The Coordination of Gastrointestinal Hormones and the Autonomic Nerves

We have conducted investigations on the relatinship between gastro-intestinal hormones and the autonomic nervous system. In this paper are described main themes of our investigations where a close association between gastrointestinal hormones and the autonomic nervous system was shown from the functional and morphological points of view.
The "nervism" proposed by Pavlov, where the regulation of various organs in the body was thought to be accomplished wholly by the nervous system was based on the findings on the physiology of the digestive glands. In the meantime, the discovery of secretin from the duodenal mucosa led Bayliss and Starling to propose a chemical co-ordination or a humoral regulatory mechanism in additioin to the nervous system for the regulation of the various organs in the body. It is indeed surprising that the principle of two major regulatory mechanisms in the body was thus developed originally on the basic studies of the exocrine and body was thus developed orginally on the basic studies of the exocrine and endocrine funtion of the digestive system.
Our investigations reported in this paper disclosed the fact that the neural and humoral regulatory mechanisms for gastrointestinal secretions acted not separately but in close association both morphologically and functionally.     

Exocrine Pancreatic Function Test by a Synthetic Peptide

A new synthetic substance, N-Benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid, is specially cleaved by pancreatic chymotrypsin after oral administration and the released p-aminobenzoic acid (P.A.B.A.) is absorbed and excreted in the urine. The P.A.B.A. recovery in the urine was examined to evaluate its diagnostic value as an exocrine pancreatic function test. The data permit the following conclusions: 1. There is a significant correlation between this test and maximal bicarbonate concentration, amylase output and volume of P.Z./C.C.K. secretin test. 2. More than one-half to two-thirds proximal or one-third distal of the pancreas must be removed before one can expect an abnormal result in this test. 3. This is a simple and useful test to detect exocrine pancreatic insufficiency of more than moderate degree but normal results may be obtained in minimal to mild exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Only six of 11 cases (54.5%) with one abnormal factor of P-S test showed decreased P.A.B.A. recpvery, whereas 22 of 23 cases (95.7%) with two or three abnormal factors of P-S test showed decreased or borderline P.A.B.A. recovery.     

Clinical features in young adult patients with ischaemic colitis

The clinical, radiographic and endoscopic findings in 16 patients with ischaemic colitis, all of whom were <45 years of age, were analysed. The clinical features were characterized by an acute onset of abdominal pain and rectal bleeding, and persistent constipation prior to the onset of symptoms. Twelve of the 16 patients did not have any known predisposing factors. Barium enema examination and colonoscopy revealed longitudinal ulcers and oedema of the left side of the colon of these patients. These features were then compared with those found in patients with ischaemic colitis, who were > 70 years of age. Although the clinical symptoms, the site of involvement and the initial radiographic or endoscopic findings were similar between the two groups, the transient form of ischaemic colitis and constipation prior to the onset of symptoms were more frequently present in the young patients than in the old patients. These findings suggest that ischaemic colitis, which is not a rare condition even in young adults, is less severe in young patients than in old patients, and that constipation may be related to the pathogenesis of this disease in young adults.     

Decrease in reactivity of basophils by immunotherapy with housedust extract

Changes of basophil reactivity to housedust extract and anti-IgE during immunotherapy was examined in thirteen patients with bronchial asthma sensitive to housedust. (i) A significant decrease in the morphological reactivity of basophils to housedust extract was observed 6 months after the beginning of immunotherapy with the antigen, and a significant decrease after 12 and 18 months’ therapy, accompanied with the decrease of histamine release from the cells. The percent reactive basophils to the antigen decreased from 59.2 ± 2.9% before the therapy to 40.0 ± 1.8% after 18 months’immunotherapy. (ii) A decrease in the morphological reactivity of basophils to anti-IgE was also shown during immunotherapy. The basophil reactivity to anti-IgE decreased significantly at the late stage (18 months) of immunotherapy. (iii) A significant reduction of specific IgE antibody to housedust was observed 12 and 18 months after the beginning of immunotherapy. It was suggested from these results that immunotherapy causes some changes on the surface of basophils and decreased reactivity of the cells, and that a decrease of reactive basophils to anti-IgE in the process of immunotherapy might be due to a decrease in number of IgE receptors essentially or functionally.     

Evolution of an Altruistic Trait through Group Selection as Studied by the Diffusion Equation Method

A diffusion model is formulated which incorporates the processof group selection (i.e. interdeme competition) in additionto mutation, migration, individual selection, and random geneticdrift. A condition is obtained for group selection to prevailover individual selection in the evolutionv of an altruistictrait. Let D_K = c/(v + v' + m) – 4N_es', where v' and vare mutation rates to and from the altruistic allele (A'), mis the migration rate (assuming Wright's island model), s' isthe selective disadvantage of A' with respect to individualselection, N_e is the effective population size of each deme(group) and c is a positive constant such that a deme havingA' with frequency x has the advantage c(x – x{macron})relative to the average deme. Then, group selection overridesindividual selection if D_K>0, while individual selectionprevails if D_K<0.     

