Effects of truncal vagotomy on tissue gastrin content and G cell density in rats

Tissue and serum immunoreactive gastrin (IRG) concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay, and antral G cell density was studied by immunofluorescence in seven non-operative and ten vagotomized (one month postoperatively) rats. In the non-operative rats, tissue IRG concentration was overwhelmingly high in the antrum, especially in the distal antrum, and much less in the small intestine, in which it tended to be lower toward the distal part. There were no significant differences between the vagotomized and non-operative rats in antral G cell density, antral tissue IRG concentration, total IRG content of the anterior antrum and serum IRG level, although significantly increased wet weight of the specimen, which was considered a result of the operation, was observed in vagotomized rats. The presence of G cell hyperplasia after vagotomy cannot be confirmed from our one-month postoperative observations in rats.

[Intravenous chronic toxicity of lentinan in rats: 6-month treatment and 3-month recovery (author's transl)]

Chronic toxicity of lentinan was studied in male and female JCL : SD rats. Lentinan was given intravenously into tail vein. Dosage levels employed were 0 (5% mannitol), 0.01, 0.1, 1 (with or without dextran), and 10 mg/kg/day for 6 months in a volume of 1 ml/100 g body weight. After 6 months, the treatment was discontinued and a recovery study was performed for 3 months. Rats receiving 10 mg/kg had redness and necrosis of the tail, the treatment was stopped at week 5, and the rats were sacrificed. Rats receiving 1 mg/kg showed redness of the ear, tail, and scrotum, which was remarkable in the 2nd and 3rd months. Body weight gains were not adversely affected. Laboratory examinations revealed an increase in leukocyte count, decreases in differential eosinophil count and platelet count, and an increase in serum beta-globulin level in drug-treated rats. At autopsy after 6 months, rats from the drug-treated groups had pulmonary hemorrhage and enlargements of the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. Histologic changes attributable to treatment included (1) activation of reticulo-endothelial system such as small epithelioid cell nodule in the liver, spleen, and mesenteric lymph nodes, and mobilization of Kupffer cells; (2) arteritis in various organs, especially notable in the spleen, testis, and epididymis ; (3) hemorrhage in the lung; and (4) hypospermatogenesis. All these changes described above had a propensity to recover. The maximum no effect level was estimated to be less than 0.01 mg/kg in the present study in male and female rats.

A histopathological study on pyloric ulcer

After the pyloric ulcer was defined as a peptic ulcer occurring at the pylorus or having its centre in the prepyloric region within 2 cm from the pylorus, its histopathological features were studied on 94 pyloric ulcers in 88 surgically resected stomachs. 72.3 per cent of these ulcers were less than 1.0 cm in diameter. The incidences of UI-II, III and IV ulcers were almost equal, and the majority of UI-II and UI-III ulcers were found in scarring stage in the specimens. These pyloric ulcers were classified into three types according to whether the centre of ulcer is situated above (Type-1), on (Type-2) or below (Type-3) the pylorus. Type-1 ulcers wre the most frequent, their incidence being 70.2 per cent. On histologic examination, it was observed that duodenal gland area extended over the pyloric antrum in 90 per cent of the specimens. Contrary to the mucosal rule of Oi for the genesis of peptic ulcer, pyloric ulcers were located in poric gland gland are in 30.9 per cent and on the glandular boundary in 57.4 per cent. Only in 11.76 per cent, the ulcer developed in duodenal gland area. In 68.2 per cent, pyloric ulcer was associated with other gastric or duodenal ulcers. The majority of these coexisting gastric ulcers occurred in the pyloric gland area adjacent to the antrofundic border, and all the duodenal ulcers in the proximal duodenum. Moderate or severe atrophic changes in gastric antral mucosa were found in a large number of the specimens with coexisting gastric ulcer, whereas the changes were less pronounced in those with pyloric ulcer alone.

G-cell populations in resected stomachs from gastric and duodenal ulcer patients

The G-cell population in the pyloric antrum and proximal duodenum was studied quantitatively by immunofluorescence in specimens from 10 gastric and 12 duodenal ulcer patients. In both groups, G-cell density was highest in the pyloric antrum and much lower in the intermediate zone and proximal duodenum, and G-cell counts were statistically higher at the greater than the lesser curvature. The estimated total number of G cells in the whole pyloric antrum including the intermediate zone in the duodenal ulcer group was (1.806 +/- 0.347) x 10(7), this value was significantly greater (P less than 0.05) than that of (0.872 +/- 0.207) x 10(7) in the gastric ulcer group. This difference was due to a higher incidence of intestinal metaplasia and a decrease in the thickness of the antral mucosa in the latter group. The estimated total number of G cells showed a significant negative correlation not only with the patient age (P less than 0.01) but also with the degree of intestinal metaplasia of the antral mucosa (P less than 0.01) in both duodenal and gastric ulcer patients.

