Impairment of transneuronal traffic in Streptozotocin-induced diabetes, a WGA-HRP neurohistochemical study in the rat

Retrograde transport of Wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to Horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) was used in labeling vagal neurons projecting to the stomach from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve (DMNV) in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in the experimental rats by intraperitoneal injection of buffered STZ. Control rats were injected with an equivalent volume of the citrate buffer not containing STZ.The experimental rats, which became diabetic about 24 h after intraperitoneal injection of STZ, were kept alive for a period of 24 weeks to attain a chronic state of diabetes. Control euglycaemic rats were also kept alive for 24 weeks. At the end of 24 weeks, the two groups of rats were prepared for stomach surgery. Following anaesthesia laparotomy was performed and the stomach exteriorized. The anterior and posterior walls of the stomach were injected with 0.1 ml of 5 percent WGA-HRP in 0.5 M sodium chloride. Experimental and control rats were sacrificed 48–72 h after tracer injection by transcardial perfusion with normal saline, fixative and buffered sucrose.Transverse serial frozen sections of the brainstem were processed for WGA-HRP neurohistochemistry and analyzed under light and dark-field microscopy. The analyses of the sections taken from the chronic diabetic rats revealed fewer WGA-HRP labeled neurons in the DMNV than sections taken from the control euglycaemic rats. The depletion of labeled neurons in the diabetic rats compared with the euglycaemic rats is indicative of an interference with the mechanism of retrograde neuronal transport of WGA-HRP by chronic diabetic state.

CT appearance of the rapunzel syndrome: an unusual form of bezoar and gastrointestinal obstruction

The CT appearance oa an unusual type of trichobezoar which cause the Rapunzel syndrome are described. This syndrome is characterized by intestinal obstruction secondary to a bezoar possessing a tail which extends to or beyond the ileocecal valve. Most cases of bezoar are diagnosed with plain films or barium meal, but CT may be requested in patients who present with abdominal masses. The Rapunzel syndrome may be diagnosed with a combination of the CT findings and the history.(AU)

Obturation obstruction in a cocaine smuggler

A case of obstruction is reported in a 34 year-old narcotics smuggler. The typical diagnostic features of the presence of narcotics-filled packets in the gastrointestinal tract on the abdominal radiographs are highlighted. This should serve to alert physicians to this unusual aspect of the narcotics problem which, according to press reports, is gaining in significance in the Caribbean today (AU)

Does the "Dumping Syndrome" occur in Jamaicans?

In order to test whether the "dumping" syndrome occurs in Jamaicans after gastric surgery, we studied 48 patients and six normal volunteers. Subjective assessment and objective testing were carried out after a standard hypertonic (provocative) glucose meal. Serial packed cell volume estimations were carried out, and the percentage fall in plasma volume (an indication of dumping) was calculated from a standard equation. Forty percent of patients reported symptoms of dumping after gastric surgery, and even more (55 percent) had a significant fall in plasma volume. The syndrome occured most commonly after gastric resection or a drainage procedure, and was least prevalent after the operation of highly selective vagotomy (AU)

Morphological and histological study of the gastro-intestinal tract of the ferret

The morphology and histology of the post-pharyngeal part of the gastro-intestinal tract of the ferret were studied. The oesophagus was a distensible muscular tube. Its mucosa was lined by keratinizing stratified squamous epithelium. The muscle coat was striated throughout except near the cardia. A cardiac sphincter was present. The stomach was morphologically and histologically very similar to that of man. The duodenum appeared C-shaped and had a mesoduodenum. The bile and pancreatic ducts formed a common duct in the wall of the duodenum. The sphincter of Oddi was present. Brunner's glands were present in the pyloric part of the stomach, and up to the common opening of the bile and pancreatic ducts in the duodenum. The intestine could be differentiated macroscopically and microscopially into the small and large intestines. The small intestine distal to the duodenum formed coiled tubes suspended by a mesentery. It was not possible morphologically to differentiate jejunum and ileum. Histologically, however, the distal portion was identifiable as ileum by increasing numbers of goblet cells, and Peyer's patches in the submucosa. Villi were present in the mucosa throughout but there was no spiral or circular fold. The larg intestine was a straight dilated tube lying in the left flank and extending from the splenic flexure to the anus in the median plane. It was suspended by a short mesocolon except for the rectal portion in the pelvis. The ileo-colic junction was differentiated morphologically and histologically. There was no caecum, appendix, taeniae coli or appendices epiploicae. The large intestine was not differentiated topographically into ascending, transverse and descending colon (AU)

