Local effect of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide on human sweat-gland function

Physiological significance of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), a putative co-transmitter of the cholinergic neuron innervating sweat glands, was investigated by its local effect on drug-induced sweating. VIP, methacholine chloride (MCH), or VIP plus MCH dissolved in 0.1 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution to a specified concentration was injected intradermally at the center of a forearm test area of 15 cm2 and the sweat rate was recorded continuously by capacitance hygrometry. In a cool environment (Ta, 23 degrees C), VIP failed to cause sweat secretion, but increased the rate of MCH-induced sweating, most markedly at a concentration of 10(-5) g/ml, where the rise in local skin temperature was the greatest. On an area anesthetized by nerve block in a hot environment (Ta, 35 degrees C), the effect was less obvious and less consistent, indicating that the sweat-facilitatory effect of VIP is reduced under the condition of passive cutaneous vasodilation. It may be postulated that VIP plays a role in securing ample oxygen supply to functioning sweat glands, especially with a relatively high cutaneous vasoconstrictor tone.     

Effects of body and head positions on bilateral difference in tympanic temperatures

Summary We have examined the nonparallel changes in tampanic membrane temperatures (T _ty) from the two ears in response to various changes in body and head positions. Upon assuming a lateral recumbent position, the T _ty on the lower side increased while that on the upper side decreased. Pressure application over a wide area of the lateral chest only caused inconsistent and obscure asymmetric changes in T _ty. A lateral flexion of the head with the subject sitting upright and a rotation of the head to the side in a supine position induced an increase in the T _ty on the lower side compared to that on the upper side. The temperature and blood flow of the forehead often decreased on the lower side and increased on the upper side, although such responses were not always concomitant with the asymmetric changes in T _ty. A dorsal flexion of the head with the subject in a reclining position caused a slight increase in the T _ty, whereas raising the head upright induced a slight decrease in them. Two additional experiments were carried out with single photon emission computed tomography using ^99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime as tracer, and a slight, relative decrease in counts was noted in the right hemisphere during rotation of the head to the right. These results would strongly suggest that unilateral increases and decreases in T _ty could have been caused by one-sided decreases and increases, respectively, in blood flow to the brain and/or the tympanic membrane, induced by a vasomotor reflex involving vestibular stimulation.     

ANALYSIS OF ANTI-TRANSPLANTATION IMMUNITY OF TUMOR

In allogeneic immunity against tumors induced by methylcholanthrene in the W/KA strain rat, serum antibody agglutinated red blood cells of the W/KA strain rat. The allogeneic antiserum was cytotoxic to the lymphocyte, but not to the tumor cells induced by methylcholanthrene.
In vitro and in vivo studies of allogeneic immunization of tumor suggested that immune macrophages or histiocytes play a major role in the rejection of transplanted tumor. Direct adhesion of immune macrophages with target cells is necessary for destruction of allografted tumor.
In antitransplantation immunity of the syngeneic and autochthonous rat, there was no cytotoxic serum antibody demonstrable in so far as routine techniques were employed. However, this may not exclude the existence of specific serum antibody or non-cytotoxic reaction with target cells of specific serum antibody. On the other hand, immune macrophages were always cytotoxic to target tumor cells, thus showing tumor specifity.
Experiment in which diffusion chambers were inserted into syngeneic immune rats suggested the possible participation of a humoral factor which was released from the immune rats immediately after contact with target cells and transform normal macrophages to immunologically active macrophages. The ascites macrophages have the greatest effective cytotoxic action among the three types of cells. In allogeneic tumor immunity, one immune macrophage can damage one target tumor cell showing single hit interaction. ACTA PATH. JAP. 18: 207–225, 1968.     

Ventilatory response to hypercapnia in sprint and long-distance swimmers

Summary Ventilatory response lines to carbon dioxide at rest were determined by the rebreathing method in 10 untrained subjects, 17 sprint swimmers, and 11 long-distance swimmers. It was found that the mean slope of the ventilatory response line of the swimmer was lower than that of the untrained group, and the mean slope of the long distance swimmer was lower as compared with the sprint swimmer, though these differences were statistically not significant. The differences in the hypercapnic drive between untrained subjects and swimmers obtained here is discussed in connection with their maximum oxygen uptake.     

Two cases of limited cutaneous nodular amyloidosis with primary Sj?gren's syndrome]

We described two female patients with primary Sj?gren's syndrome associated with localized cutaneous nodular amyloidosis (LCNA), in which amyloid protein was derived from immunoglobulin light chain. Case 1; a 70-year-old female had complained with polyarthralgia, low-grade fever and parotid gland swelling. She was diagnosed as primary Sj?gren's syndrome. Three years later she noticed brown color small tumor on the thigh and yellow to brown nodules on the bilateral calves of legs. Skin biopsy from the left thigh revealed amyloid L protein deposition, which was positive for anti-lambda light chain staining, in almost entire dermis. Infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells around the amyloid deposit were prominent. Case 2; a 51-year-old female had noticed increasing eruption on the hip. Skin biopsy revealed amyloid L protein deposition in the dermis, which was negative for anti-lambda nor kappa light chain staining. When she was refereed to our hospital, she complained of xerostomia and xerophthalmia. She was diagnosed as primary Sj?gren's syndrome. In both cases, histological examination of a minor salivary gland biopsy revealed infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells but not amyloid deposit. Serum M protein and urine Bence-Jones protein were not detected. These cases represent localized amyloidosis without systemic involvement. It is widely recognized that Sj?gren's syndrome is frequently accompanied by B cell lymphoproliferative disorders. In LCNA, infiltration of plasma cells around the amyloid deposits was frequently prominent. The relation between these two disorders is discussed.     

