Accelerated healing of gastric ulcer after removal of the greater omentum in rats. Standardized ulcers were produced in rats by local application of acetic acid to the serosal surface of the stomach. Ulcers induced at the lesser curvature, the greater curvature or the posterior wall were found to be of similar size after 2 and 4 weeks. In a group of animals the greater omentum was excised just before the application of acid. Omentectomized animals and control animals were examined 24 h, 1, 3 and 6 weeks after ulcer induction. In omentectomized animals, the ulcers were usually healed or very small after 3 and 6 weeks, while in the control animals most of the ulcers were still large. It is concluded that omentectomy leads to a marked acceleration in the healing of gastric ulcers in rats.


The calcium paradox: metabolic, electrophysiological, contractile and ultrastructural characteristics in four species. The effect of transient depletion and repletion of calcium upon the electrophysiological activity, contractile activity, coronary flow, tissue energy metabolism and the cellular leakage of metabolites and creatine kinase has been characterized in the rat heart and now has been compared with the mouse, guinea pig and rabbit heart. The sudden and massive damage (the calcium paradox) which occurred in the rat was observed in all species studied. While fine differences between species were detectable, the basic principles and damaging effects of sudden transmembrane calcium fluxes would appear to be common to all species.


Tetralogy of Fallot. Occlusion of the ventricular septal defect due to accessory tricuspid valve leaflet and an associated membranous aneurysm. A unique case of tetralogy of Fallot is presented in a 3 7/12-yr-old white female. At surgical repair, a ventricular septal defect smaller than usual was demonstrated in the usual infracristal position. The ventricular septal defect was partially obstructed from the right side of the ventricular septum by adherence of an accessory tricuspid leaflet. An associated membranous aneurysm, presumably acquired, was occluding the ventricular septal defect at its outlet almost completely. The literature has been reviewed and the pathophysiology of this lesion is discussed, underlining the nature and plausible development of the membranous aneurysm.


Use of electromagnetic flow probes to assess myocardial performance in man. Aortic blood flow was measured in 14 patients by means of an electromagnetic flow probe placed around the ascending aorta during cardiac surgery. High fidelity left ventricular pressure was monitored directly, 8 different indices of left ventricular function were derived from these measurements, and compared. Peak aortic blood flow correlated with the conventional indices of left ventricular function derived from left ventricular pressure, but better correlations were obtained for the maximum rate of change of power with respect to time. The clinical advantage of the derivation of this index is small and for clinical purposes peak aortic blood flow and the maximum rate of change of flow provide indices of myocardial performance which are directly available from the instrument.


Congenital absence of the right superior vena cava: report of two cases. Absence of the right superior vena cava with persistence of the left superior vena cava is an uncommon cardiac malformation. 2 patients with this anomaly are presented, and the importance of recognizing this condition is emphasized. Although associated with other cardiac malformations, there is no characteristic type.


Effects of acute ethanol on the contractile state of normal and failing cat papillary muscles. The direct effects of 100, 300 and 500 mg/100 ml ethanol on contractility of isolated, supported right ventricular papillary muscles were evaluated from 10 normal or failing cat hearts. In isometrically contracting muscles, 500 mg% ethanol decreased maximum tension in normal and failing hearts from 7.1 to 4.3 g/mm2 (P less than 0.001) and 3.4 to 2.3 (P less than 0.01) respectively, and lowered maximum tension rise from 30.4 to 20.2 g/mm2/sec (P less than 0.001) and 10.2 to 0.8 (P less than 0.01), without alterations of time to peak tension. In isotonically contracting muscles, 500 mg% ethanol reduced contractile element velocity at 0.5 g/mm2 load in normal and failing ventricles from 1.27 to 0.97 L/sec (P less than 0.001) and 0.59 to 0.39 (P less than 0.001) respectively. Thus, clinically meaningful doses of ethanol clearly, exerted dose-related negative inotropic actions on both normal and failing myocardium, thereby indicating that ethanol ingestion may exacerbate heart failure in diseased hearts.


Effect of beta-blockade by metoprolol on global and regional left ventricular myocardial perfusion in coronary heart disease. Utilizing semiselective 133Xenon injections and gamma camera recording, global and regional left ventricular myocardial perfusion were recorded under the influence of beta-blockade by metoprolol in 9 patients with angiographically proven coronary artery disease. Metoprolol reduced the rate--pressure variable in every patient, the mean reduction amounting to 24% (P less than 0.01). With one exception, the global left ventricular myocardial flow followed the change in the rate-pressure variable. No significant differences were detected in the flow responses of areas distal to only moderate coronary obstructions (less than 75%) and areas distal to significant (less than 75%) obstructions. The same was true when areas of asynergic contractions were compared with areas of normal contractions, or when areas supplied by collaterals were compared with areas devoid of collateral vessels. It is concluded that the reduction in myocardial flow after metoprolol is due to the reduction of the myocardial oxygen consumption, and no redistribution of flow occurs.


Mechanical failure causing current leakage with unipolar pacemakers: significance and detection. Pacemaker malfunction caused by mechanical failure at the site of electrode generator connection has been observed in 5 patients fitted with unipolar pacemakers. Intermittent failure to capture occurred in one patient. The fault was the same in each case and resulted from fracture of a plastic screw designed to hold an insulating cap in place over the electrode generator connection. Changes in impulse amplitude, relative pacing threshold, and distortion of the shape of the pacemaker impulse (overshoot of the leading and trailing limbs and prolongation of the plateau length) occurred in each case, and are helpful in making the diagnosis. In contrast no significant change occurred in the frontal plane axis of the pacemaker impulse. It is concluded that current leaks in unipolar pacemakers can be of sufficient magnitude to cause failure to capture. Early detection is important and is best achieved by examination of the pacemaker signal for amplitude and shape, and assessment of pacing threshold where possible.


Ambulatory ECG monitoring and bicycle ergometry: correlation with findings on coronary arteriography. Ambulatory ECG monitoring during everyday activities (AEM) and a multistage submaximal bicycle ergometric test (BET) was performed on a series of 48 patients suffering from precordial symptoms or pain. The results of these tests were compared with the results of coronary arteriography. In 20 subjects with a negative AEM and BET the coronary arteriography was normal in 18, moderately pathological (30-60% narrowing) in 1, and severely pathological (greater than 60% narrowing) in another. In 23 subjects in whom both AEM and BET disclosed ST-T alterations, 20 had severely pathological and 1 moderately pathological coronary arteriograms; normal coronary arteries were found in only 2 subjects. Only 5 of the total of 48 patients of the series showed a discrepancy between the results of AEM and BET. The findings on coronary arteriography confirmed that patients with a normal AEM and BET have a very high probability of having normal coronary arteries, while if both tests are positive the patient will most likely have advanced coronary pathology. When the two tests were concordant, the number of false positive and false negative results were slightly less than if ergometry was performed alone. Although AEM does not provide the quantitative aspect of effort testing, it does have the advantage of avoiding the risk of unusual physical effort for the patient.


The straddling mitral valve: morphological observations and clinical implications. The morphological features of 23 patients with straddling or overriding mitral valve are presented. Levocardia was present in 20 of 23; visceroatrial situs solitisu in 20 of 23, with 3 patients, 2 with asplenia and 1 with polysplenia, having visceral heterotaxia. A concordant D-ventricular loop was present in the 20 patients with visceroatrial situs solitus. Six of these had double outlet right ventricle; 2 had asplenia syndrome; 1 had D-transposition of the great arteries, ventricular defect and pulmonary atresia; 1 with tricuspid atresia and double outlet-outlet chamber; 1 with polysplenia syndrome; and 12 had endocardial cushion defect with marked underdevelopment of the left ventricle, and normally related great arteries. Left ventricular size was related to the amount of mitral valve (or left-sided component of a common atrioventricular valve) connected to it. In those patients in whom little effective mitral orifice was connected to the left ventricle, the left ventricle was diminutive. Endocardial fibroelastosis of the left ventricle was noted in only a single patient. Six of the 7 patients with double outlet right ventricle (including one with double outlet bulbus) had subpulmonary obstruction, and in one of these, this was related in part to the straddling mitral valve. In 1 patient with double outlet right ventricle, there was a double orifice mitral valve, and it was the accessory mitral orifice that straddled. The diagnosis of overriding mitral valve should be suspected in any patient with significant conotruncal anomalies and underdeveloped left ventricle, especially the patient with double outlet right ventricle, and in the patient with endocardial cushion defect, hypoplasia of the left ventricle, and obstructive anomalies of the aortic arch. In certain patients, selective left atriography, left ventriculography, and single and two dimensional echocardiography may be diagnostic of this condition.


Electrophysiologic testing in patients with sinus pauses and/or sinoatrial exit block. 28 symptomatic patients with documented episodes of sinus pauses and/or sinoatrial exit block underwent electrophysiologic study. Abnormal responses to electrophysiologic testing were observed in 23/28 patients (82%). Abnormal prolongation of the maximum sinus node recovery time (SNRT max) occurred in 17/28 (61%) patients, of postpacing cycles 2.10 (secondary pauses) occurred in 21/28 (75%), and of estimated sinoatrial conduction time occured in 15/28 (54%). The incidence of abnormal responses to rapid atrial pacing (prolonged SNRT max or secondary pauses) (22/28, 79%) was higher than the incidence of abnormal responses to premature atrial stimulation (15/28, 54%) (P less than 0.005). Life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias were observed, prior to electrophysiologic study, in 5 out of 28 (18%) patients. Symptomatic patients with sinus pauses and/or sinoatrial exit block frequently (23/28, 82%) showed abnormal responses to electrophysiologic testing and have a relatively high incidence of life-threatening arrhythmias.


