Some altered responses in rats formerly dependent on morphine

The investigation examined whether or not physical dependence or other abnormalities were detectable 1--3 months after withdrawal in dependent rats that had been treated with the morphine (amintenance dose of 100 X 2 mg/kg/day, s.c.) for 7 weeks. When narcotic antagonists were administered on the 32nd day after withdrawal, nalorphine caused a dose-dependent increase in spontaneous locomotor activity and a complete inhibition of wet-dog shakes and the writhing syndrome. Naloxone was ineffective. A remarkable increase in spontaneous locomotor activity on the 67th day and a significant increase in body weight on the 69th and 92nd day after withdrawal occurred after an acute injection of morphine (10 mg/kg, s.c.). When morphine (10 mg/kg) was administered for 3 days from the 92nd day after withdrawal, withdrawal from morphine produced a significant decrease in body weight. When morphine (10 mg/kg) was administered for 3 days from the 102nd day after withdrawal, a levallorphan injection caused a significant decrease in spontaneous locomotor activity and an increase in the frequency of the diarrheal syndrome. These abnormal responses, not observed in the naive rats, suggest the remains of some behavioral and biochemical abnormalities 3 months after morphine withdrawal.

Therapeutic effect of histidine decarboxylase inhibitor on chronic active hepatitis

The effect of orally administered histidine decarboxylase inhibitor on liver function tests and histological appearance as well as on plasma histamine level were evaluated in biopsy proven 13 patients with chronic active hepatitis, whose liver function tests were refractory to other measures. Tritoqualine was used as histidine decarboxylase inhibitor and was administered in dose levels of 600 to 1,600 mg per day. Before treatment the average value of SGOT, SGPT and plasma histamine showed 252 +/- 24U, 318 +/- 152U and 15.2 +/- 5.5 microgram/L, respectively. Results obtained at six weeks' treatment, however, gave significantly improved values, indicating SGOP 57 +/- 24 (p less than 0.001), SGOP 40 +/- 28 (p less than 0.001) and plasma histamine 8.6 +/- 0.4 (p less than 0.001). Serum gammaglobulin also tended to fall (p less than 0.1). Marked improvement was noted in reexamined biopsied specimen, representing disappearance of fibrogenesis as well as round cell infiltration in and around the portal tract, together with pericellular fibrosis. Four cases have been proven to be healed. Despite long-term administration, no obvious side effect was observed. Investigation for HBsAg revealed to be positive in 4, however, no conspicuous difference was seen from that of negative cases in the improvement.

Sequential changes of regional circulation in cerebral infarction

Sequential changes of regional cerebral circulation and effects of spontaneous recanalization of occluded artery on cerebral circulation were observed in 50 patients with cerebral infarction. 1) Luxury perfusion was predominantly recognized in the recanalized patients within 16 days after onset. 2) Impairment of vasomotor responses was almost the same in the recanalized patients and the occluded patients. 3) CO2 response tended to recover about 3-4 weeks after onset, but disautoregulation to induced hypertension persisted up to 2 months after onset. Some clinical problems are discussed.

A reflexogenic area for controlling the blood pressure in toad (Bufo vulgaris formosa)

In the toad, Bufo vulgaris, the pulmocutaneous artery, which is innervated by a fine branch of the laryngeal nerve, was shown to be a reflexogenic area affecting the systemic blood pressure. Distension of the vascularly isolated pulmocutaneous artery evoked falls in systemic blood pressure. Impulses in bursts, synchronous with the systolic rise of the blood pressure, were recorded from the peripheral cut end of the laryngeal nerve when all branches, save the one innervating the pulmocutaneous artery, had been divided. Differing from mammalian baroreceptors, those in toads occurred with a marked latency in response to rises in blood pressure. A hyperbolic relation was obtained between the pressure and the latency. Existence of these baroreceptors in pulmocutaneous artery was confirmed in preparations in vitro. Punctate stimulation was used to localize the baroreceptive site.

A hypotetraploid human T lymphoid cell line established by cell fusion

A human T lymphoid cell line was established by cell hybridization technique from peripheral blood leucocytes of a patient with Sezary syndrome. The cells beared the surface antigens of human T lymphocyte specificity as demonstrated by immune cytolysis tests, but did not form E rosettes with sheep red blood cells. Isozyme patterns of enzymes in this line such as lactate dehydrogenase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and esterase were of human type. The line had 79 chromosomes in modal number. This case supports the proposal that the production of tetraploids is favourable for establishment of cell lines.

Metabolism of trichothecene mycotoxins. I. Microsomal deacetylation of T-2 toxin in animal tissues

In an attempt to elucidate the active form of T-2 toxin, one of trichothecene mycotoxins in vivo, the metabolism in animal tissues was studied in vitro by using gas liquid chromatography. T-2 toxin was selectively hydrolysed by the microsomal esterase at C-4, giving rise to HT-2 toxin as the only metabolite. This esterase activity was found mainly in the microsomes of liver, kidney, and spleen of laboratory animals. Since the enzymatic hydrolysis of T-2 toxin was inhibited by eserine, and diisopropylfluorophosphate, it is concluded that non-specific carboxyesterase [EC 3.1.1.1] of microsomal origin participates in this type of selective hydrolysis of T-2 toxin. The microsomal fraction from rabbit liver was proved to be a convinient material for the preparation of HT-2 toxin from T-2 toxin. From the evidence that the toxicity of HT-2 toxin is comparable to that of T-2 toxin and that the microsomal fraction of whole liver possesses the ability to biotransform the total lethal dose of T-2 toxin into HT-2 within a few minutes, T-2 toxin administered to animals is presumed to exhibit its toxicity partly as HT-2 toxin.