MALIGNANT LYMPHOEPITHELIAL LESION

A case of undifferentiated carcinoma arising from benign lymphoepithelial lesion (BLEL) of the parotid gland was studied by light and electron microscopy. Histopathologically, the carcinoma was composed of pleomorphic anaplastic cells showing an undifferentiated type among abundant lymphoid tissue forming germinal center. Among the prominent lymphoid tissue, epithelial hyperplasia, dysplasia, and squamous metaplasia of the duct epithelium were found. Dysplastic epithelium revealed a transition with carcinomatous component in some areas. On the electron microscopic observation, the tumor cells were poorly differentiated, possessing desmosomes and intracytoplasmic filaments. The patient is alive and well 2 months after resection of the tumor, but has a high titer of serum Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen in IgG. Eighty five cases of the malignant lymphoepithelial lesion (MLEL) including the present case are summarized.     

Two cases of paragangliomas of the cauda equina--case reports and review of the literature

Paragangliomas are tumors arising in the paraganglia and rarely occurring in the cauda equina. We report two cases of paraganglioma arising in this region. The tumors exhibited a typical "Zellballen" pattern, and immunohistochemical studies were positive for neuron-specific enolase, but negative for S-100 protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Electron microscopic studies confirmed electron-dense neurosecretory types of granules in the tumor cells. Only 23 cases of paragangliomas in this region have been previously reported. A brief review of the literature is included.     

Persistent effect of a low dose of preadministered diethylnitrosamine on the induction of enzyme-altered foci in rat liver

The effect of a low dose of preadministered diethylnitrosamine(DEN) on the induction of enzyme-altered foci in the liversof male full-grown Fischer 344 rats was studied. As a pretreatment,DEN at a dose of 10 mg/kg body wt was injected i.p. At varioustimes after DEN pretreatment a complete initiation, consistingof administration of the same dose of DEN by the same routein rats subjected to partial hepatectomy (PH), was performed,followed by application of selection pressure. Enzyme-alteredfoci stained with -glutamyltrans-peptidase (-GTP) and glutathioneS-transferase placental form (GST-P) were then assayed. Decreasesin the numbers and areas of foci in the rats which receivedsaline + PH 14 or 28 days after DEN pretreatment were observedin comparison with rats which received saline + PH immediatelyafter DEN. On the other hand, the numbers and areas of fociwere not decreased in rats which received the complete initiation,consisting of DEN + PH, at various times after DEN pretreatmentwhen compared with rats which received these at the same timeas the DEN pretreatment. This persistent effect of DEN pretreatmenton the complete initiation lasted up to 182 days after the timeof DEN pretreatment. In this experiment, GST-P was found tobe a more sensitive marker for the detection of putative preneoplasticliver-cell foci than -GTP.     

Cordyceps militaris Fruit Body Extract Decreases Testosterone Catabolism and Testosterone-Stimulated Prostate Hypertrophy

The androgens testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are essential for a variety of systemic functions in mature males. Alteration of these hormones results in late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). The fruit bodies of fungi of the genus Cordyceps have been regarded as folk medicine or health food with tonic and antifatigue effects. The extract from the fruit body of Cordyceps militaris parasitizing Samia cynthia ricini (CM) was evaluated as a novel-candidate natural product for ameliorating male andropause symptoms. To explore the effects of CM on LOH and BPH, CM was applied to rat models and cultured testicular cells and prostate cells. The concentrations of androgens in the serum and culture media were determined by ELISA. Expression of steroidogenic enzymes and androgen-related genes was evaluated by qPCR, and prostatic cell proliferation was assessed with the cell-viability assay. CM maintained the serum levels of testosterone and DHT, but inhibited testosterone-induced prostate hypertrophy. CM also increased the secretion of testosterone and DHT by primary testicular cells, with no changes in the mRNA expression of steroidogenic enzymes, but decreased the growth of prostatic cell lines. Our data suggest that CM could improve both LOH and BPH in males.     

Abdominal angiography is associated with reduced in-hospital mortality among pediatric patients with blunt splenic and hepatic injury: A propensity-score-matching study from the national trauma registry in Japan

PurposeThe aim of this study was to assess the association between the implementation of abdominal angiography and outcome among pediatric patients with blunt splenic or hepatic injury.MethodsThis was a retrospective observational study, with a study period of 14 years, from January 2004 to December 2017. Blunt-trauma patients with splenic or hepatic injury who were less than 19 years old were included in this study. We used propensity-score-(PS) matching analysis to assess the relationship between abdominal angiography and in-hospital mortality.ResultsIn total, 639 patients were eligible for analysis, with 257 patients included in the abdominal-angiography group and 382 patients in the no-abdominal-angiography group. After PS matching, 224 patients from each group were selected. In the PS matched patients, in-hospital mortality was lower in the abdominal-angiography group than in the no-abdominal-angiography group (4.9% vs. 11.2%, odds ratio 0.416, 95% confidence interval 0.177–0.903).ConclusionIn this population, the implementation of abdominal angiography was significantly associated with lower in-hospital mortality among pediatric patients with blunt splenic or hepatic injury compared with nonimplementation of abdominal angiography.Type of studyPrognosis study.Level of evidenceIII