Breathing simulator of workers for respirator performance test

Breathing machines are widely used to evaluate respirator performance but they are capable of generating only limited air flow patterns, such as, sine, triangular and square waves. In order to evaluate the respirator performance in practical use, it is desirable to test the respirator using the actual breathing patterns of wearers. However, it has been a difficult task for a breathing machine to generate such complicated flow patterns, since the human respiratory volume changes depending on the human activities and workload. In this study, we have developed an electromechanical breathing simulator and a respiration sampling device to record and reproduce worker’s respiration. It is capable of generating various flow patterns by inputting breathing pattern signals recorded by a computer, as well as the fixed air flow patterns. The device is equipped with a self-control program to compensate the difference in inhalation and exhalation volume and the measurement errors on the breathing flow rate. The system was successfully applied to record the breathing patterns of workers engaging in welding and reproduced the breathing patterns.     

Desquamative interstitial pneumonia may progress to lung fibrosis as characterized radiologically

Background and objective: In some patients, desquamative interstitial pneumonia may progress to lung fibrosis. The aim of this study was to assess the long‐term radiological follow‐up results in patients with desquamative interstitial pneumonia. Methods: Among 75 patients suspected of having desquamative interstitial pneumonia, 31 who fulfilled the criteria were included in this study. Clinical characteristics at presentation, responses to treatment and long‐term follow‐up were evaluated. Results: The 31 patients were predominantly males (94%), and the mean age was 55 years; 93% (28/30) had a history of smoking. The clinical findings included high serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase and immunoglobulin G. Bronchoalveolar lavage (26 patients, 84% of cases) frequently showed an increased percentage of eosinophils (mean 17%). Computed tomography (CT) or high resolution (HR) CT at presentation showed ground glass opacities and/or consolidation in all patients, with one third of patients also showing thin‐walled cysts within the ground glass opacities. There was no honeycombing on CT or HRCT scans at presentation. Corticosteroid therapy was effective early in the course of the disease; long‐term follow‐up (mean 99 months) of 31 patients showed only one death due to progression of the disease, but long‐term follow‐up of 14 patients (mean 125 months) by HRCT showed the development of new thin‐walled cysts and honeycombing in five and lung cancer in four patients, respectively. Conclusions: In a proportion of patients, desquamative interstitial pneumonia may progress to lung fibrosis with honeycombing on HRCT, despite therapy.     

Role of Vagal Control in Vasovagal Syncope

SUZUKI, M., et al .: Role of Vagal Control in Vasovagal Syncope. The vasovagal reaction is thought to be caused by sympathetic withdrawal and vagal augmentation. While measurements of muscle sympathetic nerve activity support sympathetic withdrawal in tilt induced syncope, the results of previous attempts to quantify vagal control using spectral analyses of heart rate variability (HRV) remain controversial. The sampling period used in the HRV studies is related to the discordant results. In the present study, HRV was computed every second using wavelet transformation to clarify the role of vagal control in tilt induced syncope during the 80-degree head-up tilt test (positive: 10 patients with vasovagal syncope; negative: 10 patients with vasovagal syncope, and 10 control subjects). Autonomic modulations were assessed using the absolute power of the low frequency (LF) (0.04–0.15 Hz) and high frequency (HF) (0.15–2.00 Hz) oscillatory components of R-R variability. Although the LF did not change during the tilt procedure, a decrease in the systolic arterial pressure (SAP) and increases in the R-R interval and HF were observed for the last 30 seconds before the tilt induced syncope in the tilt-positive group. Analyzing the hemodynamic measurements and spectral indices for the last 5 minutes preceding the tilt induced syncope, the study found that the SAP, R-R interval, and HF changed simultaneously during the 30-second period immediately before the tilt induced syncope. Further, the HF was positively correlated with the R-R interval and negatively correlated with the SAP. In conclusion, continuous spectral analysis of the R-R interval demonstrated increased vagal influence on the heart in tilt induced syncope. (PACE 2003; 26[Pt. I]:571–578)     

The effect of steroid sulphatase on stratum corneum shedding in patients with X-linked ichthyosis

After the application under occlusion of partially purified stratum corneum steroid sulphatase to the skin of patients with X-linked ichthyosis, the detachment ratio of stratum corneum fragments was significantly increased. There was no significant change in normal subjects or in patients with ichthyosis vulgaris.