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The effects of tricyclic drugs (clomipramine, imipramine, chlorpromazine and promethazine) on isolated liver mitochondria of rats were examined. All the drugs tested accelerated state 4 respiration. Their stimulative potency at concentrations below 100 microM was in the order of chlorpromazine greater than clomipramine greater than imipramine, promethazine. On state 3 respiration, the chlorine containing drugs had an inhibitive effect at high concentrations, while the other drugs seemed to have a slightly stimulative effect. These drugs stimulated latent ATPase activity of mitochondria. Clomipramine and chlorpromazine inhibited 2, 4-dinitrophenol-stimulated ATPase activity in a dose-dependent fashion. Imipramine also inhibited 2, 4-dinitrophenol-stimulated ATPase activity at high concentrations. Promethazine, however, had almost no effect. All the drugs induced potassium release from mitochondrial vesicles, and their potency was in the order of clomipramine greater than chlorpromazine greater than imipramine greater than promethazine. These results suggest that clomipramine, imipramine, chlorpromazine and promethazine cause impediments in both mitochondrial respiration and ion compartmentation, and that the chlorine containing drugs are more toxic than others on the functions of the mitochondrial membrane.

The serum and urinary ferritin levels in 52 RA patients were measured by the 2-site immunoradiometric assay method. Serum ferritin levels in RA patients correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) but not with serum iron levels and hemoglobin concentrations, although they were within the normal range. High serum ferritin levels were associated with sera with hyper gamma-globulin and rheumatoid factors. In sequential studies, serum ferritin changed in parallel with ESR, CRP and disease activity in a majority of the patients. The urinary ferritin levels and u/s ratios in some RA patients were higher than control values. Higher values were found particularly in the group of patients under gold therapy but not in groups under other treatments.

The inhibitory effect of nicardipine, a calcium antagonist, on the antigen- and anti-IgE-induced histamine release from basophilic leucocytes of patients with bronchial asthma was examined. The agent significantly inhibited both antigen-stimulated and anti-IgE-induced histamine release from basophils (the maximum percent inhibition was 57.8 +/- 7.2% and 56.0 +/- 8.8%, respectively). Pre-incubation of basophils with nicardipine for periods of up to 120 min did not alter the inhibitory effect. These results suggest that nicardipine modifies the histamine release from basophils which closely participate in an attack of bronchial asthma.

Polyamines are polycationic substances which are widely distributed in living organisms and have a close relation to rapid growth phenomena. We examined ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), which is the rate limiting enzyme of polyamine biosynthesis, and polyamine induction in primary cultured rat hepatocytes by various hormones which increase during pregnancy, and revealed differences in hormonal responses between adult and fetal rat hepatocytes. Thirteen hormones, including estrone, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), cortisol, dexamethasone, insulin, glucagon, epinephrine and epidermal growth factor (EGF), were tested. Among these hormones, only insulin, dexamethasone and EGF induced ODC activity and polyamine biosynthesis, especially that of putrescine, in both adult and fetal hepatocytes. The effects of EGF were the most significant. The combined effect of insulin and dexamethasone was additive, while that of insulin and EGF was synergistic. The rate of ODC induction was higher in adult hepatocytes than in fetal hepatocytes, however, the reaction was earlier in fetal hepatocytes. These observations suggest that ODC and polyamines in the fetal stage of development are regulated by a mechanism different from that in the adult liver.

Red blood cell and plasma polyamines in umbilical and maternal blood at delivery were measured using high performance liquid chromatography. The concentration of each polyamine in red blood cells and plasma of umbilical blood was significantly higher than in maternal blood. Spermidine and spermine concentrations in fetal red blood cells decreased markedly with the progress of pregnancy. In addition, younger red blood cells contained more polyamines than older cells. Red blood cell polyamines are closely associated with the cell membrane. Plasma polyamine in umbilical blood reflect active fetal metabolism, whereas red blood cell polyamines mainly reflect alterations in erythropoiesis in bone marrow and may indicate the proliferation of the bone marrow.

