Possible role of the duodenum in the entero-PP axis

The plasma pancreatic polypeptide response to a meal was compared in 6 healthy controls and 30 patients with gastric cancer who had undergone either subtotal gastrectomy or total gastrectomy with radical lymph node dissection including sympathectomy. Twelve patients were reconstructed with Billroth I, 9 patients with Billroth II, 6 patients with a double tract, and 3 patients with Roux-en-Y. Ten patients with a gastric ulcer who had undergone Billroth I gastrectomy including pyloric ring preservation also were examined. Impaired pancreatic polypeptide secretion was noted only in Billroth II and Roux-en-Y patients, where the duodenum is not affected by the passage of meals. Billroth I and double tract patients, in contrast, and an enhanced pancreatic polypeptide secretion. However, in BI patients with pyloric ring preservation the PP response to a meal was almost normal. These findings suggest an important role of the duodenum in the entero-PP axis in man.

Epidemiological study of vibration syndrome in response to total hand-tool operating time

The correlation between the severity of vibration syndrome and hand-tool operating time in chain saw workers has been studied. The total chain saw operating time was calculated by using the equation: chain saw operating hours/day X days/year X years, and 266 chain saw operators were classified into four groups (0-2000 h, 2000-5000 h, 5000-8000 h, over 8000 h). Forty-six forestry workers not using chain saws were used as controls. The prevalence rates of symptoms were checked and statistically compared in each group. In the group with under 2000 hours' experience, symptoms were generally confined to tingling, numbness, or pain; with 2000-5000 hours peripheral nerve and circulatory disturbances, including Raynaud's phenomenon, and muscle and general body conditions were influenced to some degree; with 5000-8000 hours' functional changes were noted; while with over 8000 hours about half the operators suffered severely from functional or organic changes due to vibration.

Two cases of cystic lymphangioma in the neck region in adults

Two cases of cystic lymphangioma which developed in the neck region of adults are reported. The first case was a 46 year old housewife who noticed a swelling on her right neck region. The tumor was a unilocular cystic benign tumor covered with thin capsule and removed from the surrounding tissue. The second case was a 19-year old male who noticed sudden swelling on his left side of the neck following a traffic accident. The swelling was a multilocular benign cyst which contained yellowish serous liquid, as in case 1. The cyst was removed successfully. The two cases had a favourable post-operative course and there have been no signs of recurrence. Histologically the cysts contained one layer of endothelial cells and an accumulation of lymphocytes.

The role of endogenous gastric inhibitory polypeptide in the enteroinsular axis

In order to elucidate the relationship between the release of gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and insulin, we compared plasma GIP and insulin concentration responses to meal ingestion in normal subjects and patients with various surgical modifications of the food pathway. Nine patients with Billroth I partial gastrectomy (BI), 7 patients with Billroth II partial gastrectomy (BII), and 6 patients with total gastrectomy (TG) were tested. In BI patients the increase in blood glucose was similar to that in normal subjects, but the response was significantly greater in BII and TG patients. In TG patients blood glucose rose significantly higher in response to a standard meal than in all other groups. In BI patients the mean peak GIP level after meal ingestion was significantly higher than in normal subjects. In BII and TG patients an extremely exaggerated GIP response after the meal was observed. The insulin response to feeding was increased only in the BII and TG patients. Since the insulin response was enhanced only when both the glucose and GIP responses were magnified, we conclude that endogenous GIP is a glucose-dependent insulinotropic factor. In addition, from the fact that meal-stimulated GIP release is most marked in patients with total gastrectomy, we conclude that the direct contact of food with the GIP-producing cells is a strong mechanical or chemical stimulus for GIP release.

Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of fosmidomycin, a new phosphonic acid, in rats and dogs

The absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of 3-(N-formylhydroxylamino) propylphosphonic acid monosodium salt (fosmidomycin), a new antibiotic, were investigated in rats and dogs after i.v. and oral dosing. After i.v. administration of 10 mg/kg of body weight, [14C]-fosmidomycin was excreted mainly in the urine (about 90% of dose within 72 h); and only a little was excreted in the expired air (14CO2) and bile of rats (less than 1% of dose), which suggested the absence of enterohepatic circulation. After oral administration of 10 mg/kg of body weight to rats, 34% and 61% of dose were excreted in the urine and faeces, respectively, suggesting about 30% gastro-intestinal absorption. No metabolites were found by autoradiography of the urine after thin layer chromatography. Radioactivity levels in the serum essentially agreed with the unchanged fosmidomycin levels determined by reverse isotope dilution method. [14C]-fosmidomycin was rapidly distributed in the tissues of rats, and was maintained in high concentration in the liver, kidneys, and bone. The serum level data after i.v. administration closely fitted a 3-compartment open model with first order kinetics after nonlinear least squares regression by NONLIN. The half-lives of the serum level curves for the early, midway, and terminal phases were: 0.13, 0.51, and 17.3 h, respectively in rats; and 0.44, 0.75, and 2.0 h, respectively in dogs.