Dynamic ventriculography with K-strophantin. Dynamic ventriculography, before and after K-strophantin, was performed in 14 patients with coronary artery disease. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of hemodynamic and angiographic data has been assessed. Digitalis was found to have different action on asynergic areas--that is improvement in some areas and worsening in others--and little or no action on normokynetic areas. After administration of K-strophantin (0.008 mg/kg), 54% of the examined asynergic zones improved their segmental systolic shortening while 34% worsened or appeared diskynetic. Improvement of asynergic zones could be related to the presence of viable myocardium, while paradoxical systolic motion would suggest the presence of frank fibrosis. Therefore 2 different behaviors of global ventricular function were observed in CAD patients. When ventricular function improves, the values of ejection fraction at midejection show that the improvement is obtained mostly in the first half of ejection. Since heart rate was fixed, enddiastolic volume unchanged and left ventricular systolic pressure increased, it seems likely that the observed changes could be due to a direct inotropic effect of K-strophantin. The author's opinion is that 'strophantin test' could be useful to test whether ventricular function would be enhanced using maintenance digitalis therapy in CAD patients and to determine residual contractile reserve; in addition potential worsening of ejection fraction can be elicited and then a more complete pattern of ventricular function can be provided.


Twelfth Edgar Mannheimer lecture. Competition between aortic isthmus and ductus arteriosus; reciprocal influence of structure and flow. The family of juxtaductal coarctation includes pseudocoarctation, local stenosis and hypoplasia, atresia or interruption of aortic arch or isthmus. The cause is usually VSD with LV outflow obstruction. Abnormal length of the preductal aorta is characteristic. VSD closure makes infantile hypoplasia evolve into adult stenosis, sometimes before  birth. Normal subclavian 'migration' is interrupted in 2 out of 3 cases. So-called typical coarctation is either stenosis of the isthmic orifice or the isthmus in toto. Ductus wall tissue radiates too far into the descending aortic wall. Juxtaductal coarctation is displaced from a pre- into a postductal position by flow and secondary tissue formation. A straddling ductus does not straddle the stenosis but a circular fold in the descending aortic wall, caused by ductus tissue. Patent ductus arteriosus is too frequent a complication, prolonged as well as persistent. Ductus closure causes loss of femoral pulse pressure in different ways. Infantile hypoplasia is treated by promoting its development into adult stenosis, then resection.


Effect of verapamil on coronary hemodynamics in patients with coronary heart disease. The effect of verapamil (Isoptin) on coronary hemodynamics was studied in 18 patients with coronary heart disease. The continuous infusion thermodilution technique was used to measure cardiac venous blood flow. At rest, verapamil produced a 13% decrease in coronary arteriolar resistance, a 5% decrease in coronary arteriovenous oxygen difference and a 19% increase in left ventricular efficiency index. No significant effect was noted on myocardial blood flow, oxygen consumption or oxygen consumption per unit of left ventricular pressure work. No change occurred in any of the measured parameters during a submaximal stress test after drug administration. The findings are discussed in relation to the general hemodynamic effects of the drug. It is concluded that verapamil is a mild coronary vasodilator and that myocardial oxygen consumption, in relation to performed left ventricular work, is unaltered by the drug up to a near-maximal work-load.


Primary in vitro antibody formation in the rat: partial characterization and properties of an inhibitor cell present in normal spleen. Rat spleen cells are shown to be unresponsive to sheep red cells (SRBC) in vitro under conditions in which thoracic duct lymphocytes (TDL) respond very well. By adding unresponsive spleen cells to responsive TDL cultures, the spleen cells are shown to contain an inhibitor capable of preventing the response to SRBC. The inhibitory activity is a property of live cells; it is sensitive to radiation doses as low as 100 R x rays and to mitomycin C. It can be completely removed from spleen cell suspensions by extraction with large amounts of carbonyl iron or by filtration through nylon wool columns. It is less efficiently removed by filtration through Sephades G-10 columns, and is completely resistant to the cytotoxic effects of silica. From a practical point of view, extraction of a spleen cell suspension with carbonyl iron is a useful method of obtaining fully responsive lymphocyte populations from rat spleen.


Analysis of the diversity of murine antibodies to dextran B1355. III. Idiotypic and spectrotypic correlations. Examination of 19 S and 7 S anti-alpha(1 leads to 3) dextran (Dex) antibodies by serological assays and isoelectric focusing (IEF) has revealed substantial variation of idiotypic and spectrotypic expression between individuals of the same genotype. 7 S antibodies appeared to be more heterogeneous than 19 S by both methods. A strong, but complex, association was found between the IEF patterns of 19 S and 7 S anti-Dex antibodies and their expression of the idiotypic determinant(s) common to both the M104 and J558 dextran-binding myeloma proteins. However, no such relationship was found between the IEF pattern and the expression of idiotypic determinant(s) unique to the M104 myeloma protein. Rather, indistinguishable spectrotypes from different individuals have widely differing levels of expression of the determinant. In addition, this determinant(s) may be present on different spectrotypes of the same isotype. Both the M104 and J558-specific idiotypes were found on antibodies of the IgG3 subclass as well as in pools containing predominantly the IgG2a subclass. These data confirm and extend the picture of substantial structural variation among the antibodies comprising a response of restricted heterogeneity.


Microinjection of kainic acid into the rat hippocampus. The effects of unilateral injection of kainic acid into the rate hippocampus have been examined in terms of morphologic, neurochemical and behavioral sequelae. Infusion of 10 nmoles if kainate causes a rapid and complete degeneration of neuronal perikarya in the entire hippocampal formation followed by gliosis and atrophy of the region. This unilateral neuronal loss is accompanied by a 50% decrease in the specific activity of the biochemical markers for GABAergic neurons including glutamic acid decarboxylase, endogenous GABA and synaptosomal uptake of [3H]GABA. The extrinsic hippocampal cholinergic and noradrenergic afferents also exhibit significant alteration. Although the specific activity of choline acetyltransferase is unaffected and the specific activity of tyrosine hydroxylase is significantly increased in the injected hippocampus, the synaptosomal high affinity uptake process for [3H]choline and [3H]norepinephrine are significantly reduced at 10 days after injection. Whereas the level of endogenous acetylcholine is elevated in the lesioned hippocampus at 2 days after injection, the level of endogenous norepinephrine is reduced. For several hours after intrahippocampal injections of 5 nmoles or more of kainate, rats exhibit epileptiform behavior. Intrahippocampal injection of kainate may be a useful rodent model for temporal lobe seizure disorders.


The effects of elevating gamma-amino butyrate content in the substantia nigra on the behaviour of rats. Gabaculine, a specific inhibitor of GABA transaminase, was injected bilaterally into the substantia nigra of rats. One day after injection, GABA was increased 11-fold in the nigra, 6-fold in thalamus and pons-medulla, and 2-fold in pallidum. 5 h after operation, rats showed continuous sniffing and head movement. This behaviour was blocked by a small dose of picrotoxin injected bilaterally into the nigra, but haloperidol (i.p.) was less effective. One day after injection, rats showed high ambulation and this ambulation was blocked by high doses of picrotoxin. On the second day, GABA contents in all regions were less than twice the control level and behaviour had returned to normal. Rats with gabaculine injected into the pallidum or medulla did not show changes of behaviour as seen in rats with injections into the substantia nigra at any of the times. Striatum dopamine turnover was slightly but significantly decreased at 5 h but not at 24 h after intra-nigral injection with gabaculine. The results suggest that gabaculine-induced sniffing and head movement were mediated by nigral GABAergic synapses and were independent of any dopaminergic system, and that the high ambulation at 24 h after operation may have been due to a non-specific effect of abnormal GABA elevation in thalamus and/or nigra.


Morphine and met-enkephalin effects on sural Adelta afferent terminal excitability. Morphine (30--80 nA) and met-enkephalin (30--80 nA) decreased the excitability of single sural Adelta afferent terminals and potentiated the enhancement of the terminal excitability produced by superficial peroneal nerve stimulation, in mid-collicular decerebrate and spinalized cats. Naloxone (20--40 nA) antagonized the actions of both substances on the unconditioned and the conditioned terminal excitabilities. These results indicate that morphine and met-enkephalin hyperpolarize Adelta sural afferent terminals and facilitate the terminal depolarization during presynaptic inhibition. This enhancement of presynaptic inhibition may be, at least partly, responsible for the analgesic action of these agents.


Baroreceptor-induced decrease in muscle blood flow upon propranolol administration. The acute effects of propranolol, 1 mg/kg i.v., were studied in chloralosed, vagotomized cats. The vascularly isolated but innervated calf muscles were perfused from another animal. In one group of experiments, the carotid baroreceptors were exposed to ambient arterial pressure. Here, propranolol caused a fall in heart rate and an increase in resistance of the isolated muscle bed. In other experiments, the carotid sinuses were perfused at a constant pressure. In these animals, no increase in muscle flow resistance was observed after the drug. It is concluded that the increase in total peripheral resistance, seen initially upon propranolol administration, may be reflexly induced via the baroreceptors.


Evaluation of the effect of p-chloroamphetamine on individual catecholaminergic nuclei in the rat brain. Short and long term effects of p-chloroamphetamine (PCA) on levels of catecholamines (CA) in discrete CA cell body and axon terminal areas were investigated. The levels were unaffected, except for a transient fall in dopamine in the arcuate nucleus. These results do not support the suggestion that PCA is neurotoxic to CA cells.


Technical comments on the bioassay of erythropoietin. Quantitative erythropoietin determinations can only be obtained after the examination of both Standard and Test materials in a multiple dose parallel line bioassay with appropriate statistical control. The expression of results in erythropoietin units (implying quantitation) in the absence of similar dose-response relationships for Standard and Test materials can lead to errors in the estimated potency which differ markedly from the true potency. Results obtained from one-dose test systems cannot therefore be considered quantitative. Criteria which allow valid quantitation of bioassay results are discussed. Where these cannot be fulfilled, it is suggested that the results should be expressed only in terms of the measured parameter, e.g. 59Fe uptake, per constant volume of test solution.


Suppression of CFU-s activity by rabbit-anti-mouse brain serum can be overcome by treatment with papain. The suppression of CFU-s activity which is observed after incubation with rabbit-anti-mouse brain sera (RAMB) can be reversed by incubating the antibody coated cells with papain. Papain treatment does not alter the CFU-s membrane since pre-treatment with the enzyme does not protect CFU-s from the lethal effect of RAMB. This technique should allow the use of fluoresceinated or otherwise labelled RAMB for the selection of CFU-s.


