Small intestinal dysmotility following abdominal irradiation in the rat small intestine

Abdominal symptoms such as diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and vomiting are common during and after abdominal radiotherapy for gynaecological and pelvic malignancy. It has recently been recognized that small intestinal dysmotility may contribute to these symptoms but the underlying mechanisms are unclear in part because of the technical difficulties inherent in performing studies in irradiated small intestine. The aim of the current study was to evaluate small intestinal motor activity using perfused micromanometric techniques in 6-8-cm segments of ileum during arterial perfusion with isotonic oxygenated fluorocarbon solution. Intestinal segments from six rats were studied 4 days after treatment with 10 Gy abdominal irradiation. Ileal segments from nine nonirradiated animals acted as controls. For each experiment the total number of pressure waves, high-amplitude (> 20 mmHg, long-duration > 6 sec) pressure waves, and long (> 20 associated) bursts of pressure waves were determined. Irradiation had no effect on the overall number of pressure waves, but increased high-amplitude long-duration (HALD) pressure waves (248 vs 7, P < 0.01). In control animals HALD waves were localized to a single recording site but after radiotherapy 74% of HALD waves were temporally associated with similar pressure waves in other manometric channels. Forty-seven per cent of associated HALD waves migrated aborally. Retrograde migration of HALD waves was seen in five segments following irradiation. Irradiation abolished bursts of > 20 pressure waves.     

The protective effect of dexamethasone against radiation damage induced by interstitial irradiation in normal monkey brain

OBJECTIVE: The protective effect of dexamethasone against radiation damage is unclear. We examined the effect of early treatment of high-dose dexamethasone on iridium-192-induced damage to normal brain tissue. METHODS: Brain damage induced by interstitial irradiation with iridium-192 was evaluated with sequential magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in 11 adult monkeys, with or without short-term high-dose dexamethasone treatment. Dexamethasone (1 mg/kg of body weight/d) was administered intramuscularly to five irradiated animals every 24 hours, beginning 2 days before and ending 7 days after irradiation. Magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy were performed 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after irradiation. RESULTS: Magnetic resonance imaging performed 1 week after irradiation revealed marked edema in five nontreated animals. In dexamethasone-treated animals, the volume of edema was reduced significantly, compared to that of nontreated animals, 1 week and 1 month after irradiation. The volume of ring enhancement in dexamethasone-treated animals was also reduced significantly, compared to that of nontreated animals, 3 months after the irradiation. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy spectra revealed that N-acetylaspartate and choline peaks were reduced 1 week after irradiation in both groups. However, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups at any time points. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that dexamethasone treatment may have an antiedema effect at an early stage and may modify subsequent development of vascular and inflammatory changes but may have no effect of preventing radiation-induced necrosis and the reduction of N-acetylaspartate after brachytherapy.     

The HER-2/neu oncogene in breast cancer: prognostic factor, predictive factor, and target for therapy

To examine whether and how local somatothermal stimulation inhibits the function of the sphincter of Oddi (SO) in humans and in animals with different types of SO, we measured the activity of SO in anesthetized cats and rabbits by using continuously perfused open-tip manometric methods. Local somatothermal stimulation was achieved by applying an electroheating rod 0.5 cm away from the skin area near the right subcostal region. A heating pad was applied to the corresponding area in patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and biliary manometry. The motility of the biliary tract in cats, in terms of gall bladder pressure, tonic and phasic contraction pressure and frequency of SO before and during local heat were significantly different, respectively. The local heat-induced SO relaxation was not inhibited by pretreatment with atropine, propranolol, phentolamine or anti-cholecystokinin-octapeptide, but was almost completely blocked by infiltration of local anesthetics. Pretreatment with a nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor also blocked the relaxation, which was reversed by pretreatment with L-arginine, but not by D-arginine. The inhibition of SO motility by local heat in rabbits was also blocked by pretreatment with L-NAME, and this blockade was reversed by L-arginine. Application of local heat on patients demonstrated obvious inhibitory SO responses. We conclude that local somatothermal stimulation inhibits the SO motility in animals with different types of SO through the activation of heat-sensitive neural release of nitric oxide. This procedure may represent a simplified approach for the treatment of diseases with hypofunction of the L-arginine/NO pathway.     

