The discharges of a single NMU of a muscle under constant voluntary contraction were recorded, and the standard deviations of the discharge intervals were plotted against the mean discharge intervals. The muscles used were the M. abductor pollicis brevis, Hexor pollicis brevis, the lumbricales of the hand, and the M. abductor hallucis and flexor hallucis brevis of the foot.
(1) All the muscles showed invariably two kinds of distribution-the K-and T-curves, indicating respectively kinetic and tonic activities of NMU.
(2) In the hand muscles much of the points obtained fell around the K-curve; presumably they are composed mainly of kinetic NMU. Conversely, the foot muscles seem to contain more tonic elements, because the large portion of the points fell around T-types; moreover, they seem more tonic than the corresponding muscles of the hand. These findings may explain the functional differentiation existing in the two groups of muscles, facilitating the quick and dynamic movements of the hand, or allowing slow and static activities of the foot muscles in maintaining posture while standing or walking.
(3) All the curves start with horizontal portions of certain durations. This circumstance may be interpreted as a fair evidence of the existence of a control mechanism in maintaining voluntary contraction.

View full abstract

In this note, the writer made an attempt to generalize the so-called “Windkesselmodel” into a model of high elasticity with stress relaxation and tried to unify the view-points based on the theory of elasticity and hydrodynamical point of view. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1) Based on the fact that Frank's equation for Windkesselmodel [1], and Maxwells equation [6] can be said, from the standpoint of fomality, to be identical to each other, and that Maxwell's equation is a special case of Boltzman's equation [7], the modified Boltzman's equation [9] is assumed to be reducable to [6] under an appropriate after effect function. Then we have equations [16, 17, 18] for the propagation of wave in the medium of high elasticity, which coincides with hydrodynamical equation [4].
2) Solving under appropriate initial and boundary conditions, it can be shown that propagation velocity of instantaneous change of pressure and that of flow velocity accompanying it are √γ/ρ as given by Frank, while under stationary condition transmission velocity differs from Frank's, depending on the peripheral and frictional resistance. For actual pulsative changes in the arterial system caused by heart cycles, it seems improbable that a stationary state as a whole can exist, hence the changes of pressure and velocity must propagate with same velocity along arteries.
3) This conclusion, as a matter of course, does not contradict with the es tablishment of Hamilton's standing wave, but concerns only with the beginings of these pulsative changes. Therefore the question, whether the pattern of pressure pulse wave coincides with that of velocity pulse wave, remains entirely undetermined.

View full abstract

Adrenal cortical activity were studied by the determination of ascorbic acid content of adrenals in rats.
1. The adrenal ascorbic acid content in rats which had been deprived of water for 48 hours, increased to slightly above normal content. Similar results were obtained in the pituitrin administered animals.
2. The adrenal ascorbic acid content of rats after massive intraperitoneal injection of 5 per cent glucose showed a nearly normal value.
3. Marked depletion of adrenal ascorbic acid was observed in rats after administration of epinephrine or stress, but it was not so significant in animals which had been injected with pituitrin or dehydrated.
4. In rats after heavy water load, the excretion of water was rapid and adrenal ascorbic acid content decreased remarkably, compared with animals administered intraperitoneally with the same amount of water.
5. Administration of large doses of pituitrin depleted the adrenal ascorbic acid content.

View full abstract

The threshold and the resting potential of a node of a single motor nerve fiber under the action of various agents were compared in a toad with those of a neighbouring node immersed in Ringer solution.
The following are the results of the experiment:
1) The decrease of threshold and the positive resting potential is produced in the test node when one of such compounds of the Krebs cycle as succinate, fumarate, malate, α-ketoglutarate and citrate (0.02M) are introduced to the test node; the contrast node being also somewhat affected with a decrease of the threshold in the case of succinate, fumarate and malate. Of these compounds, α-ketoglutarate was also examined as to its effects on the oxygen consumption of nerve fibers. The oxygen consumption is found to be enhanced and the results obtained seem to indicate that nervous activities are closely related to oxidative metabolism.
2) Besides the compounds of the Krebs cycle, such amino acids as glutamic and aspartic acid, have also effects as accelerators on nervous activities.
3) All metabolic inhibitors used, except malonate, have the reverse action compared with that of accelerators, viz., increase of the threshold and a negative potential is produced in the test node by the action of the inhibitors, and the contrast node immersed in Ringer solution is not affected.
4) It is conceivable that the resting potential measured under various metabolic conditions may be taken as the results of oxidoreduction of nerve fibers when the resting potential represents the balance of potentials between the two neighbouring nodes.
The results of the present experiments constitute strong evidence that the Krebs cycle plays a major rôle in the intermediary energy metabolism of nerve fibers.

