Autonomic dysfunction on the affected side in Meniere's disease

For ascertaining the existence of autonomic dysfunction on the affected side as being the cause of Meniere's disease, the mecholyl tests were conducted by means of conjunctival instillation in normal subjects as well as in patients with Meniere's disease, labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis. The rate at which significant miosis (more than 10%) appeared in the mecholyl test was 3.1% among normal subjects, whereas the rate among Meniere's disease patients on the affected side was significantly higher during the attack, quasi-attack and interval stages. The appearance rate among Meniere's disease patients on the unaffected side was not different from that in normal subjects during any of the three stages. None of the patients with labyrinthitis or vestibular neuritis showed significant miosis on the affected side alone in the mecholyl test. This indicates that abnormality of vestibular-autonomic reflex in itself does not cause a positive reaction in the mecholyl test. Hence it can be concluded that the cause of Meniere's disease is related to the existence of autonomic dysfunction on the affected side.

Effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine on blood glucose and cyclic AMP in the rat

The effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on plasma cyclic AMP (cAMP) and glucose concentrations were studied in rats in vivo. 5-HT injected i.p. increased plasma cAMP and glucose. Injections of propranolol, hexamethonium, and cyproheptadine inhibited the 5-HT-induced increase in glucose but not in cAMP. Atropine did not inhibit the action of 5-HT. These effects of 5-HT were not seen in adrenomedullectomized rats, and 5-HT did not elevate the concentration of plasma cAMP in anti-glucagon antiserum-injected rats. These results confirm the previously reported finding that 5-HT-induced increase in blood glucose is mediated via adrenaline released from adrenal medulla by 5-HT and suggest that the increase in plasma cAMP, induced by 5-HT, is due to glucagon released by an unknown factor, or factors other than adrenaline released from the adrenal medulla by 5-HT.

Effect of renal vein ligation with or without suprarenal inferior vena cava ligation on sodium and phosphate excretions during acute extracellular volume expansion in the rat

Right nephrectomy with or without inferior vena cava (IVC) ligation was performed in rats 1 week after left renal vein ligation. Left kidney function and sodium and phosphate excretions by volume expansion were investigated. Inulin (CIN) and para-aminohippuric acid (CPAH) clearances and fractional excretions of sodium (FENa) and phosphate (FEP) were examined before and after volume expansion was induced by normal saline. Kidney functions were well preserved with development of collateral venous channels; biochemical parameters returned to the normal ranges. However, CIN and CPAH were reduced to 33 to 25 per cent of control values and the filtration fraction was elevated. After volume expansion, a marked increment of FENa was observed in cases of IVC ligation but the increment in animals without IVC ligation was less than in the control group. FEP was also increased in experimental groups but the magnitude of phosphaturia was not so prominent compared to the control group. The increment of FEP was not comparable to that of FENa. Thus, from the aspect of kidney function, this experiment showed the rationality of left renal vein ligation with contralateral nephrectomy. From the pathophysiologic aspect, the magnitude of natriuresis and phosphaturia by volume expansion was not prominent and a reduced reabsorptive capacity for sodium and phosphate may exist in a solitary kidney with a ligated renal vein. When suprarenal IVC ligation was also done, prominent natriuresis was observed with saline infusion.

Effects of thyroidectomy on monoamine oxidase activities toward tyramine and serotonin in the circumventricular nuclei of the rat

Following thyroidectomy, monoamine oxidase (MAO) activities toward tyramine decreased significantly by 20% in the nucleus periventricularis and the nucleus arcuatus among the 3 hypothalamic nuclei of the rat, while MAO activity toward serotonin decreased significantly by 10% only in the nucleus periventricularis. It is suggested that thyroidectomy induced selective changes on the multiple forms of MAO in the discrete circumventricular nuclei.

Immunoreactive somatostatin in the hypothalamus and other regions of the rat brain: effects of insulin, glucose, alpha- or beta-blocker and L-dopa

Effects of various hormonal and pharmacological manipulations on somatostatin distribution were investigated to elucidate the physiological significance of somatostatin in the hypothalamus and the other regions of the rat brain. Immunoreactive somatostatin (IRS) was measured by radioimmunoassay newly developed. Insulin induced an increase of hypothalamic IRS and a decrease of plasma RGH, while glucose administration resulted in the opposite responses, which were not significant. Insulin also increased IRS in the thalamus and the brain stem. The insulin-induced increase of hypothalamic IRS was reduced by hyperglycemia. Glucagon reduced IRS initially and then increased it with an elevation plasma RGH. L-dopa did not affect hypothalamic IRS, although it decreased plasma RPRL. Phentolamine slightly increased plasma RGH and decreased IRS in most regions of the rat brain, while propranolol increased IRS in these regions. Pretreatment with propranolol significantly increased plasma RGH 120 min after insulin administration, and hypothalamic IRS decreased initially by pretreatment with propranolol, and then it increased significantly. When pretreated with propranolol, glucagon markedly increased plasma RGH and decreased IRS significantly. From these findings it is concluded that hypothalamic IRS may participate in the hormonal regulatory system in correlation to plasma RGH, as observed in studies on plasma GH and hypothalamic IRS following insulin, glucose, propranolol or phentolamine administration, but IRS in other regions of the brain may have some other actions as a neurotransmitter or a modulator, because of no significant correlation between plasma GH or PRL and IRS in these regions following various stimuli. In addition, glucose homeostasis and adrenergic mechanism may be important factors in regulating IRS in the rat brain.

