Morphology and distribution of lamellar corpuscles in the mesentery of the cat.

Mesentery samples obtained from 13 mixed breed cats were stereoscopically and microscopically examined and yielded the following results. In the mesentery, lamellar corpuscles were densely distributed around blood vessels, with a mean number of 182.2 ± 20.9 and mean maximum and minimum diameters of 0.98 ± 0.18 mm and 0.54 ± 0.08 mm, respectively. While most lamellar corpuscles were isolated, some complex lamellar corpuscles were found in the mesentery. Lamellar corpuscles in the mesentery appear to serve more as internal receptors that detect changes in the internal environment than as external receptors. In addition, those found around blood vessels in the mesentery are likely to be involved in blood pressure regulation.

Scanning electron microscopic study for pore formation of the greater omentum of cats.

The greater omentum of the cats is said to have a lace-like structure. However, there are only a few descriptions on whether pores exist, and there are not many morphological studies on this meshwork. In this study, the greater omentum of the cats was observed at each age of development using a scanning electron microscope. The greater omentum of the cats immediately after birth was found to be continuous, and no pores were observed. Also, development of microvilli was observed in the mesothelial cells on the surface of the greater omentum. In young cats at 3 months of age, small pores were sporadically observed, and at the ages of 6-12 months, there were more and larger pores. It was estimated that the pores on the greater omentum are formed in the process of moving from the movement of organs, such as the stomach, intestines and diaphragm, and the presence of these pores enables the passage of ascites between the omental bursa, the greater omentum and the serosal cavity of the wall without flowing through the omental foramen.

Distribution of urocortin 2 in various tissues of the rat.

Urocortin (Ucn) 2 is a new member of the corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) neuropeptide family that is expressed in the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. However, the expression levels of Ucn 2 in various tissues of the rat remains unclear. Thus, the aim of the present study was to characterise the expression of Ucn 2 in the various tissues of the rat. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that Ucn 2 mRNA is expressed in the hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal, stomach, skin, ovary, uterus and skeletal muscle. Histologically, Ucn 2 mRNA and Ucn 2-like immunoreactivity (LI) were demonstrated in both the anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary, but not detected in the posterior lobe. Furthermore, all Ucn 2-positive cells in the anterior and intermediate lobes were also positive for beta-endorphin. Ucn 2 mRNA was detected in the adrenal cortex and medulla although Ucn 2-LI was only found in the adrenal medulla. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis of hypothalamic, pituitary, and adrenal extracts showed that the main Ucn 2-LI peak occurred at the same molecular size as that of synthetic Ucn 2. These results suggest that Ucn 2 is synthesised in various tissues, including the anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary and the adrenal.

[Enuresis as the initial manifestation of neuro-Behçet's disease. A case report].

A 20-year-old man noticed enuresis since the age of 18 years. He was also pointed out gait unsteadiness by his friends. Neurologic examination revealed spastic tetraparesis with mild cerebellar ataxia. The cerebrospinal fluid had mild pleocytosis containing neutrophils and brain magnetic resonance imaging showed mild pontocerebellar atrophy. Urodynamic study revealed uninhibited bladder and detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia. The diagnosis of neuro-Behçet's disease was made by the past history of recurrent genital and aphthous ulcers and positive HLA-B51. The frequency of enuresis was reduced by the oral administration of corticosteroid. We speculated the patient's enuresis was caused by the central nervous disinhibition at night together with uninhibited bladder.

Enhanced production of IL-1beta and IL-6 following endotoxin challenge in rats with dietary magnesium deficiency.

Serum IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNFalpha were not detected in control and Mg-deficient rats. These three cytokine levels in serum were increased after endotoxin challenge (1 mg/kg., i.p.), and the increase of IL-1beta and IL-6, but not TNFalpha, was significantly larger in Mg-deficient rats than in controls. Levels of mRNA for IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNFalpha in alveolar macrophages showed a tendency to decrease during Mg deficiency, but the levels of IL-1beta and TNFalpha mRNAs after endotoxin challenge were higher in Mg-deficient rats than in controls. These results suggest that the increased synthesis of cytokines by alveolar macrophages might contribute, in part, to high sensitivity to endotoxin during Mg deficiency.

Diagnostic significance of tau protein in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with corticobasal degeneration or progressive supranuclear palsy.

Distinguishing corticobasal degeneration (CBD) from progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is clinically and pathologically difficult, and a useful biological marker to discriminative these two diseases has been a subject of clinical interest. In the present study, we assessed tau protein levels in cerebrospinal fluids by sandwich ELISA to distinguish CBD from PSP. The subjects consisted of 27 cases of CBD, 30 cases of PSP, and 36 healthy controls (CTL). The tau values in CBD were significantly higher than those in PSP (P<0.001) and those in CTL (P<0.001). The assay of CSF tau provided diagnostic sensitivity of 81.5% and specificity of 80.0% between CBD and PSP according to receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. When values were compared separately with respect to stage of the disease, differences in the values for moderate CBD vs. moderate PSP had the greatest significance (P<0.001 sensitivity 92.3%, specificity 100.0%), followed by cases of mild CBD and PSP (P<0.005, sensitivity 100.0%, specificity 87.5%). The values in severe CBD and PSP were not significantly different (P=0.07, sensitivity 100%, specificity 75.0%). Using data obtained from a larger number of disease cases, we confirmed our previous findings that tau protein levels in cerebrospinal fluids in patients with CBD are significantly higher than those in patients with PSP. Because tau protein levels in cerebrospinal fluids are significantly higher in early CBD cases than in early PSP cases, measurement of tau protein levels in cerberospinal fluids may be useful for the differential diagnosis of early CBD from early PSP.