Knee arthroplasty in rheumatoid arthritis. A report from the Swedish Knee Arthroplasty Register on 4,381 primary operations 1985-1995

The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of an ileal Roux limb, rather than a jejunal Roux limb, would prevent the Roux stasis syndrome that can occur after Roux gastrectomy. An ileal Roux limb was constructed in eight dogs and anastomosed to the gastric remnant after distal hemigastrectomy. Flow of chyme through the jejunum was preserved via an ileojejunostomy and a jejunoileostomy. Six dogs with distal gastrectomy and a conventional Roux gastrojejunostomy served as a control group. Chronic enteric recording electrodes and intraluminal, open-tipped pressure catheters were implanted in all dogs. After recovery, the electrical activity and motility of the Roux limbs and the rates of gastric emptying of liquids and solids were measured. Dogs with a Roux gastroileostomy had a slower frequency of pacesetter potentials in the Roux limb, a greater Roux motility index, and a faster rate of gastric emptying of liquids and solids than did dogs with a Roux gastrojejunostomy. Stomal ulcers, however, developed in seven of the eight ileal Roux limbs but in none of the jejunal Roux limbs. It was concluded that Roux gastroileostomy does ameliorate the Roux stasis syndrome, but there is a greater risk of stomal ulceration in the limb.     

Comparative studies of the mitogenic effects of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor-alpha and the expression of various growth factors in neoplastic and non-neoplastic prostatic cell lines

Murine acute myeloid leukemia is characterized by chromosome 2 aberrations, and genesis of the marker chromosome 2 by radiation is suspected to be an initiating event of radiation leukemogenesis. A detailed analysis of the type and frequency of chromosome 2 aberrations in murine bone marrow cells at an early stage after irradiation is provided here. A total of 40 male C3H/He mice was exposed to 137Cs gamma-ray at a dose of 1, 2 or 3 Gy, and sacrificed 24 hours after irradiation. Metaphase samples prepared from bone marrow cells were Q-banded for karyotyping or painted with DNA probes specific to chromosome 2. In 5 mice analyzed by karyotyping, one mouse showed high frequency of the marker aberrations as well as other chromosome 2 aberrations. Chromosome painting analysis for the rest of the mice also detected 3 animals showing significantly high frequencies of chromosome 2 aberrations. Dose-dependence of the frequencies was observed even among those mice that tended to be sensitive. The results indicated that there was a subgroup of mice carrying hypersensitive chromosome 2. The subgroup could be leukemia-sensitive if radiation-induced chromosome aberrations are responsible for an early change in myeloid leukemogenesis.     

Immediate X-radiation induced contractions of the isolated guinea pig terminal ileum: the localization of the effect by drugs

Tone and motility of the isolated guinea pig ileum were increased by irradiation with a dose of 10 krd. The maximal effect corresponds to that induced by 0.001 microng/ml acetylcholine or 0.3 microng/ml nicotine. The pharmacological analysis of this effect performed with acetylcholine and nicotine and several blocking agents including hexamethonium, atropine, tetrodotoxin, diphenhydramine, and verapamil suggests that radiation acts on the postganglionic parasympathetic neuron and the neuromuscular synapse. The mechanism of radiation is likely to consist of both an increased release of acetylcholine from the postganglionic neuron and a sensibilization of the cholinergic receptor site at the smooth muscle cell. The latter effect is thought to result from an increased contractile action induced by acetylcholine or nicotine in the irradiated ileal smooth muscle.     

Metastatic patterns of lung cancer visualized live and in process by green fluorescence protein expression

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between gastrointestinal intramucosal pH and myocardial oxygenation during isovolemic hemodilution in dogs with critical coronary artery stenoses. DESIGN: Prospective sequential evaluation of ileal intramucosal pH and regional myocardial function of a critically perfused area of myocardial tissue in a canine model of normovolemic hemodilution. SETTING: A research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Fifteen dogs. INTERVENTIONS: A micrometer snare was placed around a main coronary artery (8 left anterior descending artery, 7 right coronary artery). Three pairs of sonomicrometer crystals were placed in the heart to measure regional myocardial contraction. A gastrointestinal tonometer was placed in the ileum and used to measure luminal PCO2. This PCO2 value was used to calculate the ileal intramucosal pH. The animals underwent normovolemic hemodilution until myocardial ischemia occurred in the region supplied by the snared vessel. Measurements were continued for a further 40 minutes. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Following instrumentation, stabilization, and critical constriction of a coronary vessel, percentage changes in systolic shortening of myocardial tissue in the region of critical perfusion were determined every 20 minutes. Ileal intramucosal pH and commonly measured cardiovascular variables were determined at the same time points. Myocardial ischemia occurred after 80 minutes of hemodilution, when the mean (+/- SD) hemoglobin concentration had fallen from a baseline level of 123 +/- 18 g/L to 82 +/- 14 g/L (P < .01). From the start of hemodilution to 40 minutes after myocardial ischemia occurred, there were no significant changes in heart rate, cardiac output, oxygen consumption, arterial acid-base balance, or arterial PCO2. Oxygen delivery decreased by approximately 45% (5.99 +/- 1.66 to 3.41 +/- 0.90 mL/kg per minute; P < .01) but there were no changes in ileal intramucosal pH (7.31 +/- 0.08 to 7.30 +/- 0.08; P = .90). CONCLUSIONS: Myocardium compromised by coronary stenosis is more sensitive to normovolemic hemodilution-induced ischemia than the normally perfused gut mucosa. This limits the potential utilization of the measurement of gastrointestinal intramucosal pH as a guide to tolerable levels of anemia in critically ill patients.     

