Rats which were subjected to induced hepatocarcinoma by dimethylaminoazobenzen (DAB) were divided into two groups, one of which was fed with Ascorbic acid. By macroscopic and microscopic comparison, abnormal enlargement of the tumor was observed in the Ascorbic acid-fed group, while no such phenomena were found in the group given only DAB.

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Lymphocytes derived from rats bearing DAB-induced hepatic carcinoma at progressive stages (micro- and macroscopically) were stimulated by three mitogens: PHA, Con A and PWM. A remarkable increase in ³H-thymidine uptake was found over the period from the stage proceeding the appearance of carcinoma to the early stage of carcinogenesis, while a remarkable decrease of ³H-thymidine uptake was revealed in lymphocytes of advanced tumor-bearing rats. This result is very remarkble, for it questions the generally believed assumption that immune ability decreases from the early stage of carcinogenesis.

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Wrinkle lesions of the aorta in young subjects were investigated. This lesion was observed as a spiral narrow band along the long axis of aorta, especially at the portion of Botallo's duct and lower abdominal aorta. This lesion was observed even in the neonatal period and the incidence gradually increased until 20 years of age. Over 20 years of age, wrinkle lesions decreased in frequency. Some lesions transformed to atherosclerotic foci in the relatively early age. This specific lesion may play important role in the atherogenesis in young subjects. The mechanism of formation of wrinkle was also discussed.

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By measuring levels of noradrenaline (NA) and its major metabolite, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol sulfate (MHPG-SO₄), we investigated the effects of morphine on hypothalamic noradrenergic neurons in stressed or non-stressed states in male rats. Subcutaneous administration of morphine at 3 mg/kg and 6 mg/kg reduced NA level and elevated MHPG-SO₄ level in the hypothalamus in a dose-dependent manner and these effects of morphine were completely abolished by pretreatment with naloxone at 0.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg (s.c.). Immobilization stress caused significant reduction of NA and increase in MHPG-SO₄ level, and this stress-induced increase in NA turnover was attenuated by pretreatment with 3 mg/kg and 6 mg/kg of morphine. Attenuation of stress-induced enhancement of hypothalamic NA turnover by morphine was almost completely reversed by naloxone at 0.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg. These results suggest that morphine produces different effects on hypothalamic noradrenergic neurons, depending on the state of the animal treated, i.e., facilitation in the non-stressed state and inhibition in the stressed state and that these actions occur via opiate receptors. It is further suggested that the hypothalamic opioid peptide system might be partially involved in the stress process by attenuating increased NA turnover by stress in rats.

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In the whole brain of rats, apomorphine in doses of 5-10 mg/kg elevated noradrenaline (NA) level 10-20 min after s.c. injection, but reduced NA level 60-90 min after injection in doses of 2-10 mg/kg associated with increased level of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol sulfate (MHPG-SO₄). With 5 mg/kg of apomorphine, NA content in the pons+medulla oblongata and midbrain showed biphasic changes as seen in the whole brain, whereas NA content increased in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus after 10-20 min, and decreased in the hypothalamus and amygdala after 60 min. Apomorphine in 0.1-0.2 mg/kg did not cause marked changes in brain NA metabolism. These results show that high doses of apomorphine which stimulate postsynaptic dopamine receptors have variable effects on noradrenergic neurons depending upon the time after injection and the brain region under investigation.

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We studied the effects of vibration exposure on the peripheral nerve system by measuring and comparing motor nerve conduction velocity, sensory nerve conduction velocity and residual latency in 236 vibrating tool operators and 30 normal controls of the same age-distribution. In addition, thresholds of pain and vibratory sense were examined and subjective complaints were also determined by questionnaire. Local vibration impaired the peripheral nerve, either directly or indirectly, particularly, at the distal parts of the upper extremities.

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During experiments on the effects of amino acids on the growth of Mycobacterium lepraemurium, it was found that DL-aspartic acid markedly stimulates the growth of the bacilli in cell-free liquid medium. When DL-aspartic acid was added at a final concentration of 0.01% or 0.02% to ND-5 or ND medium containing dextran and liposome, markedly stimulated and pro-longed growth of bacilli was observed. The possibility of producing continuous growth of M, lepraemurium by using DL-aspartic acid is suggested.

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The influence of TRH-analog (DN-1417) upon the anterior pituitary and thyroid gland was observed by electron microscopy and compared with the effects caused by synthetic TRH. Administration of 3μg of TRH caused no change in the thyrotrophs and slight activation in the thyroid, while administration of 3μg of DN-1417 did not cause any change in the thyrotrophs nor in the thyroid follicular cells. Though 10μg of TRH resulted in effects on both thyrotrophs and thyroid follicular cells, the same dose of DN-1417 did not activate the former and slightly activated the latter. The changes in thyroid caused by 500μg of DN-1417 were comparable to those caused by 10μg of TRH. The changes in thyrotrophs due to administration of 1000μg of DN-1417 were less than those caused by 10μg of TRH. DN-1417 causes fewer morphologic alterations than does TRH. Therefore, it is suggested that DN-1417 is a better agent for long term clinical use.

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Two cases of fetal abdominal masses were discovered in utero by real-time ultrasound. They were diagnosed as follicle ovarian cysts and multicystic kidney in the early days of life. Ultrasound should be used on all pregnant women in the second trimester, not only for assessment of fetal growth and placental position, but also for prenatal diagnosis of fetal malformation and fetal abdominal masses, as it is invaluable to postnatal management decision.

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Left ventricular (LV) end-systolic indices have been rarely investigated fundamentally or clinically in assessing LV function. Diagnostic catheterization and LV angiography were performed in 83 subjects (normal and various heart diseases) and LV end-systolic volume (ESVI) and LV peak systolic pressure/ESVI ratio (LVSP/ESVI) were calculated. These LV end-systolic indices were compared with LV ejection fraction (EF) in assessing LV function and functional capacity. These two indices, especially LVSP/ ESVI, were more useful than EF in detecting diseased hearts, except the pressure-overloaded or hypertrophic hearts, and in evaluating the functional capacity of individual patients. However, some limitations and problems are apparent, first, these indices are influenced by of terload, second, they do not take into account LV wall-thickness or LV mass, and third, we cannot yet directly assess them for LV contractility indices. We conclude that ESVI and LVSP/ESVI are useful indices in assessing LV function, particularly in detecting diseased hearts and in assessing clinical functional capacity and prognosis. These indices could be simply and non-invasively applied using echocardiogram and the blocd pressure cuff.

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