Axonal branches and terminations in the cat abducens nucleus of secondary vestibular neurons in the horizontal canal system

Single vestibular neurons functionally identified as secondary neurons receiving primary afferents from the horizontal canal in the cat were intracellularly stained with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The vestibular neurons projecting to the ipsilateral abducens nucleus distributed terminal branches in a relatively narrow band in the nucleus. The stem axon of contralaterally projecting vestibular neurons bifurcated into ascending and descending branches in the contralateral medial longitudinal fasciculus. The collaterals emerging from these branches distributed terminals in a relatively wide area in the abducens nucleus. Collateral branches extended into the medial vestibular nucleus, prepositus hypoglossi nucleus and reticular formation.

Postsynaptic inhibition underlying spike suppression of secondary vestibular neurons during quick phases of vestibular nystagmus

Synaptic mechanisms of spike suppression of vestibular neurons during quick phases of vestibular nystagmus were investigated by intracellular recording in the rostrolateral part of the cat medial vestibular nucleus. When repetitive spike discharges of vestibular neurons were abruptly suppressed at the quick phase, the membrane potential shifted steeply in the hyperpolarizing direction. After the commissural IPSP was inverted into depolarization by intracellular injection of Cl-ions, the hyperpolarizing deflection of the membrane potential at the quick phase was also inverted into a depolarizing potential. The results indicate that an abrupt generation of IPSPs in vestibular neurons underlies the quick phase suppression of spike activity in these neurons.

G-cell population in antral mucosa of the dog

The gastrin-cell (G-cell) population in the pyloric antrum of 8 dogs was studied quantitatively by immunofluorescence. The G-cell population was dense in the pyloric antrum and very few cells were seen in the antrocorporal junction. The estimated total number of G cells was (1.66 +/- 0.12) X 10(7) in the pyloric antrum and the greatest number of G cells per unit mucosal surface area was along the greater curvature of the pyloric antrum. Except along the greater curvature, G cells per unit musocal volume were significantly greater in number (P less than 0.05) in the proximal antrum adjacent to the antrocorporal junction that in any other regions distal to it. Differences in mucosal thickness were considered as a causative factor for these differences.

Indirect measurement of instantaneous arterial blood pressure in the rat

We devised a hydraulic servo-control system for indirect blood pressure measurement in the rat's tail, by which beat-to-beat systolic and diastolic blood pressure can be obtained. In this method the principle of "unloading vascular wall" proposed by Shirer (1962) is employed. The proposed system is composed of a transmittance photoelectric plethysmograph with an occluding cuff, a small diaphragm actuator for compressing and decompressing the segment by the hydraulic pressure, and an electromagnetic shaker driven by a volume servo circuit in accordance with the signal from the photoelectric plethysmograph. The plethysmographic signal is clamped at a proper value corresponding to the unload vascular volume by the instantaneous hydraulic servo control. The cuff pressure thus automatically controlled follows the intra-arterial pressure in the tail segment. The accuracy of this method was evaluated in comparison with direct measurement of blood pressure recorded simultaneously from 16 unanesthetized spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats. Close agreement between the simultaneous data from these two methods were observed.

[Chronic toxicity test of 4-ethoxy-2-methyl-5-morpholino-3(2H)-pyridazinone (M73101) in beagle dogs (author's transl)]

Male and female dogs, aged 17--21 months, were administered orall M 73101 (0, 60, 120 and 240 mg/kg/day), a new analgesic and antiinflammatory drug, for 27 weeks, and following recovery test was carried out for 5 weeks. Dead animals were not found throughout the experimental period. Body weight gain, and food and water consumption were not affected due to M 73101 administration. Except for a slight increase of vomitting in the highest dose, there were no abnormal symptoms. Biochemical examination showed the slight increase in serum alkaline phosphatase activity and free cholesterol level. Pathological examination revealed a dose-dependent increase of liver weight and hypertrophy of hepatocytes due to proliferation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum. In addition, mitochondria became irregularly large in the highest dose. There were no abnormal findings in the gastro-intestinal tracts except for an erosion of gastric mucosa, which was noted in a female dog treated 240 mg/kg/day of M 73101. From these results, it was suggested that the maximum non-toxic dose was 60 mg/kg/day or less, and the greatest safety dose was 120 mg/kg/day in beagle dogs.