Non-invasive electrocologram: correlation between the electrical activity of the dog colonic muscle wall recorded by cutaneous and implanted electrodes

Chronic experiments were performed on dogs with silver, bipolar, ball-shaped electrodes implanted on the colonic and of the gastric muscle wall. Cutaneous electrodes were placed on the abdominal wall, along the projection of descending colon and also of the stomach, at the beginning of each experiment. Slow waves were led off in the electrocolomyogram (EColMG), corresponding to low-amplitude waves in the non-invasive electrocologram (EColG) with a frequency of 6.39 +/- 0.58 cpm (type A). When bursts of spike potentials appeared with the slow waves in the EColMG, increase of the amplitude of the EColG waves and decrease of the frequency (1.90 +/- 0.20 cpm) was observed. There was a significant difference between the colonic wave frequency and the frequency of the gastric waves (3.96 +/- 0.28 cpm). A good correlation was found between the number and frequency of the spike potentials in a group in the EColMG and the wave amplitude in the EColG. A sequence of low-frequency, high-amplitude waves (type B) characterized an activity period, while a sequence of low-amplitude, high-frequency waves (type A) corresponded to a quiescent period of the colonic motility. Thus the functional state of the colonic muscle wall could be judged by the differences in the frequency and amplitude of the EColG waves.     

Antibody-mediated oligodendrocyte cell death requires an astrocyte-derived cosignal

The purpose of this study is to develop an experimental model to measure localized radiation-induced lung injury using multiple end-points including breathing frequency, high-resolution computed tomography (CT), and radionuclide perfusion. The rats were anesthetized and the right lung irradiated with a single dose of 18 Gy using 200-kVp x-rays. The lung function of the animals was measured every 2 weeks after irradiation with the breathing rate assay. CT scanning and radionuclide lung perfusion assay were performed prior to and 2, 4, 10, 16, and 34 weeks after irradiation. Significant elevation in breathing rate occurred after 16 weeks, with a maximal increase between 22 and 28 weeks. An increase in the right lung density started 4 weeks after irradiation. Regional measurements indicated a relatively uniform increase in density at 4 and 10 weeks, while foci of high-density areas were observed at the later time points. Changes in rat lung volume indicated shrinkage of the irradiated right lung and accompanying compensatory hypertrophy of the shielded left lung. Radionuclide perfusion assay showed significant decrease in relative blood flow in the irradiated right lung 4 weeks after hemithoracic irradiation. Changes in breathing rate provide an index of overall lung function while changes in lung density, volume, and perfusion are of particular importance for evaluating loco-regional differences in lung sensitivity. This study is the first demonstration that CT can be used to measure volume changes after thoracic irradiation in rats.     

The demonstration of heritable lethal mutations in the progeny of x-ray-irradiated CHO cells by micronucleus count in clone cells

PURPOSE: Low doses of ionizing radiation reduce the growth rates of clones following irradiation of the progenitor cells. Such reductions of clone growth have been proven by means of measurements of clone size distributions. The medians of such distributions can be used to quantify the radiation damage. Prolongations of generation times and cell death as result of heritable lethal mutations have been discussed as causes for the reduction of clone growth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The cell number of a clone of hypotetraploid CHO-cells was compared to the frequency of micronucleated binucleated cells in the same clone using the cytokinesis-block-micronucleus method. The dose dependent reduction of clone sizes is measured by the difference of the medians (after log transformation) of the clone size distributions. RESULTS: At cytochalasin-B concentrations of 1 microgram/ml and after an incubation time of 16 h a yield of binucleated cells of about 50% was obtained. Median clone size differences as a measure of clonal radiation damage increased linearly with incubation times of 76, 100, 124, and 240 h following irradiation with 3, 5, 7, and 12 Gy. The frequency of binucleated clone cells with micronuclei strongly increased with decreasing clone size by a factor up to 20 following irradiation with 3, 5, and 7 Gy. The frequency of micronucleated binucleated clone cells was found to be independent of incubation time after irradiation. CONCLUSION: Radiation induced clone size reductions result from cell losses caused by intraclonal expression of micronuclei which have its origin in heritable lethal mutations. Measurements of clone size distributions can be done automatically. They can serve as predictive test for determination of median cell loss rates of surviving cell clones.     

