Morphological and functional properties of trigeminal nucleus oralis neurons projecting to the trigeminal motor nucleus of the cat

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected into the somata located in the rostrodorsomedial part (Vo.r) of the trigeminal nucleus oralis; an axonal projection to the trigeminal motor nucleus (Vmo) was demonstrated in two Vo.r neurons. The two neurons differed in their morphological and functional properties. The first Vo.r neuron responded to stimulation of low-threshold mechanoreceptors and its stem axon gave off massive axon collaterals that issued terminal branches to the dorsolateral subdivision of Vmo, Vo.r, and the medial and lateral parts of the lower brainstem reticular formation. The second Vo.r neuron was activated by stimulation of the tooth pulp or lingual nerve at twice longer latency than that of the first neuron. This stem axon was divided into two main ascending and one descending branches, and one of the main ascending branches was further bifurcated into two branches. The main non-bifurcated ascending branch gave off 4 collaterals, two of which sent terminal branches into the dorsolateral subdivision of Vmo and others into the Vo.r and juxta-trigeminal regions. The somato-dendroarchitectonic differences were also described in the two Vo.r neurons stained.     

Growth control of breast cancer in relation to hormones

Estrogen plays a essential role in initiation and promotion of breast cancer. Under the complicated hormonal circumstances, progression and regression of breast cancer is regulated. In this paper, historical overview on hormonal manipulations of breast cancer, hormonal dependency and independency of the cancer cells and recent progress in studies of growth factors related to hormonal regulation of breast cancer were discussed.     

Lobectomy by video-assisted thoracic surgery for primary lung cancer: Experiences based on provisional indications

(Received for publication on Aug. 22, 1996; accepted on May 12, 1997)     

Triploid meiosis and aneuploidy in Schizosaccharomyces pombe: an unstable aneuploid disomic for chromosome III

Summary Triploid meiosis in crosses between haploid and diploid strains of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces-pombe was investigated by tetrad analyses. Viability of the segregants was low. Only about 10% of the total tetrads contained four colony-forniing spores and most of these segregated into two haploids and two diploids. The remaining tetrads were rather normal in germination but were defective in colony formation. More than 50% of the total tetrads had no colony-forming spores while about 30% contained 1–3 colony-forming spores. Among the colony-forming segregants from the defective tetrads, a class of aneuploids disomic for the shortest chromosome III was obtained. In such aneuploid cells combined with a cold-sensitive ß-tubulin mutation, an additional short chromosome corresponding to chromosome III was observed by DAPI staining when the cells were incubated at a restrictive temperature. The other classes of aneuploids appeared able to be to germinate but not to enter into vegetative growth. Detailed genetical analyses indicated that recombination frequencies near the centromere were strikingly different between triploid and normal diploid meiosis.     

Cerebral germinoma with marked granulomatous inflammation: Granulomatous germinoma

Cerebral germinomas with granulomatous inflammation are rare lesions that can present diagnostic difficulties. Four cases (two male and two female) of germinomas with pronounced inflammatory reaction are presented. The age ranged from 14 to 21 years (mean 18). Three patients with vision defects had masses around the sellar region, and a long duration of symptoms (2, 4 and 5 years). The fourth patient had a mass in the temporal lobe; she had convulsions and the duration of her symptoms was short (3 weeks). All lesions consisted of inflammatory changes with scattered neoplastic germinoma cells that expressed placental alkaline phosphatase. The inflammation area occupied more than two-thirds of the mass, and consisted of macrophages and their syncytial forms of mutinucleated giant cells, T-cells, B-cells, plasma cells, fibroblasts, and histiocytes or glial cells. Sarcoid granulomata were frequently seen, and multinucleated giant cells with Schaumann's bodies were also visible. The term ‘cerebral granulomatous germinoma’ is proposed for these unusual tumors. Moreover, it is likely that the study of cerebral granulomatous germinoma may provide some important clues towards the understanding of granulomatous inflammation in organs in general.     

An experimental study on histamine H2-receptor antagonist on calcium, gastrin and histamine induced gastric acid secretion in rat

The suppressive effect of histamine H2-receptor antagonist, cimetidine, on gastric secretion was investigated in Ghosh-Schild rat. The study above was done in basal state under infusing normal saline (1 ml/h) and stimulated state by histamine-di-chloride (3.5 mg/kg-h), tetragastrin (50 mcg/kg-h) or calcium chloride (4 mg/kg-h). Dose related increase of cimetidine (1.7, 3.5, 7.0 and 14.0 mg/kg-h) were observed and correlated with the degree of inhibition of acid secretion. Cimetidine had a potent inhibitory activity on either basal and stimulated acid output by the agents above. Basal acid secretion was completely abolished by 3.5 mg/kg-h of cimetidine to the level of anacidity. The degree of inhibition by the same dose of cimetidine was different among the agents used as stimulant on acid secretion and it followed in the order of calcium, gastrin and histamine subsequently. This study indicated that histamine H2-receptor participated the gastric secretion induced by either gastrin or calcium other than histamine itself. This fact indicated the important role of endogenous histamine in gastric secretion induced by calcium and gastrin.     

Temporary above-knee prostheses and training programme during chemotherapy

A temporary prosthesis has been developed for above-knee amputees who receive long-term post-amputation chemotherapy. The temporary prosthesis has an adjustable laminated quadrilateral socket, the size of which is adjusted by metal screws. Fifteen patients were fitted with the temporary prosthesis. Initial fittings were carried out after a period averaging 46 days from amputation. All of the patients were able to walk with one crutch after about one month from initial fitting. Although patients often had to discontinue their prosthetic training owing to chemotherapy, they could resume wearing their prostheses simply by adjusting the socket. One patient, who was fitted with a cosmetic ultra-light prosthesis initially due to her poor general condition, was later fitted with the temporary prosthesis. She regained the ability to walk 60 days later and still wears it. Early fitting of temporary prostheses for these patients is not only of practical convenience but also improves their mental state.     

Tumor Growth Rate and Prognosis of Breast Cancer Mainly Detected by Mass Screening

To investigate the relationship between the tumor growth rate of the primary breast cancer and its prognosis, records for 122 breast cancer patients in 9 hospitals in Japan were retrospectively reviewed. These records contained at least two measurements of the same tumor mass in the breast. So the growth rate was estimated from these measurements taken at different points in time. The doubling time of the breast tumors showed an approximately log-normal distribution. The geometric mean of doubling times for all cases was 174 days. The solid-tubular histologic type of carcinoma had the shortest geometric mean of doubling time (126 days), the scirrhous carcinoma had the second shortest one (205 days), and the papillotubular carcinoma had the longest one (252 days). The patients with shorter doubling time of tumor tended to have a poorer prognosis. The Cox multiple regression analysis showed that the tumor growth rate was related significantly with survival, after adjusting for other covariates such as clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, age of patient, histological type, and year of treatment.