View full abstract

Nervous activities (energy required for it), such for instance as the maintenance of the threshold or the accumulation of potassium in nerve fiber, are closely concerned with the oxydative metabolism going on in the tissue.
The experiments performed substantiated this relation and, the results obtained were as follows:
1) Threshold and resting potential. A 10-20mM pyruvate-Ringer solution applied to one side of a Ranvier node brought about an approximately 30% average drop in the threshold in the node, which, after being maintained at that level for half an hour or so, was raised to a level slightly higher than the original in 15 minutes. Futher application of pyruvate brought it down again. On the opposite side of the Ranvier node, the threshold fell 10-15% and rose to the original level afterwards through the same process as in the proceeding case. The effect of pyruvate was inhibited by the application of 2-4 dinitrophenol or by the use of a material which was dissected several hours before experiment. The resting potential of a node affected by pyruvate rose about 15mV with the fall of the threshold and then passing through about the same process as the threshold, fell back to the original level.
2) Oxygen consumption. The oxygen consumed was increased by 1.13mM O ₂-about 7.2×10_-3 M ATP per gram of fresh nerve fiber per 30 minutes-in nealry the same period of time as was required for the changes in the threshold and resting potential by addition of pyruvate (15mM). The amount of ATP required a 10% drop in the threshold is about 0.4×10_-3M ATP per g. per minute.
3) Reaction of nerve fiber to 0.11 M NaCl solution and action of pyruvate. The threshold of a nerve fiber was lowered by potassium ions in a low concentration (2.7mM or less). It was lowered in 0.11 M NaCl solution under some conditions too. However by introduction of pyruvate the threshold is not affected by application of 0.11 M NaCl solution. This will lead us to conclude that some potassium ions that leaked out from the inner-side of the Ranvier node, when 0.11 M NaCl solution is introduced at this node, caused the threshold decrease.
4) Effect of pyruvate on potassium in nerve fiber. Pyruvate has a tendency give rise to a decrease in the potassium leakage.

View full abstract

An apparatus named “electronic rheotome” was devised by us for electric stimulation of the eye with sinusoidal alternating currents. The electronic rheotome enables us to start the alternating currents at 0°phase and to stop them at 180°or 360°phase. Combining the electronic rheotome with an A.C. oscillator, we can settle precisely such factors of a stimulus as intensity, duration, frequency and phase of the beginning and the termination, that the measurements of the electric threshold can be made accurately. The electronic rheotome of the 2nd type, furthermore, can produce currents of different forms such as square, anodal and cathodal waves.
As a first application of the electronic rheotome we examined the dependence of the electric threshold of the eye upon duration and frequency of the sinusoidal alternating currents. It was found that the characteristics of the strength-duration curve at any frequency are quite different between both ranges above and below a definite frequency in the vicinity of 50 to 60 cps. The threshold values for a frequency above 60 cps. differ strikingly according to whether the phase at the termination of the current is 180°or 360°, while the threshold values for a frequency below 50 cps. decrease steadily with the increase in duration of stimulation, till they reach the lowest value in the duration of 2 to 3 cycles, and they thereafter remain almost constant, no matter at which phase of 180°or 360°the stimulating currents end. That is, a few cycles at the onset of the stimulating currents cause the summation of stimuli. This summation of stimuli takes place most remarkably in the neighbourhood of 20 cps.

View full abstract

With a method based on a reasonable assumption, the length of the excitatory wave was directly measured on nerve and muscle of toad. This value coincides well with the usually determined one. The length is about 50mm.and 10mm. in nerve and muscle respectively.