Recombinant adeno-associated virus vector: use for transgene expression and anterograde tract tracing in the CNS

Several signal transduction pathways have been implicated in the mechanism of protection induced by ischemic preconditioning (PC). For example, stimulation of a variety of G-protein coupled receptors results in stimulation of protein kinase C (PKC) which has been suggested to act as common denominator in eliciting protection. PC also significantly attenuated cAMP accumulation during sustained ischemia, suggesting involvement of an anti-adrenergic mechanism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the beta-adrenergic signal transduction pathway (as evidenced by changes in tissue cAMP and cAMP- and cGMP-phosphodiesterase) during the PC protocol as well as during sustained ischemia. Isolated perfused rat hearts were preconditioned by 3 x 5 min global ischemia (PC1,2,3) interspersed by 5 min reperfusion, followed by 25 min global ischemia. Tissue cAMP- and cGMP-PDE activity as well as cAMP and cGMP levels were determined at different time intervals during the PC protocol and sustained ischemia. Tissue cAMP increased with each PC ischemic event and normalized upon reperfusion, while PDE activity showed the opposite, viz a reduction during ischemia and an increase during reperfusion. Except for PC1, tissue cGMP showed similar fluctuations. Throughout 25 min sustained ischemia, cAMP- and cGMP-PDE activities were higher in PC than in nonpreconditioned hearts, associated with a significantly lesser accumulation in cAMP and higher cGMP levels in the former. Fluctuations in cyclic nucleotides during preconditioning were associated with concomitant changes in PDE activity, while the attenuated beta-adrenergic response of preconditioned hearts during sustained ischemia may partially be due to increased PDE activity.     

Effects of a new motilide, ABT-229, on gastric emptying and postprandial antroduodenal motility in healthy volunteers

BACKGROUND: ABT-229 is a recently developed derivative of erythromycin, devoid of antibiotic activity. We studied the effect of ABT-229 on gastric emptying and postprandial antroduodenal motility in healthy volunteers. METHODS: Placebo, 4 and 16 mg ABT-229 were given as a single oral dose to nine healthy volunteers, in a randomized, 3-period crossover design. A solid meal (250 kcal) was given twice, 45 min after drug ingestion and 4 h later. Gastric emptying of each meal was studied using the 13C-octanoic breath test. Antroduodenal motility was recorded during the total 9-h period. RESULTS: After the first meal, both the 4 and 16 mg doses increased the gastric emptying rate to a similar extent. ABT-229 stimulated the contractile motility of the antrum dose-dependently. The half-emptying time and the lag-phase of gastric emptying correlated with the number of pressure waves that were propagated over the antrum and the mean amplitude of antral pressure waves. After the second meal no significant effects of ABT-229 were found. CONCLUSIONS: A single dose of the new motilin agonist ABT-229 strongly increases the gastric emptying rate in healthy volunteers by increasing the strength and length of propagation of antral pressure waves. ABT-229 has the potential to become a new prokinetic drug.     

Changes of the corneal endothelium after ultraviolet-B exposure in previously photokeratectomized eyes

The photorefractive effect of excimer lasers is based on an interaction between the 193-nm ultraviolet-C laser beam and the stromal chromophore molecules. Recently, in some patients an increase of subepithelial haze and a regression of refractive effect has been observed following suntanning (UV-B exposure). The aim of the study was to find out the possible endothelial damage caused by photoablation with increasing depth and the effect of subsequent UV-B exposure on previously photokeratactomized eyes. Altogether 12 chinchilla rabbits were treated. Four animals received a -5.0 D PRK; four animals a -15.0 D PRK and four animals a -30.0 D PRK treatment. The endothelial average number, size and variation were determined two weeks post-PRK. Three weeks following PRK, a half of the animals received a 1 J/cm2 ultraviolet-B radiation in a constant dermatological UV-chamber. The endothelial morphology was measured the same way with automated specular microscopy two weeks after UV-B irradiation. After PRK treatment there was no statistically demonstrable change in endothelial morphology. On the other hand, after UV-B radiation all eyes showed a decrease in endothelial number and an increase in size and variation. The ratio of hexagonality decreased, and endothelial rosette formation appeared. The early morphological changes resembled the physiological aging changes. Conditions (deep stromal photoablation, cumulative effect of suntanning or solarium treatments) may exaggerate the physiological aging processes leading to subsequent pleomorphism, polymegatism and cell loss. This may accelerate corneal dysfunction.     

