucosal depression was patchy reddening. Both types of carcinoma were thought to occur initially as a lesion without mucosal elevation or depression (IIb). In carcinoma with shallow mucosal depression (IIc and IIc-+III), there were cases believed to have remained intramucosal for an extremely long period of several years, whereas, in polypoid carcinoma (IIa and I), the growth seemed to be more rapid. In the cases with ulcer within the carcinomatous lesion, healing of the ulcer was confirmed in 37%, and "malignant cycles" were observed in 21%. Malignant transformation of gastric ulcer was suggested in one case with linear ulcer.

Human fetal organ alkaline phosphatases

The properties of human fetal alkaline phosphatase (ALP) have been compared with those of purified human adult hepatic and intestinal ALPs. The ALPs from different human fetal organs were divided into two groups. One terminated universal type was presented in fetal liver, spleen, adrenal, kidney, lung, heart, pancreas, thymus and bone, and was similar to adult hepatic-type ALP. The other terminated intestinal type was presented in fetal intestine and meconium and was similar to adult intestinal ALP. The activity of human fetal intestinal ALP increased markedly with the advance of intra-uterine life during fetal development, and that of human fetal thymus ALP increased slightly.

Outcome of gastric carcinoma detected by gastric mass survey in Japan

The outcome was studied of gastric carcinoma found in six selected mass survey groups. One-hundred-and-thirty-seven cases of gastric carcinoma were detected and followed-up postoperatively for 16 years at the longest. They consisted of 55 cases of early and 74 of advanced carcinoma with eight cases of unknown depth of involvement. Early carcinoma amounted to 42-6% of the cases with known depth of involvement. The relative five-year and 10-year survival rates calculated by the method of Ederer et al. (1961) in the 137 cases were 0-628 and 0-642, respectively, and those for early carcinoma were 0-959 and 1-016. These survival rates are remarkably high. The five-year survival rate in those who were followed-up after operation for more than five years (83 cases) was 0-554, which is much higher than that of the outpatient cases, who presented themselves for medical advice with some symptoms. The good prognosis is largely explained by a high incidence of early gastric carcinoma in the cases detected in the mass survey. Where methods of screening were concerned, the use of the gastrocamera markedly improved the detection rate of gastric carcinoma.

Alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme in intestinal metaplasia of the stomach

To investigate the relationship of intestinal metaplasia of the stomach and gastric carcinoma, isoenzymatic analysis of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of the intestinal metaplasia was studied. Purified human intestinal ALP, and anti-human intestinal ALP antibody were used, and mucosa ALP of the other segments of human gastro-intestinal tract was studied simultaneously. Radioimmunoassay technique, and immunofluorescent staining using anti-human intestinal ALP antibody, were applied to the stomach resected for gastric carcinoma or peptic ulcer, ALP extracted from the mucosa of intestinal metaplasia, and from the mucosa of the other segments of human gastro-intestinal tract, was identical with intestinal ALP in its enzymological and immunological properties.

Alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes in intestinal metaplasia and carcinoma of the stomach

The enzymological and immunological properties of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) isoenzymes in intestinal metaplasia and gastric carcinoma tissues were compared with those of purified human intestinal, placental, and hepatic ALP's to speculate the gene expression of gastric cancer cells. The results were as follows: Intestinal metaplasia was found in 21 of 23 cases (91%) of gastric cancer, whereas normal gastric mucosa had no ALP activity. ALP extracted from the mucosa of intestinal metaplasia was identical with intestinal ALP as to enzymological and immunological properties. ALP obtained from gastric carcinoma tissues of 23 patients was separated into 3 bands (ALPa, ALPb, and ALPc) by polyacrylamide-gel disc electrophoresis. Ten cases showed ALPa only, 4 cases showed ALPa and ALPb, 5 cases showed ALPa and ALPc, and the other 4 cases showed ALPa, ALPb, ALPc, respectively. It was concluded that ALPa was similar in its enzymological and immunological properties to hepatic-type ALP, ALPb was similar to placental-type ALP, and ALPc was similar to intestinal-type ALP, ALPb probably originates from the cancer cell itself. As for the other enzymes, ALPa and ALPc, further investigation should be made to determine whether they come from the cancer cell itself or not.

Evaluation of an optical system in the fibercolonoscope: trial manufacture of an instrument with 30 degrees deviation optical system

To evaluate the best optical system for colonoscopy a colonofibrescope was manufactured in which the optical system had a 30 degrees prograde deviation. In this test model, frontal view was easily obtained and close-up observations were possible. At areas with prominent semilunar folds, the zone behind them also came into full view. The bowel lumen could be visualized by angulation, the same as with conventional instruments. The passage trough the sigmoid-descending junction was easy, and visualization or the colon up to the distal transverse colon was accomplished within a short time in the majority of cases without fluoroscopic control.