View full abstract

(1) The nature of the action potential of the insect muscle was investigated, using the method of intracellular recording. The materials used were the wing muscles of a locust (Locusta migratoria danica). Sometimes the sound muscles of cicadas (Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata and Platypleura kaempferi) were also employed.
(2) The insect muscle fiber showed a low resting potential which ranged.between 40 and 60 mV. The potential depended upon the extracellular concentration of potassium.
(3) The average space constant of the muscle fiber was 0.6 mm. and the.average time constant was 8.5 m. seconds.
(4) The action potential ranged between 30 and 50 mV and did not show any obvious overshoot.
(5) The latent period of the action potential was approximately constant at every point of the muscle fiber. From this fact the presence of the distributed nerve ending was concluded.
(6) In direct electric stimulation the first group of fibers responded with pure electrotonic potentials, the second group with local potentials and the third with all or none spikes. Most fibers belonged to the second group.
(7) The size of the action potential was varied over a wide range by increasing (sometimes by decreasing) the resting membrane potential with anodic (sometimes with weak cathodic) polarization. The action potential and the resting membrane potential were in general found to be approximately proportional, and in only few cases the action potential became larger than that expected from the proportional relation.
(8) The time constant of the decay of the action potential was about 5, msec. which was smaller than that of the resting muscle membrane. The difference seems to be due to the increase of the potassium leakage.
(9) Some effects of tetra-ethyl-ammonium chloride, of tetra-buthyl-ammonium chloride and of choline chloride on the insect muscle were investigated.
(10) The resting and action potential of the sound muscle of cicada were almost similar to those of the wing muscle of the locust. But in some condition the action potential of the sound muscle of Platypleura kcaempferi showed an obvious overshoot as well as an obvious step which indicated a transition from the local to the propagative potential.
(11) From the above results it is concluded that in the wing muscle of the locust the major component of the action potential is a nonselective ion sink analogous to the end plate potential of the vertebrate muscle, and the potential analogous to the propagative potential of the vertebrate, even if it exists, does not generally play an important role. But in some other muscles such as the sound muscle of Platypleura kaempferi the latter potential plays much more important role than in the wing muscle of the locust.

View full abstract

1. With intracellular microelectrodes electric responses of the catfish Mauthner cell to antidromic stimulation were recorded. The responses were composed the parts, namely of brief cell-body responses and long dendritic responses.
2. The duration of the cell-body response was 1-1.5 msec. and that of the dendritic response longer than 7 msec.
3. Due to this great difference in the spike-duration and the difference in refractoriness between the cell body and the dendrites, multipe responses of the cell body were frequently observed during the course of a single dendritic response.
4. The possibility of injuring a neurone by insertion of a microelectrode was stressed.

View full abstract

1. The ACh mechanism was examined in the dorsal column-root preparation.
2. ACh and many Anti-ChEs decreased the magnitude of the slow potentialwhen their concentrations were high, while they increased it when their con-centrations were low.
3. Inhibitors of respiratory enzymes, malonic acid, NaCN and monojod aceticacid showed similar dual effects and no specific difference from the above resultswas observed.
4. Triacetine, an important drug for discrimination of acetylcholinesterase did not show any specific effect on the slow potential, but showed a similardual effect.
5. Inorganic ions, KCl, CaCl₂, and others showed similar dual effects.
6. No specific effects but similar dual effects were observed in cases ofadrenaline, noradrenaline, d-tubocurarine, nicotine and TEABr.
7. Glucose showed similar dual effects on the slow potential.
8. The consistent dual effects observed in a variety of drugs are solely pro-duced by the differences of drug concentration. This fact may be explainedby a physico-chemical mechanism occurring at the surface membrane plus thesurrounding interstitium where the slow potential is generated.
9. The dual effects may not be due to the so-called pharmacological effects, but to a physico-chemical mechanism, which was testfied by TEABr.
10. The observation in this paper may probably strengthen the physico-chemical hypothesis on the origin of the slow potential in the spinal cord (1).

View full abstract

On the sciatic-tibial nerve preparation or the root-spinal nerve preparation the conduction velocity of the action potential in each region was measured and the following results were obtained.
1. The conduction velocity in normal or lightly narcotized nerve is constant throughout the whole length of the preparation. The slowing which is often observed at the centrifugal conduction in deep narcosis is due to the unequal deepness of narcosis according to the parts of the preparation and not to the decrement conduction, because at the centripetal conduction the quickning is observed.
2. No time delay is detectable when the action potential wave travels through the dorsal root ganglion.
3. At the boundary between normal and narcotized region the conduction velocity changes, namely it decreases when the action potential travels from normal to narcotized region and it increases when the action potential propagates in the opposite direction. The decrement and the increment of the conduction velocity begin at the boundary between normal and narcotized regionand continue further through the nerve length of 6-10 mm.

View full abstract

1. The nitrogen concentration of sweat varies inversely as the rate of sweating.
2. In the initial stages of sweating, the nitrogen concentration may sometimes be very high.
3. The nitrogen concentration which have fallen with progress of sweating, tends to rise back when sweating becomes steady at a high level.
4. Nitrogen given off from the skin by other processes than sweating is negligible.