Radiographic verification of implant abutment seating

This study was designed to identify the mechanisms underlying the reduction in food intake in rats. Measurements were made of the release of cholecystokinin (CCK) stimulated by potassium chloride in the hypothalamus after (a) gamma irradiation (60Co), (b) treatment with the CCK-A and CCK-B antagonists L-364,718 and L-365,260 with and without radiation, (c) bilateral abdominal vagotomy, and (d) vagotomy with and without radiation and with and without L-364,718. The concentrations of CCK in hypothalamus perfusate were measured by a radioimmunoassay. Exposure of rats to 1, 3, 5 and 10 Gy (1 Gy/min) increased release of CCK in the hypothalamus in a manner that was dependent on dose. A dose of 5 Gy was chosen for further studies. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of 10, 20 and 50 microg/kg of L-364,718 did not induce significant changes in release of CCK in sham-irradiated animals. However, the drug decreased the release of CCK induced by radiation in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast to L-364,718, 20-50 microg/kg of L-365,260 decreased the release of CCK in the hypothalamus in sham-irradiated animals but did not decrease release of CCK induced by exposure to radiation. Vagotomy produced an insignificant reduction in release of CCK compared to that in sham-irradiated controls. However, vagotomy decreased release of CCK in irradiated rats compared to the irradiated rats without vagotomy. Vagotomy and i.p. administration of 10, 20 and 50 microg/kg of L-364,718 decreased release of CCK in irradiated rats compared to that in irradiated rats without vagotomy. However, i.p. administration of 10, 20 and 50 microg/kg of L-364,718 did not induce significant decreases in release of CCK in the hypothalamus of vagotomized and irradiated animals compared to those in rats that were vagotomized and irradiated but not treated with L-364,718. These results demonstrate that radiation increases the release of CCK in the hypothalamus, and that this effect is inhibited by vagotomy and the administration of a CCK-A receptor antagonist. A CCK-A receptor antagonist may be used to mitigate a radiation-induced deficit in food intake.     

Small bile duct abnormalities and chronic intrahepatic cholestasis in Beh?et's syndrome

A 42-year-old man with Beh?et's disease of the intestinal type and a chronic cholestatic profile is presented. He had oral aphthea, genital ulcer, erythema nodosum, thrombophlebitis and central retinitis during the clinical course. Deep ileal ulcers recurred with massive bleeding and perforation. Cholestatic laboratory findings were also noted in the clinical course. A biopsied liver specimen, taken at the second operation for the ileal ulcer, showed chronic portal inflammation associated with ductopenia and epithelial degeneration of the small interlobular bile ducts, but periductal concentric fibrosis was not found. The patient died of sepsis 7 months after the last laparotomy. Although there was no significant abnormality in the large biliary tract at autopsy, pericholangitis in the small portal tracts and cholestasis were pronounced. Sclerosing cholangitis is one of well-known complications of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. We report herein another rare association of small bile duct damage resembling sclerosing cholangitis with enteritis in Beh?et's disease.     

Effects of loperamide on ileoanal pouch function

BACKGROUND: Opioid analogues are used to manage increased bowel frequency in patients with an ileoanal reservoir. The aim of the study was to determine the clinical efficacy of loperamide in patients with an ileoanal reservoir and to assess its effect on pouch motility. METHODS: Fourteen patients with a pouch who had normal pouch emptying and anal function were studied. Ambulatory pouch and anal motility, and stool weights, were recorded for 24 h while taking no medication and for 24 h while receiving 8 mg loperamide. In a second analysis, patients were divided on the basis of bowel frequency into those with 4 or fewer motions (good function; n=6) and those with more than 6 per day (poor function; n=8), to determine any differential effects of loperamide. RESULTS: Loperamide decreased median bowel frequency (no loperamide 5.5 versus loperamide 4.0, P=0.03) and 24-h stool weight (610 g versus 413 g, P=0.03) but not individual stool weights. Patients with poor function had both higher bowel frequency (8.0 versus 3.5 per 24 h, P=0.004) and higher stool weight (728 g versus 430 g, P=0.05) with no treatment than those with good function. High-amplitude pouch pressure waves were greater in number before defaecation in patients with poor function and did not decrease with loperamide, in contrast to patients with good function. Pouch baseline pressure decreased after defaecation to a similar extent in both groups and was not affected by loperamide. CONCLUSION: Loperamide 8 mg per day reduces bowel frequency by reducing total stool weight, not individual stool weights. In patients with good function it also affects pouch motility. High bowel frequency is associated with increased pouch high-pressure waves.     

