Kinetocardiogram (KCG) is considered to reflect the ventricular movement. Consequently, the usefulness of KCG as a noninvasive method for examining the ventricular movement was studied in 101 cases with myocardial infarction, 22 with congenital heart diseases, 67 with valvular diseases, 3 with idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (IHSS), 3 with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), and 40 with hypertension.
In KCG, a normal systolic inward movement produces a downward deflection, while an abnormal systolic outward movement, such as a bulge seen in myocardial infarction, produces an upward deflection. Systolic bulges were present in 75% of acute myocardial infarction, and 52.8% of old infarction when recorded more than 1 month after the attack.
Left ventriculography (LVG) was carried out in 15 cases of myocardial infarction. Six patients showing bulges in KCG revealed dyskinesis, akinesis or hypokinesis in LVG. Four cases, in which LVG revealed dyskinesis or akinesis, showed bulges in KCG. Cases of infarction having bulges showed an increase in left ventricular end-diastolic volume and a decrease in ejection fraction.
In KCG recorded within 2 months after the attack, all 10 patients without bulges showed a favorable course. About half of the cases with 2 to 4 bulges had a favorable course, but the other half were suffering from post-infarction angina. Almost all the patients having more than 5 bulges died. The course was favorable in all patients without bulges or with only one bulge in KCG recorded more than 1 year after the attack, but most of the patients with more than 2 bulges were suffering from post-infarction angina, myocardial reinfarction, or congestive heart failure. Some of them died.
Systolic outward movements, i. e. bulge-like movements, were also seen in various other heart diseases; 36.4% of congenital heart diseases, 58.2% of valvular diseases, 33.2% of IHSS, 100% of PPH, and 47.5% of hypertension.
Bulge-like movements were seen in all patients with mean pulmonary wedge pressure of more than 25 mmHg, who also showed right ventricular hypertrophy ECG pattern. Cardio-thoracic ratio in patients with bulge-like movements was significantly greater than those without them. Th e incidence of left ventricular hypertrophy ECG pattern was higher in patients with bulge -like movements than those without them.
It is concluded that KCG is useful to assess the clinical course and prognosis of myocardial infarction and to evaluate the pathophysiology of other heart diseases. Bulge-like movements can easily be differentiated from myocardial infarction by taking into consideration its location together with clinical signs and symptoms.

View full abstract

Transplacental import and utilization of maltose were compared to those of glucose in a pregnant rabbit after an injection of either labeled sugar. The results obtained are as follows:
1) When [¹⁴C] maltose was intravenously administered to a pregnant rabbit, it was transplacentally imported into a variety of fetal organs and tissues at a lower rate than glucose.
2) Maltose given to maternal blood had an elevating effect on the level of blood sugar but not that of insulin, whereas no effect was observed on the level of both fetal blood sugar and insulin.
3) Radioactivity of [¹⁴C] maltose given to maternal blood was efficiently incorporated into fetal liver glycogen and lipid of fetal adipose tissue as well as glucose, indicating that maltose is a good carbohydrate substrate for the nutrition of the fetus.

View full abstract

In patients who were at rest, awake or subjected to cyclic photic stimulation, time lapse contour maps were made by recording the contour of the power spectrum using the EEG frequency as the horizontal axis and time as the vertical axis. Frequency response contour maps were made by recording the contour of the power spectrum using the EEG frequency as the horizontal axis and the frequency of stimulation as the vertical axis. Although the subjects studied had cerebral arteriosclerosis or a hemiplegia as a sequela to cerebral apoplexy, at a glance they did not exhibit EEG abnormalities including asymmetrical EEGs. The results obtained were as follows:
1) The time lapse contour map in the patients with a hemiplegia as a sequela to the cerebral apoplexy showed comparatively stable active response peaks on the part of the dominant EEG frequency both at rest and awake, and the map was simple in comparison with that of normal adults. The frequency response contour map was not the same as that of a normal adult, because there was a discontinuity in range between the peak of facilitation and the trough of occlusion. Thus, the damaged hemisphere tended to exhibit EEG abnormalities.
2) In the patient with a hemiplegia as a sequela to the cerebral apoplexy, there were differences in effects between one eye and twye stimulation as regards the peaks and the troughs. Otherwise there were no differences.
3) The time lapse contour map of the patient with cerebra arteriosclerosis showed that, in addition to the peak in the alpha range, there appeared another peak peculiar to the frequency of stimulation. The map was stable, like those of cerebral apoplexy sequela patients. Even in the case of the patient whose clinical EEG did not reveal any abnormalities, the frequency response contour map was different from that of the normal adult : the contour was variable; in many cases there were EEG asymmetries.
4) By means of the frequency response contour map, it is possible to clarify the mechanism of EEG abnormalities in the case of cerebrovascular disorders in which, if the abovementioned analysis were not employed, it would be difficult to detect EEG abnormalities.