Effect of BCG cell-wall skeleton immunotherapy on the peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with lung cancer after radiotherapy

The effect of radiotherapy on peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of lung cancer and the effect of BCG cell-wall skeleton (BCG-CWS) on recovery of impaired PBL were examined. A remarkable depression of the absolute number of E- or EAC-rosette cells and of the response of PBL to mitogens were observed immediately after radiotherapy, and these continued for several months. With BCG-CWS immunotherapy, the response of PBL to phytohemagglutinin recovered rapidly, compared with non-vaccinated patients. The response of PBL to pokeweed mitogen seemed to give similar results. These results suggested that BCG-CWS injection to the patient receiving radiotherapy was effective for recovery of T-cell response.

[Absorption, excretion, distribution and metabolism of 3H-labelled pepleomycin sulfate (author's transl)]

Absorption, excretion, distribution and metabolism of pepleomycin sulfate (NK631) were investigated in rats after intravenous administration of 3H-NK631 by whole-body autoradiography, CM-Sephadex column chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. The highest radioactivity was found in kidney, followed by cartilage, blood, lung, esophagus, adrenal gland and skin at 0.5 hour after the administration and little radioactivity was observed in central nerve system. The NK631 and deamide NK631 were identified as major (90%) and minor metabolites in the 24-hour urine.

Glutamate decarboxylase activity in preoptic and hypothalamic nuclei of the rat

Freeze-dried samples were used for the determination of glutamate decarboxylase activity in discrete preoptic and hypothalamic nuclei. The activity showed marked regional variation in distribution.

[A case of cerevical canal stenosis accompanied with congenital cervical fusion and extracranial occlusion of vertebral artery--a clinical and embryological study (author's transl)]

A case of cervical canal stenosis accompanied by congenital cervical fusion and extracerebral occlusive disease of the verebral artery was reported. A 39-year-old male was admitted to our hospital on June 5, 1976, because of his shoulder strain, motor weakness and numbness of his left hand, and gait disturbance for a couple of months. Neurological examination disclosed spastic paraparesis with positive pyramidal signs in the four extremities which was greater on the left side, and the superficial and deep sensations were diminished below C-4 dermatomes bilaterally. Spinal tap revealed crystal clear fluid under an initial pressure equivalent to 120 mm of water with a protein content of 20 mg/dl. Plain X-P and laminogram of the cervical spine showed congenital fusion of C 2-3, cervical canal stenosis and cervical spondylosis. Posterior spurring of C 3-4 was demonstrated only on the laminogram. Myelogram showed incomplete myelographic block at the site of C 3-4-5. The left retrograde brachial angiogram disclosed occlusion of the vertebral artery at the site of C3-4. where the proxymal vertebral artery anastomosed with the well developed muscular branch of the vertebral artery, taking a tortuous course at the leve of the transverse foramen of the atlas, and were opacified the distal vertebral artery and basilar artery. Each collateral flow extending from the deep cervical artery and ascending cervical artery anastomosed with the proxymal and distal portion of the occluded vertebral artery. In spite of conservative treatment for two weeks, the cord compression syndromes rather deteriorated. Posterior decompression, that is, C 2-7 laminectomy and C 3-4 partial facetectomy were performed for relieving the symptoms. The postoperative course was uneventfull and there was progressive improvement of the sensory, motor and gait disturbance. The relationship betwen the cervical canal stenosis and cervical spondylosis and their clinco-radiological problem were discussed. The close embryological relationship was very suggestive of the pathogenesis between the cervical bony lesion and congenital cervical fusion and the occlusive vascular lesion of the vertebral artery.

Application of an ion-cluster technique to the analysis of endogenous hydroxylated compounds. I. Preparation of a doublet by use of a mixture of trimethylsilylimidazole (TSIM) and TSIM-d3

In order to apply the intensity-matching technique to polyhydroxysteroids in biological fluids, the doublet of [M]+ and [M+3]+ was prepared in the process of derivatization by use of a mixture of trimethylsilylimidazole (TSIM) and TSIM-d3 and was used for mass fragmentography. The molar ratio of TSIM and TSIM-d3 was defined by the reciprocal of the number of hydroxyl groups in steroids. This technique may be useful in identifying low levels of the endogenous polyhydroxysteroids of interest in biological fluids.