Thalamic neurons projecting to both the head of the caudate nucleus and the premotor cortex in the cat were studied by the retrograde fluorescent double labeling technique. After injections of Evans blue into the caudate nucleus, and diamidino-phenylindol into the premotor cortex, a small number of double labeled neurons appeared in the ventral anterior, ventral lateral, anteromedial, rhomboid, central dorsal, central lateral, central medial, paracentral and parafascicular nuclei, in addition to numerous single-labeled neurons. This indicates that some neurons in the thalamic nuclei send bifurcating axons to both the head of the caudate nucleus and the premotor cortex. The caudatal projections of these thalamic neurons are organized in a topical manner.

Catecholamines were measured in the amniotic fluid and in the first voided newborn urine obtained from appropriate-for-date infants of term deliveries. Catecholamine values in the amniotic fluid and urine were nearly equal when expressed in terms of creatinine. Significant positive correlations were observed between the amniotic fluid and urine of norepinephrine and epinephrine. In normal cases (n = 32) that underwent uneventful vaginal delivery, the 95% confidence limits for norepinephrine and epinephrine in the amniotic fluid were 1.53 to 2.33 ng/ml and 0.16 to 0.30 ng/ml, respectively. In cases of moderate stress (n = 12), only norepinephrine showed significantly higher values than the normal cases, while in cases of severe stress (n = 12), norepinephrine became more significantly high, and epinephrine was found to be elevated significantly. A significant difference was noted in the incidence of fetal stress between the infants with more than and those with less than 2.30 ng/ml of norepinephrine, the upper limits of the normal 95% confidence limits. However, for epinephrine such a significant difference was not noted. It was concluded that amniotic fluid catecholamines are of fetal origin and reflect fetal sympathoadrenal activity directly, even during labor, and that their level may be a good indicator of fetal condition and stress.

Age-associated changes in methionine-enkephalin (ENK) and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) concentrations, and their receptors were examined in discrete regions of the rat brain. The ENK and TRH concentrations in aged rats were nearly identical to those in young adult rats, except for a slightly lower TRH value in the hypothalamus of the aged rats. On the other hand, the ENK and TRH receptor levels in the cerebral cortex of aged rats was markedly lower than that of young adults rats. The results suggest that determinations of both neuropeptide and receptor levels are indispensable for evaluation of peptide-mediated neural systems in the central nervous system.

Vectorcardiograms were recorded with the Frank lead system using electrodes positioned at the level of the 5 th intercostal space with the subject in the supine position. Deep inspiration produced the following significant changes compared with deep expiration: (1) the maximum leftward forces of the P, QRS, and T vectors decreased, whereas the maximum anterior and posterior forces of the QRS and T vectors increased; (2) the maximum spatial QRS vector decreased in magnitude; (3) the maximum spatial P, QRS, and T vectors shifted vertically, posteriorly and vertically, and anteriorly, respectively; and (4) the spatial QRS-T angle increased remarkably. The spatial instantaneous QRS vectors were analyzed at 5 msec intervals in 35 of the 61 subjects. With inspiration, the 35- through 50-msec vectors shifted posteriorly with markedly reduced leftward forces and increased posterior forces. It was suggested that the respiration-related vectorcardiographic changes reflected cardiac anatomic positional change, distortion of lead-field potential by lung gases, and other mechanisms. Since the respiratory effect is potentially important for vectorcardiographic interpretation, vectorcardiograms should be recorded under identical respiratory status.

Der Einfluβ des rohen und gekochten Eigelbs, sowie des atherischen und alkoholischen Eigelbextraktes auf die Gallen- und Gallensaureausscheidung des Fistelhundes wurde untersucht und folgende Ergebnisse erhalten. 1. Durch Futterung mit rohem und gekochtem Eigelb werden die Gallen- und Gallensaureausscheidung stark vermehrt. Diese Vermehrung bei Zufuhr gekochten Eigelbs dauert mehrere Tage lang als die bei Zufuhr von rohem, wahrend die Zufuhr von Eierklar keinen Einfluβ darauf ausubt. 2. Diese die Gallen- und Gallensaureausscheidung vermehrenden Bestandteile gehen in Ather und zum Teil auch in Alkohol uber, indem der atherische und alkoholische Extrakt bzw. der erstere die Gallen- und Gallensaureausscheidung vermehrt.