Admittance plethysmographic evaluation of undulatory massage for the edematous limb

A new apparatus, called Hadomer has been developed for the treatment of peripheral lymphedema and venous disorder. It has cuffs with 5 rooms, through which the air pressure moves from periphery to proximal point, just like surging waves. The peripheral stagnant lymph and venous blood are displaced toward the heart by this pneumatic massage. Hadomer has been applied to more than 400 patients with the edematous limbs, with satisfactory results, such as decrease of swelling, pain and induration. These clinical results have been also confirmed by electrical admittance plethysmography which is useful to measure noninvasively the edematous volume and the blood flow. The admittance of the edematous limbs is high and after massaging with Hadomer it approaches normal range. The blood flow in the diseased limbs is less than the healthy one and it is observed better after pneumatically massaging.

[Studies of intrarenal distribution by macroautoradiogram and tissue distribution of 99mTc-gluconate (author's transl)]

1) The experimental studies have demonstrated that 99mTc-gluconate reaches a high concentration in the kidneys within 1-2 hours after injection and its concentration in organs adjacent to the kidney is low. 2) The initial images of serial macroautoradiograms visualized the inner medulla as well as the cortex and outex medulla, whereas the delayed images revealed only the outer cortex and outer stripes in the outer medulla. These findings suggest that this renal agent consists of two components and the delayed component deposits in the convoluted and straight segments of proximal tuble. 3) This renal agent visualizes the calyceal system and excretory pathways in the initial study and the renal morphology in the delayed study. Therefore, using this renal agent, it may be possible to evaluate a variety of renal diseases, including obstructive uropathy, space-occupying lesions, congenital deformities, etc,.

Direct inhibitory synaptic linkage of pontomedullary reticular burst neurons with abducens motoneurons in the cat

1. Unit spikes of burst neurons were extracellularly recorded in the pontomedullary reticular formation of the cat. These neurons were identified by their burst activity coincident with the quick inhibitory phase of the contralateral abducens nerve during vestibular nystagmus and their antidromic activation from the contralateral abducens nucleus. 2. When the extracellular field potentials in and near the abducens nucleus were triggered by spikes of a contralateral burs neuron, the averaged potential consisted of an early di- or triphasic spike and a late slow positive wave. The early spike was an action current caused by impulses conducting along the axon of the burst neuron. 3. The action potentials of a contralateral burst neuron. 3. The action potentials of a contralateral burst neuron were employed to trigger a post-spike average of the membrane potential of abducens motoneurons. Then unitary IPSPs with monosynaptic latencies were revealed. This provided direct evidence that the burst neurons are inhibitory in nature. The amplitudes of unitary IPSPs ranged from 18 to 220 mu V. Each inhibitory burst neuron branched widely in the abducens nucleus and was estimated to make inhibitory connections with approximately 60% of the motoneuron pool. 4. The post-spike average of compound potentials of the abducens nerve triggered by action potentials of contralateral single inhibitory burst neurons revealed inhibition of spike activity with latencies and time courses compatible with those of unitary IPSPs in motoneurons. The inhibition was observed with all inhibitory burst neurons tested.

Gastric response to meat extract stimulation in patients with gastroduodenal ulcer and patients after vagotomy or antrectomy

Gastric acid secretion basally and in response to intragastric meat extract instillation or to tetragastrin, and circulating gastrin concentration basally and after meat extract stimulation were studied in 67 patients with gastroduodenal ulcer, 30 patients after highly selective vagotomy or selective vagotomy for duodenal ulcer, 12 patients after antrectomy for or gastric ulcer and 10 control subjects. Circulating gastrin concentration increased significantly after meat extract stimulation in control subjects, patients with ulceration and patients after highly selective vagotomy, and acid secretion in each group was increased significantly above basal level. In patients after selective vagotomy, significant increase of circulating gastrin concentration was observed, but it was not associated with significant increase of acid secretion. After antrectomy, neither gastrin nor acid secretion increased significantly after meat extract stimulation. In conclusion, present study suggested that (1) gastric acid secretion in response to intragastric meat extract is chiefly affected by the responsiveness of oxyntic cells and release of antral gastrin and that (2) the presence of the antrum is almost essential for acid secretion after a test meal, and release of duodenal gastrin after antrectomy would not be so potent biologically as to result in an acid secretion.