View full abstract

A systematic study on the electric stimulation of the eye by the sinusoidal alternating current was made by means of the electronic rheotome within a wide range of frequencies extending from 2 to 1, 000 c.p.s. under the various levels of illumination.
1) The threshold strength-frequency curve for the dark adapted eye has at least two main minima in the vicinity of 7 and 30 c.p.s., while the curve for the light-adapted eye has a distinct minimum at about 20 c.p.s. There exists always an abrupt inflection of the strength-frequency curve at around 100 c.p.s.
2) The shape of the threshold strength-illumination curve depends complicatedly upon the frequency of a.c. According to the curves' shape, all curves obtained were classified into four types, each corresponding to four ranges of frequency of 2-9, 9-25, 25-50 and 50-1, 000 c.p.s. respectively in approximateestimation.
3) It was especially noted that the electric threshold for the frequency around 3 c.p.s. varies in a qualitatively parallel relation to the threshold for an adaequate stimulus with increase in illumination, and that the subjective sensation evoked by such low frequencies is also most alike to the sensation evoked by an adaequate stimulus, and that if the higher frequency is used for stimulation, only the onset and cessation of stimulation causes the electrical phosphenes to be perceived.
4) It was discussed that the electrical phosphenes evoked by very low frequencies of sine waves seemed to have a close relation to the “on” elements in the retina, whereas those evoked by the higher frequencies, to the “on-off” and “off” elements.

View full abstract

We often observed the splitting of off-effect (d-wave) in electroretinogram from frogs, toads and chicks. These appeared in different ways in different conditions and we succeeded in making their nature clearer.
1) In general it is relatively difficult to catch the multiple off-response. But, if a test light of weak intensity and short duration is used, diphasic d-wave often appears, especially under low temperature.
2) When the condition stated above is adopted, the splitting of d-wave invariably appears temporarily during the course of light-and dark-adaptation. By dark-adaptation d-wave splits into two or three peaks and the later peaks, gradually diminish behind the faster one. Whereas, in the case of light-adaptation, the off-response becomes multiple with the appearance of the second and the third peak from backward, and piles up to make a large high deflection.
3) The relation between the time course of variation in the height of each peak and the intensity of testing light was observed during the dark-adaptation. It was found that the stronger the stimulus, the more rapidly the second peak appeared and increased in size, and the higher it grew, the more rapidly it diminished as the dark-adaptation progressed.
4) By considering the conditions of splitting we devised a method by which the distinctly splitted off-wave can be caught in its well defined shape which usually continues for over one hour.
5) It was demonstrated that the peaks of a splitted dwave are three or more in number. From several facts it was ascertained again that the multiple d-wave is quite different in character from the rhythmical oscillation originating in optic discharge.
6) The meaning of splitting of d-wave was also discussed in relation to the component potential that is considered to originate the d-wave.

View full abstract

The perfused popliteal lymph gland was contracted by electric stimulation of the lumbar sympathetic chain. This effect was abolished by denervation and cocainization of the femoral artery and vein.
Contraction of the gland was caused by adrenaline, pituitrin, barium chloride, and histamine, and dilation by pilocarpine and caffeine.

View full abstract

(1) Existing data on oxygen or energy requirement and speed have been analysed, using the formula E=KVⁿ, where E denotes oxygen or energy requirement at speed V, and K and n are constants.
(2) Comparison of several forms of muscular exercise or work, showed that the value of n is correlated to the severity of muscular activity.
(3) If a given muscular exercise shows optimal speed, n has two distinctly different values, on both sides of the optimum.
(4) Resistance of muscular movement is briefly discussed, and the possibility of utilization of momentum by the body has been pointed out.