Use of silylating agents for the identification of hydroxylated steroids by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Discrimination between phenolic and alcoholic hydroxyl groups

A phenolic trimethylsilyl (TMS) group was selectively exchanged for a dimethylalkylsilyl (DMAS) group on a gas chromatographic column by use of sandwich injection technique with DMAS-imidazole, and a TMS ether derivative of a phenolic steroid was converted into a DMAS ether or a mixed TMS and DMAS ether derivative with over 95% recovery. The selective exchange reaction seemed to be caused by the difference in lability between the ethereal TMS linkages to phenolic and alcoholic hydroxyl groups. This selectivity was found to be useful for discriminating gas chromatographically between the phenolic and alcoholic hydroxyl groups in steroids.

Use of new silylating agents for identification of hydroxylated steroids by gas chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry

Differences in methylene unit values were used for the determination of the hydroxyl group number of a steroid by means of gas chromatography. This index is defined as the difference in the methylene unit value between trimethylsilyl and other dimethylalkylsilyl (DMAS) ether derivatives of hydroxylated steroids, namely dimethylethylsilyl (DMES) and dimethyl-n-propylsilyl (DMPS) ethers. The reactivities of DMES and DMPS imidazoles as silylating agents were nearly equal to that of TMS-I. Mass spectra of these derivatives were characterized by the molecular ion cluster, [M]+., [M-15]+ and [M-29]+ (or [M-43]+). The molecular ion cluster of these derivatives is most useful for estimating the molecular weight. Therefore, these DMAS ethers provide valuable information for structural elucidation of hydroxylated steroids by gas chromatography electron impact mass spectrometry.

[Histological changes of various organs in aged SD-JCL rats (author's transl)]

Age-related histological changes were studied in various organs from SD-JCL rats reared throughout their lifespan. In aged-male rats examined at 5 to 36 months of age were frequently observed nephropathy, periarteritis, skeletal muscle degeneration, pigmentation of the follicular epithelium in the thyroid, fibrosis of the pancreatic islets, hyperplasia of the parathyroid epithelium, and changes of the acini in the extraorbital lacrymal gland. In aged-female rats sinusoid dilatation of the adrenal, and atrophy of the ovary were also noted. Perilobular fat deposition of the liver, dilatation of the gastric gland and severe hemosiderosis of the spleen were observed similar frequency in the both sexes. The nephropathy and cardiovasculopathy were major factors to cause death for males, while the main cause of death for females was tumors, especially of the mammary and pituitary glands. Enlargement of the parathyroid gland, bone resorption and metastatic calcification in the solf tissues were found in rats with severe nephropathy.

Rosette formation in chicks: with special reference to QRBC-rosettes

There are two types of RFC in lymphoid cells of normal unimmunized chicks, which form rosettes with QRBC. They might be separable subpopulations of lymphoid cells in reference to the thymus dependency. Ontogenetic developments of both of the RFCs suggest the presence of their interrelations in the maturation process of the lymphoid system in chicks. The nature of the receptor site for QRBC and the source or origin of RFCs are discussed.

[Spontaneous tumors in aged SD-JCL rats (author's transl)]

Incidence of spontaneous tumors was examined in 77 male and 73 female SD-JCL rats reared throughout their lifespan of 5 to 36 months. Total tumor incidences were 60% and 95% for males and females, respectively. The sex difference was mostly attributable to a high incidence of mammary tumor in females. The pituitary tumor was found in 30% of males and 66% of females aged 5 to 36 months while islet cell tumor of the pancreas and thyroid tumor occurred later and the incidence of latter was particularly high in rats lived more than 2 years. Myeloid leukemia appeared to occur as early as 5 months of age.

Stability of immune potency of tylosin 1-killed, broth-propagated Hemophilus gallinarum bacterin

Immunizing potency of broth-propagated Hemophilus gallinarum (HG)bacterin was compared with tylosin and thimerosal treatment as the HG-inactivation agent and preservative. The immunizing potency of a tylosin-treated HG bacterin was as stable as a thimerosal-treated bacterin after 53 months storage at 2 to 5 degrees C.

[Effects of the population density on growth of SD-JCL rats (author's transl)]

The effects of the population density on growth and life span of 21 to 26 months in SD-JCL-rats were investigated. The mean life spans of males and females were 23 and 24 months, respectively. The population density had no definite influence on increase in body weight of females, whereas a most accelerated growth of males was seen with 2 rats per cage. The total amounts of food intake of each animal throughout its life were about 15 and 11 kg for males and females, respectively, and those of water intake were about twice the food. No correlation was observed between the population density and the weights of the liver, kidney, heart and femur, though mals reared at 5 animals per cage had lightest adrenals among all the animals.