1. Der Zuckergehalt im Blut des 1 oder 4 Tage hungernden Kaninchens wird durch Futterung mit Nukleinsaure fast gar nicht beeinfluβt, wahrend die hypoglykaemische Wirkung der Cholsaure anscheinend dadurch verstarkt wird. 2. Die durch Zufuhr von Traubenzucker erzeugte experimentelle Hyperglykaemie wird durch parenterale Zufuhr von Nukleinsaure fast gar nicht beeinfluβt.

1. Die Neoglykogenie der Leber wird sowohl durch Zufuhr von Eierklar als auch durch solche von Edestin in gleichem Grad gesteigert. 2. Diese durch Eierklar gesteigerte Neoglykogenie wird durch gleichzeitige Zufuhr von Cholsaure weiter verstarkt, wahrend sie durch gleichzeitige Zufuhr von Cholesterin entweder nicht beeinfluβt oder vielmehr herabgesetzt wird. 3. Die durch Edestin gesteigerte Neoglykogenie wird durch gleichzeitige Zufuhr von Cholsaure etwas verstarkt oder kaum beeinfluβt.

1. The gaseous metabolism of normal healthy guinea pigs was increased by the administration of lotus rhizome juice or platan leaves juice. 2. The goseous metabolism of normal guinea pigs was slightly increased by the administration of testis extract, and more markedly so by the administration of lotus rhizome juice together with it. 3. The gaseous metabolism of guinea pigs fed with the basal diet free from vitamin C decreased with the diminution of their body weight, and it again increased transitorily by the administration of lotus rhizome juice. 4. The gaseous metabolism of the castrated male guinea pigs was increased by the hypodermal injection of "Spermatin".

Die Zuckerausscheidungsschwelle des splenektomierten Kaninchens wird durch den in absolutem Alkohol loslichen Stoff aus der Aminosaurefraktion des Kaninchenleberextraktes gut herabgesetzt.

Der Befund bei einem Exemplar von Racophorus Schlegelii, das die Arcizonie zeigte, fuhrt mich uber die Entwicklungsgeschichte des Schultergurtels aller anuren Amphibien zu folgender Uberlegung : Der primare Ausgangszustand des Schultergurtels bei der anuren Amphibien ist die Laxizonie, von dieser leitet sich die Arcizonie ab, dann ergibt sich endlich die Firmizonie aus der Arcizonie. Daher stellt die Firmizonie den am hochsten entwickelten Typus des Schultergurtels dar. In andern Worten : die Arcizonie kommt bei Racophorus Schlegelii nicht vor, aber Phylogenetisch liegt doch ein arcizonaler Zustand vor, wie bei diesem Fall von Racophorus Schlegelii, der die Arcizonie aufweist, die einen Rest des phylogenetischen Gebildes darstellt und gelegentlich eben doch auftritt.

1) The gaseous metabolism of guinea pigs (male and female) decreases to a certain extent after the removal of sexual glands, but it increases temporarily through the administration of the extract (of testis or ovary), up to the normal value as before the operation. 2) The testis extract has a little influence on increasing the gaseous metabolism of the ovariectomised guinea pigs and it is also temporary. 3) The oxidizable substances cause the gaseous metabolism of ovariectomised guinea pigs to increase markedly. 4) The gaseous metabolism of the castrated male is increased under the administration of the oxidizable substance of certain plant juices and the ratio of increase is proportional to the quantity of the oxidizable substance given, and the more, if the testis extract be added together. 5) The gaseous metabolism of the castrated animals fed with the basal diet free from vitamin C tends to diminish again. This diminished gaseous metabolism is only restored to the former level or more by the administration of vitamin C.