View full abstract

Examining chemical and physiological factors governing the acid-base balance of human saliva (mixed and parotid), the following results were obtained.
1) A correlation between salivary pH and content of alkali reserve in bloodcan be found in some cases, but not always.
2) It was demonstrated by ingestion of abundant alkali that changes of bicarbonate content in blood cannot directly influence the salivary pH, probably because bicarbonate ion do not readily diffuse out across the glandular membrane.
3) In respiratory acidosis, the partial pressure of CO₂, P_CO2 in blood serum can influence that in saliva, probably because the free CO2 diffuses easily across the membrane. But, as P_CO2, in blood is maintained approximately constant in physiological conditions, the salivary P_CO2, shows also an almost constant value near that of blood P_CO2. Thus it cannot be an usual factor which causes the physiological change of salivary pH.
4) Determining the main inorganic and inorganic constituents in saliva and comparing their concentrations with one another, it was found that the total mol concentration in saliva, calculated from its freezing point depression is mainly composed of Na⁺, K⁺, Cl^- and HCO₃^-. As the bicarbonate ion is the only one of these four which acts as a strong buffer, and as the salivary pH (5.8-7.8) is near its dissociation exponent (6.2 at 37°C), it is concluded that the bicarbonate is the main constituent which determines the salivary pH. It was ascertained that the salivary _pH always changed in parallel to changes of total CO₂, content i.e. bicarbonate concentration, in physiological conditions.
5) The concentration of bicarbonate in saliva and therefore its pH were found to increase with the rise of the rate of salivary flow, and vice versa. Similar relations could be found generally in the extra-cellular salts in saliva, such asNa⁺, Cl^-, Ca⁺⁺, etc. Their concentrations were all lower than those of blood serum, and they approached the latter when the rate of salivary flow becamecopious. From the facts, it is presumed that these extra-cellular salts are secretedby permeation through the glandular membrane, of which the permeability may be increased by excitation of gland cells. The concentrations of intra-cellular salts, such as K, phosphate, etc. in saliva were always higher than those in blood serum. They remained nearly constant or decreased when the rate of salivary flow became high.
6) Since the salivary bicarbonate concentration sometimes surpassed the serum concentration during increased flow, it was presumed that a part of bicarbonate was produced in the excited gland and discharged into saliva in addition to the permeated bicarbonate.
7) The mechanism of bicarbonate production was discussed, and it was concluded that it consisted of two reactions, namely the production of K-bicarbonate by the neutralization of metabolic carbonic acid with cell buffer, and that of Na-bicarbonate by cation exchange between NaCl and H₂CO₃ across the glandular membrane. Possible processes concerning the latter mechanism were discussedin some details.
8) It is concluded that the excretion of bicarbonate in saliva refers closely to the excitatory state of gland cells, so that the salivary pH can reflect the glandular activity.

View full abstract

The vertical distribution of the sweat glands has been measured on 33 representative regions of the skin of a corpse. The distance from the skin surface to the lower end of glomerulus of the longest gland varies from 2.4 to 3.1 mm. in the large number of the regions. It is generally the greater, the greater the thickness of the skin. The distance from the skin surface to the upper end of glomerulus of the shortest gland is from 0.5 to 1.2 mm. in most of the regions (table 1).
The thickness of the tissue layer, which contains all the sweat-gland glomeruli in each region, has been calculated from the above data. It is from 1.4 to 2.4 mm. in most of the regions (table 2).
The total volume of the tissue containing sweat-gland glomeruli was estimated to be approximately 3, 200 cc.(table 3).

View full abstract

Antidiuretic potency of rat serum increased on exposure to heat and was reduced on exposure to cold. The content of antidiuretic hormone in rat pituitary gland was reduced on exposure to heat in winter, but not in warm seasons. It increased after repeated exposure to cold in warm seasons.

View full abstract

1. A method of measuring the rate of conduction of nerve by means of a single recording of a diphasic action current was described. The material was wanted to be long enough, so as the electrode distance could be larger than the “Aktionslänge.”
2. Six types were found to appear in the configuration of the action current thus recorded, yet the right estimation of the velocity seemed possible, if the starting point of the deflection due to the excitation under the distal electrode, was properly determined.
3. A few notes as to the application of the method was described.

View full abstract

Using the needle electrode, the human external sphincter muscle of the anus was studied and fhe following results were obtained.
A. The muscle as a whole
1. Interference voltages appear with a slight increase of constriction of the muscle-a property common to the circular muscles of the mouth and eye.
2. The discharge can be abolished with difficulty by a distention of the anus provoked by an intentional motive; in an electrically silent state thus caused, an interruption of the effort results in an immediate return of the discharges in many NMU.
3. Disappearance of the discharge can be brought about with comparative ease when the rectum is full with feces or other artificial substitute.
4. Reflex changes of the discharge may be produced by such different causes, like the change in abdominal pressure, vocalization, coughing, or lifting a heavy weight. Mechanical or heat stimulation of any skin area causes an extremely sensitive reaction, and the muscle contracts reflexively.
B. Activity of individual NMU
1. At a room temperature in which the subject feels no cold and under ‘at rest’ state, only the tonic discharges are obtained with spike amplitudes of about 300μV and current duration of less than 5 msec. The frequency of the discharge is of the order of 3 to 4 c.p.s.(cf. for M. soleus 8 to 10 c.p.s.). The tonic dis-charge can be led out more frequently from the deeper layer.
2. Increased constriction involves kinetic discharges, with amplitudes of 600 to 800 μV (far smaller than the soleus); these discharges seem to originate in the shallower layer.
3. The _??_-S curve dissolves into two distinctly different components: one has the plateau with S=8 msec. extending to 170 msec., hence ascends sharply, while the other maintains its plateau at the level of S 15 msec. and proceeds far beyond, up to 260 msec., where it makes a gradual rise. The former corre-sponds to the discharges of the kinetic NMU and the latter to the tonic ele-ments. In the _??_-S diagram the anal muscle occupies the extreme right position among the muscles so far investigated.

