Tachykinin receptors and intestinal motility

OBJECTIVE: To determine the propensity of beta-lactam antimicrobials to ameliorate or potentiate aminoglycoside-induced renal enzymuria. DESIGN: Two open, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group studies were conducted in young, healthy, male volunteer subjects. Using a common protocol, 24-hour urine collections were analyzed for the renal tubular enzymes alanine aminopeptidase (AAP) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), as well as for creatinine. Antimicrobial combinations studied included gentamicin plus placebo and gentamicin plus ticarcillin/clavulanate (protocol 1); and gentamicin plus placebo, gentamicin plus piperacillin, and gentamicin plus ceftazidime (protocol 2). The antimicrobial regimens were administered for 7 days. Eight subjects completed each treatment group. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between treatment groups with regard to urine creatinine excretion or serum gentamicin concentrations in either protocol. Enzymuria (AAP [p = 0.039] and NAG [p = 0.337]) was decreased in the gentamicin plus ticarcillin/clavulanate treatment compared with that in the gentamicin plus placebo treatment. Increased enzymuria, as indicated by increased urine concentrations of AAP and NAG, was observed in the gentamicin plus ceftazidime treatment (p < 0.05) compared with the other two treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Based on relative enzymuria, ticarcillin/clavulanate may be renal protective. Piperacillin neither potentiated nor ameliorated aminoglycoside-induced enzymuria. Since acute elevations in AAP and NAG reflect insults to the kidney, these studies suggest that ceftazidime may enhance aminoglycoside-induced renal injury. Piperacillin had no effect on enzymuria and would appear not to enhance or protect against aminoglycoside-induced renal injury.     

Virus-induced cell motility

Many viruses induce profound changes in cell metabolism and function. Here we show that vaccinia virus induces two distinct forms of cell movement. Virus-induced cell migration was demonstrated by an in vitro wound healing assay in which infected cells migrated independently into the wound area while uninfected cells remained relatively static. Time-lapse microscopy showed that the maximal rate of migration occurred between 9 and 12 h postinfection. Virus-induced cell migration was inhibited by preinactivation of viral particles with trioxsalen and UV light or by the addition of cycloheximide but not by addition of cytosine arabinoside or rifampin. The expression of early viral genes is therefore necessary and sufficient to induce cell migration. Following migration, infected cells developed projections up to 160 microm in length which had growth-cone-like structures and were frequently branched. Time-lapse video microscopy showed that these projections were formed by extension and condensation of lamellipodia from the cell body. Formation of extensions was dependent on late gene expression but not the production of intracellular enveloped (IEV) particles. The requirements for virus-induced cell migration and for the formation of extensions therefore differ from each other and are distinct from the polymerization of actin tails on IEV particles. These data show that poxviruses encode genes which control different aspects of cell motility and thus represent a useful model system to study and dissect cell movement.     

Biliary motility disorders

Incidental pituitary masses are commonly found during CT and MR imaging performed for a variety of reasons. Screening for hormone oversecretion by these tumors seems to be warranted. Patients with lesions greater than 1 cm should be screened for hypopituitarism. In the absence of visual field abnormalities or hypothalamic/stalk compression, it may be appropriate to observe such patients carefully with repeated MR imaging scans. A limited amount of data suggest that significant tumor enlargement occurs in less than 5% of patients with lesions smaller than 1 cm in diameter. However, all macroadenomas must start out as microadenomas, and thus periodic follow-up is indicated to assess for this possibility. Lesions larger than 1 cm in diameter by their very existence at the time of detection have already indicated a propensity for growth. Significant tumor growth occurs in just over one-quarter of such patients. Hemorrhage into such tumors is uncommon, but anticoagulation may predispose to this complication. When there is no evidence of visual field deficits, an attempt at medical therapy with a dopamine agonist or octreotide is reasonable, realizing that only 10% of such patients will respond with a decrease in tumor size. Alternatively, careful periodic observation without intervention may determine that the lesion is not growing. Surgery is indicated with evidence of tumor enlargement, especially when such growth is accompanied by compression of the optic chiasm, cavernous sinus invasion, or the development of pituitary hormone deficiencies.     

Kobe earthquake and reduced sperm motility

We investigated a possible relationship between the Kobe earthquake (January 17, 1995) and the quality of semen. We assessed sperm concentration and motility of 27 male patients who had a concentration of more than 30 million/ml and >40% sperm motility within 5 months before the earthquake. Twelve male patients from districts with a magnitude of <4 on the Richter scale showed no difference in sperm concentration and motility before and after the earthquake. Of 15 male patients from districts with a magnitude of >6, five patients whose houses received no damage showed no distinct changes in sperm concentration and motility. In contrast, 10 patients whose houses were partially or completely destroyed showed significantly (P < 0.001) lower sperm motility after the earthquake than before, although no significant difference of sperm concentration could be observed. Of these latter 10 patients, seven could be followed. In six patients, sperm motility was restored between 2 and 9 months after the earthquake; the sperm motility in one patient, whose father died a victim of the house crash, has not yet recovered. Thus, the acute stress resulting from such a catastrophic earthquake could be a possible cause of reduced sperm motility.     