Anastomotic ulcer: an unusual cause

A case of recurrent stomal ulcer is reported due to retained excluded antral mucosa during a Bancroft procedure. The diagnosis was suspected from the severity of the ulcer diathesis, and the elevated basal acid secretion despite previous trans-thoracic vagotomy and repeated gastric resection. It was confirmed by finding retained antral mucosa in the "duodenal" stump, and a normal pancreas at operation; and by a marked fall in acid levels following antral excision.The diagnosis and treatment of this condition are discussed. Continual awareness of retained excluded antrum as a cause of stomal ulcer will decrease the frequency of this complication and ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment when it occurs (AU)

Experience with 100 cases of gastroscopy with the GTFA gastrocamera

100 gastroscopic examinations were performed on 39 females and 61 males using the GFTA Olympus Gastrocamera with fibrescope. In 27 cases (27 percent) the Gastrocamera correctly diagnosed lesions which were misinterpreted at X-Ray. There were no complications from the procedure. Gastroscopy and gastrophotography are considered to be indispensable tools in the proper evaluation of gastric pathology (AU)

The G F T-A Gastocamera: preliminary report - abstract

The G T F-A Gastrocamera represents a significant advance in the field of gastroscopy with, for the first time, a fiberscope attached to an intragastric camera. With it one can observe and photograph the surface of the gastric mucous membrane and the dynamic movements of the stomach, especially the antrum and pylorus. In this preliminary report 51 gastroscopies were performed by the author on patients who were previously X-rayed. The patients tolerated the procedure extremely well and there were no complications. In 36, cases (70.6 percent) X-ray and gastroscopy were correctly in agreement. In 1 case (1.9 percent) X-ray was indefinite and gastroscopy correct. In 12 cases (23.5 percent) X-ray was wrong and gastroscopy correct. X-ray was right and gastroscopy wrong on 3 occasions (5.8 percent). The radiological errors included 3 cases of antral narrowing ascribed to neoplasm and at gastroscopy a normally wide antrum was seen each time. This supperts the fact that the so-called "narrowed antrum" of the roentgenologists is an ambiguous sign. It calls definitely for gastroscopy when many unnecessary laparotomies will be avoided. In 4 cases gastric atrophy was discovered at gastroscopy, confirming the unanimous opinion that gastritis is best diagnosed at endoscopy. A moderately large ulcer at the incisura was unable to be visualized radiologically after two barium studies. In 2 other cases there were false positive radiological diagnoses of linitis plastica and a benign antral ulcer. 1 case of gastric purpura seen with the gastrocamera was unable to be diagnosed radiologically (AU)

Massive gastro-duodenal haemorrhage

The etiology and management of massive gastro-duodenal haemorrage is discussed, on the basis of findings in 225 cases. (AU)

Encapsulation of Wuchereria bancrofti in seven species of mosquitoes in British Guiana

Encapsulation of microfilariform and older larval stages of Wuchereria bancrofti was observed among seven species of mosquitoes in British Guiana over a 2-year period. In Mansonia humeralis and Psorophora ferox most of the microfilariform 1st-stage larvae were completely enclosed in a hard, thick dark-brown capsule 12 to 24 hours after the infective blood-meal. In P. ferox encapsulation often occurred within the inflated sheath. In Aedes taeniorhynchus, A. scapularis and A. serratus, progressive stages were found 12 hours after the blood meal, from unencapsulated to fully encapsulated microfilariform larvae, and in the latter species, also two slightly encapsulated, dead 2nd-stage larvae. In all mosquitoes encapsulation was associated with the presence of varying amounts of tiny granules, globules, plaques and flake-like debris. These were especially evident in A. angustivittatus and A. scapularis. Some encapsulated 1st-stage larvae were found, along with normal ones, in 2 (0.01 percent) of 14,405 Culex pipens quinquefasciatus of the British Guiana strain and in 10 (9.8 percent) of 102 C. p. quinquefasciatus of the Barbados (Island) strain. This species is the major host of W. bancrofti in both localities. No encapsulation was ever seen in M. titillans, a secondary vector in British Guiana. Most of the encapsulated microfilariform larvae were found in the hemocele, and fewer in the stomach. Rarely, encapsulated forms were found in the thorax, only in A. serriatus and in the British Guiana and Barbados strains of C. p. quinquefasciatus. Various stages of encapsulation are illustrated by photomicrographs (Summary)

Duplication of stomach and duodenum: A case report

Duplication of the entire stomach and first part of the duodenum in a ten week old male infant is reported. This is the fourth case of complete duplication of the stomach and the first in which the duodenum is also duplicated. The history on gastro-intestinal duplication is reviewed and the aetiology of the anomaly discussed. (AU)