Erythroid "bursts" in semi-solid agar diffusion chambers: effect of cyclophosphamide administration to host and of hydroxyurea to donor animals. Growth of erythroid bursts was induced in peritoneal diffusion chambers in a semi-solid agar medium. Mice of the "Sabra" strain received single i.p. injections of cyclophosphamide (45 mg/kg) 24 h prior to implantation of chambers. Rats of the Hebrew University strain, used as donors, received single i.p. injections of hydroxyurea (400 mg/kg), 9 h prior to being killed. Ten to fourteen days after chamber implantation, several erythroid colonies of ten to several hundred cells developed in the semi-solid agar medium. The erythroid cells in the colonies were benzidine-positive and at various stages of maturation. We suggest that growth of erythroid "bursts" in diffusion chambers, in hosts which had not received any specific erythropoietic stimuli, was made possible by a high concentration of BFU-E in the door marrow. The BFU-E enriched rat bone marrow resulted from administration of hydroxyurea which, after preferentially killing erythroblasts in cycle, stimulated mobilization of stem cells for the replenishment of the depleted compartment.


Reticulospinal excitation and inhibition of neck motoneurons. Responses of neck motoneurons to electrical stimulation of the pontomedullary reticular formation were recorded intracellularly in cerebellectomized cats anesthetized with chloralose. Stimulation of nucleus reticularis (n.r.) ventralis and the dorsal part of n.r. gigantocellularis evoked short latency, monosynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) in the majority of motoneurons supplying the ipsilateral splenius, biventer cervicis and complexus muscles and in 25% of motoneurons projecting in the ipsilateral spinal accessory nerve. Monosynaptic IPSPs were also evoked by stimulating the medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) but lesion and collision experiments indicated that these IPSPs were independent of those evoked by reticular stimulation. Monosynaptic IPSPs were also occasionally observed following stimulation of the contralateral reticular formation, especially of the dorsal part of n.r. gigantocellularis. Monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) were evoked in all classes of neck motoneurons studied by stimulation of n.r. pontis caudalis, gigantocellularis and ventralis. Each reticular nucleus appeared to contribute to this excitation. The excitation was bilateral but large monosynaptic EPSPs were most often seen in motoneurons ipsilateral to the stimulus site. Data indicated that pontine EPSPs were mediated by ventromedial reticulospinal fibers while medullary EPSPs were mediated by ventrolateral reticulospinal fibers. Neck motoneurons thus receive at least three distinct direct reticulospinal inputs, two excitatory and one inhibitory.


Amygdaloid projections to the mesencephalon, pons and medulla oblongata in the cat. Amygdalotegmental projections were studied in 26 cats after injections of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the diencephalon, midbrain and lower brain stem and in 6 cats after injection of 3H-leucine in the amygdala. Following HRP injections in the posterior hypothalamus, periaqueductal gray (PAG) and tegmentum many retrogradely labeled neurons were present in the central nucleus (CE) of the amygdala, primarily ipsilaterally. Injections of HRP in the posterior hypothalamus and mesencephalon also resulted in the labeling of neurons in the basal nucleus, pars magnocellularis. Following 3H-leucine injections in CE and adjacent structures autoradiographically labeled fibers were present in the stria terminalis and ventral amygdalofugal pathways. In the mesencephalon heavily labeled fiber bundles were located lateral to the red nucleus. Labeled fibers and terminals were distributed to the mesencephalic reticular formation, substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area and PAG. In the pontine and medullary tegmentum the bulk of passing fibers was located laterally in the reticular formation. Many labeled fibers and terminals were distributed to the parabrachial nuclei, locus coeruleus, nucleus subcoeruleus and lateral tegmental fields. Many terminals were also present in the solitary nucleus and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve. The location of the cells of origin and the distribution of the terminals of the amygdalotegmental projection suggest that this pathway plays an important role in the integration of somatic and autonomic responses associated with affective defense.


Projections to lateral vestibular nucleus from cerebellar climbing fiber zones. 1. The olivary projections to the lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN), direct and excitatory through climbing fiber collaterals and indirect and inhibitory through climbing fiber activated Purkinje cells, were investigated in cats with the spinal cord transected at C3 sparing only the contralateral ventral funiculus. In this preparation all spinocerebellar paths are interrupted except the ventral spino-olivocerebellar paths (VF-SOCPs). Three FV-SOCPs responding with different latencies and receptive fields on limb nerve stimulation project to different sagittal zones in the anterior lobe vermis: the a-zone medially and the b-zone laterally in the vermis and the c1-zone in the extreme lateral part of the vermis and the medial part of the pars intermedia. 2. The EPSPs evoked through climbing fiber collaterals and the following IPSPs evoked through climbing fiber activated Purkinje cells were recorded intracellularly from LVN neurons on limb nerve stimulation. Simultaneously the climbing fiber responses evoked in Purkinje cells located in the a-, b- and c1-zones were recorded as positive potentials from the cerebellar surface. 3. Three groups of LVN neurons were distinguished: X neurons (about 20%) which did not receive excitation or inhibition from the olivary paths, aCF neurons (about 5%) which received excitation and inhibition from the olivary path projecting to the a-zone, and bCF neurons (about 75%) which received excitation and inhibition from the olivary path projecting to the b-zone. No LVN neurons were related to the c1-zone. 4. The aCF and bCF neurons occurred intermingled throughout the LVN. The X neurons occurred predominantly in its ventral part. 5. The findings are discussed in relation to a hypothesis of cerebellar organization.


Climbing fiber microzones in cerebellar vermis and their projection to different groups of cells in the lateral vestibular nucleus. 1. The projections from one of the paths (b-VF-SOCP) in the ventral spino-olivocerebellar system to the cortical b-zone located in the lateral part of the anterior lobe vermis and to the lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN) have been studied in cats with the spinal cord transected at C3 sparing only the contralateral ventral funiculus. The projection to the b-zone was studied by recording climbing fiber responses in single Purkinje cells on stimulation of limb nerves. The projections to the LVN, direct through climbing fiber collaterals and indirect through Purkinje cells, were studied by recordings EPSPs and IPSPs in LVN neurons. 2. The Purkinje cells in the b-zone were arbitrarily divided into five groups with different inputs and occupying different microzones each with a width of about 200 micron. On passing medially across the b-zone the microzones had the following input characteristics: 1. activation exclusively from hindlimb nerves, 2. short-latency activation from hindlimb and long-latency activation from forelimb nerves, 3. short-latency activation from hindlimb and forelimb nerves, 4. short-latency activation from forelimb and long-latency activation from hindlimb nerves, and 5. activation exclusively from forelimb nerves. 3. The five microzones projected to different groups of LVN neurons which occurred intermingled throughout the nucleus. The LVN neurons inhibited from a certain microzone were activated by the collaterals of the climbing fibers projecting to that microzone. 4. The organization of the spino-olivo-cerebello-vestibulo-spinal path is discussed. It is suggested that the microzone and collection of subcortical neurons represent the basic computational unit of the cerebellum.


Persistence of visual response in vestibular nucleus neurons in cerebellectomized cat. Responses to pure visual stimuli and visual-vestibular interactions similar to those reported in other vertebrates were found in single vestibular nucleus neurons in cat. Contrary to prevailing hypotheses, the cerebellum is not an essential part of the pathway mediating these visual responses.


Studies on the formative mechanism of mesangiolytic changes of renal glomerulus induced by a low calcium diet breeding. Mucopolysaccharides (MPS) are widely distributed in the connective tissues throughout the animal body. There are a lot of MPS classified both chemically and immunochemically and solutions of these various polysaccharides are characterized physicochemically by their high viscosity. In this study guinea pigs were bred on a low calcium diet of 0.2% for 13 weeks and the mesangiolytic changes of renal glomerulus--the partial cystic dilatation of the glomerular tufts with edematous loosening of the mesangial tissue were shown light microscopically. The less dense mesangial matrix with prominence of mesangial fibrils and small cytoplasmic projections of the mesangial cells were demonstrated electron microscopically. The formative mechanism of these mesangiolytic changes of renal glomerulus induced by a low calcium diet breeding will be discussed in this paper.


Influence of an acute renal insufficiency on the acinar cell of the rat pancreas. The exocrine pancreases of 25 male inbred rats of a Wistar strain were investigated by electron zymogen granules: enzyme proteins: pancreas; ultrastructure; rat microscopy and histochemistry 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days after 5/6-nephrectomy, which was performed in order to produce a uremia. Sham-operated and normal animals were used as controls. Under the influence of the acute uremia, a complex impairment of the pancreatic acinar cell appeared with destruction, in the form of focal cytoplasmatic degradation and the formation of cytolysosomes, and with a temporary disturbance of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, which led, until the end of the second day of the experiment, to an extensive stoppage, and latter to a reduction, in the synthesis of exportable enzymes. The function of the Golgi-apparatus and thereby the formation of zymogen granules is discontinued until at least the end of the third day of the experiment. Afterwards the production of zymogen granules is disturbed qualitatively and quantitatively. Here a deficiency in energy with mitochondria damage and a subsequent disturbance of intracellular transport in connection with an inhibition in membrane formation might be taken into consideration as pathogenetical factors. The following are discussed as possible causes of the metabolic-toxic damage of the acinar cell during uremia: lowmolecular toxic proteins, depletion of amino acids, intracellular pH-displacement and a deficit of phosphates rich in energy.


Degeneration of cardiac muscle followed by cell transformation, regeneration and fibrogenesis in rheumatic fever. In acute rheumatic fever, various types of myocardial degeneration and subsequent transformation of the damaged muscle fibers into a variety of cells, classified and unclassified, are described from microscopic examination of autopsy specimens. This study suggests that in the origin of Aschoff bodies, the diagnostic feature of rheumatic fever, there are three different pathways (Types A, B and C) for cytogenesis of Aschoff cells from altered muscle fibers. Type A cytogenesis takes place through the stage of Anitschkow myocytes of cardiac muscle origin (McDONALD 1963), and the Type B pathway, through the stage of dedifferentiated cells arising in lysing cardiac muscle fibers. These dedifferentiated cells with capacity for regeneration of regular cardiac muscle fibers (McDONALD 1975), show abortive or atypical development of muscle cells through the Aschoff cell stage. The Type C cytogenesis of Aschoff cells takes place through direct transformation of cardiac muscle fibers which show central hyalinization of myoplasm and changes in nuclei from normal to single or multinucleated large vesicular forms. The fibrinoid material of Aschoff bodies is shown to be the product of muscle origin. The mechanism of formation of fibrous scars in the myocardium and fibrous thickening of subendocardium are explained on the basis of fibrous transformation of cardiac muscle. Altered muscle fibers have been shown to give rise to cells which simulate inflammatory cells and others which cannot be classified.