[Subacute toxicity test of AMI-U-II, a new amino acid solution for renal failure (author's transl)]

Subacute toxicity test of AMI-U-II was carried out using male and female JCL:SD rats. The animals were given intravenously AMI-U-II (80, 40 and 20ml/kg) or reference solution (80 and 40ml/kg) for five weeks. Tachypnea, depression of spontaneous activity, blepharoptosis and edema of face were observed in rats treated with AMI-U-II or reference solution at highest dose. Food consumptions and gaining body weight were slightly reduced in male of these animals, but water intakes were increased in both sexes. Autopsies of the animals which died during five weeks showed pulmonary congestion and/or edema, ascites and pleural effusion. Microscopically, hydropic degeneration of liver cells and dilation of renal tubules and Bowman's capsules were shown. It seems likely that most of these findings were caused by hypervolumic administration of amino acid solution.

Inhibition of gastric secretion by intraduodenal hypertonic glucose in patients with duodenal ulcer

Intraduodenal instillation of hypertonic glucose significantly inhibited tetragastrin-induced gastric acid and pepsin outputs in man. The secretory volume of gastric juice was markedly decreased, whereas, acid concentration remained unchanged. Pepsin concentration, on the contrary, was reduced significantly. The degree of inhibition of pepsin output, therefore, was greater than that of acid output. No significant difference in the extent of inhibition of acid or pepsin output was observed between control subjects and patients with duodenal ulcer.

[Statistical analysis of 1186 cases of gastric carcinoma: with special reference to advanced lesion (author's transl)]

750 cases of advanced gastric carcinoma were macroscopically and microscopically studied in relation with the 10 year survival rate. Most of the patients, 59.3% in female and 68.8% in male, belonged to the 5th and 6th decades. Macroscopically 44.1% of the cases were grouped in Borrmann III type, and secondly Early-Cancer Like Lesion, 26,6%. Histologically, in 510 cases out of 750 (68.0%) serosa was definitely broken by carcinoma cell nests and in 500 cases (66.7%) lymphnode metastasis was observed. The most frequent histological type was diffuse type, 44.9%, and secondly papillotubular type, 21.2%. 10 year survival rate of 516 cases, in which no residual cancer tissue was ascertained and the favorite prognosis could be expected was studied on various factors: Early-Cancer-Like-Lesion and Borrmann I & II types carcinoma, those cases in which the muscularis propria or serosa was preserved, those cases without lymphnode metastasis, and papillotubular or medullary tubular carcinomas showed a favorite prognosis in comparison with other types.

Transcerebellar inhibitory interaction between the bilateral vestibular nuclei and its modulation by cerebellocortical activity

In decerebrate, unanesthetized cats, the brain stem was longitudinally cut at the midline from its dorsal to ventral surface with the cerebellum kept intact, eliminating neural interactions between the bilateral vestibular nuclei through the brain stem. Extracellular spike potentials of vestibular type I neurons identified by horizontal rotation were distinctly inhibited by contralateral vestibular nerve stimulation. This crossed inhibition was abolished by removal of the medial part of the cerebellum, indicating that the inhibition was mediated through the cerebellum. Neither aspiration of the flocculus on the recording side nor intravenous administration of picrotoxin eliminated transcerebellar crossed inhibition, suggesting that it is mediated through the cerebellar nuclei. When the fastigial, interposite and dentate nuclei were stimulated, inhibition of vestibular type I neurons was produced only from the contralateral fastigal nucleus. Cerebellocortical stimulation which inhibited fastigial type I neurons suppressed transcerebellar crossed inhibition. Effective sites for suppression of transcerebellar crossed inhibition were localized to lobules VI and VIIa in the vermal cortex on the side of labyrinthine stimulation. Intracellular recordings were made from type I neurons in the medial vestibular nucleus. Stimulation of the contralateral vestibular nerve and the contralateral fastigial nucleus produced IPSPs in these neurons with the shortest latency of 3.8 msec and 1.8 msec, respectively. The difference between these two latency values approximates the shortest latency of spike initiation of fastigial type I neurons in response to vestibular nerve stimulation. It is postulated that transcerebellar crossed inhibition is mediated through the fastigial nucleus on the side of labyrinthine stimulation.