Brain corticotropin-releasing factor acts as inhibitor of stress-induced gastric erosion in rats.

Gastric lesions are known to be caused by stress. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a key peptide initiating various stress response. This study was designed to investigate how brain CRF is involved in the occurrence of stress-induced gastric erosion in rats. Intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of CRF suppressed the occurrence of gastric erosion induced by water-immersion restraint stress, and its suppressive effect was blocked by coadministration of a CRF receptor antagonist in rats. The peripheral administration of CRF had no influence on the occurrence of erosion. The icv administration of a CRF receptor antagonist or anti-rat CRF gamma-globulin increased gastric erosion induced by the stress. Ganglionic blockade with chlorisondamine, muscarinic blockade with atropine, or bilateral adrenalectomy by itself significantly inhibited the occurrence of stress-induced gastric erosion, and no additional effect of CRF on these treatments-induced inhibition of erosion was found. These results, therefore, suggest that the occurrence of stress-induced gastric erosion is mediated by the autonomic nervous system- and adrenal-dependent pathway, and that brain CRF reduces the occurrence of stress-induced gastric lesions by acting on its specific receptor within the central nervous system, probably through the autonomic nervous system- and adrenal-dependent mechanism.

Effect of endothelin as a coronary vasoconstrictor in the Langendorff-perfused rat heart.

The effects of endothelin on coronary circulation were studied in isolated rat heart using a constant-flow system. Endothelin (10 fmol to 20 pmol/g heart weight) elevated the coronary perfusion pressure in a dose-dependent manner. Nifedipine (100 nM) inhibited the vasoconstriction and shifted the dose-response curve to the right. These results indicate that endothelin is a potent coronary vasoconstrictor and that its action is possibly mediated by the nifedipine-dependent Ca2+ channel.

Endothelin potentiates growth factor-stimulated DNA synthesis in Swiss 3T3 cells.

A murine cell line, Swiss 3T3, is commonly used for the study of cellular growth. The present study revealed that this cell line possesses high-affinity receptors for endothelin, a vasoactive peptide derived from vascular endothelial cells. In this cell line, endothelin potentiated DNA synthesis stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor or insulin. The endothelin concentration required for potentiating DNA synthesis in this cell line is almost the same as that reported previously in endothelin-induced vasoconstriction. Since endothelin increased intracellular calcium levels, this ion may participate in the signal transduction pathways by which endothelin induces potentiation of DNA synthesis.

[Study on internal derangement in temporomandibular joint of temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome patient in adolescent by means of Fuji Computed Radiography (FCR)].

The aim of this study was to examine the Temporomandibular Joint of the thirty-eight adolescent subjects with Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome by means of Fuji Computed Radiography System (FCR). The following results were obtained: 1) It was indicated that the frequency of occurrence of the backward on the condyle position to fossa in the group with signs of TMJ Dysfunction was higher than the group without signs. Also it was suggested that the central position was a good position as the goal for improved position. 2) The revealed frequency of morphological abnormality of condyle in the group with signs was higher than the group without signs. 3) Internal derangement of meniscus was associated with signs of TMJ Dysfunction. In particular, sound and pain was definitely associated with the internal derangement. 4) The organic abnormal change (morphological abnormality of the condyle and internal derangement of meniscus) in the TMJ of adolescent patients with the TMJ Dysfunction Syndrome was found.

[Study on the masticatory muscle and occlusal function of temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome patients in adolescence].

The aims of this study was to clarify the role of masticatory and occlusal malfunction in causing the Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) Dysfunction Syndrome in adolescents. We examined the relationships between masticatory and occlusal malfunction and signs of the TMJ dysfunction by using the number of interocclusal points, occlusal interference, the dental arch models and the electromyographs. In particular, the electromyographs was examined by comparison between with at the first examination and after the adjustment of occlusal relations. The subjects were thirty-nine out patients with the TMJ Dysfunction Syndrome. The following results were obtained: 1) The number of interocclusal points in the TMJ Dysfunction Syndrome was fewer than in the normal control group. 2) In the relationships between the occlusal interference on the non-working side and pain as signs of TMJ Dysfunction, 76.9% in all subjects had reasonable relationship which recognized a causal sequence. 3) By analysis using integrated method for electromyographs, it was found that the total electric potentials in TA after the adjustment of occlusal relations tended to decrease in comparison with at the first examination, while, the ration of M was shown to have a tendency of increasing. 4) On comparing the gum chewing patterns (duration, interval, cycle) recorded from the masseter muscle, it was found that the pattern after the adjustment of occlusal relations were more stable than at the first examination. 5) The frequency of occurrence of the silent period after the adjustment of occlusal relations was higher than at the first examination. Also relationships between the change on duration of the silent period and signs of TMJ Dysfunction were found.

Involvement of corticotropin-releasing factor in restraint stress-induced anorexia and reversion of the anorexia by somatostatin in the rat.

The mechanism by which restraint stress induces suppression of food intake and the influence of intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of somatostatin on the anorexia induced by restraint stress were examined in the rat. Ninety minutes of restraint stress reduced food intake of rats to approximately 60% that of control. Anorexia induced by 90 min restraint stress was partially reversed by icv administration of alpha-helical CRF (9-41), a corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) antagonist, and completely reversed by anti-CRF gamma-globulin. These results provide further evidence in support of the theory that CRF is involved in the inhibitory mechanism of food intake in restraint stress. ICV administration of somatostatin 14 and SMS 201-995, an analog of somatostatin, also reversed restraint stress-induced anorexia. It is, therefore, suggested that somatostatin may counteract the suppressive action of CRF on food intake in stress.