Histological and histochemical investigations of the epiphyseal cartilage in rats after administration of heparin, coumarin as well as coumarin and diphosphonate (EHDP). Heparin and coumarin (Marcumar) as well as coumarin combined with a diphosphonate (EHDP) were examined histologically and histochemically with regard to their effect on the structure of the epiphyseal cartilage in rats. Topo-optical reactions were used to assess the submicroscopic structural changes in the developing trabeculae of metaphysis. The zone of resting cartilage and the zone of young proliferation cartilage in epiphyseal plates revealed a reduced cell count due to the influence of anticoagulants. With regard to the matrix of the epiphyseal plate, it may be stated that its ultrastructure appeared partly regular and that, on the other hand, large areas of degeneration were detected in the connective-tissue. The negative effect of anticoagulants on the ground substance could not be reduced definitely by means of a diphosphonate (EHDP) in conjunction with Marcumar which was administered simultaneously.


Image processing in pathology. IV. Internal structure of mitochondria. For extensive recording of mitochondrial membrane lengths hitherto statistical methods were applied which only provide mean values. Conventional measurements of the lengths by means of curvimetry or by intersection counts are required for estimating size distributions and secondary parameters. The former method requires expenditure in time, the latter yields only very rough values for single organelles. Automatic image processing is a possible way to obtain more informations. A method for an automatic definition of the internal mitochondria structure is given in this paper and preliminary results are discussed.


Ultrastructural changes in the lungs after chronic experimental intoxication with benzine and ethyline vapour. In the group of rabbits chronically intoxicated with petrol vapour slight changes in the dust cells of lungs in the form of cytoplasmic vacuolisation and accumulation of collagen almost completely disappeared 3 months after intoxication. Changes in animals intoxicated with ethyline were much more severe. Besides the accumulation of collagen, appearance of elastin areas, cytolysosomes, changes in the nucleus, widening of ergastoplasm, swelling and cristolysis of mitochondria were observed. Three months after intoxication the decrease of previously observed changes was noted.


Ultrastructural changes in the liver following chronic experimental intoxication with benzine and ethyline vapour. The livers of two groups of rabbits exposed to longer lasting intoxication, one with benzine vapours and the other one with ethyline vapours, were subjected to examination in an electron microscope twice; immediately after the completion of intoxication and then 3 months later. In both groups there were found: dilatation of the perinuclear spaces, a symptom of nucleolus segregation, dilatation of the ergastoplasm, features of cristolysis of mitochondria and the absence of glycogen. These changes were more intensive in the animals intoxicated with ethyline. 3 months after the completion of the process of petrol intoxication the following was observed: persistence of the majority of the changes as well as accumulation of glycogen and hypertrophy of the smooth endoplasmatic reticulum. These changes were more intensified in animals intoxicated with ethyline.


[Descending vasoconstrictor fibers in the thoracic region of the spinal cord]. Analysis of the arterial pressure responses to electric stimulation of the spinal cord structures at T1 to L3 showed two zones of the maximal pressure activity in the lateral and medial parts of the lateral funiculus. After destruction of the lateral part at T1-T2 level, a decrease in the systemic arterial pressure occurred after stimulation of the pressor zone of the vasomotor center and structures of the spinal cord at the levels of C5 and ischiatic nerve. These and previously obtained data suggest that the pressor responses to stimulation of the lateral part of the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord are of the reticulospinal origin. Participation of the propriospinal fibers in the pressor responses to stimulation of the medial zone of the lateral funiculus is discussed.


[Effect of GABA on the synthesis, uptake and release of noradrenaline-H3 from brain slices]. The data obtained showed that GABA exerted no effect on the synthesis and putake of H3-NE while increasing its loss from slices preincubated for 5 min before incubation for 30 min with H3-NE for uptake. When slices were preincubated for 30 before the addition of H3-NE the effect of GABA on NE content in the slices was reversed. A similar reversal of the GABA effect occurred when varying the preincubation period of slices subjected to prolonged electrical stimulation. The uptake and release of H3-NE were not affected by the duration of the preincubation period. The reversal of the GABA effect on H3-NE did not correlate with the depletion of endogenous stores of NE and may be due to the changes in the ionic composition of slices in the course of the prolonged incubation.


[Modulation of the activity of neurons of Deiter's nucleus upon electric stimulation of the hypothalamus and limbic structures of the brain]. In immobilized cats, stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus facilitates the activity of vestibular neurons; stimulation of the hypothalamic ventro-medial nucleus and dorsal hippocampus suppresses the unit activity, mainly. The effects of stimulation of the basolateral amygdalar nucleus were excitatory as well as inhibitory. Prevalence of the long-latency tonic responses indicates that the modulating effects of the hypothalamus and limbic structures are fulfilled through either mesencephalic RF or thalamic nuclei.


[Effect of oxygen metabolism in kidney tissue on the development of plasma erythropoietic properties]. The oxygen metabolism (pO2, the constant of the oxygen rate consumption, the coefficient of the oxygen distribution), the activity of oxid-reduced and hydrolytic enzymes, the blood supply of the kidney cortex and medulla, were recorded. These data were compared with the erythropoietin activity of plasma in the rats with phenylhydrazine anemia and posttransfusion polycytemia. An obvious reverse interrelationship existed between plasma erythropoietin activity and value of pO2 and blood supply of the cortex. The activity of the above enzymes was practically unchanged. The data obtained suggest that erythropoietin is formed in the cortex of the kidney and its production is controlled by the degree of oxygen supply of the kidney tissue.


[Changes in the properties of fast and slow rat muscles following cross-reinnervation]. Qualitative and quantitative histochemical and morphometrical studies in intact white and red muscles of Wistar rats revealed different types of cross-section areas, LDH isozymes spectra of muscle fibers, number of nuclei in neuro-muscle junction. Conformation of red muscle to white and partial conversion of white muscle to red occurred after cross-innervation, and alien white fibers appeared in the m. soleus. Activity of LDH3 and LDH4+5 isozymes of heart type spectrum increased after cross-innervation of the m. soleus. An increase in activity of LDH1 and LDH2 isozymes of muscle type spectrum accurred after cross-innervation of white muscle.


[Effect of thyroxine and noradrenaline on the energetics of muscle contraction]. The highly sensitive thermometric method (1.10(-5) degrees C/mm) revealed that the heat production of single contraction of the isolated rat diaphragmal muscle with artificial hyperthyrosis (HD) is nearly double of that of the normal muscle (ND). Noradrenaline added to the inculation solution entailed a greater increase of heat production of the muscle contraction in HD and had no significant effect on ND. However, calorific effect of thyroid hormone was about twice and a half as great as that of noradrenaline. These data suggest that thyroxin acts independently in the energy regulation during the cold acclimation of the organism, and the calorific effects of both hormones can be more effectively realized just at the moment of muscle contraction.


[Effect of hypokinesia on the contractile function and nervous regulation of the heart]. Prolonged hypokinesia caused cardiac deadaptation in rabbits which resulted in diminishing of the left ventricle speed of contraction and relaxation joined later by a decreased vascular resistance. As a result, the ejection velocity as well as the stroke volume and the cardiac output were normal. The decrease of the relaxation speed became more obvious at a high heart rate and resulted in shortening of the diastolic pause and diminishing of cardiac output. Hearts of the hypokinetic animals were characterized by normal maximal pressure developed by a unit of myocardial mass at aorta clamping, decrease adrenoreactivity, and increased cholinoreactivity. This complex of changes is contrary to changes observed in adaptation to exercise, but is similar to changes observed in the compensatory hypertrophy of the heart.


[Information content of the rheoencephalogram and rheoencephaloplethysmogram for assessing cerebral hemodynamics]. In acute experiments in cats, separate measurement of impedance of extra and intracranial tissues and skull bones was carried out by passing 30-150 kHz electrical current. Extra and intracranaial tissue impedances are approximately equal and one order less than that of skull bones which excludes electrical current penetration into the cranial cavity directly through the bone. The changes on electroplethysmograms recorded with extra and intracranial electrodes during simultaneous clipping of both common carotids or external and internal jugular veins were compared. In part of experiments jugular veins were clipped before and after switching off extracranial blood flow. Intracranial impedance changes thus achieved are several times greater than extracranial ones and are not registered in extracranial bitemporal electrode location. The only way to register them without intracranial electrode insertion is by use of ocular-occipital lead. Yet in this case the intracranial component makes only about 30% of the registered signal. This value increases significantly with artifical stabilization of extracranial hemodynamics.


[Criteria for quantitative assessment of respiratory system reactions]. In anesthetized cats and in healthy humans, lung ventilation, activity of diaphragmal motoneurons and intercostal muscles, shift of the intrathoracic pressure, inspiratory occlusional pressure, and maximal rate of the initial increase in inspiratory pressure, were studied. Depending on conditions of the respiratory system functioning, any one from among the above parameters can reflect the efferent output of the respiratory center. Each of them, however, has limitations of its own.


[The treatment of patients with diabetes insipidus by a synthetic analogue of vasopressin, DDAVP (author's transl)]. The effects of a synthetic analogue of vasopressin, DDAVP (1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin) were investigated in 98 patients with cranial diabetes insipidus. In all patients, intranasal administration of DDAVP one to three times daily, usually twice daily, was found to be satisfactory in the control of diabetes insipidus. Thus, by DDAVP administration, daily urinary volume changed from 3520 +/- 2150 ml to 1620 +/- 830 ml (mean +/- SD), and urinary osmolarity changed from 126 +/- 75 mOsm/kgH2O to 446 +/- 194 mOsm/kgH2O (mean +/- SD). A daily dose of DDAVP ranged from 2.0 to 20 microgram in children (average dose 12.8 microgram), while 10 to 20 microgram of DDAVP was usually required in adult patients (average dose 14.2 microgram). No serious side effects have been observed. It is concluded that DDAVP is safe and effective in the treatment of cranial diabetes insipidus.


