Effect of l-tryptophan and its metabolites on food passage from the crop in chicks.

l-tryptophan (l-Trp), an essential amino acid, is well known as a precursor of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and melatonin. In mammals, l-Trp itself has been reported to suppress gastric emptying in mammals. In addition, 5-HT and melatonin are found in the gastrointestinal tract and affect food passage from the digestive tract in mammals. While the function of these factors in mammals is documented, there is little knowledge on their function in the digestive tract of birds. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine if l-Trp and its metabolites affect the crop emptying rate in chicks (Gallus gallus). We also investigated the effects of kynurenic acid (KYNA) and quinolinic acid (QA), which are metabolites of the kynurenine pathway for l-Trp. Oral administration of l-Trp significantly reduced the crop emptying rate in chicks. Among the metabolites, intraperitoneal injection of 5-HT and melatonin significantly reduced the crop emptying rate, whereas KYNA and QA had no effect. The present study suggests that l-Trp, 5-HT, and melatonin inhibit the movement of food in the digestive tract and thereby affect the utilization of nutrients in the diet of chicks.

Inguinal lymph node metastasis from contralateral testicular origin.

A twenty-eight-year-old man had a testis tumor eighteen years after orchiopexy and inguinal lymph node metastasis in the contralateral side. It is suggested that scrotal surgery may lead to the formation of new lymph channels and alter the pattern of nodal metastases.

Recurrent and pre-eruptive acute cerebellar ataxia: a rare case of varicella.

This is a report of an unusual case of acute cerebellar ataxia in which the ataxia recurred after a 6 week interval and the second episode of ataxia antedated the varicella exanthem by 19 days, suggesting the direct invasion of the central nervous system by the varicella virus.

Anthracycline induced myocardial damage. An analysis of 16 autopsy cases.

The hearts of 16 autopsy cases with a past history of administration of anthracycline antitumor drugs (DNR, ADR and ACM) and a sign of cardiac failure were investigated morphologically. In macroscopic observation, both ventricles were more or less dilated with thinning of the ventricular wall. Mural thrombi were recognized in the left ventricle of 2 cases. Histologically, the myocardial lesions could be roughly classified into two groups, a) myocardial changes in cases with rapidly developed cardiac failure (acute form), and b) myocardial changes in cases with relatively slowly developed cardiac failure. In acute form, myocardial cells showed marked swelling with dilatation of central sarcoplasmic core, marked reduction of myofibrils, vacuolization of cytoplasm and enlargement of nucleus accompanied by distinct large nucleolus. Necrotic myocardial cells were scattered among these degenerative cells. These degenerative and necrotic cells were distributed diffusely in both ventricular walls, but were more frequent in the left ventricular wall than in the right one. Inflammatory cell infiltration was also recognized not only in the myocardium, but also in the endocardium and epicardium. In chronic form, on the other hand, atrophy and attenuation of myocardial cells with a hypereosinophilic change of the cytoplasm and an increase in number of brown pigments, and marked reduction of myocardial cells were most common findings. These changes of chronic form, however, could not be identified as the specific changes of anthracycline cardiotoxicity. Fibrosis was hardly seen in the myocardium of both acute and chronic forms.

Multicystic encephalomalacia in liveborn twin with a stillborn macerated co-twin.

Computed tomography showed multiple cystic lesions in the brains of three infants with cerebral palsy. Each patient was the product of a twin pregnancy with a stillborn, macerated co-twin. In two patients angiography was performed and suggested that the cystic lesions were multicystic encephalomalacia due to perinatal arterial occlusion.