View full abstract

Cell proliferation of human gastric mucosa was studied in the cases of chronic gastritis using the in vitro incubation method of ³H-thymidine autoradiography. The study was carried out using the material consisted of 92 biopsy specimens and 83 stomachs diagnosed as carcinoma, peptic ulcer, duodenal ulcer and chronic gastritis.
Fresh gastric mucosae were taken from the antrum and pylorus of the stomach under gastroscopic observation and also from extirpated stomachs. The tissues were trimmed into rice-grain-sized pieces and were incubated for one hour at 37.. in Eagle medium and 2μC of ³H-TdR.
The gastric mucosae were divided light microscopically into five subtypes by Hirafuku criteria as the following: superficial, simple, atrophic hyperplastic, atrophic and metaplastic gastritis.
The labeled cells were ordinally observed in the proliferative compartment, which was situated in the glandular neck region and active mitotic figures.
The labelling index was expressed in a percentage of labeled cells in ratio to the total number of epithelial cells. In the normal gastric mucosae, ³H-TdR labeled cells were in the neck region of the gastric gland, but did not appear in the surface epithelium. Higher in corporation of ³H.TdR was observed in the lower part of the neck region of the glands. The average indices, both labeling and mitotic, were generally higher in the antrum than in the pylorus in the cases of chronic gastritis and also higher than normal mucosae.
Superficial gastritis showed many labeled cells which were located in the neck region and foveolae. Simple gastritis showed scattered labeled cells in various parts of mucosae. In atrophic and atrophic hyperplastic gastritis, labeled cells were found in the neck and foveolae of the gastric glands. Metaplastic gastritis showed labeled cells especially in the neck regions. The average labeling index is higher in simple chronic gastritis than in other superficial gastritis, atrophic, atrophic hyperplastic and metaplastic gastritis. Information concerned with cell renewal and proliferation is important for further understanding of the development of disease.

View full abstract

electrodes into the hippocampus. The properties of these spikes were studied in the chronic experiment. Furthermore, the electrical activities of the hippocampus and the behavior of the animal were studied in the rabbit in which the theta-input to the hippocampus was partially or totally removed. And the following results were obtained.
1) In either a relaxed or a drowsy state, the EEG spikes appeared in both hippocampi. Very often the EEG spike in one of the hippocampi appeared in synchrony with that in the other. The amplitude and the duration of the EEG spike were 0.5.2mV and 100.300msec, respectively.
2) EEG spikes were depressed when the theta activity was enhanced. It was demonstrated that the depression was due to the changes in the intrinsic hippocampal activities, and not due to the enhancement of the theta activity itself.
3) When the septum was totally destroyed, the hippocampus showed a low voltage fast wave which was further accentuated by sensory stimulations.
4) When the septum was destroyed unilaterally, both hippocampi exhibited the theta activity.
5) As compared with normal animals, those having lesions in the septum or the entorhinal cortex more easily developed seizure discharges. Furthermore the duration of these discharges was longer than that in normal animals.
6) The behavior of the animal without the theta activity following the total destruction of the septum did not show any alteration in the daily life except for a hypersensitivity to sensory stimulations.

View full abstract

The changes in blood glucose (BG) levels, serum immunoreactive insulin (IRI) levels and plasma immunoreactive glucagon (IRG) levels were studied during arginine tolerance tests in 52 healthy infants/children. The subjects were divided into three age groups: group I-A (1 month to 3 years old), group I-B (4 to 9 years) and group I-C (10 to 15years).
The results obtained were as follows.
In all age groups, the BG levels (Mean±SEM) were found to reach maximum at 15 min. after the arginine administration (group I-A; 114±5.4mg/dl, group I-B; 105.1±1.7mg/dl, group I-C; 108.5±3.1mg/dl, respectively). These responses were not age-dependent.
The basal levels of IRI (Mean±SEM) were significantly higher in older children than in younger ones (group I-A; 4.2±0.7. μU/ml, group I-B; 5.3±0.8. μU/ml, group I-C; 8.4±1.1 μU/ml, respectively). The serum IRI levels (Mean±SEM) rose to the maximun level. E at 30 min. after the arginine administration and the responses to arginine were significantly greater in older children than in younger ones (group I-A; 14.2±3.4. μU/ml, group I-B; 25.6±2.2. μU/ ml, group I-C; 60.5±11.0. μU/ml, respectively).
In contrast to the IRI responses, the basal IRG levels (Mean±SEM) tended to be comparatively higher in younger children than in older ones (group I-A; 107.1±12.7. Eg/ml, group I-B; 95.8±10.7. Eg/ml, group I-C; 72.8±9.3. Eg/ml, respectively), and the maximum levels of IRG (Mean±SEM) at 30min. after the arginine administration were observed to be significantly higher in younger children than in older ones (group I-A; 449.6±66.1. Eg/ml, group I-B; 345.0±20.7. Eg/ml, group I-C; 275.8±21.7. E g/ml, respectively).