[Studies on the biological action of uterine RNA in rat implantation (author's transl)]. With a view to investigating the mechanism of the action of estrogen involved in nidation, the biologically active rat uterine RNA thereby derived was extracted and then administered in the uterine cavity of castrated rats to observe the ensuing morphological changes in the endometrium and compare them with those resulting from the administration of decidual RNA which is non-estrogenised. There was a tendency toward increasing proliferation noted in the endometrial epithelium of the castrated rats 48 hours after the administration of the biologically active uterine RNA, as in the endometrial epithelium of animals receiving estradiol-17beta. There was also an increase in the number of 3H-thymidine-labelled cells present in the endometrial epithelium of animals so treated. On the other hand, no such changes were observed following the administration of the RNA pretreated with RNase. In the case of castrated rats administered with the RNA in the uterine cavity under progesterone priming, the endometrial epithelium as the site of increase in the number of the radio-labelled cells at 24 hours was found to be superseded by the stromal cells at 48 hours. A similar phenomenon of transfer was seen with regard to the site of an increase in the mitosis index caused by pretreatment with colchicine. An observation of the endometrium of castrated rats 72 hours after the administration of decidual RNA disclosed that the stroma was mildly edematous with the stromal cells somewhat swollen, but without any such changes in the endometrial epithelium as seen following the administration of the biologically active uterine RNA. These findings led us to administer such biologically active substances as uterine RNA, decidual high molecular RNA, human chorionic RNA, rat placental RNA (L15) and early pregnant rat uterine RNA (L4) separately in the uterine cavity of delayed implantation rats to determine whether any one or more of these RNAs had a nidation promoting effect just like estrogen. As a result, nidation was found to be induced in animals administered with 1 approximately 100 microgram of the biologically active uterine RNA or 100 microgram of early pregnant rat uterine RNA. No nidation was provoked by other specimens of RNA. A study was then made of blastocysts recovered by the flush-out technique from the uterus of animals receiving 1 approximately 10microgram of human chorionic RNA or 10microgram of rat placental RNA, which failed to induce nidation. It was shown that these blastocysts were dormant morphologically. From these results it is apparent that both biologically active uterine RNA and early pregnant rat uterine RNA are effective in promoting nidation. It is also suggested that, in the process of implantation of fertilized eggs, nidatory estrogen may first promote RNA synthesis in the endometrium and then exhibit its action through the medium of RNA thus synthesized.


[Sterile eosinophilic pustulosis (author's transl)]. 'Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis", first described by Ofuji and co-workers in 1970, is obviously a new entity, not only confined to Japan. Recently, there was a case reported from Sweden; we present here the first observation in the FRG. The disease is characterized by eruptions of aggregated pustules, containing numerous eosinophils, and by blood eosinophilia. In our patient the disease first appeared on the scalp, leading to scarring alopecia. Since in our and in some other patients the lesions were not limited to the follicles, we feel that the term 'sterile eosinophilic pustulosis" is more appropriate to reflect the clinical picture. For differential diagnosis Morbus Duhring and M. Sneddon-Wilkinson have to be considered. "Sterile eosinophilic pustulosis" differs from these mainly because of the eosinophilic infiltrations deep in the dermis. Immunofluorescence tests are negative. Treatment with DADPS may be helpful.


[Evaluation of prognostic factors in malignant melanoma according to the actuarial method: report of 75 cases (author's transl)]. The survival rate of 75 patients with malignant melanomas has been calculated according to the actuarial method. Various parameters have been evaluated such as sex and site distribution, histologic data and levels of invasion. The actuarial method appeared to be the more accurate way to appreciate the percentage of survivors in a high-mortality group. Thus, although the incidence of melanoma was higher among females, their prognoses were better than those of males. The localisations on the trunk and the lower extremities were those with the poorest prognosis, nodular melanomas had a survival rate below those of superficially spreading melanomas. Level III of invasion should be regarded as a hinge in terms of lymph node metastasis and survival.


HLA-antigens and psoriasiform napkin dermatitis. HLA typing was performed in 14 patients with psoriasiform napkin dermatitis (PND). Only 2 patients carried one of the three antigens (HLA-B13, B17, Bw37) associated with psoriasis vulgaris. The frequency of these antigens in PND corresponds to that in healthy controls, but differs significantly (p less than 0.01) from that in a population of psoriatics. Our results indicate that patients with PND are not true psoriatics, and that PND and psoriasis are different etiological entities.


Phylogenetic origins of immune recognition: naturally occurring DNP-binding molecules in chordate sera and hemolymph. A method is described which allows the isolation of small quantities of DNP-binding antibodies of both high- and low-molecular-weight classes. The only detectable DNP-binding protein in the serum of placoderm-derived vertebrates was immunoglobulin in nature, and of the order of less than or equal to 1% total serum immunoglobulin. Proteins in the serum of the urochordate Pyura stolonifera, which bind to both DNP and erythrocyte antigens, showed charge heterogeneity and an apparent subunit molecular weight of approximately 65,000 to 70,000 daltons.


Effect of seasonal variation on lymphoid tissues of the lizards, Mabuya quinquetaeniata Licht. and Uromastyx aegyptia Forsk. The thymus in the lizards Mabuya quinquetaeniata and Uromastyx aegyptia is highly involuted in winter but exhibits in the other seasons a rich lymphoepithelial organization. The splenic white pulp is severely depleted in winter but is extensively developed in spring, summer and autumn. In these seasons, the splenic lymphoid tissue of Mabuya occurs in a continuous phase throughout the organ obscuring the red pulp, whereas in Uromastyx the white pulp remains localized as periarteriolar aggregates and the red pulp is always clearly delineated. In both lizard species, gut-associated lymphoid tissue is well represented, especially in the large intestines and in Mabuya it is almost similar in different seasons. In Uromastyx, in winter, lymphoid nodules are only found in the caecum and the colon, but during warm seasons, inumerable nodules are distributed throughout the gut. The findings are important for a clearer understanding of immunologic competence in reptiles.


Ontogeny of this immuno-neuro-endocrine relationship. Changes in lymphoid tissue of chick embryos surgically decapitated at 33-38 hours of incubation. The prosencephalon, and primordium of the hypophysis were surgically removed from chick embryos at 33-38 hours of incubation. The thymus, bursa of Fabricius, spleen, bone marrown and liver were examined cytomorphologically on day 15, 17 and 19. T marker-bearing and Bu marker-bearing lymphocytes were identified by immunofluorescence. Decapitated embryos tended to be smaller than sham-decapitated controls of the same age, and exhibited retarded development of the thymus, bursa, spleen and liver. Decapitation particularly affected the cellular composition of the bursa and spleen, induced a decrease in the number of lymphocytes, and caused a striking depletion of lymphocytes bearing Bu antigen. This experiment showed an interdependence between lymphoid (immune), nervous and endocrine centers in the chick embryo.


The structure of a periodic cell wall component (HPI-layer of Micrococcus radiodurans). The hexagonally packed interlayer (HPI-layer) from Micrococcus radiodurans cell walls has been studied by electron microscopy and subsequent digital image processing. The most prominent feature in the average images is a "complex" shaped like a "toothed wheel", which is perforated by a central pore and interconnected by fine spokes. This basic structural element is tentatively interpreted to represent the bulk of HPI-layer protein, intercalated by the other constituents: lipids, carotenoids and carbohydrates. It is suggested that the "toothed wheel" structure is a quite common element of periodic bacterial surface layers and that the different spacings observed with various species are due to variable amounts of intercalating material.


Effects of cytochalasin A on the morphology of plasmodia and sclerotia of Physarum polycephalum. Cytochalasin A (CA) at 1.6 X 10(-5)M and lower concentrations produced disruptive effects upon plasmodia, sclerotia, and spherule forms of Physarum polycephalum. CA effects upon either micro- or macroplasmodia included: cytoplasmic condensation, plasmodial contraction, and scission at the plasma membrane. The latter manifestation was most dramatically observed by scanning electron microscopy. Electron microscopy of drug-treated palsmodia confirmed the above phase contrast light-microscopic results and revealed, in addition, vacuolar enlargement, decreased membrane invaginations, and the presence of condensed particles within the plasmodium and at the plasma membrane. These results of drug action were not reversed by washing of exposed plasmodia. Germination of the slcerotial and spherule forms of Physarum was CA-delayed by 12 and 96 hours, respectively. Approximately 10% of drug-treated sclerotia were found to have been burst apart. These dramatic CA effects were nullified by preincubation of the drug either with L-cysteine or with beta-mercaptoethanol; however, iodoacetamide (10(-6)M) gave no such morphologic consequences. Cytochalasins B or D at comparable concentrations were without activity. It is concluded therefore that CA effects upon the myoxomycete reflect specific acceptor responses.


Membranous sacs associated with cilia of Paramecium. A membranous system associated with the cortical cilia of Paramecium putrinum is described. A sac lies below the cortical kinetosomes and extensions from it pass along the kinetodesmal fibre to lie near, or make contact with, the parsomal sac and also pass deep into the cytoplasm to pass close to a mitochondrion. Because of its widespread occurrence in this and other species it is suggested that the system plays a physiologically active role.


[Electron microscopical and autoradiographical studies on the so-called yolk-nuclei in the oocytes of Nemacheilus barbatulus (L.) and Phoxinus phoxinus (L.) (Pisces, Teleostei) (author's transl)]. The yolk-nuclei in the oocytes of the teleosts Noemacheilus barbatulus (L.) and Phoxinus phoxinus (L.) were investigated by electron microscopy, autoradiography and ultrahistochemistry. Yolk-nuclei were only found in stage I. They consist of mitochondria, an osmiophilic material and in Noemacheilus partly of dictyosomes. It was demonstrated by marking with [3H]-uridine, that the osmiophilic material contains RNA. The osmiophilic material gets into the juxtanuclear cytoplasm. There it is surrounded by mitochondria. The oocytes of Noemacheilus and Phoxinus contain up to 40 yolk-nuclei, which are only visible by electron microscopy. The yolk-nuclei of both species dissolve in early stage II. Their components disperse in the cytoplasm.