Specific affinity of glycerol dehydrogenase from Geotrichum candidium for 10-carboxydecyl-sepharose: its application to chromatography for purification of the enzyme

Glycerol dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.6] (pI 5.9) from Geotrichum candidium is effectively adsorbed in the presence of 20 mM acute buffer (pH 6.0) on either octyl-Sepharose or 10-carboxydecyl-Sepharose, among ten different kinds of n-alkyl-Sepharose derivatives tested, some of which have an amino or a carboxyl group as a terminal residue. The enzyme adsorbed on 10-carboxydecyl-Sepharose is 95% eluted with 0.26 M NaCl. n-Propanol (10% and 15%, but not 5%), and various nucleotides such as NAD+, NADH, NADP+, NADPH, AMP, ADP, and ATP (1 mM) are also effective for elution. The elution with nucleotides is facilitated by 5% n-propanol. On the other hand, the enzyme adsorbed on octyl-Sepharose is not eluted under the conditions described above. These results suggest that the adsorption-elution of the enzyme on 10-carboxydecyl-Sepharose is due to a combination of hydrophobic interaction and electrostatic repulsion between a specific locus of the enzyme surface and the 10-carboxydecyl residue. Experimental conditions are described under which the enzyme can be purified 266-fold with a yield of 79% by a single chromatography of the cell extract on a 10-carboxydecyl-Sepharose column.

[Amoxicillin preparation with prolonged activity (author's transl)]

This study was performed to develop a prolonged acting preparation on the bases of our in vitro study of AMPC that the bacterial effects of AMPC were not proportional to the concentration of and above MIC but to the exposing time. A desirable serum level was obtained in the AMPC preparation containing 30% of non-coated granules and 70% of enteric-coated granules dissolvable on and above pH 6. The duration time of the serum concentration on and above 2.5 micrograms/ml in the administration of this preparation (500 mg (Potency)) was 5.3 hours and it was 2.4 times that of the conventional capsule (250 mg (Potency)). The prolonged activity of this preparation was also observed in the urinary concentration. These results suggest that this prolonged action granules of AMPC could reduce the administration frequency and also might be more useful in increasing therapeutic effects than conventional capsule.

[Studies on in vitro antibacterial effects of amoxicillin against Proteus mirabilis IID-994 and Escherichia coli NIHJ JC-2 (author's transl)]

Amoxicillin (AMPC), a synthetic penicillin for oral use, was studied in the aspect of in vitro antibacterial efficiencies brought about by different schedules of AMPC-treatment. Using Proteus mirabilis IID-994 and Escherichia coli NIHJ JC-2 as test strains. The results were obtained as follows. 1. The antibacterial effects of AMPC against P. mirabilis IID-994 and E. coli NIHJ JC-2 were shown to be bactericidal rather than bacteriostatic and the numbers of viable cells were decreased in proportion to the length of exposing time to AMPC. 2. The decrease of viable cells was independent on the drug at which level concentration we tested, namely, it was not much changed by the level of AMPC at least among 1 to 4 times of minimal inhibitory concentration. 3. The length of time retaining growth-inhibitory ability was longer in the case of treating continuously for 4 hours than that of contacting twice for 2 hours at intervals of 6 hours, although the levels of viable cells after 12 hours incubation were almost same in both cases. 4. The level of bactericidal effect and the length of growth-inhibitory time were proportional to the length of exposing time to AMPC.

Availability of plasma pancreatic polypeptide measurement in diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis

Plasma pancreatic polypeptide (PP), a newly recognized pancreatic hormone, was studied in healthy subjects and patients with chronic pancreatitis. After an oral load of 50 g of meat extract, the plasma concentration of PP showed a rapid fourfold rise at 20 min in healthy controls. In contrast, the plasma PP level rose only 1.8-fold in patients with chronic pancreatitis. This difference was statistically significant (P less than 0.05). The increase rate of the PP level during the test in each subject correlated significantly (P less than 0.01) with total amylase output and maximal amylase concentration measured by the pancreozymin-secretin test. Thus, it is suggested that the measurement of the plasma PP level may be a useful tool to diagnose chronic pancreatitis.