View full abstract

The electromagnetic flowmeter is calibrated in experiments in vitro and in vivo by means of the known flow, stationary or rapidly changing, and it is shown that the electromagnetic method for recording blood flow is sufficiently suitable for use. Some doubts suggested by Shipley et al. do not seem to require special consideration.

View full abstract

The character of each wavelet in the multiple off-response was investigated in ERG of isolated frog's eyes at a definite low temperature, by using color illuminations of physically equal energy and of equal bleaching efficiency on visual purple. The results obtained were as follows.
A series of multiple off-wavelets due to white-light was found to contain patterns of specific response to colors-red, blue, green and blue in time order-of which the last blue rise was due to the activity of rods and all other earlier rises to the cone system.
Similar results were obtained in experiments on selective adaptation to definite colors so that a particular rise in the multiple off-response was inhibited by adaptation to a definite color and the inhibited peak contrarily, appeared markedly enhanced after removal of the adapted light.
Each main rise for any of the three original colors in the multiple off-response occasionally appeared as a group of smaller peaks. Thus the total number of multiple off-wavelets inherent in ERG may be at least six or more, suggesting the presence of so many kinds of retinal elements in the frog's eye.
The nature and origin of multiple ERG were discussed in reference to several authoritative works on the subject.

View full abstract

(1) The interval fluctuation of impulses of the tonic nerve fiber from the muscle spindle of a Japanese toad is investigated by method of the time series analysis.
(2) Dividing the interval series into several stationary subseries and computing the serial correlation coefficients, we find that these subseries can be considered as a random process.
(3) In these stationary subseries, not only the absolute value of the standard deviation but also its relative value to the mean interval becomes larger with the increase of the mean interval.
(4) High correlation among the moments of the interval distribution makes us conclude that each of the distributions obtained from the same preparation can be characterized by a single parameter.
(5) Assuming a random fluctuation such as that due to the thermal agitation the equation of distribution is calculated. And comparison is made between the observed and the calculated histograms.

View full abstract

The enteric stimulation by hypertonic saline solution or tetanic current ofone loop of the small intestine elicits the inhibitory reflex responses in anotherloop through the decentralized coeliac and superior mesenteric ganglia.

View full abstract

The vital cabacity and the maximum breathing capacity have been studied in 1, 169 healthy individuals of different ages from 20 to 80 years in connection with an interest in the air velocity index.
The results show that the values of vital capacity, maximum breathing capacity and maximum breathing rate per square meter of body surface are, to some extent, decreased in accordance with the advent of age, although the maximum breathing rate appears most suitable to evaluate a failure in the ventilatory function associated with emphysema or silicosis.

View full abstract

1) Changes in the threshold of electrical stimulation under the electrodes ofa long polarization were measured by the “superposition method” and the “interruption method.” The measurements were also carried out on a desheathednerve and compared with an ordinary non-desheathed one.
2) By the interruption method one can see evidently that the thresholdslowly increases under the cathode and decreases under the anode during thepolarization and returns slowly to normal after breaking the polarizing current.By the superposition method these changes in the threshold are masked anddistorted by the existence of the polarization potential. The distorting effectsubsides during the polarization, but in anodal polarization this subsidence ofthe effect is of small extent.
3) Between a desheathed and a non-desheathed nerve there can be foundno remarkable difference in the magnitude or the time course of the abovestated changes in the threshold both in the interruption method and in thesuperposition method.
4) These changes in the threshold under both the electrodes are in anopposite direction to those observed in the electrotonus. They should be attributedto some changes in properties of the nerve membrane, such as thepermeability or the polarizability, under the electrodes of a long polarization.If the electrical polarization, whose physiological manifestation is the electrotonus, is considered to be the first effect and the stimulation the second effectof electrode of a polarizing current, then we might name the here observedeffect on the polarizability and excitability of the nerve of a long polarizationas the third effect of the polarizing electrode.