Studies on nucleoli of pigeon erythroid cells. In order to provide more information on nucleolar changes occurring during cell differentiation and maturation, pigeon erythroid cells have been studied by means of a simple light microscopic cytochemical procedure for the demonstration of the RNA containing structures and with conventional transmission electron microscopy. Nucleoli with more or less distinct nucleolonemata present in early erythroblasts were replaced by ring-shaped nucleoli and, finally, by micronucleoli in more mature erythroid cells. In contrast to the previously studied chick embryos, chickens and hens which possess micronucleoli in almost all mature erythrocytes, mature pigeon erythrocytes are mostly without any nucleoli. The ultrastructural organization of nucleoli with more or less distinct nucleolonemata and ring-shaped nucleoli do not show differences, in comparison with such forms of nucleoli in other cells. Micronucleoli in pigeon erythroblasts are characterized by degranulation, suggesting the inhibition of the formation of the nucleolar granular components. Some nucleoli show a segregation of the nucleolar components, indicating the inactivation of the nucleolar RNA polymerase, and occasionally chromatin retraction from the nucleolar body, suggesting the loss of the template. In mature erythrocytes, micronucleoli consist mainly of fibrillar components, and the perinucleolar chromatin is partially retracted from the nucleolar body of such nucleoli.


Differential growth of sister nuclei in binucleate microspores of Tradescantia paludosa. Binucleate microspores were induced in Tradescantia paludosa with heat shocks. Nuclear and cell volumes were determined from early G1 to G2. Volumes of sister nuceli, present in a single cell, were rarely the same. It is suggested that, at least in part, nuclear volume is controlled by factors that are 1) present in nuclei, 2) not distributed equally at anaphase, and 3) not rapidly exchanged.


Penetration and entrapment of large particles in erythrocytes by electrical breakdown techniques. Human erythrocytes suspended in isotonic solutions were subjected to haemolysis by application of an electric field pulse to the cell suspension. The field strengths used were 12 and 16kV/cm, respectively; the pulse duration 40 microseconds. The lysed cells showed resealing properties. The permeability change of the membrane generated by the field pulse and by the subsequent osmotic processes were large enough to facilitate the penetration and entrapment of ferritin and Latex particles (diameter: 0.091 and 0.176 micron, respectively) as revealed by electron microscopy. Correct identification of the Latex particles in the electron-micrographs indicated that LOYTER et al. [J. Cell Biol. 66, 292 (1975)], who recently demonstrated the entrapment of Latex spheres in erythrocytes prepared by osmotic haemolysis mistook electron-dense bodies probably consisting of denaturated protein for Latex particles. Under conditions of osmotic haemolysis, carried out according to BODEMANN and PASSOW, particles could only occasionally be detected within the membrane itself and never within the cell interior, suggesting that the electrical haemolysis method is much more effective in the generation of large holes in the membrane.


Architecture and cell structures in the distal nephron of the rat kidney. Using semi-thin sections of marked tubules of the rat kidney, the distal part of the nephron is represented in toto for the first time and reconstructed in its course from the thick part of HENLE's loop to its junction with another collecting tubule. The shape of the model accords well with observations in vivo. On the basis of observations with light and electron microscopy, four types of cells are differentiated: Type 1 (Mittelstück) cell; type 2 (intermediate) cell; type 3 (light) cell and type 4 (intercalated) cell. According to the distribution of these different types of cells, the distal nephron is divided in the following way: Pars recta and pars convoluta of the distal nephron consist of type 1 (Mittelstück) cells; pars arcuata and pars recta of the cortical collecting duct exhibit type 3 (light) and type 4 (intercalated) cells; in the connecting portion of the distal tubule all four types are represented, type 2 (intermediate) and type 4 (intercalated) being the most frequent. The demarcation of the connecting portion according to our definition points to a dynamic relationship of the cell structures of the distal nephron, which gains clarity when conditions are experimentally varied. Hence the question for a morphological proof of where exactly the two nephrogenic blastemata join gives place to the more important question of what these cell structures and their variability mean as signs of functional adaptation-reactions.--The existence of the connecting portion, contested until now, is affirmed; a cytological characterization of it is given and a definition is recommended.


Electronmicroscopical and electrophysiological investigations on polyethylene glycol induced cell fusion. Cells of monolayer cultures are fused by high concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a molecular weight of approximately 1500. This process is independent of extracellular ca++ions. PEG changes transiently the surface membrane and leads to fusion only after replacing it by normal medium. Before the final fusion of two cells, the onset of ionic coupling via longer lasting pseudopodial contact can be measured. Only cells that are synchronous in the secretory and pseudopodial response to PEG may fuse with each other.


Ultrastructure of the frontal cap of monotactic forms of Amoeba proteus. The frontal cap of the monotactic form of Amoeba proteus is separated from other cell components by a continuous structure defined as the "membrane-like envelope" (MLE). It originates from the membranes of cytoplasmic vesicles and vacuoles. The border zone between the cap and the cytoplasm is strongly vacuolized. Structural differences between frontal caps, depending on the degree of their development, indicate that the growing cap gradually fills up the whole tip of an advancing pseudopodium, and at the front it reduces the cortical layer in the interstice between the MLE and the outer cell membrane, up to its eventual disrupture. This is probably the efficient cause of the specific morphological and motory pattern of monotactic amoebae. These results and conclusions are supported by an ultrastructural analysis of the artificial frontal caps obtained by injecting oil droplets into polytactic cells, a procedure transforming polytactic forms into forms morphodynamically analogous to the natural monotactic amoebae.


[Effects of phalloidin in liver cells: binding, morphological changes, and elimination (author's transl)]. 1. The uptake, binding and elimination of phalloidin in liver is compared in adult (180 to 240 g) and "baby" (17 to 19 days old) rats in vivo and in vitro. 2. In both groups there is no relation between the concentration of the poison in the liver and the toxicity. 3. Although baby rats show a significantly higher tolerance against phalloidin than the adult animals, the concentration of the poison in the liver of baby rats is higher, and the elimination is significantly slower than in adult rats. 4. The very tight binding and concentration of phalloidin in the liver is explained by an extremely low dissociation constant. 5. Furthermore, the morphological differences between the poisoning of the liver cells in the entire organ and of isolated liver cells are discussed.


[Somatotropin, antidot against phalloidin (author's transl)]. 1. Somatotropin protects rats against a lethal dose of phalloidin (1.3 mg/kg). 2. Scanning electron microscopy has shown that 2 hours after phalloidin injection the liver from a somatotropin-pretreated rat is not significantly different to that from an untreated rat. Phalloidin alone caused complete destruction of the structure of the liver lobules. 3. Somatotropin does not prevent phalloidin uptake by the liver but slows down elimination. 4. The findings are discussed with respect to their therapeutic possibilities as somatropin protects rats against death also after phalloidin poisoning.


Spatio-temporal relationships between protoplasmic streaming and contraction activities in plasmodial veins of Physarum polycephalum. Plasmodial veins of Physarum polycephalum were investigated by combining cinematographical, morphological, and tensiometrical techniques. Translucent and nontranslucent (thicker) strands remaining in their original position on filter paper were analyzed in respect to their radial contraction cycles and the resulting streaming activity of the endoplasm. A new technique for measuring the flow intensity by a microbalance method allowed testing of the influence of radial contraction on actual streaming processes within a strand. Stationary ectoplasm and flowing endoplasm are involved in a mutual transformation process: thereia an exchange of ectoplasm and endoplasm in the form of protoplasmic streamlets crossing the borderline between the endoplasmic stream and the ectoplasmic tube. Radial contraction cycles show the same time periodicity as the endoplasmic shuttle streaming. Relationships between radial contractions, streaming rates of endoplasm and streamlets between ectoplasm and endoplasm were analyzed. The participation of the ectoplasmic walls in motive force generation and their function in control of streaming throughput is discussed.


Plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum as a synchronous contractile system. The contractile activity of veins and the rhythmicity of the frontal progress were photometrically recorded from cine-film, at numerous points across the whole plasmodium. Graphic analysis of the obtained curves demonstrates the existence of common contraction rhythm over the entire network, coincident to the expansion rhythm of the advancing front. It is suggested that the plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum represents an imperfectly synchronized monorhythmic contractile system.


Response to light-shade difference in anucleate and polynucleate specimens of Amoeba proteus. The enucleated specimens of Amoeba proteus, the anucleate fragments, and the polynucleate individuals which all are capable of cortical contraction but not of locomotion, may be reactivated by the light-shade difference established across their body. Individual cells or fragments migrate toward the shade. The motory polarity and coordinated movement disappear immediately after cessation of the stimulus. The results are interpreted according to the earlier hypothesis that the necessary to maintain the motory polarity of amoebae. It is suggested that the anucleate and polynucleate specimens are incapable of coordinated movements when non-stimulated, because of a deficiency or an excess, respectively, of the regulatory relaxing factor secreted by the nucleus of Amoeba proteus.


Cell multiplication following partial enzymatic removal of surface coat. Treatment of Paramecium aurelia with trypsin or pronase (1 mg per 10(5) cells, at 0 to 4 degrees C) partially removes the surface coat and modifies significantly multiplication of cells. The division rate after 24 hours of cultivation is diminished approximately twice in the case of pronase-treated cells and 1.5 for tyrpsin-digested ciliates as compared with the control. On the second day the division rate increases rapidly and number of cell divisions exceeds the values observed in the control. After 72 hours of cultivation the division rate in both untreated and enzyme-treated cells is almost the same. It is concluded that the observed inhibition of cell fission results from the enzymatic removal of the surface coat--the integrity of this surface coat seems to be necessary in the process of cell division. The influence of environmental factors on the rate of growth is presented.


The occurrence of enzymes involved in phenylpropanoid metabolism in the tapetum fraction of anthers. The contents of another loculus were separated in a pollen and tapetum fraction. The following enzymes involved in phenylpropanoid metabolism were present in the tapetum fraction: shikimate dehydrogenase; phenylalanine ammonialyase; cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase; SAM (S-adenosylmethionine): caffeate 3-O-methyltransferase; hydroxycinnamate: CoA ligase; "flavanone synthase"; chalcone-flavanone isomerase; SAM: 3',4'-dihydroxyflavonoid 3'-O-methyltransferase; O-glucosyltransferase. It is postulated, that these enzymes derived from the tapetum catalyze the different steps of phenylpropanoid metabolism at or in cavities of the exine after their transfer into the loculus.