Study on the exocrine pancreatic function by the oral administration of N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-para-aminobenzoic acid

N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid (Bz-ty-PABA) was orally administered to 11 controls, 10 patients with chronic pancreatitis, 7 patients with diabetes mellitus and 6 patients with liver cirrhosis. The cumulative 6 h recovery rate of PABA in the urine was significantly lower (P less than 0.005) in patients with chronic pancreatitis (49.1 + or - 10.1 percent), diabetes mellitus (50.4 + or - 20.4 percent) and liver cirrhosis (52.5 + or - 13.0 percent) than in the control group (79.5 + or - 12.0 percent) (mean + or -S.D.). This test is considered to be useful in the diagnosis of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, especially in chronic pancreatitis. Patients with diabetes mellitus frequently has demonstrable abnormality of pancreatic exocrine function. Liver cirrhosis causing severe impairment of liver functions seemed to interfer with the elimination of PABA.

[Whole body autoradiography with 201Tl and clinical results]

Thallium-201 has been suggested as a useful diagnostic agent for myocardial scanning. We report herewith the clinical usefulness of Tl-201 as a result of our animal studies with rats as well as clinical trial for human being. After intravenous injection, we killed rats at regular intervals, then measured the activity in each anatomized organ by gamma-well counter and observed the internal distribution and examined autoradiograms with the naked eye. As a result, the accumulation of Tl=201 in the myocardium observed in 5 min after injection, reaching the maximum level in 30 min and gradually decreased hereafter. We performed 22 myocardial clinical scans. In adults we could clearly detect the lesion of myocardial infarction, but in children found it difficult to obtain full sufficient information due to small heart size and high pulse rate. Judging from the foregoing we think it possible to obtain much clearer images by using a data analyzer.

Toxicological approaches to the metabolites of Fusaria. XI. Trichothecenes and zearalenone from Fusarium species isolated from river sediments

Fifty isolates of Fusarium species from river sediments were examined on their producibility of mycotoxins such as trichothecenes and zearalenone. The most frequent fungal isolate was Fusarium oxysporum, followed by F. solani and F. lateritium. When cultured on Czapek-Dox medium supplemented with peptone, more than half of these strains were suspected to produce trichothecene mycotoxins through toxicity to mice and reticulocyte assay method. One of toxic isolates, F. lateritium 5036, was proved to produce the following five kinds of trichothecenes; diacetoxyscirpenol, 7alpha-hydroxydiacetoxyscirpenol, 7,8alpha-dihydroxy-diacetoxyscirpenol, 8alpha-hydroxydiacetoxyscirpenol (neosolaniol) and diacetylnivalenol. Three strains produced zearalenone on rice grain culture.

Time course of hypothalamic CRF activity after the administration of two different stresses

The time course of hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) activity after the administration of ether stress was different from that after immobilization stress. The maximal response CRF activity was observed 2 min after ether stress, followed by a precipitous decrease 5 min after the stress. A gradual increase of CRF activity was subsequently observed for several minutes with fluctuated changes. Thus, response pattern was vibratory. But under immobilization stress, markedly fluctuant changes of CRF activity seen in the case of ether stress did not appear after the maximal response observed at 2 min, indicating that the response pattern was not vibratory. On the other hand, the concentration of plasma corticosterone increased significantly 5 min after the ether or immobilization stress with the peak value around 17 min.

Studies on fast feedback mechanisms by endogenous glucocorticoids

Negative feedback in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis by exogenous glucocorticoids has been well established, but it is still in doubt whether ACTH-releasing factor (CRF) activity in the hypothalamus is inhibited by endogenous glucocorticoids under conditions of stress. In our first experiment, CRF activity in the hypothalamus of rats was significantly increased, 2 min after onset of immobilization, for 2 min; a rapid drop of CRF activity followed immediately. On the other hand, the concentration of plasma corticosterone changed more slowly; it was increased at 5 min, and showed a progressive further increase until 17 min after the administration of the immobilization stress. A high plateau level persisted for the next 8 min, after which the concentration of plasma corticosterone fell, reaching the control level at 40 min. In order to test for negative feedback inhibition by endogenous glucocorticoids in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, a 2nd immunobilization stress was administered to rats 5 or 23 min after the 1st stress, and hypothalamic CRF activity and plasma corticosterone were examined after the 2nd stress. When the 2nd stress was applied 5 min after the start of the 1st stress, during the phase of a gradual increase of endogenous glucocorticoids, CRF activity was not increased 2 min after the 2nd stress. In contrast, an increase of CRF activity and plasma corticosterone was observed when the 2nd stress was administered 23 min after the onset of the 1st stress, during the phase of a high plateau level of endogenous plasma corticosterone. These data suggest that CRF activity in the hypothalamus is governed by a fast feedback, rate-sensitive mechanism.

Macroamylasemia: clinical and laboratory features in 7 patients

The clinical features of patients with macroamylasemia are diverse. A certain correlation between macroamylasemia and the disease of the pancreas or hepato-biliary system may exist, because among 7 patients in this series 4 patients were diagnosed as acute pancreatitis or relapsing pancreatitis and another patient was performed choledochotomy and manipulation of papilla of Vater may had a effect on pancreas. Among other 2 patients, one was completely symptomless and had no abnormal findings and in another the action of anticancer drugs is suspected. The course of macroamylasemia is usually chronic but in this series one patient had acute transient macroamylasemia and another one had intermittent macroamylasemia during exacerbations of pancreatitis. The serum amylase levels are mostly 2-4 times above normal with one exception (192 Somogyi units) and urinary amylase values are low with one exception (1922 Somogyi units) during exacerbation of pancreatitis. Characteristic zymogram of macroamylase on electrophoresis is also reported.