View full abstract

In order to clarify the relations between the off-response in electroretinogramof the isolated frog's eye and color perception some new analysis wasperformedby using the spectral lights of equal energy and different intensities.
1. The rapidity of off-response was variable to a marked degree accordingto the wave-length of stimulating light. The “time required for the crest” ofoff-response to be reached after the cessation of light generally became longeras the wave-length became shorter. However, towards the violet end of thespectrum there occurred a sudden shortening of the crest time. The same relationwas observable in the latency of off-response too.
2. The rapidity was influenced by the intensity of the stimulating light.In a case of illumination of short duration (1-2 sec.) the crest time becamelonger almost in proportion to the logarithms of intensities of the appliedstimuli.
3. However, a wide change in the intensity did not alter the regular patternin the rapidity of off-response for monochromatic lights of different wave-lengths.The crest-time for different colors became comparable by equalizing the sizeof b-waves which affected more or less the rapidity of off-response throughoutthe spectrum.
4. Finally some correlations between the above results were discussed to geta clearer view of all the results of this experiment.
5. The results of both the first and second parts of this study led to theconclusion that the off-response contains several components for red, orange, violet, green and blue etc., and they appear in time order cited here.

View full abstract

In dogs anesthetized with evipan-sodium, adrenal venous blood specimenswere collected through the lumbar route without opening the abdominal cavity.
Adrenaline content of the specimens was estimated colorimetrically using the arseno-molybdic acid method of Bloor and Bullen.
After administration of atropine, acetylcholine in a dose of 2-3 mg. per kg.was injected. On receiving acetylcholine the adrenaline secretion rate wasestimated to be markedly augmented. After a while, procaine in a dose of 50-70 mg. per kg. or tetraethylammonium in a dose of 10-20 mg. per kg. was injected.After procaine or tetraethylammonium, acetylcholine in the same doseas before used to cause little or no increase in the rate of adrenaline secretion.

View full abstract

The action current of the abdominal muscles was studied with the technique of EMG, using diverse subjects-normal female and male adults, juveniles and castrated individuals. To supplement the observations, some animal experiments and the observation on the cases of Adison's disease were performed.
1. Normal female adults. They are the only subjects who show periodic changes in the discharge-occurring simultaneously with the menstruation cycle. The electrical discharges are very much weakened in a few day before and after the menstruation, or totally vanished during the menstruation proper. The active discharges in the mid menophase can very effectively be suppressed by progesterone, and less so by chorionic gonadotrophin. Following a pretreat ment with progesterone and the muscles made electrically silent, testosterone, estradiol or corticosterone brings about a new outburst of the electrical activity.
During the menstruation, the decreased or vanished discharges can be made active by estradiol or in lesser degree by the placental hormone, anterior pituitary hormone or chorionic gonadotrophin.
2. Prepuberal females. Juveniles, age over 7 years, show the inhibitory response to progesterone, but those age below 6 years indicate a faint response, if any.
3. Females in menopause. These show a distinct progesterone inhibition.
4. Totally oophorectomized females. No periodicity was detected. Progesterone inhibits effectively the discharges. Testosterone, estradiol, corticosterone, anterior pituitary or placental hormone revives the discharge which has been suppressed by progesterone.
5. Normal male adults. No periodicity was observed. Progesterone is nonreactive.
6. Juvenile males. Those age over 6 years can hardly respond to progesterone and those below show a faint response, if any.
7. Castrated males. No periodicity was observed. After the progesterone inhibition, testosterone, estradiol or anterior pituitary hormone brings back the electrical discharge.
Animal experiments. A large dose of progesterone given to the female or castrated male rabbit induces a decrease or totally suspension of the electrical discharge of the abdominal muscles. The male animal responses with much lesser degree.
A very large dose of progesterone administered to the female rat brings a quiet state or even stupor. The abdominal muscles decrease or loose the discharges faster than all the others.
Adison's disease. In severe cases, the disappeared electrical activity of the abdominal oblique muscles can be made active by the injection of estradiol or corticosterone.