[Comparative analysis of ultrastructure and lipid composition of plastids from sun and shade plants (author's transl)]. The ultrastructure and lipid composition of chloroplasts, isolated from various shade and sun plants, were compared. Depending on the origin of the plastid, significant differences were observed in the percentage of appressed thylakoids. Accordingly, plastids could be classified into three different types: Type I chloroplasts, from mesophyll cells of sun plants (barley, corn, spinach, bean), display well-developed grana and intergrana thylakoid membranes. Type II chloroplasts, typical of shade plant (Arum), show giant grana stacks with few interconnecting thylakoids. Type III chloroplasts, from bundle sheath cells of leaves from C4-plants (corn), are characterized by an extensive development of stroma thylakoids with only occasional rudimentary grana. The percentages of appressed membranes are in the ranges of 50 to 60%, 80% and 2% for type I, II and III plastids respectively. Striking differences are observed in the fatty acid composition of phosphatidylglycerol molecules. Trans-delta3-hexadecenoic acid is found only in this phospholipid and amounts to 30 to 40%, 50% and less than 8% of total fatty acids in type I, II and III plastids respectively. The comparison of ultrastructural and biochemical data suggests a strong correlation between the amounts of phosphatidylglycerol molecules containing trans-delta3-hexadecenoic acid and the percentages of appressed membranes (grana stacks) within plastid stroma.


Fine structure of Sertoli cells in the rat testis after hypophysectomy, testosterone treatment and re-involution. Using thin sections and freeze-etch replicas the fine structure of the Sertoli cells of the rat testis was investigated after hypophysectomy, testosterone treatment and re-involution. 41 days after hypophysectomy the Sertoli cells contain numerous dense bodies and remnants of degenerating spermatocytes and spermatids. The Sertoli cell junctions are most prominent. The membranes of neighbouring cells are folded into several layers. Freeze-fracture replicas reveal a normal arrangement of Sertoli cell tight junctions with linear array of membrane particles preferentially on the B-face and complementary grooves on the A-face. The geometric pattern of the ridges is varying with respect to the basal, intermediate and apical portions of the lateral Sertoli cell membranes. Since no major changes of the size, distribution and localization of the Sertoli cell junctions were observed in the different experimental groups these junctions, once formed, are inferred to be independent from hypophyseal hormones.


Acute intermittent porphyria on withdrawal of oral contraceptives. A rare presentation of acute Intermittent Porphyria is described, in which withdrawal of an oral contraceptive (Gynovlar 21) provoked the first acute attack.


Rifampicin in cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Rifampicin in cutaneous leishmaniasis. A study is described which aimed at assessing the efficacy of rifampicin in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. A total of thirteen patients suffering from this condition were admitted to the study and were given rifampicin 600 mg daily. Three patients dropped out due to reasons unconnected with the trial and one patient left when the lesions improved appreciably and continued treatment abroad. The remaining patients continued under treatment until clinical resolution was attained, and this occurred in a period of one to four months. The author was impressed by the marked clinical resolution and the lack of scarring and side-effects, and recommends that further trials be carried out in the endemic areas where more cases can readily be found, treated and ovserved for longer periods of time than in this study.


Management of constipation in terminally ill patients. This small study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of lactulose syrup (Duphalac) in the management of constipation in forty-six patients with terminal illnesses. The daily dose of lactulose was titrated to meet the individual patients requirements and was found to be in the region of 20 to 30 mls twice daily, despite the almost universal administration of opiates as analgesics. The study lasted 21 days in each patient capable of completing the assessment. Constipation was relieved within a an average of 3 to 4 days, and of the 512 days observed, there were 203 days in which a bowel movement occurred. Of these motions 71% were recorded as easy to move, rather than hard (21%)  of loose (8%). Faecal incontinence and nausea attributable to lactulose treatment were extremely rare. Therefore, lactulose appeared to be a useful treatment for constipation in the terminally ill patient.


The interstimulus interval in classical autonomic conditioning of young infants. Conditioned auditory discrimination and extinction of the skin potential response were attempted in 4-month-old infants using interstimulus intervals of 1500, 3500, 5500, and 7500 msec. Half of the infants in each of the interstimulus interval groups were defined as high magnitude orienters and half were low magnitude orienters. Conditioning was successful with the 5500- and 7500-msec interstimulus intervals, but not with the 1500- and 3500-msec intervals. Analysis of individual subject data indicated that individual subject data indicated that individual differences in conditionability were related to interstimulus interval and orienting response magnitude. Also, those subjects discriminating at the longer intervals tended to be high magnitude orienters. In other words, longer interstimulus intervals interacted with a high magnitude or orienting to facilitate conditioning. The results were taken as evidence that individual differences in the magnitude of the orienting response reflect different individual needs in stimulus information processing time.


The interrelationship between thermal and olfactory stimulation in the development of home orientation in newborn kittens. The presence of a thermal gradient in the home cage and its use in home orientation was studied in kittens from shortly after birth to 2 weeks. Responses on a thermal gradient outside the home cage were also studied. With the home region and a freshly washed cage floor either cooled or warmer, kittens were placed in the adjacent corner or the home. In one study kittens chose between a cooled home and a warmed diagonal region. On a thermal gradient kittens exhibited thermotaxic turning and thermokinetic response. Kittens initially used either thermal or olfactory cues to reach the home but began to use only olfactory cues towards the end of the 1st week. Similarly, warmth in the home region caused "settling" during the 1st week but thereafter warmth and olfactory cues were most effective. Kittens chose the cooled home region more often than the warmed diagonal corner responding to olfactory over thermal cues.


Specificity of litter odors in the control of home orientation among kittens. The specificity of maternal-home cage odors governing home orientation was tested in 8- to 11-day-old kittens. Kittens were first tested for home orientation from the adjacent corner in their own home cages and cages of other mothers with litters of the same age. The majority of kittens oriented successfully in their own cages but not in strange mothers' cages. They then lived for 48 hr in the strange mothers' cages. At the end of this time they showed no improvement in orientation in their own home cages. Moreover, after an additional 24 hr in their own home cages they showed no improvement in their own home cages. Home orientation involves 2 odor components: 1 general to different mothers and 1 specific to each mother.


Response of the infant rat to light prior to eyelid opening: mediation by the superior colliculus. Although the influence of light on the infant rat before Day 14, when its eyelids open, are presumed to be minimal, we have shown that as early as postnatal Day 6, male and female albino rats demonstrate negative phototaxis. Bilateral enucleation eliminates negative phototaxis, whereas unilateral enucleation does not. Rearing in the dark does not prevent the expression of the behavior. Knife cuts on postnatal Day 5, which undercut the dorsal midbrain involving the superior colliculus, prevent the expression of this response to light. Unilateral dorsal midbrain knife cuts and posterior cortex lesions have no effect. These results call attention to an early period in the postnatal development of the rat when it is capable of exhibiting negative phototaxis. The superior colliculus in the dorsal midbrain appears to be crucial for demonstrating this behavior.


The effect of neonatal oil administration on brain weight of inbred and heterogeneous mice. A single injection of sesame oil on postnatal Day 4 reduced adult bain weight in male and female mice of the C3H/HeJ strain. The same neonatal treatment had no effect on brain weight of heterogeneous mice derived from a cross of 8 inbred strains. In agreement with previous findings in inbred strains, C3H/HeJ females were found to have larger brains than males. This difference between the genders was not seen in heterogeneous mice. The effect of neonatal oil administration on adult brain weight provides an additional example of the effect of neonatal manipulations on the adult organism and underscores the importance of adherence to appropriate control procedures in studies involving administration of hormones in early life, particularly when infant strains are used  as experimental subjects.


Ultrasonic vocalization during social interaction and isolation in 2-weeek-old rats. Two-week-old rats were found to emit very little ultrasound in their cage except during arrivals and departures of the mother, when average peak rates of approximately 1 ultrasonic pulse/rat/min were detected. However, when all pups except one were removed from the home cage, the remaining isolated pup emitted ultrasound at a mean rate of 12 pulses/min for at least 30 min. When young rats of this age were placed alone in an unfamiliar test area, the ultrasound pulse rate was approximately 25/min, whereas groups of 4 littermates in the same situation emitted only occasional ultrasonic pulses. If an isolated pup in the novel environment was allowed access to a single anesthetized littermate or mother this also significantly reduced the rate of ultrasound emission, whereas a warm clay model did not.


Directional responses by kittens to an auditory stimulus. Six kittens were tested in a 2-choice maze to determine if they would execute directional approach responses to an auditory stimulus. Tests were done at various postnatal ages (4-10, 11-17, 18-24, and 25-31 days) and comparison was made with responses of 5 kittens tested without auditory stimulation. At the earliest ages no evidence was seen for auditory approach responses but by 18-24 days consistent approch responses were found.


Impairment of glucose-induced insulin secretion and glucose tolerance during colchicine treatment. The effect of acute and chronic colchicine treatment on glucose-induced immunoreactive insulin secretion and glucose tolerance was examined in fasting, unanesthetized, and unrestrained rats with indwelling jugular vein and aortic catheters. In the first study, intravenous glucose tolerance tests were performed by rapidly administering a glucose pulse (150 mg. intravenously) one hour after acute treatment with colchicine (0.5 mg. per kilogram of body weight, intravenously) or vehicle (control). Acute colchicine treatment caused significant suppression of glucose-induced insulin secretion and also markedly impaired glucose disappearance rates. In the second study, chronic colchicine treatment (in the lower dose of 0.2 mg. per kilogram of body weight, intraperitoneally, daily for 10 days) caused significant suppression of biphasic insulin secretion in response to a primed-constant glucose infusion (150 mg. of glucose pulse followed by 6 mg. per minute constant glucose infusion for 60 minutes) as compared with control rats (vehicle injection, intraperitoneally, daily for 10 days). Due to this marked decrease in biphasic insulin secretion, serum glucose concentrations were significantly higher between 10 and 45 minutes in the colchicine-treated rats than in the control rats. Therefore, acute and chronic colchicine treatment causes marked inhibition of glucose-induced insulin secretion and impairment of glucose tolerance in the intact rat. These observations suggest there is a need to evaluate carbohydrate metabolism in patients receiving colchicine treatment.