View full abstract

The changes in blood glucose (BG) levels, serum immunoreactive insulin (IRI) levels and plasma immunoreactive glucagon (IRG) levels were studied during arginine tolerance tests in 16 children whose one sibling or one parent had diabetes mellitus and 20 diabetic children, using the same method as previously reported. The results were compared with those obtained previously in the matched age groups of the healthy children.
The results obtained were as follows.
1) Children with a family history of diabetes mellitus. There were no differences between these children and the matched age groups of healthy children, concerning the basal levels of BG, serum IRI and plasma IRG and the responses to arginine, except for the significantly greater IRI responses in the older children.
2) Children with early diabetes mellitus (8 with chemical diabetes, and 2 with potential diabetes).
All basal levels of BG, serum IRI and plasma IRG varied considerably from case to case.
The responses of BG to arginine in these children were greater (7 children) than those in the healthy children.
The IRI responses to arginine in these children were greater (4 children), lesser (3 children), delayed (one children) or the same (2 children), as compared with those in the healthy children.
The IRG responses to arginine were greater (4), lesser (4) or the same (2).
These results show that early diabetes mellitus in childhood is also accompanied by not only abnormal BG curve on the oral glucose tolerance test but abnormal response of IRI and/or IRG to arginine administration.
3) Children with overt diabetes mellitus (6 with juvenile diabetes mellitus and 4 with adult type diabetes mellitus).
The basal levels of IRG were slightly high in children with juvenile diabetes mellitus, and the responses of BG and IRG to arginine were greater, except for one case in which the child showed no response, as compared with those in the healthy children.
In adult type diabetes mellitus, basal levels of BG, serum IRI and plasma IRG were highas compared with those in the healthy children, except for two cases (case 17 and case 19). The IRI responses to arginine were greater in one case, lesser in 2, and delayed in one, as compared with those in the healthy children. On the other hand, the IRG responses to arginine were remarkably greater in 3 non-treated cases than in the healthy children, and rather less in one case during treatment with SU-agent.

View full abstract

Studies were made on the rise and fall of HI antibody against the A/NJ/8/76 strain of influenza virus in human and porcine sera over a period of July, 1975, to March, 1981. On the basis of the results of these studies, a sero-epidemiological survey was carried out to clarify the state of invasion of this virus in Japan. The results obtained are as follows.
1) Porcine serum samples were collected in between 1977 and 1978 and examined for possession of antibody 32 times or more in titer against the A/NJ/8/76 strain. As a result, there were marked differences in the positive rate (the rate consisted of the number of samples showing an antibody titer of 1: 32 or over to the number of samples examined) among the areas from which the samples had been collected (4-100%)
2) Antibody survey were conducted on swine in various areas over a period of 1979 to 1981. As a result, antibody-positive swine were noticed in every area. The antibody-positive rate exceeded 75% in most of the areas.
3) Hog raisers and their families were examined in July, 1975, and inhabitants of areas at large in November of the same year. As a result, HI antibody was found in no human beings 45 years or less of age, but in some people 46 years and more of age. The antibodypositive rate tended to increase with the advance in age.
4) When the employees of slaughterhouses were examined for possession of HI antibody over a period of January, 1979, to March, 1981, a tendency was shown that the antibody-positive rate increased a little year by year (10.7-20.7%).
5) When a serological survey was conducted on the employees of the slaughterhouse in Asahi City, Chiba Prefecture, once a year for 3 years, a total of 10 persons were found infected with the A/NJ/8/76 strain of influenza virus.