Percutaneous transhepatic drainage: experience in 100 cases

A two-step procedure for percutaneous transhepatic drainage (PTD) of the biliary tract was attempted on 101 patients with obstructive jaundice, 29 with benign and 71 with malignant lesions, and was successful in 100. With this procedure, marked clinical improvement, with reduction in levels of serum bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT and alkaline phosphatase, was achieved after 1-2 weeks as a preoperative step or for continuous drainage in inoperable cases. In one patient 8 dys after PTD, however, a complicating large intrahepatic hematoma proved fatal. Emergency operation was necessary in three of the four patients who developed bile peritonitis due to dislocation of the catheter and in one with intra-abdominal bleeding. Our results suggest that this procedure is very useful in the diagnosis and management of certain obstructive diseases of the biliary tract.

[A study on the peripheral circulatory function and on the cold pressor response in chain saw operators (author's transl)]

Among the vibration hazards resulting from the use of vibrating tools, Raynaud's phenomenon, the peripheral nervous disturbances and the bone-joint abnormalities have been well known. Especially, Raynaud's phenomenon, which is explained as a spasm of the peripheral vascular vessels caused by disorders of the peripheral nerves or abnormalities of the arteriolae, represents the peripheral circulatory disturbance. In the worker with such a disorder of the peripheral circulatory function, it is likely that the mechanism of the cold pressor response would have been changed. The authors examined the relationship between the peripheral circulatory function and the cold pressor response in 51 chain saw operators. The following examinations were carried out: skin temperature, nail-press test and cold pressor test by 10-minute-immersion in 10 degrees C water. There was statistically an inverse correlation (r=-0.316, P < 0.025) between the increase in systolic blood pressure at the second minute during immersion and the mean skin temperature of the finger-tip during the latter half of 10-minute-immersion. It would be surmised from this result that the worker with lower peripheral circulatory function tends to increase the excitability in the sympathetic nervous system.

Quantitation of proinsulin mRNA sequences in hamster insulinoma cells in culture by molecular hybridization

The content of proinsulin mRNA sequences was measured in a cultured cell line established from a transplantable hamster islet cell tumor, by hybridization with proinsulin cDNA. The cells cultured in vitro were found to contain a significant amount of proinsulin mRNA sequences, compared with non-insulin-producing hamster tissues, and seem to be a useful system for the study of insulin gene expression.

Pharmacokinetics of ceftizoxime in animals after parenteral dosing

The pharmacokinetic profile of ceftizoxime was studied in mice, rats, dogs, and monkeys given the drug in a single parenteral dose. The serum data after an intravenous injection were analyzed by the two-compartment open model. Cefotiam, cefmetazole, cefotaxime, and cefamandole were used as reference drugs. High concentrations of ceftizoxime were attained in the sera of all test animals and in the tissues of rats after parenteral dosing. The serum concentrations of ceftizoxime were higher than those of the other antibiotics in large animals (dogs and monkeys), but were lower in small animals (mice and rats). About 80% of ceftizoxime was excreted unchanged in the 24-h urine of all species tested. The biliary excretion of ceftizoxime was low: 3.7% in rats and 0.59% in dogs. However, therapeutically significant concentrations of ceftizoxime were found in the bile of dogs. Ceftizoxime was stable in biological fluids such as serum, urine, and tissue homogenates, but cefotaxime was unstable in rat tissue homogenates. Binding of ceftizoxime to serum protein in all species was the lowest of all the antibiotics: 31% for humans, 17% for dogs, and 32% for rats.

Translational control of proinsulin synthesis by glucose

Glucose is known to stimulate proinsulin synthesis in pancreatic islets of rats as well as of many other animals, but the mechanism involved remains uncertain. If proinsulin induction by glucose is regulated at the transcriptional level, the amount of proinsulin mRNA may be increased by the administration of glucose. Alternatively, if proinsulin induction is regulated at the translational level, the rate of proinsulin synthesis may not be correlated with the amount of proinsulin mRNA. We have now used a proinsulin cDNA hybridisation method to determine the amount of proinsulin mRNA and the subcellular distribuation of proinsulin mRNA in rat pancreatic islets. The results suggest that glucose-induced proinsulin synthesis is mainly achieved by enhancing the trnaslation efficiency of proinsulin mRNA preexistent on the membrane-bound polysome in pancreatic islets.