Effects of anti-insulin receptor autoantibodies on the metabolism of human adipocytes. We studied the effect of sera from two patients who had an unusual form of diabetic syndrome with extreme insulin resistance on the metabolism of human adipocytes in vitro. The IgG fractions from sera A and B, which were obtained from two patients (1 and 2) with insulin-resistant diabetes, inhibited [125I] insulin binding to human adipocytes and, at the same time, stimulated glucose oxidation and inhibited the lipolysis induced by levarterenol in human adipocytes. On the other hand, the IgG fraction from the C serum, which was obtained from patient 2 after her diabetic syndrome had completely disappeared as a result of immunosuppressive therapy, did not inhibit [125I] insulin binding to human adipocytes, stimulate glucose oxidation, or inhibit lipolysis in human adipocytes. These facts suggest that these IgG fractions bind to or near the insulin receptor of human adipocytes, that they exhibit their insulin-like effect by binding to the insulin receptor in vitro, and, furthermore, that they are responsible for the extremely insulin-resistant diabetes. However, the apparent discrepancy between the effects of these IgG fractions on man in vitro and in vivo is puzzling and needs to be explained.


Fine morphology of the secretory mode of the tetragastrin-stimulated chief cells of human and dog gastric mucosa. The chief cells of the gastrin-stimulated gastric mucosa of human and dog were observed under a light and electron microscope. Four microgram/kg AOC-tetragastrin were given parenterally by a single shot to a man and three dogs respectively. Pepsinogen in the gastric mucosa increased at the wash-out stage and at the following dynamic equibrium stage of the chief cell secretion cycle after the administration of AOC-tetragastrin. During those stages, the chief cells released zymogen granules intensively. As the main ultrastructural process for releasing the zymogen granules, the emiocytosis in man and the apical cytoplasm dissociation in dog were discussed.


Effect of bile acids and dietary fat on large bowel carcinogenesis in animal models. Epidemiologic and laboratory studies suggest that dietary fk actors, particularly high intake of fat and animal protein, and high concentration of bile acids and neutral sterols of the large bowel lumen are strongly associated with large bowel carcinogenesis. Such concepts guided our studies on animal models. Rats fed diets high in fat and/or protein had a higher incidence of DMH-induced large bowel tumors than rats fed standard diets. The source of fat and protein, animal vs. vegetable, had no major influence. High fat intake was associated with an increased excretion of fecal bile acids, particularly secondary bile acids, and neutral sterols. The repeated intrarectal doses of lithocholic acid or deoxycholic acid enhanced the development of MNNG-induced large bowel tumors in rats. Colostomized rats treated with intrarectal dose of MNNG had no tumors in the excluded segment. It suggests that luminal contents play a significant role in the induction of large bowel cancer. The results show that higher levels of bile acids in the large bowel lumen, resulting from high fat intake, exert a promoting effect on the development of large bowel cancer.


Studies on pancreatic duct system. I) The fine structure of the major pancreatic ducts of normal and chronic pancreas injury dogs. The major pancreatic ducts of normal dogs, and experimental dogs with chronic pancreas injury following adjuvant injection have been studied ultrastructurally and histochemically. The ducts are lined by a single layer of columnar epithelial cells. They possess many short microvilli with a fuzzy surface coat and apical sulfomucin droplets, suggesting that they are acting not only as a protective barrier, but also facilitating the transport of the pancreatic juice. Apart from these ordinary epithelial cells, multivesicular cells and some few endocrine cells have been detected between the duct epithelia. Because of a rich cellular network lining the major pancreatic ducts, it is hardly believed that they have no important function except for passive transport of pancreatic juice. In the diseased dogs, the lumina were irregularly dilated and the epithelial cells were flattened with the loss of microvilli. These changes may be a predisposition of inspissated secretion.


Postbulbar duodenal ulcer occurring in a patient of diabetic coma. Duodenal ulcer beyond the bulb occurred in a diabetic patient when he was in ketoacidotic coma causing serious anemia. Early investigation of the stomach and duodenum by endoscope was quite valuable for evaluating this bleeding complication and the healing process of the lesion was serially recorded. Since several cases of diabetic coma have been reported to die from gastrointestinal bleeding, this report presents the important aspect in the management of diabetic coma, and usefulness of emergency endoscope.


[The posterior opening of the pterygopalatine fossa and the position of the pterygopalatine ganglion]. Our material consisted of 100 adult skulls and 50 adult half-head sections where the posterior opening of the pterygopalatinate fossa and the position of the pterygopalatinate ganglion were investigated. The report contains the following specifics: 1. Course and contents of the pterygoidal canal as well as the topographical relations of the canal to the sphenoid sinus. 2. Positioning of the axis of the foramen rotundum to the various planes of the head and its contents. 3. Course of the vomerovaginal canal and its contents. 4. Distances of the pterygopalatinate ganglion to important reference points of the head and to the median-sagittal line.


[Asymmetry in the structure of the middle part of the facial skull]. The results of study of the middle third of the facial region, performed on a total of 412 skulls of male individuals, lead to the following conclusions: 1. In the investigated upper section, the zygomatic bone inclusive, downwards to its lower section along the alveolar process of the maxillary bone, a complete and approximative symmetry displayed by the width values is more frequently met with, whilst asymmetry is rather rarely. In the same direction, from above downwards, the number of skulls with differences in favour of the right side decrease, whereas the number in favour of the left side increase, with the rarely observed asymmetry in the lowermost section usually involving the leftside. 2. The height of the upper jaw-bone region near the sagittal line shows more frequently symmetry (complete and approximative), and rather rarely asymmetry, whilst insofar as the zygomatic bone is concerned the opposite is observed; therefore, in the direction from medial to lateral-wards the incidence of asymmetry increases, whereas that of the symmetry decreases. In the same direction the number of skulls with differences in favour of the right side increases, while the number in favour of the left side decreases. 3. The coincidence of absolute differences recorded in 69%, respectively 61.6%, between right and left side of closely positioned dimensions (20 and 31, resp. 20 and 42) proves that the data about these dimensions are apt to determine symmetry and asymmetry manifestations with a sufficient reliability. 4. The individual values of the pairs of breadth dimensions of one and the same region of the studies craniofacial portion show a higher degree of correlation than those of different regions which is due to the differences between the latter in terms of incidence of symmetry and asymmetry in their build up. 5. The width of the middle third of the median craniofacial portion and the lateral distance of the skull Zygomaxillare--Porion do not correlate, i.e. there is no parallelism between the fluctuations of their individual values. 6. In most of the cases the bones of the external nose are symmetrical, and hence its asymmetry is attributed to the soft parts as cartilage and skin.


[Quantitative-morphometric and functional-anatomical studies on the locomotor apparatus of athletes. IV. Discussion, resume and literature]. The locomotor system of 155 athletes from 3 athletic disciplines was examined, and the data of 20 anthropometrical measurements and the results for the corresponding disciplines were recorded subjected to a multivariate morphometrical analysis with the following aim: 1. To evaluate the morphological and functional-anatomical criteria of the locomotor system which quantified the variation differences in the body composition of the athletic groups, and which indicated a quantifiable functional-anatomical relationship between the variation in the body composition and the result in the corresponding disciplines. 2. To show the bivariate relationship between the morphological parameter and the results in the corresponding disciplines, and furthermore to evaluate the amount of result-increasing or result-decreasing components in a morphological variable. 3. To analyse the morphological variation of the 20 body composition variables and the corresponding results in the disciplines by means of factor analysis. This is achieved by the use of multivariate methods to analyse the variation in the athlete's body composition and the result-influencing-components. The following results were obtained: 1. There are partly pronounced morphological differences between the 3 athletic groups, quantified by discriminant functions. The differences in the locomotor system were reduced to 2 independent axes of variation, with one axis being identified as the general size variation between the 3 groups, and the other as the difference in the variation of the degree of strength of the musculature of the trunk and the limbs by considering the length and breadth measurements. For both canonical axes, the shotputters have above-average high canonical numbers compared to the other 2 groups. The sprinters and long jumpers show conformity in the general size variation of the locomotor system, but they differ in the second axis. Whilst in both groups the lower limbs are similarly constituted in form, shape and size, the canonical values of the trunk and the upper limbs of the sprinters are higher. In this respect, they tend more towards the shot-putter group. The morphological differences obtained for the athlete's locomotor system are functional-anatomically related to the corresponding athletic disciplines. 2. In almost every case, the regression functions for the shot-putters show an approximately linear relationship between the morphological variables and the result of the shot-putt. The quadratic and cubic regression functions only deviate slightly from the linearity, i.e. the result will be altered depending on the height and size of the body composition (within the possible range of biological variation). On the other hand, the sprinting result, either increased or decreased, is determined by a limited morphological variation of the parameter of the locomotor system...


[The central branches of the anterior and median cerebral artery]. 1. In our examined subjects, the A. recurrens anterior was found to be more frequently doubled than as has been reported. 2. The number of central rami arising from the A. cerebri media varies between 3 and 13. 10% of these already divide extracerebrally so that the number of small asts actually present lies between 4 and 20. The count presented by Lazorthes appears to be based on the former method and by Jain on the latter. The ramifications arise from the main artery as well as from its insular branches. Arterial trunks are likewise often present that give off a large portion of the asts. When operating aneurysms of the A. cerebri media, these facts are of importance to the neurosurgeon who must sprare these vessels whenever possible. Should more of these branches or one of these arterial trunks be bound with a clip, serious neurological deficits will occur.


[The facial muscles of insectivora. I. Erinaceus europaeus and Talpa europaea]. This investigation includes the area of n. facialis in Erinaceus europaeus and Talpa europaea. It is indicated that the topography of muscles diverges considerably from the equally conditions in Rodentia, Carnivora, and Ungulata. The dorsal length musculature thus is an almost undivided mass of muscles in the 2 investigated species as also the laterally and ventrally situated musculature at certain points diverges from the conditions within other above mentioned animal groups.


[Quantitative morphological studies on the variability of the epithelial height of the human Fallopian tube mucosa]. Analysing statistically the parameters of the own morphometric observations, quantitative-morphologic investigations of tube epithelium of 47 women, distributed in various age groups, indicate following results: In the oviducts of younger fertile women a cyclic changes of the height of the epithelium is characteristical of the structure of the human oviduct. Cyclic changes of the epithelial height exist also in the uterine tube of aging women of premenopausal age, while the follicle growth and the development of corpus luteum take place in the ovarium. In the oviducts of aging women the height of the epithelium is average greater than the one of organs of younger individuals. In the oviduct a flattened epithelium results by ovarian atrophy, postmenopausally.