Stomach diverticulum. A case report

The author reports a case of gastric symptomatic diverticulum, not connected to other gastric-biliary-duodenal pathology. The author points out the rarity of diverticulum of the alimentary canal, and points out the symptomatic picture that, in association with a radiologically ascertained diverticulum staunching, represent indications for surgery.     

Relations between intestinal motility and absorption

Chronic constrictive pericarditis following traumatic hemopericardium has been reported in recent years, but it has not been reproduced experimentally in dogs. The present study attempted to produce posttraumatic constrictive pericarditis in 34 experimental animals. Hemopericardium by means of trauma to the epicardium or pericardium was produced by a sharp instrument or by the injection of autologous blood inside the pericardial sac. All animals were killed at intervals between 3 and 31 months. The animals in which hemopericardium was induced by injecting blood into the pericardial cavity showed no changes. The hemopericardium was completely resolved without noticeable residual trace. Animals having hemopericardium as a result of trauma evidenced a well-developed constrictive pericarditis that was documented clinically, hemodynamically, and histologically. These experimental findings indicate that chronic constrictive pericarditis may well be due to traumatic hemopericardium rather than to specific infection.     

Stomach rupture after nasal oxygen therapy

A 69-year-old male developed a spontaneous rupture of the normal stomach during oxygen administration via a nasopharyngeal catheter. The clinical picture and treatment is discussed.     

Effects of pentoxifylline on sperm motility and hyperactivated motility in vitro: a preliminary report

Previous reports (2, 3) have suggested that pentoxifylline increases sperm motility. In this preliminary report based on five asthenozoospermic and five normal motility semen samples, we were unable to demonstrate any statistically significant effect of pentoxifylline on percent motility of human spermatozoa. However, in vitro exposure to capacitation medium with pentoxifylline may lead to an increase in total hyperactivated motility in asthenozoospermic samples, an effect not evident in the normal motility samples in this study.     

Stomach acid secretion in submissive and aggressive rats.

Conducted 4 experiments with 60 female and 162 male Long-Evans rats to determine whether aggressive and submissive behavior are related to either an increase or a decrease in gastric secretion. In Exp I, intruder rats placed in an established male–female colony and attacked by a dominant alpha male secreted less acid than intruders exposed to nonaggressive males and females. In Exp II, intruders exposed to attack and subsequently returned to the encounter site, but protected from physical attack, still demonstrated a gastric hyposecretion. Ss with chronic gastric cannulas in Exp III also revealed an acid inhibition when attacked and later when exposed to, but protected from, attack. Both intruders and attacking males were prepared with gastric cannulas in Exp IV. Both demonstrated secretory inhibition following attack and attack-protected sessions. The inhibitory effect was greater and more persistent for intruders than for aggressive Ss. It is suggested that the inhibition occurring during the attack-protected sessions may have been mediated by some conditioning processes, and other possible associative mechanisms, including a learning model or a direct sensory model, are discussed. (39 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

胃舒宁颗粒制备及质量控制

胃舒宁颗粒是我院制剂室生产唯一的无糖型颗粒剂,功能镇痛,健胃、制酸.临床上用于治疗胃脘疼痛、胃酸过多、胃及十二指肠溃疡、慢性胃炎、效果显著.笔者建立了其制备工艺及质量控制标准,现报道如下.     

Clinical studies of ocular motility disturbances. Part 1. Ocular motility disturbances: causes and incidence

Between January 1985 and December 1994, 500 cases of ocular motility disturbances were encountered in our department; we analyzed these statistically. There were 48 cases of supranuclear palsy (10%), 281 of ocular motor nerve palsies (56%), 19 with myasthenia gravis (4%), 29 with myogenic palsy (6%), 57 with abnormal innervation (11%), and 63 instances of mechanical disturbances (13%). There were more men than women in all groups except myasthenia gravis. Eighty-four ocular motor nerve palsy and 15 blowout fracture patients recovered spontaneously. Spontaneous recovery occurred within 6 months in 80 (93%) patients with ocular motor nerve palsy. The abnormality detection rate, using diagnostic imaging, was high for supranuclear and myogenic palsy and the mechanical disturbance groups, but very low for the ocular motor nerve palsy groups. In 3 supranuclear palsy patients, small infarctions of the brainstem were discovered by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) but were not found with computed tomography (CT). MRI thus proved useful in detecting abnormalities of brainstem lesions.     

东方蝾螈胃和小肠的组织结构观察

[目的]观察东方蝾螈胃和小肠的组织结构.[方法]制作组织切片,利用显微镜观察组织结构.[结果]东方蝾螈的胃壁和小肠壁由内向外依次可分为黏膜层、黏膜下层、肌层、浆膜层4层,小肠黏膜下层不明显.黏膜层向腔内形成纵褶,且较厚,肌层主要由内环外纵2层平滑肌构成.小肠绒毛由黏膜上皮和固有膜向肠腔突出形成,在十二指肠段密集且较高,向远端(回肠端)渐疏渐短.[结论]东方蝾螈胃和小肠的形态结构较简单,胃肠壁较薄,肌层欠发达.     

Computer-assisted analysis of sperm motility

The fully automatic method for reconstruction of spermatozoa trajectories was presented. The method is based on computer image analysis. It allow to process pure semen without any treatment like diluting or purifying. Since no human interacting is available, this method lead to objective results. The method was used to analyse semen taken from healthy men (WHO 92 standard). The result shows absence of different populations in single sample.