Effect of alpha 2-adrenergic receptor antagonist (midaglizole) on gastrointestinal motility in conscious dogs

To clarify the physiological role of the mechanism that adrenergic nerve inhibits Ach release from intramural cholinergic nerve endings, the influence of Midaglizole, alpha 2-adrenergic receptor antagonist, to postprandial gastrointestinal motilities in conscious dogs was investigated. Postprandial motilities of gastric antrum, duodenum, ileum, and colon were significantly enhanced by Midaglizole (3.0-5.0 mg/kg body weight, i.v.). These excitatory responses were abolished by atropine (0.05-0.1 mg/kg body weight, i.v.). On the other hand, in most cases (29 cases out of 32), when Midaglizole was administered during quiesent phase of IMC, no change occurred in gastrointestinal motility. However, after subliminal dose of pentagastrin or cisapride, which stimulated Ach release from intramural cholinergic neuron without development of motility, was administered, Midaglizole induced phasic, postprandial motility-like contraction in gastrointestinal tract. Even in the fasted state, when Midaglizole was administered intragastrically, irregular contractions with high amplitude occurred in every regions from gastric antrum to colon. And these excitatory responses were abolished by atropine. Similar reaction was observed also in truncal vagotomized dogs. These results suggest that it is the physiological mechanism that adrenergic nerve presynaptically inhibits Ach release from intramural cholinergic neuron, which is the main mechanism of development of postprandial motility, acting on alpha 2-adrenergic receptor, and has tonic control of postprandial motility.     

Pyoderma gangrenosum associated with ulcerative colitis and subcutaneous and splenic abscesses

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare, chronic, inflammatory ulcerative skin disease of unknown etiology and pathogenesis. It is often associated with systemic disease. We describe a patient with pyoderma gangrenosum associated with ulcerative colitis and aseptic abscesses of the subcutis and spleen, which have been rarely reported previously. These manifestations were cleared by combined therapy with minocycline hydrochloride and diaphenylsulfone.     

Effects of sodium hyaluronate on the nociceptive response of rats with experimentally induced arthritis]

Antinociceptive effects of sodium hyaluronate (Na-HA) were studied on the basis of improvement in the graded abnormal gait elicited by arthritis induced by intra-articular administration of monosodium urate crystal (MSU) to rats. One hour before MSU injection, intra-articular administration of a 1.0% solution of Na-HA with different molecular weights, ranging from 4.70 x 10(5) to 2.02 x 10(6) (HA-200), improved the score of abnormal gait in a molecular weight-dependent manner in the experimental arthritis model. Similarly, administrations of HA-200 at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 1.0% prior to MSU treatment resulted in improvement of the score in abnormal gait in a dose-dependent manner. To elucidate the antinociceptive mechanisms of Na-HA, effects of pretreatment with Na-HA (1.0%) of different molecular weights on prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and bradykinin (BK) releases in synovial fluid 3 hr after MSU injection were studied. Increases in PGE2 and BK concentration in the synovial fluid were depressed in a molecular weight-dependent manner by Na-HA (1.0%) pretreatment. These results indicate that Na-HA attenuates the nociceptive responses inflicted by the MSU-induced arthritis. Such an antinociceptive effect may be due to the inhibition of PGE2 and BK synthesis in the synovial joint of rats.     

Effects of hematoporphyrin derivative and light on Y79 retinoblastoma cells in vitro

Retinoblastoma Y79 cells exposed to a hematoporphyrin derivative and light were examined with regard to the production of intracellular lipid peroxide and morphologic changes, in the presence or absence of oxygen. The intracellular lipid peroxide was related to the dose of hematoporphyrin derivative and the duration of photoradiation, under aerobic conditions. The formation of lipid peroxide was not inhibited with superoxide dismutase and catalase, but it was inhibited with mannitol and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane, which were inhibitors of hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen, respectively. The mitochondria were apparently the target organelle in Y79 retinoblastoma cells.     

Chronic encapsulated intracerebral hematoma associated with cavernous angioma: a case report

The case of a patient with a chronic encapsulated intracerebral hematoma associated with a cavernous angioma is reported. In spite of a huge space-occupying lesion in the frontal lobe, our patient showed no focal neurological deficit. The clinical picture suggested a slowly growing brain tumor. Intraoperative findings revealed a liquefied intracerebral hematoma with a thick capsule. Pathological investigations demonstrated a capsule rich in neovascularity with a cavernous angioma attached to it. It is presumed that initial bleeding from the cavernous angioma encouraged capsule formation similar to the membrane of chronic subdural hematomas and that repeated bleeding from the capillaries of the capsule allowed the expansion of the hematoma.     

Shrinkage of rat mandibular acinar cell with acetylcholine detected by video-enhanced contrast microscopy

Changes in acinar cell volume during secretion were observed in the perfused rat mandibular gland by the video-enhanced contrast (VEC) microscopy. The acinar cell shrank (81.3 +/- 4.9% (mean +/- S.D., n = 5] during acetylcholine stimulation and swelled (107.4 +/- 2.3% (n = 5] after cessation of the stimulation. These evidences suggested that a large amount of fluid is transported via transcellular route in the salivary gland.