Effects of airway inflammation on cough response in the guinea pig

We have developed a guinea pig model for cough related to allergic airway inflammation. Unanesthetized animals were exposed to capsaicin aerosols for 10 min, and cough frequency was counted during this period. The cough evaluation was performed by the following three methods: visual observation, acoustic analysis, and monitoring of pressure changes in the body chamber. These analyses clearly differentiated a cough from a sneeze. To elucidate the relationship between cough response and airway inflammation, animals were immunosensitized and multiple challenged. Sensitized guinea pigs presented no specific changes microscopically, but multiple-challenged animals showed an increased infiltration of inflammatory cells into the airway. Cough number in response to capsaicin increased significantly from 4.7 +/- 1.4 coughs/10 min in normal animals to 10.6 +/- 2.0 coughs/10 min in sensitized animals and further to 22.8 +/- 1.3 coughs/10 min in multiple-challenged animals. This augmented cough frequency was significantly inhibited by the inhalation of tachykinin-receptor antagonists and by oral ingestion, but not inhalation, of codeine phosphate. The results suggest that airway inflammation potentiates an elevation of cough sensitivity in this model.     

Effect of very low doses of gamma radiation on motility of gill ciliated epithelia of Mytilus edulis

An investigation of the effect of gamma radiation on the motility of mussel gill ciliated epithelia was conducted using dose rates of 0.9 and 2 mGy/h. There was a definite decrease in the beat frequency and a distortion of the metachronal wave by 20-30 min after irradiation with 0.9 Gy/h. With a total dose of 0.9 mGy, the beat frequency was decreased 2- to 2.5-fold. In the period after irradiation a restoration of the metachronal wave was observed, but the beat frequency was about 50% of the control level. Gamma irradiation completely stopped the beating of the cilia when given at a dose rate of 2 mGy/h.     

Implantable control, telemetry, and solar energy system in the moving actuator type total artificial heart

The aim of this study was to determine whether a jejunal pouch would have a lower resting pressure, be more distensible, and have more interdigestive migrating myoelectric complexes and less fecal bacterial overgrowth than would an ileal pouch after proctocolectomy and pouch-distal rectal anastomosis. In six conscious dogs with a jejunal pouch-distal rectal anastomosis and six with an ileal pouch-distal rectal anastomosis (controls), pouch distensibility and motility were measured using a barostat and perfused pressure-sensitive catheters passed per anum, pouch electrical activity was recorded using chronically implanted electrodes, and the number of bacteria per gram of stool was assessed by culture. Dogs with a jejunal pouch had lower resting pouch pressures, more distensible pouches, faster frequencies of pacesetter potentials in the pouch, more phase 3 intervals of the interdigesive migrating myoelectric complex reaching the pouch, but similar numbers and types of bacteria in their stools compared to the dogs with an ileal pouch. We concluded that jejunal pouches have a lower resting pressure, are more distensible, have more cleansing contractions, but a similar fecal flora compared to ileal pouches. A jejunal pouch has features that make it an attractive alternative to an ileal pouch for pouch-distal rectal or pouch-anal canal anastomosis after proctocolectomy.     

HLA antigens and erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency in Sardinia

Wind enhances the carcinogenic effect of chronic Iltraviolet radiation (UVL). This was demonstrated in hairless mice that were irradiated for 42 weeks with mercury are lamps. One group of animals was exposed to continuous wind flow of 2.7 m/s except for the daily I-2 min time interval when they were removed from the wind tunnel and irradiated. Another group of animals received identical irradiation but were protected from wind. The first tumour appeared in the UVL and wind group after 105 days of irradiation, and at 164 days of irradiation all surviving mice in the group had developed tumours. The group of mice receiving identical irradiation but protected from wind had their first tumour appear at 154 days of irradiation, and by 164 days of irradiation only 40% of the mice had developed tumours.