View full abstract

(1) The materials used were the sartorius muscles of the toads and frogs. The load, the moment of inertia of the inertia lever and the initial length of muscle were changed indepently of each other. Concerning a twitch, the tension or the velocity of contraction was a function of time, and the completely isotonic twitch was not realized as well as the completely isometric one.
(2) When the external resistance, i.e. load or inertia(velocity), is smaller than a certain limit, the initial tension develops over the load level till the muscle contracts as much as the early phase of initial shortening; then it turns to decrease and comes back to the load level at the moment when the muscle contracts to the critical point. After the initial tension, the maintenance tension follows which is almost equal to the load level and is the cause of the excess shortening. Therefore, the complete twitch is defined for a twitch performed under the condition that the muscle can contract to the critical point. On the contrary, when the external resistance is too large for the muscle to contract to the critical point, twitch becomes the incomplete one.
(3) When the initial length was not varied, the foot of the initial tension coincided with that of isometric twitch, independently of the external resistance.
(4) When the initial length was not varied, the lengths of the early and late phases of initial shortening were independent of the external resistance and the course of tension curve. The early phase is probably the necessary shortening for the formation of contractile substance and the late phase is caused by the transmutation of it.
(5) The initial shortening ratio was a linear function of the initial length.
(6) The mechanical work done during complete twitch was analysed into three components. The first is the work done for the load during the initial shortening and it is independent of equivalent mass(M). The second is the work done for inertia during the initial shortening and it is almost proportional to one third power of M. The third is the work done during the excess shortening and it is decreases exponentially, when M increases.
(7) The initial shortening (or the height of the critical point) was summated by two shocks, and the summation was complete when the interval was equal to the duration of the initial tension of the first twitch.
(8) The shortening of the complete tetanus was divided into two phases, the quick one which is caused by A band and the slow one which is caused by I band.
(9) When a muscle was stimulated repeatedly at shorter intervals than the contraction time in isotonic condition, the fluctuation of tension curve was minimized, particularly at lower temperature, except the first initial tension, and after the quick phase was over, the completely isotonic state was realized.

View full abstract

The author intended in this research to investigate how a change in the distance between two retinal areas stimulated in monocular vision affects the simultaneity surface. The subjects for the experiment were three healthy young adult persons.
The following is the resume of the experimental results.
1) When two areas to be stimulated are so arranged as to be in contact with each other the simultaneity-probability exceeds 70 per cent but failes to reach 100 per cent in the constant probability duration. It ranges between 50-60 per cent, when the distance between stimuli is 5.0 or 10.0 mm. in distinct vision.
2) The constant probability duration is shorter when the distance is zero than when it is 5.0 and 10.0 mm. The length of constant probability duration is 3.6 to 4.4 msec. when the distance is zero and 4.6 to 6.0 msec. when it is 5.0 mm.
3) The probability of judgement on the successiveness of sensations reaches almost 100 per cent and the rate of correct judgement on the sequence of stimuli rises over 90 per cent when two stimuli set in contact are given at the intervals of 8.2 msec., and they are always in lower percentage when the stimuli set 5.0 or 10.0 mm. apart are given at the same intervals. The simultaneityprobability curve for the zero stimuli distance, therefore, intersects that for astimuli distance of 5.0 or 10.0 mm. in the neighborhood of the interval of 3.3 msec.
4) The simultaneity-probability in the constant probability duration in case of the stimulation of the retina by a red or green light is somewhat lower than that traced when the stimulus is white light.

View full abstract

1) The skin plays an important role in interfering with the measurement of threshold value of electric stimulation of nerves and muscles in the human body.2) It is possible to measure the threshold of the nerve or muscle by balancing the polarization in the skin. This is called a Balancing Network Method
3) Explanations were given on a simple arrangement used for measuring the threshold clinically.
4) The true V-t curve was obtained by eliminating the influence of the skin by the B.N.M. The values of chronaxie and rheobase were calculated theoretically. The values of four kinds of nerves and muscles were compared with each other.
5) Explanations were given on the measurement of the constant concerning the slope factor.
6) Explanations were given on the measurement of threshold for AnOC.

View full abstract

1. The nature of the fibrillary twitchings (BFT) elicited by Biedermann's fluid was studied. For the experiment, the sartorius muscle of the summer toad was used. The action potentials of BFT were observed by means of Sugi's septal method and bipolar leading.
2. To search the starting point of BFT, the site of origin, the impulse directions of BFT was discriminated by inspecting of them as well as by applying an impulse analyser, the septum being adopted at varying regions along the muscle. The result was that BFT originated, in the vivid muscle, from the narrow zone free from nerve endings, which situated 1/6-1/8 of the entire muscle length from the pelvic end.
3. Comparing the usual voltages of BFT with that of a fascicule's twitching whose fibers in number was not more than a motor unit, it was obtained that the former amounted to 1/2.5-1/5 of the latter. Thus the unit in action of BFT is presumed to involve almost 6-12 muscle fibers.
4. Any region brought in catelectrotonic state seize the superiority, becominga pace maker, and cutting and pressure influenced temporary on it. But as to the cutting, Biedermann's fluid should act one the intact surface, not in the exposed interior of the muscle.

View full abstract