Analysis of estrogen glucuronides. I--Characterization of estrogen glucuronides by gas chromatography mass spectrometry

The mass spectral characterization of nine kinds of estrogen glucuronides was investigated. The glucuronides were analysed after conversion to n-propyl ester-O-TMS ether derivatives by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The fragmentation of these derivatives is discussed using deuterium labels and TMS-d9 imidazole. A clear-cut difference was found between aliphatic and aromatic glucuronic acid conjugates. In particular the [M - 362]+- fragment ion was characteristic in the mass spectra of estrogen 3-glucuronides. On the other hand, four isomers of estriol and 16-epiestriol glucuronides containing an aliphatic acetal linkage were also characterized by the fragment ions of m/e value 204, 345, 415, and 431 and their relative intensities. Thus, all nine estrogen glucuronides were discriminated mass spectrometrically.

Sinus slowing produced by intracoronary arterial injections of hyperosmotic solutions in man

The effect of intracoronary arterial injections of normal saline, contrast agent, hyperosmotic glucose, and mannitol solutions on the sinus rate was studied in 18 patients. Sinus slowing was not produced by isosmotic saline (0.3 Osm. per kilogram of water) when injected into either coronary artery, whereas 76% Urografin (1.9 Osm. per kilogram of water), 20% glucose (1.3 Osm. per kilogram of water), and mannitol (1.2 Osm. per kilogram of water) decreased the sinus rate significantly (P less than 0.001). Among these solutions, Urografin with the highest osmolality produced the most marked sinus slowing, whereas no significant difference was detected between change in the sinus rate with hyperosmotic glucose and mannitol solutions (P greater than 0.5). Moreover, there was no significant difference between the degree of sinus slowing produced by intracoronary injections into the coronary artery of the side which the sinus node artery originated from and the slowing produced by contralateral injections with hyperosmotic solutions (P greater than 0.2). Therefore, it seems unlikely that this sinus slowing would be a result of a direct action on the sinus node including hypoxia and elevated perfusion pressure. Reflex-mediated parasympathetic stimulation may be operative.

Effects of coronary arteriography on atrioventricular conduction. Studies with His bundle electrography

The effect of coronary arteriography on atrioventricular (A-V) conduction was studied in 26 patients with the use of His bundle electrography. Slowing of atrioventricular conduction (prolonged A-H interval) was observed in all 26 pateints following either left or right coronary arteriography without a detectable change in the H-V interval. In four patients with left coronary preponderance in arterial distribution pattern, prolonged A-H inverval was produced only by injecting the contrast material into the left coronary artery. Conversely, in the remaining 22 patiens either with right preponderance or balanced distribution, prolongation of the A-H time was a result of opacification of the right coronary artery. The A-H interval at peak prolongation (133.9 +/- 18.7 [S.D.] msec.) was significantly higher than the control measurement (98.3 +/- 15.7 msec.) (P less than 0.0001). Prolongation of the A-H interval started around 4 seconds after the initiation of injection, reached its peak at an average of 7.7 seconds, and subsided within 20 seconds. When intracoronary injection of 6 ml. of normal saline was made in these 26 patients, no change was observed in the His bundle electrograms. On the other hand, hypertonic (20 per cent) glucose solution, when injected into coronary arteries, had an effect remearably similar to that of contrast material on A-V conduction. These findings suggest that prolonged A-H interval observed during coronary arteriography may be a result of osmotic effect of the contrast material, rather than hypoxia resulting from dilution of coronary blood flow.

The content of free and bound inositol in human and cow's milk

The gaschromatographic method was used for the quantitative analyses of inositol in milk. The content of inositol in human and cow's milk at the different lactation periods was determined. The content of total myoinositol in human milk was 32.7 plus or minus 15.2 mg/100 ml in colostrum, 17.8 plus or minus 1.9 mg/100 ml in transitional milk, and 14.9 plus or minus 3.1 mg/100 ml in mature milk. In cow's milk, it was 10.6 plus or minus 1.0, 7.0 plus or minus 1.1, and 4.1 plus or minus 1.0 mg/100 ml, respectively. These values were very similar to those obtained by the microbiological method. The presence of lipid-bound myoinositol in both kinds of milk was confirmed and the content was 0.22 plus or minus 0.09 mg/100 ml in human milk and 0.36 plus or minus 0.10 mg/100 ml in cow's milk. A small amount of scylloinositol was found in both human and cow's milk, while dextroinositol was not found in either.