View full abstract

From a total of 444 human individuals (221 male, 223 female, average age 56), serum samples were collected in the southern district of Tochigi prefecture over a period of 8 months from January to August 1980. Serological tests to find antibodies against type A, 6 different strains and type B, 3 different strains of HI (spell out) virus. These results are summerized as follows:
The antibody positive rate and the mean titer of antibodies for the A/NJ/8/76 and the A/PR/8/34 strains tended to increase with the advance in ages of the individuals. In contrast, these results of any other strains of type A virus decreased with the advance in ages. The antibody-positive rate and the mean antibody titer of the type B strains tended to decrease with the advance in ages of individuals although these results were much lower than those in the type A strains. Eight (5.2%) out of 153 individuals who were younger than 50 years of age showed a positive reaction of antibody against the A/NJ/8/76 strains. The age groups of the individuals who were born especially during an epidemic period of influenza showed a higher rate of antibody-positivity and a higher mean antibody titer than any other age groups who were born when no epidemic of influenza broke out.
In conclusion, it became apparent the southern district of Tochigi prefecture has been invaded by almost all the strains of type A virus. This district has been involved in the epidemics of type B virus influenza. However the latter epidemics may have exerted little influenza upon this district.

View full abstract

In order to clarify the relation of carcinogenesis in stomach mucosa to the intestinal metaplasia, the atypism and distribution of intestinal metaplasia and their relationship to the localization of carcinomatous lesion was examined pathologically in all specimens of human stomach with early cancer removed surgically from 51 patients. Based on this study, the qualitative distribution diagram of intestinal metaplasia and cancer was made. The removed stomach was divided in two types, non-metaplastic (41%) and metaplastic (59%), and also subdivided in three types, type M, MC₀ and MC. Non-metaplastic type, which intestinal metaplasia apart from cancer was treated as type M. Type MC₀ and MC were associated with atypical (At-III) and (At- I and At-II) metaplastic epithelium adjacent to cancer. Intestinal metaplasia ratio calculated from the distribution diagram was increased according to aging. The metaplastic carcinoma adjacent to high degree atypism (type MC₀) and low degree atypism (type MC) were associated with tubular adenocarcinoma, 100% and 79%, respectively, in comparison with signet ring cell carcinoma (71%) in non-metaplastic type.

View full abstract

We found a typical horseshoe kidney in a female cadaver of 84 years old. The major findings on the kidney are as follows.
1) One kidney fused into the other at their lower poles. The area of fusion, generally called the isthmus, was found to consist of renal parenchymal tissues.
2) The position of both kidneys was lower than that of the normal ones.
3) The bilateral renal hili opened anteriorly, the renal pelvis exposed itself in the hilus and the ureters passed downward along the ventral aspect of the kidneys.
4) There were additional vessels. Namely, there was an artery which arose from the dorsal aspect of the abdominal aorta with the short common trunk accompanied with the median sacral artery and entered the left isthmus. There were two veins, which came from the right hilus and opened into the inferior vena cava. There was another vein which arose from the isthmus and drained into the left common iliac vein.
5) Histologically examined, the isthmus contained more convoluted tubules and connective tissues, and fewer glomeruli, as compared with the kidney proper.

View full abstract

D-Penicillamine is being used with increasing frequency in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. We describe here a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who developed lupus erythematosus-like syndrome after treatment with D-Penicillamine.
The patient is a 65-year-old woman who developed rheumatoid arthritis about 19 years ago. D-Penicillamine was administered from Sep., 1976, in dosage of 200 mg/day in both initial and maintenance stages. Though white blood cells and platelets began to decrease about 17 months after the initiation of treatment, the administration of D-Penicillamine was continued. Three months thereafter, blood counts still remained low. Consequently, a blood disorder due to D-Penicillamine or the concomitantly used indomethacin was suspected and the treatment was discontinued. Dosage of prednisolone was promptly increased to 30 mg/day, and then gradually reduced. White cell and platelet counts improved smoothly for the time being, but again decreased respectively to 3, 000 and 10x 10⁴ about 4 months after the withdrawal of D-Penicillamine (when 13 mg/day prednisolone was administered). Around that time, hair loss, mouth ulcers and photo-hyper-sensitivity were present, and generalized swelling and pain of the joints became intense.
Laboratory examination disclosed a positive LE cell preparation, a positive antinuclear antibody, negative anti-nDNA, slight decrease in CH₅₀, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 110 mm/h.
From the above findings, we considered the decrease in white cell and platelet counts to be the initial sign of SLE, and diagnosed the condition as lupus erythematosus-like syndrome accompanying D-Penicillamine treatment.
As dosage of prednisolone was increased to 20 mg/day and gradually reduced subsequently, symptoms (hair loss, mouth ulcers and photosensitivity) nearly disappeared 8 months after the withdrawal of D-Penicillamine and laboratory data were normalized about 12 months after that.

View full abstract